I tried a shoulder mount once thinking it’d help with stability, but honestly, it just made my arms tired faster—especially when I was filming in the attic. Gimbals are smoother, but yeah, sometimes I just grab my phone and call it good. Anyone else find shoulder mounts awkward when you’re working around low beams?
- Totally get what you mean about the shoulder mount. Had the same problem in my crawlspace—kept banging the rig on the rafters and my arms were toast in no time.
- Gimbals are smoother, but they’re not perfect either. Sometimes they get confused in tight spots or close quarters.
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— same here, especially for quick shots or if I’m just documenting progress.sometimes I just grab my phone and call it good
- For anything overhead or awkward, I’d rather use a small tripod or just handhold. Shoulder mounts just feel bulky indoors, at least for me.
- Guess it depends how much gear you want to lug around vs. how pro you need the footage to look... but for tight attic work, I’d skip the shoulder mount every time.
sometimes I just grab my phone and call it good
That’s me half the time, honestly. Once spent a whole afternoon in a tight attic trying to film some insulation work—shoulder mount was more trouble than it was worth, kept knocking it on every joist. Ended up switching to my phone propped on a paint can, got the shot and saved my back. I will say, gimbals are nice for walkthroughs, but in cramped spots? Sometimes simple is better, even if it’s not “pro” quality.
- Been there with the phone trick—sometimes you just need to get it done and don’t want to mess with gear.
- Tried a cheap shoulder rig once for a bathroom reno video. Regretted it fast—kept bumping into the shower frame, and honestly, my arms were toast after 20 minutes.
- Gimbal’s cool for those “look at my new floors” walkthroughs, but I can’t justify the price for most of my projects.
- For tight spaces, I usually just wedge my phone between paint cans or even tape it to a broom handle if I need a wider shot. Not fancy, but it works.
- Quality’s not Hollywood, but I’d rather have a clear shot than spend all day fighting with equipment.
- If you’re on a budget like me, sometimes simple is just less stressful.
- Only time I wish I had something fancier is when I’m trying to show before/after shots and the lighting’s terrible... but that’s another headache.
I’ve tried both and honestly, neither one felt like a magic fix. The shoulder rig I picked up was supposed to make things easier, but after a few minutes my arms were shaking and I kept knocking it into stuff—especially in tight hallways or bathrooms. Gimbals are smoother, sure, but the price tag stings if you’re just filming your own projects. Most of the time, I end up propping my phone on whatever’s handy and calling it good enough. Maybe not “pro” quality, but at least I’m not fighting with gear all afternoon. Lighting’s still my biggest headache anyway...