Description
With the Boombandit you can attach multiple cameras, a light and an audio recorder to the unique camera mounting bracket to easily get great crane shots that give your videos real production value. Weighing just 850 grams, it is so light just about anyone can use it and it comes with its own backpack carry bag, just sling it over your shoulder while you go and find the next shot for your movie. The Boombandit is made from specially designed polymer parts and custom-made telescopic aluminium legs.
Dimensions:
Weight: 800 gm / 28 oz
Retracted length: 55 cm / 22 in
Extended length: 2.6 m / 102 in
Camera Weight: 1 kg max
Terry Lane –
by Terry Lane (Melbourne broadcaster and newspaper columnist.)
Now that you're carrying a high-definition video camera in your pocket, you have an itch to record an epic. But all great epics have one thing in common: the camera's moves. It swings smoothly up and down on a crane. One minute it is on the floor looking up, and the next it is in the air looking down. It pans from side to side, running smoothly on bearings in the mounting. Fluid camera movement is what distinguishes the professional movie from the static pictures made by amateurs.
What we need is an inexpensive, light, portable camera mount for our phone and compacts. Marcus McLeod perceived the need and has produced the product - the BoomBandit (go to
boombandit.com.au to see the device in use and to order a unit for $250). McLeod worked in the film industry as a grip, setting up cranes and dollies for directors of photography. His background is in getting the best angles for the camera operators.
''I always had this plan in my head to build a very esoteric crane for the industry,'' McLeod says. ''I built a prototype but it was going to be too expensive to manufacture. I was in my workshop one night, realising that I couldn't make this thing - it was too big. And I thought, well, hang on a minute, I've got a full-HD camera in my pocket. I looked at the crane I was building and had the eureka moment.''
Aiming high: Marcus McLeod demonstrates the BoomBandit.
He realised that with simpler and lighter components, he had the basics of a perfect camera- movement device for phones and light cameras. With help from members of the Victorian Inventors Association, he designed and fabricated the unique mounts and hinges for the boom, and sourced lightweight tubes for the body. Thus, the BoomBandit was born.
Using the BoomBandit is easy. It feels like an arm extension that responds to thought input just as a limb and hands do. The parallelogram arm sits on a monopod and is controlled through a hand grip, smoothly raising the camera from ground level to a metre above the head and at the same time panning fluidly from side to side. The camera can be tilted in any arm position to face down or up, and the mount can carry additional gear, such as a second camera, light or microphone.
The unit weighs 800 grams and telescopes like a tripod. It comes with a backpack. In a word: brilliant!
Marcus McLeod –
Great to meet you Marcus. I certainly look forward to utilising your excellent creation. I think it has huge potential only limited by imagination. Mark Oates, Wild Oates Productions, Tasmania
Marcus McLeod –
First of all, I love the Boombandit! I feel like I'm showing it off to someone nearly on a weekly basis. I took it into a local Photography Store here in Salt Lake City and before I knew it, I had it fully extended as I was demonstrating it to three or four of the workers there. They were very intrigued so I pointed them to your website.
As well as using it with my GoPro/iPhone for personal recreational videos, I'm also a promotion producer for a television station in Salt Lake City "Fox 13" and I've even used it for promotional videos that play over the air. When I use it for work, I use a light weight DSLR for a little better light gathering capability and quality. It works great for tight shots that I can't get with our full size boom.
I remembered a video that I did a while back that was shot entirely on the Boombandit. We like to do fun Social Media stuff with the anchors of our morning newscast. A few months ago we had a guy on the show that lost a bet to his brother over a basketball shooting game called "PIG". Being the loser he had to dance on a busy street corner. The video went viral so we invited him to come on the show Good Day Utah. Long story short, when he was on he challenged one of our anchors to the same bet. The anchor lost and was forced to dance on a street corner. I shot the whole thing with the Boombandit and a GoPro. You can even see my shadow with the Boombandit near the end while he's dancing. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FHHOMbP_ZI
jeffdyck3163 (verified owner) –
Researched and researched a portable camera jib I could use on the fly with my iPad 2 (mounted in a iOgrapher), something with quick setup and take down, no bulky offset weights and a decent extended height that reinforces the usefulness the product. Looked at many but they either had a weight restriction or the manufacturer simply never got back to my inquiry about it.
Then I found Boombandit while searching on YouTube. Impressed by what I saw in the promo videos (where the unit was displayed at various Tech Shows) and from others who have used it, more research followed. I contacted the manufacturer from their website, they were prompt in replying and answering questions. I ordered and got it within 7 days (to Canada).
After playing around with it for 15 minutes I LOVE THIS RIG. It is everything I described seeking in my opening paragraph. Love it. Going to get LOT of mileage outta this quality built unit. Highly recommended for "on the fly" videographers.