Steadicam Steadimate-RS Aero 15 Arm and Aero Vest Kit

Nice piece of kit!I like this a whole lot! My arms get wrecked by the end of a full day of gimbal use and my hands would start cramping. My neck and back would just be ruined. For that alone, this unit is an absolute lifesaver and 100% worth the purchase. Especially for the deal at for around €850 all in. Another very nice point is Z axis stabilization. Although it's not perfect it definitely reduces bounce. You do have to pay attention though. It's not an Arri Trinity, but the cool factor is pretty high. You will definitely stand out in a crowd. I'm going to be using this unit at a fashion show this weekend and I'm definitely going to get a lot of second looks. Of course that could be a disadvantage if you're hoping to avoid attention. Some of the things that were not the best were the squeaking factor and the gimbal touchscreen being blocked. The steady mate attaches right at the top of the touchscreen. Thereby making it impossible to use the navigation at the top of the touchscreen. This renders the touchscreen useless. Definitely a bummer. I don't think they could have avoided this. Not sure a redesign could help. My vest and arm were so squeaky. I thought I was going to have to send this back as there's no way a microphone anywhere near me would not have picked up all the noise. But, I got some silicone/Teflon lubricant and put a few drops in and around the buckles, which were really loud, and around the connection points on the arm. This eliminated all of the squeaking. Problem solved 100%. At least for the short term. We'll see how often lubricant is needed.Getting the vest set up, and the arm balanced is an extended project. It comes in multiple pieces, and all the Velcro is pulled tight to fit in the box. I would give yourself several hours to get this thing running the way you want it. Luckily, There are a handful of pretty good videos online now along with manuals that are well done. This is great because previous reviews indicated that there was no instructions anywhere to be found. They have definitely remedied that situation. Still, getting the system totally balanced will take some trial and error. It's absolutely doable and it's great when you get it where you want it. But, again, set aside a day for trial and error.Having never used a steady cam before, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to get the general idea when it comes to using the system. But, you will definitely want to practice a whole lot before stepping onto a professional set. Also, I would highly suggest getting everything, balanced and ready for use prior to arriving on site. You definitely do not want to go through balancing and adjusting this thing if there is any time pressure. It can definitely be a bit clunky and time-consuming. Which brings up storage. It does not come with any sort of a case, and will pose a bit of a challenge when it comes to finding space to pack this away without breaking down everything.Something else to consider is, if you are doing a gig where you are doing multiple things, like multiple cameras, running sound, setting up lights, etc., the vest may be a bit cumbersome even after you pull the gimbal off.So, in conclusion, I would say it's great, and I'm really happy with it. It's not perfect and it took quite a bit of fiddling and practice. For situations where you have enough space it's an excellent tool and my arms, hands and back love it. In tight spaces special attention will need to be paid and it might just be unrealistic. I haven't decided whether I want to take this on a wedding shoot coming up next month.Pros:Takes the weight off my arms completely. Helps reduce Z axis movement. Allows me to hold an exceptionally still frame. Vest is pretty comfortable.Between manuals, and YouTube videos, there are plenty of quality instructions to help you get it set up.Looks very professional and the build is very sturdy. Anything short of a major production and this will stand out in the cool factor.Cons:Definitely not plug-in play. You will need to spend a pretty good amount of time adjusting the vest and arm to get them just right. It's a lot of parts and pieces that need to be adjusted over and over again. The RS unit is fairly straightforward to balance if you are already used to balancing gimbals. It's definitely trickier than just balancing your Ronin, though.Renders the touchscreen useless Way too squeaky out of the box! Definitely does not take out all of the z-axis. Although you can lower the Gimble by pressing down on the springs, or raise the gimbal by lifting it, you are definitely working against the spring or taking more pressure on your arms and it definitely has an effect on stability.Definitely tricky to use inside tighter spaces. Walking through my house with typical doors and hallways requires being superconscious of spacing and bending and twisting to avoid bumping into walls, door frames, countertops, etc. this makes it hard to focus on your shot.Will definitely draw attention from anybody who can see you. This is not a stealth tool.