This one is for you DaddyClay... only $100 for your iPhone steady cam...

www.gizmag.com/iphone-isteady-shot-stabilizer/13325/

But it looks fairly easy to hack... could buy this and then modify the camera mount for any cam, and add a bit o' weight to the balance arm... but $100+ just for the fancy gimble is still too much.

PVC is too cheap and easy to work with to not experiment...

My roomate in college made one of these. Totally worth it, and easy as pie.

Check it out:
www.techtilt.com/2010/06/06/diy-glidepod/

Super simple and very cheap. Stabilizer, monopod, collapsable, and will allow you to get that 'elevated' perspective shot that I'm so very fond of.

I was all geeked about this yesterday, but further reflection and I'm not so sure. It's only rising to 7 feet, right? I can hold it higher than that. Sure, I can hold it up, but then I don't really need that base, do I? As a Steady-cam, I'm not sure why that's any better than figuring out how to hang a water bottle or something from the bottom of a monopole. I'm starting to think that a monopole with something to hang something from the bottom while collapsed is a much simpler way to go.

Or am I missing something?

You are not missing anything. Yes, simple counterbalance is the key to the "steady" part of the the steady cam. So yes, hooking a waterbottle to the bottom of your monopod will work (just make sure it's not floppin' around bumpin' the pole).

The PVC base just adds a bit of versatility. This would let you set the height with the monopod, and set it on the table/ground/whatever. With just a monopod, you ALWAYS have to hold it. But it's also not quite as bulky as a tripod.

Also, with the collapsible monopod, the steadcam function has more range. A longer pole will give smoother movements, but you can only move DOWN so far. Collapse the monopod, and you can move from say 15" off the ground to your reach.

Elevation: yes, you can hold the monopod up, the base just gives you a few extra handles/rest points. Not required at all, but holding the rig up will still get you higher than just about everyone else for a bit more unique video/pictures.

You can go a bit more expensive, probably $100 or so, and get a couple of specialized adapters (or build your own), and a collapsible painters pole for the elevated stuff. But then you don't have much of a steadcam because of the pole length.

Does that all make sense?

Absolutely. It just seems like a mediocre replacement for two (three if you include a tripod) things. I figure I can get the monopod and figure some sort of stabilizing weight for about $25 and then do the painter pole and adapter for another $30. It's two gadgets, but not a huge problem to me. I think you'd get better performance from it.

It looks like I'm going to miss the Maker Faire in Detroit since it's the same weekend as my MiL's birthday party here. I hope they do it there again since the Henry Ford's really getting into the innovation side of their mission. More on that another time, I think. I expect a bunch of DIY and "Open Platform World" things to relate to photography and family fun.