what is the ghetto version of a steadycam outfit for a dslr? tryed it with a monopod with a jogging weight attached, which is a slight improvement.
Try attaching a second bar out the side - that will really help that method because your rotational movments are 'de amplified' because a large move of your left hand (assuming your right is the 'gimbal') translates only to a small rotation of the camera
----
watch the online steadicam set up videos and understand how real ones work
----
Seriously the best ghetto special I came up with was..
a piece of broomstick with a nail pointing upwards out of it in one hand
Copper pipe with camera at one end and diving weight at the other and near the camera another peice of wood sticking at 90degrees
Balance the rig on the nail
If you have loads of 'grip' gaffa heads (for lighting/scrims) you can experiment more easily because you can move the weight around to make it balance both horizontally and vertically to get 'trim'
To balance the rig have anonther peice of wood g clamped to your workbench with a sceond nail prodtuding
I have a Merlin after two weeks in the workshop - but that has had to go into the workshop too to make it usable
ps the DSLR is attached to a wooden block with a mezt flash braket onboard (my design was more complex with a second griphead to adjust camera trim)
pps if you cant balance a camera on a nail you wont ever be able to operate a steadicam
S