The Aviator Travel Jib is One of the Lightest and Most Compact Jibs You'll Ever Use

Camera movement can not only make your shots more interesting, they can help move the story forward in a way that static shots cannot. Most of my experience with jibs has been with the rather large and bulky Miller jibs that are made for extremely heavy cameras. In these days of small cameras and DSLRs, a heavy duty miller jib is overkill for a DSLR that weighs only a few pounds. That's where the Aviator Travel Jib comes in, and even though the Kickstarter project has successfully raised funding, there's still a chance to get one at a greatly reduced price:

The lighter you make a piece of technology designed to move the camera, the easier it is for you to get jerky or rough movements. It looks like even though this jib is quite a bit lighter than most, it can still maintain relatively smooth motion -- which is essential for any good jib. Coming in at $400 for the standard version, or $800 for the Carbon fiber version, this is definitely priced for the independent filmmaker. The carbon fiber jib is going to be 10-20% lighter, but it's already going to be much lighter than most jibs out there because of its design. The standard version at $400 is going to retail for $525, so if you get it through the Kickstarter you'll be saving $125 (in the U.S., internationally it will cost a bit more). Keep in mind that the jib does not include a tripod -- you'll have to supply your own. Here's what Zeke had to say about tripods:

I also like using it with video tripods because the leveling ball base makes it super easy to level. They tend to be larger and heavier, though. But if space and weight aren't as important, like when shooting in urban environments where you are going from car to location, a video tripod like the Manfrotto 536 may be more your style. I've been using the 536 for some time. It's almost 30" long, and weighs over 7lbs, but it'll go up to over 6 and half feet high and it is rock solid. If you go with a ball head tripod you'll want to add a half ball leveler that screws into the bottom of the jib...That said, any tripod rated to hold more than 16 lbs. should work.

I think portability with film gear is going to become even more important as cameras continue to get smaller. I don't need a tripod that can support 50 pounds if my camera and lens package is under 5 pounds. Of course, as I said above, heavier duty gear tends to also give smoother results, so you have to find the right balance between too light for smooth movements and too heavy for portability.

What do you guys think about the Travel Jib?

Link: Aviator Travel Jib - Kickstarter & Nice Industries

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Your Comment

20 Comments

Exactly what I have been looking for. This seems perfect! Exciting, my order is in!

June 26, 2012 at 1:19PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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DSLR Devices here in the UK have had an eerily similar jib out for a year or so now.....

June 26, 2012 at 1:25PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Jib design is actually pretty standard, they all look relatively similar - I think the compactness and the Carbon Fiber option make this one interesting.

June 26, 2012 at 1:38PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Joe Marine
Camera Department
6863

Which one is that dude? The only reason I still haven't bought a Jib yet is because all the cheap ones seem to be in the states but cost a fortune to import :(

Cheers!

June 29, 2012 at 2:59PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Agreed...Kind of feel this is a rip off of the DSLR Devices one... :/

July 10, 2012 at 3:48AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Made right here in beatiful Bend, Oregon ;)

June 26, 2012 at 1:42PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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beautiful*

June 26, 2012 at 1:43PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Thanks for the shout out Joe! And thanks for backing the project Ian.

Hi Gaz. If you look closely (not even that close really) I think you'll see there is nothing eerie about it. Both jibs are small and are, of course, jibs. But that's about where the similarity ends.

Ours is nearly a foot shorter when compact and telescopes in seconds (theirs is snapped together each time you use it). Ours comes with a fluid pan base integrated into the jib, includes bubble levels for super accurate and fast set up. We use radial bearings, not bushings. And more.

They seem like great guys, and though I've never seen their jib in person, it does look like a good jib. But our two jibs are most definitely not the same beast any more than a Porsche 911 and a Volkswagen Beetle are the same just because they are roughly the same size, have doors and four wheels.

Please feel free to ask me questions via twitter @Zeke_Kamm or facebook www.facebook.com/Mr.Zeke.Kamm and I'll get back to you.

June 26, 2012 at 1:53PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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In for one, thanks for making this product available to us. I should have my black magic camera around the same time as this jib, and I'll make sure to let you know how it "flies". Thanks again, cheers!

June 26, 2012 at 4:05PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Chris

Thanks for your support, Chris! Please do let us know. I've got my eye on one of those cameras myself.

June 26, 2012 at 8:23PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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One more difference : the DSLR Devices is 25% cheaper than yours (especially for non-US buyers).

June 27, 2012 at 5:50AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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seenematic

It's not really cheaper, because it doesn't come with the same parts. Ours comes with a $150 padded bag, a $125 fluid pan base, a $25 ballast bag, proper mounting hardware, and bubble levels. There are plenty of other differences, too, but if you're just looking at the money, I think you'd want to compare apples to apples.

June 29, 2012 at 12:54PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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y'know, i've been looking at alot of DIY jib builds, like the oliviatech model and whatnot, and i've always wondered if i could modify it to be more portable

THEN THIS GUY...

lol. it seems like it could be a great project to fund. if i had the bank, maybe i'd toss some in there

June 26, 2012 at 4:38PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Louby

Just wondering... how's this compared to the Kesslr Crane KC-lite?

June 26, 2012 at 11:16PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Does kind of reminds me of the DSLR Devices portable jib.

June 27, 2012 at 9:46AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Just backed this project, can't wait to put it to use!

June 27, 2012 at 7:33PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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MikeK

Anyone know how you'd use this for timelapse?

June 28, 2012 at 1:55PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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David

I'm hoping to do a detailed how to video on this at some point after the Kickstarter closes, but here's a link to the article that inspired my set up. They use the same motor I did. It's basically an $18 hobby motor that runs off of a single AA battery. http://www.diyphotography.net/using-a-motorized-yoyo-as-a-panning-slider

June 29, 2012 at 1:03PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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Hey guys- Looks like a great product with very attractive features. Is there a way to control the tilt while you're raising and lowering the jib? Looks as if you can do this using your tripod head on the KC Lite.

June 28, 2012 at 3:12PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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The way to get the most professional results and have the most creative options is to mount a small fluid head like the 701 for instance between the camera and the jib. Then you have full control of tilt, pan, left and right sway, and of course jib up and jib down. This is how professional jibs work. We've just shrunk it down so you can take it anywhere.

We'll post some great how-to videos soon up on TheTravelJib.com site.

June 29, 2012 at 12:55PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM

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