Taking action photographs and video footage is challenging. However, add in the extra element of the photographer also in motion or participating in the filmed sport, and it becomes extremely tough. While there are all sorts of shock and vibrationally dampened video mounts available to professional film crews, these are extremely expensive, and not readily available to the average sports action photographer or weekend warrior. Without these vibrationally dampened video mounts, the replayed video suffers from a plethora of jerky motions to the point where most viewers will only briefly watch.
Since many sports such as skiing or snow boarding require the cameraman to ride in the near vicinity of the filmed subject the cameraman is also using his own body including his arms and hands to negotiate the terrain. This makes it dangerous and very hard to take good pictures, and even then the resultant video is “shaky.” Additionally, cameraman that have to place the camera viewfinder to their eye to frame the shot of the action, are really blind to much of what is going on around them and this can lead to accidents and injuries.
With the advent of personal digital sports photography systems, the photographer can attach a small lightweight digital video camera through a series of different mounts, to a variety of different locations on the sporting equipment and even on the head of the photographer, via a helmet cam. These systems are also equipped with software to minimize the shake in the footage, and the mounts may incorporate some minor vibrational and shock absorbing elements. While these work well to reduce the level of shake in the footage, they do not eliminate it. A problem with these systems is the initial cost and the fact that as they constantly improve, there is the expense of updating. This keeps many out of this market. Another drawback of these systems is that while the camera is affixed to a helmet cam and will rotate with the wearer's head, the wearer is not looking through the viewfinder and does not exactly know what he is photographing. A slight shift in the helmet can aim the camera in a significantly different area that the photographer intends. This can be frustrating as not all actions are repeatable.
Today, more and more people are abandoning their cameras, even digital cameras of recent years, for the camera imbedded in their cell/smart phones and personal computing devices. Everyone has a cell/smart phone. Usually they upgrade every two years so their camera has the latest software and highest resolution, zoom and editing capabilities. Henceforth, an inexpensive vibrational reducing mount for a cell/smart phone that can be used for action video would fulfill a long felt need in the photography industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds