The Best Steadicam For Canon 7d Cameras!

With the Canon 7d being such a popular DSLR camera body we have noticed a steady stream of people reaching out and asking for advice on what the best Steadicam for Canon 7d cameras currently available on the market is. Due to this, we have decided to focus on Steadicams for the Canon 7d for today’s article to help any of our readers who are in this same situation. Due to the 7d being so popular, we are confident that a number of our readers will own the camera body and maybe looking to add a Steadicam to their camera accessories.

Now, time was that the default recommendation for anyone looking to add a Steadicam manual camera stabilizer to their DSLR camera accessories would be Glidecam 2000 but times are changing. Glidecam used to stand for innovation and delivering the best products possible so customers were willing to pay the premium price but this has changed over the last few years.

Now, depending on the niche that you are working in, you may have to go with the Glidecam to meet your needs but in our opinion, many of our readers will be able to get away with using the much cheaper Flycam Redking and get very similar levels of image stabilization. Whereas the Glidecam range has become stagnant and stale over the last few years, Flycam has kept innovating and taking advantage of new developments in various technologies.

This has enabled them to produce a very cheap yet very effective Steadicam style manual stabilizer that has managed to quickly earn an excellent reputation for itself amongst the community in such a short period of time. Additionally, the Redking is known for providing similar levels of image stabilization to stabilizers that are almost double its price tag. This can ensure that you capture the best possible image quality for your clients without having to shell out on a high price point stabilizer like the Glidecam.

Due to this, we are going to be taking a more in-depth look at the Flycam Redking throughout the rest of our article as we feel it can help save our readers money while offering some of the best performance possible. If you would like to read some independent reviews of the Glidecam 2000 then you can click here.

Performance And Functionality

Now, your Canon 7d camera body comes in at around 2.08 pounds without any camera accessories mounted to it at all. With the Redking offering a maximum load capacity of 15.4 pounds you can easily mount your 7d to the stabilizer as well as pretty much any setup of camera accessories that you can dream up. Additionally, unlike some compeating Steadicam stabilizers on the market right now, the Redking can still provide you with some excellent image stabilization if you are using a longer and heavier camera lens.

Flycam has also taken into account that more and more videographers are wanting to mount additional accessories like a field monitor to their stabilizer too. There are various mounting points down the central column of the Redking that allows you to mount various accessories to the unit without it having any negative effect on the stabilization that the Redking is able to provide for you.

As the Redking is a manual Steadicam style stabilizer, it also has no battery and is balanced via its counterweight system instead of gimbal motors. This can work to your advantage as the duration of your sessions are not dictated by your battery life and you can stay out for long periods of time without having to worry about your gimbal running out of power.

As per usual, we wanted to share some sample clips with our readers to show off exactly what you can expect. The footage in the video above has all been captured using the  Flycam Redking and offers an excellent demonstration of the levels of image stabilization that you can expect from the stabilizer for your Canon 7d.

As you can see, the footage is silky smooth in various situations without any hang or vibration at all. Considering the low price tag of the Redking, this is very rare amongst the compeating Steadicam style stabilizers in its price range and one of the reasons the Redking is held in such high regard with the community.

User Interface And Control System

Unlike their motorized gimbal cousins, the Steadicam style manual stabilizers don’t really have much of a user interface or control system due to the simplicity of the device. If you are new to using a stabilizer with your Canon 7d then this can really play to your advantage as the simplicity of the Flycam Redking ensures that you can learn the device quickly without having to potentially waste hours learning how to set the rig up.

This leaves you with more free time to get out and about and capture the video footage that you need for your clients or develop your videography skillset. On top of this, the central column, mounting plate, and base plate of the Redking are all very easy to use and adjust to meet your needs as required too.

Flycam has also used the Manfrotto dovetail quick release plate system on the Redking meaning you are able to quickly and easily mount or unmount your Canon 7d as required when using a mounting plate with it too. If you are planning to go from stabilizer to tripod, to handheld multiple times throughout the course of one of your sessions then this can actually end up saving you a surprising amount of time over the course of a session too.

Balancing

If you are brand new to using a Steadicam style stabilizer with your Canon 7d then you may have some questions about balancing the Redking. Thankfully, the video above offers an excellent demonstration of how to go through the quick and easy balancing procedure for the stabilizer but in all honesty, the process is very easy and we doubt you will run into any problems anyway.

Build Quality And Design

Now, one of the main drawbacks of the majority of cheaper manual stabilizers is that they can be very heavy. Thankfully, Flycam has used the latest alloys and polymers on the Redking to keep it as light as possible while also keeping it robust and thought enough to withstand any bumps coming its way without breaking. This really lets the Redking stand out from its competition and is another reason why the stabilizer has managed to become so popular so quickly within the community.

When it comes to the actual design of the Redking, Flycam has pretty much stuck to the same regular design that has been used by brands producing Steadicam style stabilizers for the last decade or so. This is nothing against Flycam as all brands are doing this due to the current design offering excellent functionality while also being extremely easy to use.

Another issue that is common amongst the cheaper Steadicam style stabilizers on the market is that they can often have handle grips that are very uncomfortable. This is another area where Flycam has managed to go above and beyond by putting a very comfortable handle grip on the Redking. This means that it is very comfortable to hold for those longer sessions even with a heavy Canon 7d mounted to the stabilizer.

Our Verdict

That brings us to the end of our article on what we feel is the best Steadicam for Canon 7d cameras currently on the market. As we mentioned back at the start, some of our readers will need to go with something like the Glidecam 2000 but we are confident that many of our readers can save a few hundred dollars and have their needs met by going with the Flycam Redking instead.

If you are yet to make your mind up then you can click here to read some independent reviews of the Redking that have been posted by third-party videographers. Additionally, we also have our own dedicated review of the Flycam Redking online too where we take a more detailed look at the stabilizer that maybe helpful.