ProAm USA Orion DVC200 DSLR Video Camera Crane - Aircraft Aluminum Camera Jib - 8 ft Extendable Filmmaking Boom with L-Shaped Side Camera Mounting Bracket

A camera crane is a tool that when properly used can be helpful in obtaining stunning video shots BUT like the zoom lens it must be used carefully and with purpose. I purchased the ProAm DVC200 on Amazon along with The ProAm stand. This package came with free shipping which saved almost $40.00. The crane portion comes in two parts which can be attached together without the use of additional tools. Ordered with the stand the crane has the proper adaptor for attachment (also without tools). It can be ordered for use with a tripod and will then come with the appropriate mount. Using a crane requires the right equipment and some practice. The video camera needs to have the ability to attach a TV monitor and remote controls to it in order to frame your picture and start and stop your camera. It also requires balancing weights at the end of the crane. My set up consists of a Panasonic HMD-40 camera with a remote control manufactured by Studio 1 in Florida that lets me start and stop the camera as well as control the zoom speed, the lens focus and the iris. Depending on your camera a kit can be purchased that includes a remote control, a TV monitor and a bracket that attaches to the side of the crane. In my case the Panasonic camera required a different type of remote control. For a TV I adapted a Coby 7" portable digital LCD TV by making a metal plate to attach to the crane and attaching industrial strength velcro strips to the plate and the back of the TV. When I can I will upgrade to a better monitor but until then this works. The crane is very well designed and reasonably light. A four foot extension is available that changes the crane from 8' to 12' and can be purchased later. So far I have found that a crane works best when using wide angle lens settings. The crane is difficult to get stable start and stop pictures but works very well as a moving device. Zooming can be effectively used in moving shots with practice to great effect but the wide angle will give much better results at the starting and stopping positions. The camera platform has several mounting holes but to get the steadiest camera shots the camera should be mounted as close as possible to the crane siding. All in all the ProAm Crane is a well constructed piece of equipment that if used properly can be a creative tool for professional looking video. Like the zoom lens the crane must have a reason for being used. This is a good piece of equipment at a decent price.

I received my proam crane today. I needed it to arrive by friday because I'm traveling abroad so I contacted the seller to make sure it would arrive on time. They responded immediately, were very helpful and immediately shipped my item, I ended up getting it 2 days early. Upon opening the crane and stand, I set it up and was blown away. I can't believe how high quality the product is and how high it will really go. I ordered it with the stand, it works with just a tripod but the stand build is actually really thick (not clunky), I was unsure about ordering the stand but I'm glad I did. It's worth the $60 The DVC200 is an 8' jib and I thought it wouldn't be high enough and I would need to buy the extension eventually but 8' plus the stand which expands a lot, the jib gets way higher than I thought. I haven't measured the maximum height yet but I guarantee it's at least 12' I did my homework all over the web, I came down to the proam and the indiesystem jib but I decided on the proam because I believed they gave you more for your money and I was right, it really is an incredible deal. No I don't work for them but after this I just might apply. Thanks

This crane adds a wealth of cinematic effect to any project. I have used it to shoot an onstage dance performance and fashion show to move easily with the dancers and models. My client was very pleased with the final product. I am also using it to get close up details and wide panoramic shots for a documentary. It is a much less expensive alternative to a steadicam to achieving smooth, sweeping shots. Although it can be a bit bouncy at times when ending a movement, the pros far outweigh the cons. (Those last few seconds can usually be edited out anyway.) I like that you can switch between automatic camera tilt to manual tilt with the removal or insertion of a peg. A drag control would be nice, but for the price you can't really complain. I love that it is very portable and I can fit it in my car with all my gear (have to put the back seat down). I also purchased the bearing mount, stand, lock, and bag. The lock was probably not a great purchase, as it doesn't really lock it firmly and I can't seem to get it to work as a smooth drag either, but it wasn't that expensive. I had to purchase a large rubber washer at a hardware store to put between the bearing mount and stand mount so that it would hold securely and not come unscrewed. I have also tried some other things including mounting it to a tripod head and tripod, but I like the crane stand and bearing mount the best, as they seem more stable, and I seem to have less bounce. I also have tried modifying it to become a 4ft crane in hope to use it in situations when an 8ft crane may be more obtrusive, such as at a wedding. This was achieved by drilling extra holes with a drill press and moving some screws and bolts around. Pretty cool, but a lot of work. For the reasonable price of the shorter cranes, it may be easier just to purchase one of them in addition to the 8ft one. The 8ft crane gives more dramatic shots, too. I also didn't feel comfortable with the screws that held the two pieces of the arm together not actually inserting into the second piece, so I had some holes drilled for that, too. The physics of it may be fine, but I didn't want the arm accidentally sliding out. All in all, for the price, it was a great investment! I think it takes my footage to the next level.

My Jib Crane arrived 2 days before the projected delivery so walking into the office seeing that big box felt like Christmas morning as a kid. I tore into it, expecting complex instructions, but everything was self explanatory and it took longer to get the protective wrap off than it did to assemble. That's a sign of solid, well thought out design. Sturdy construction, no flex, smooth as silk, and stable! I ordered the suggested stand in addition to this jib because it just makes sense. Everything is sturdy and the crane has a wonderful matte finish that just says BC went the distance. Everything fits together as planned without drama or buyers regret. I'm 100% thrilled with both items. The only thing that I don't like... No carrying case. This is such a great deal already, so I don't think anyone should be discouraged from buying it... as a note to BC Media... Bags are cheap to make, but hard to find. If you did that homework for me it would have just been that little extra step to show guys like me that you're covering all bases (no pun intended). All together great! Send me some transport gear and I'm head over heels... :) I'd hate to scratch beauty with it banging around the trunk. Keep up the hard work guys!

I'm an advanced amateur videographer who films events, and I love the shots I can get with this crane. Normally cranes cost at least twice as much as this one. It's easy to assemble and disassemble. You can tilt the camera independently, or you can insert a pin that allows the crane's mechanism to tilt the camera automatically as you raise and lower the jib. If you opt for the latter, you can use the crane with practically zero practice. Get yourself some weights so that you can balance the jib properly. A 5 lb. and a 2.5 lb. weight were perfect for my setup. After I put the weights on the jib, I could fluidly move the camera with ease, and the camera rested above the ground rather than slamming onto the ground when I wasn't holding onto the jib. You can buy a tripod for the jib from the seller, but I bought their panning bearing mount instead so that I could use the jib on my own tripod and save some money. Bargain Camera put the panning bearing mount on the jib for me, making the setup even easier! If you go this route, make sure your tripod can handle the weight of the jib.

This crane / jib is well built and an excellent value, especially if you compare it to other pro ones that cost way more. Adds so much production value to the shots. I even use it on some regular hand held shots to help hold steady. However, my one only biggest complaint is the flex on the mounting bracket where you attach the camera. There is considerable flex after mounting a DSLR rig to it. In airplane terms: it rolls clockwise. In other words it tilts to the right, since it hangs to the right of the main arm. So the camera, when facing forward, looking down the length of the arm, is always off level and tilted to the right. I have tried bending and flexing it back, but it always relaxes back after mounting equipment to it. The simple solution was to level the tripod that the crane is mounted, to compensate for the slight angle, but alas, as soon as you swing and pan in either direction, the angle is worse in one way or the other. The obvious solution would be to mount an adjustable head on the bracket, which is what I've done. However, now I need to buy another tripod head so I can do the quick release thing from crane to tripod without having to unscrew everything back and forth every time I switch between supports. There really shouldn't be any flex there at all. Aside from that, a good product.

This item doesn't really need any more reviews, it is obviously great quality. I also ordered the camera crane stand by ProAm and it is extremely easy to put it all together. It has a very solid build and gives your footage that cinematic look you need! I did not order a monitor screen as I was going to download the app for smart phones, but I was actually able to have a decent view of the screen on the camera (I don't have the 4ft extension). So if you are young and have good eyes like me =) you might save your self a couple bucks. Here is a link to some footage we took with it about 30 minutes after we received it. [...]

Ok, when I looked at this, I thought it was too good to be true when I saw the price. When I received it, I realized it was too good for the price! I highly recommend purchasing the 4' extension and base along with it. You'll be amazed at how much it will increase your overall production value without breaking your budget. A COUPLE OF ITEMS WORTH MENTION: You'll need to buy the weights separately. (I also highly recommend a lillyput monitor w/ mount, a motorized pan head and wired camera remote WITH EXTENSION! We found it also very helpful to utilize a few sand bags on the tripod to keep it a little more steady, especially if you're shooting with any sort of winds. Love this product, its portability & its ease of use... Look no further.

It is just amazing totally impressed me. Wawwww