Dougmon 150047 Camera Support Special Package with Special

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List Price: $699.99
Sale Price: $599.99
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

The Dougmon is a fantastic even revolutionary new type of device that both stabilizes and helps support the weight of handheld camcorders and DSLRs, but in a very unique way. Unlike other stabilizing and support tools, which help balance the camera against the shoulder or chest or hip of its operators, this one provides support to the arm directly, giving the operator much more flexibility and range of motion. You really have to try one to get a sense for how powerful this little tool can be, and if, like me, you've tried nearly everything else out there, you'll appreciate that this is very obviously designed by a videographer for videographers.

I'm not a professional videographer, but I am a serious amateur, who mostly focuses on real life and documentary-style shooting. I also teach about film, and have my students create video projects for the purpose of learning. While I encourage them to use tripods where possible, it's not always the best thing. Sometimes you need to be flexible, to follow the action, and for that it's best to shoot handheld. When they do shoot handheld, I tell them that they need to turn their bodies into a tripod adopt a balanced stance, lock the elbows at their sides, grasp the camera with two hands, lean up against something for stability, etc. When I first heard about the Dougmon, I could see that it was a tool for taking the next step it's really just designed to support your arm as you support the camera, giving you the flexibility of handheld shooting, but allowing you to brace your forearm against the rest of your arm. The knob on the handle allows you to select how much flexibility you need. It's almost like a bionic arm for shooting my wife called me "Robocop" when she first saw me put it on but it's really not all that obtrusive. It's actually a very natural design, and I'm surprised no one thought to make something like this sooner.

The last decade or so has seen enormous growth in the quality of what you can shoot with small, handheld camcorders and DSLRs. To get footage that's usable, though, for independent films, wedding videos, and documentaries, and even home video that's watchable, there's a need to supplement these cameras with accessories that provide support and stability. Tripods and monopods work in some situations, and provide reliably stable shots, but can be a bit cumbersome and lacking in flexibility. For different types of steady movement, there are dollies and cranes, which meet specific needs very well, but lack flexibility and tend to be expensive, even if there are usually low cost alternatives. For greater flexibility, but at a high cost, there are steadicams, the best of which require a highly trained operator.

There are a few basically different types of more affordable accessories for handheld shooters that have emerged to meet the needs of the independent filmmaker, industrial videographer, or advanced hobbyist or student. Each is designed to meet some combination of various basic needs: (1) to stabilize the camera, either for static or moving shots; (2) to help support the weight of the camera, to eliminate or minimize arm fatigue so that a videographer can shoot handheld for a while; (3) to provide a common place for mounting a range of different camera accessories such as microphones, lights, monitors, precision focus knobs, and the like. Shoulder mounts can do all of these things, but they aren't very flexible. It means you have to shoot from your eye level, and in my case (I'm very tall) that means I'm shooting down at everyone else. Other mounts, like the Zacuto Striker, support the weight of the camera against your chest, but that still doesn't give a lot of flexibility. The "FigRig" (which I also have) is an interesting one, that allows you to support the weight of the camera by using both arms spread out, and that means that small movements in your hands will only translate to slight movements in the camera.

The Dougmon is a completely different type of device, that allows you to be as flexible in your movements as you like, and simply helps support the arm in supporting the weight of the camera and in providing natural flexibility. You can also take it off your arm and use it like a monopod, balancing your camera against a wall or a table or the ground. If you pick up the "Slingmon" as well, you can use that to balance the camera at chest level which is much more natural than shoulder level but it would also be valuable for those who use heavier cameras, or need occasionally just to give their arm a rest. Even though the Dougmon does support the forearm against the rest of the arm, if you move it around a lot you will still get tired, and if you're out shooting for a while, the Slingmon, which adjusts easily to fit right around your shoulder, would definitely come in handy. I didn't show myself using the Slingmon in the video, but I have used it quite a bit and it is very helpful and well worth it as an accessory for the Dougmon.

This version of the Dougmon (listed as having a "Special Release Head") comes with a sliding release mount, compatible with Manfrotto's standard sliding plate. I've got the same adapter for my Manfrotto Fig Rig and my Video Monopod, and the plates are interchangeable with (and seem to me to be identical with) the one that came with this.

About the video: I shot all of the footage here using the Dougmon with the exception of the footage of myself using it. (I should add that the footage is pretty degraded, as a result of the need to compress it for posting here; still, it's good enough, I hope, to give you the idea how this thing works) Shot mostly at a local nature preserve and not in the context of a "live event" involving people it's not really exhaustive coverage of what can be done with this device, which is really ideal for "live" shooting in volatile documentary situations where the action and the best angles for capturing it can't be predicted in advance. I was allowed to try one of these out by the manufacturer, for the purposes of testing and review. I do hope that this is helpful. Feel free to ask questions in the comments field and I'll try to answer as best as I can.

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