No, it's not the famous character from The Matrix played by Laurence Fishburne -- though I'm sure that's all you're going to think about now -- it's actually a modular camera stabilizer. Cinevate has been working for a number of years on a small, light, and inexpensive camera stabilizer that can take your GoPro or other small camera and give you smooth-looking footage. The company has launched a Kickstarter for the stabilizer, so check out the launch video below for more on the Cinevate Morpheus:
The Morpheus system should be great if you want something simple that can get more complex the more you want to do with it. While there are plenty of GoPro and small camera stabilizers out there, most of them are single purpose, and will only work as handheld stabilizers. Morpheus will allow you to do all sorts of things with a tiny bit of gear, which is really the way it should be when the camera you're using, like a GoPro, has such a small footprint in the first place. The system can handle cameras that are 300 grams, or around 10 ounces, but it can work with heavier cameras if you add counterweights. It's also made specifically to work with GoPros with and without accessories, as well as all iPhone models and most smartphones, since the clamps are adjustable.
This whole video was shot using the Morpheus and the GoPro HERO3:
There are a number of award levels, starting at $125 for the stabilizer only and going up to $300 for the version with all of the bells and whistles:
As for when you can expect them:
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, the molds can be purchased. Preliminary design work for molding is already done, so we expect to first test models from the molds in 12 weeks (beginning of March 2014) Once mold tweaks are complete (1-3 weeks) we will start to see finished product at or before April 2014. Because we are making 100% of Morpheus in the US and Canada, we will not have any long shipping delays. We have already sourced a supplier in Canada for the micro-machined components so the risk in going to manufacture is very low.
It looks like the team at Cinevate has tried to think of everything when it comes to making a stabilizer that can work in literally any situation -- so the Morpheus is really going to be the right tool for many jobs, especially ones that need to be light and easy to work with. It may be slightly over the limit, but it should also work with a camera like the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, which is in stock pretty much everywhere and now capable of shooting CinemaDNG RAW.
Head on over to the Kickstarter to read more about it, and donate if you'd like to help Cinevate reach their $25,000 goal by the beginning of December (it should also be noted that everything is listed in Canadian dollars, but the exchange rate is essentially 1:1 right now).
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