Camera stabilizer

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A camera stabilizer, or camera-stabilizing mount, is a device designed to hold a camera in a manner that prevents or compensates for unwanted camera movement, such as "camera shake".

For small hand-held cameras, a harness or contoured frame steadies the camera against the photographer's body. In some models, the camera mount is on an arm that protrudes in front of the photographer; beneath the camera is a handle grip. Another variation positions the camera atop a fulcrum brace against the photographer's chest or abdomen.

To compensate for camera instability caused by the movement of the operator's body, camera operator Garrett Brown invented the Steadicam, a body-mounted stabilization apparatus for motion picture cameras, which uses springs as shock absorbers.

In 1991, Martin Philip Stevens^[a] invented a hand-held camera stabilizer for motion-picture and video cameras, called the Glidecam.

In 2001 Sachtler and Curt O. Schaller launched the artemis camera stabilizer system at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. The artemis systems were the first modular camera stabilizer systems in the world. In addition, the artemis HD systems were the first Full HD camera stabilizer systems worldwide.^[1][2] The Trinity system developed by Curt O. Schaller together with Roman Foltyn in 2015, is the first camera stabilizer system in the world that combines a mechanical stabilization system with an electronic one. In April 2016, ARRI acquired the artemis camera stabilizer systems developed by Curt O. Schaller from Sachtler.^[3][4][5] In 2022, the second generation of the Trinity, the Arri Trinity 2, followed. In 2025, Curt O. Schaller and Roman Foltyn were awarded the Academy Scientific and Engineering Award: Curt Schaller for the concept, design and development of the Trinity 2 system and Roman Foltyn for the software and hardware design of its motorized stabilized head.^[6][7][8]

Since approx. 2015, it is common to stabilize moving cameras with remote controlled camera heads. The camera and lens are mounted in a remote controlled camera holder which is then mounted on a moving dolly, such as rail systems, cable suspended dollys, cars or helicopters. For example the Newton stabilized remote head^[9] is broadly used to stabilize moving TV cameras at live broadcast of sports and events.

Some camera stabilization machines use gyroscopes to sense disruptive motion.

Although a tripod can hold a camera stably, stationary platforms are not regarded as camera stabilizers.

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