Last Thursday I happened to be in Washington DC for Canon Filmmakers Live where DP, Director, and filmmaker Philip Bloom conducted a day long seminar.I had a great time, and learned a lot of new stuff! After the workshop we had a fun meet-up in a Pub next door. We all were with our cameras having great conversations.
At some point Philip Bloom notices my camera brace I was using with my Nikon D3s to film him..
I love the high end gear! However, if you're broke, a student, or just can't afford right now spending the extra money on your video gear, here is an alternative.
It is the Sima SVP-3 Mini, it is only $20, and it works pretty well for hdslr cameras. If you have a viewfinder such as the Z-Finder from Zacuto, you have an additional point of contact. I got some pretty stable shots with the combination of the Sima SVP-3 and the Z-Finder.
ciao!