I have a new MagiqCam IIa system and so far am very impressed by it. I am rather new to flying, so take this for what's it worth.
I built a really nice handheld stabilizer that produced some impressive results, but since I use a Canon XL1s with a matte box and filters with a 7" LCD, it was very difficult to operate for more than about ten minutes. I am a big guy, but even with a forearm brace, it was too much weight to hold steady.
I finally nailed down a major job I'd been working on for a long time with about a weeks notice. As stated by MagiqCam, it takes five weeks since they are built to order. I emailed them to see if they could help, and they called right back saying they were able to send one out a couple of days before my shoot. I was impressed while talking to them (Kelly and John Gardner) and appreciated the customer service and willingness to help me out. They spent a good deal of time with me on the phone answering questions and discussing the system. They clearly understood the needs of an independent and I appreciated their desire to develop and offer a quality alternative to the astronomically priced systems.
I have never flown a true Steadicam, but I must say I was so impressed when I opened the case. Every component was wrapped in its own drawstring bag and very well put together. Having built my first stabilzer, I was blown away by the quality and thought put in to each piece of the system. It looks and feels very solid. More importantly than how it looks - it works wonderfully. Once I figured out the dynamic balance, detuned the springs to fit my camera, and practiced my butt off, I am so pleased with the results. I shot for four hours today, and although tired, I'm not wiped out like I would have thought. I even operated from the tailgate of a Blazer this windy afternoon and achieved fantastic results.
I'm sure a true Flyer is a more competent system, but for my budget and clientele, this thing simply rocks! The footage I showed to the client so completely knocked his socks off, I think I'll be getting a lot more work from them.
Just to note: I do not work for MagiqCam and have no vested interest in the company. I am simply a very happy customer who has found a very cost effective way to increase my level of production value without having to take out a second mortgage. I have no idea how this stacks up against the Glidecam unit, but the value/dollar ratio is amazing.
Let me know if you have questions I can answer. I?ve been lurking on this board for a while and would love to contribute.
Steve
