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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Selfie Stick Grows Up for Pro Video

The days of grainy cell phone photos may be over, but countless hours of shaky smartphone video footage posted on sites like YouTube and Facebook suggest the human hand hasn’t quite evolved to keep up with mobile technology. Enter the Rover, a cage-like contraption that aims to transform an iPhone into a professional camera rig. Built and marketed for $299 by film industry hardware supplier Matthews Studio Equipment in Burbank, the device encloses a smartphone in an open aluminum frame with dual adjustable handles. The design purportedly maximizes comfort while minimizing the need to touch the phone during shooting, eliminating the risk of jerky video or fingers covering the lens, explained Rover inventor and Matthews General Manager Bill Hines. “Smartphone imaging is revolutionary, but maneuvering and stabilizing the device consistently can be problematic, particularly when it comes to shooting video,” he said. “(The Rover) enables the smartphone to be hand-friendly and really work with the individual.” The frame weighs a little more than 2 pounds and features a variety of accessory mounts, including a “cold shoe” mount for connecting lights and microphones as well as a universal tripod mount. The Rover is hardly Hines’ first invention. His experience working as an equipment specialist on location shoots for commercials and documentaries led him to develop his own soft-light products in the early 1980s through a partnership with Matthews. He sold the line a few years later to Hollywood lighting firm Bardwell & McAlister Inc. “Building lights that could give a natural look in all sorts of environments … was kind of the hallmark of what I did,” he said. “You have to be able to adapt when you’re out in the field.” While Hines initially had envisioned video journalists and YouTube creators as the Rover’s primary markets, he and his team at Matthews have found that its appeal is wider than they expected. Wedding photographers, a realtor and even an engineer have purchased the product, Hines said. “We’ve been surprised to see that its reach is pretty universal,” he said. “But then again, the smartphone isn’t limited to a certain user base, and the same goes for the Rover. If you have an interest in quality smartphone imaging, I believe the Rover will be very useful to you.” The Rover will make its official debut later this month at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. Its launch will mark the 48-year-old company’s first foray into the realm of consumer products. If the Rover proves a success, more products are likely to follow, Hines said. “The whole concept is a new start for us and we’re learning as we go,” he said. “So far we’ve been very gratified.” – Helen Floersh

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