Spin doctor.
This isn't really a review, to be honest. You see, a while back we reported on how the Centriphone, an invention that lets you spin your phone around your head while filming, could be 3D printed, for free, using files that creator Nicolas Vuignier had made available himself. In that news story we said that we were going to try it ourselves. So we did.
First up, although the 3D files are geared toward accommodating the iPhone, we decided to tinker with it a bit (as you can do with 3D files) and make it wider to take larger phones (such as a Samsung Galaxy Note 5) and also action cams, as we did in the above image with the Olfi Cam.
Check this (admittedly a bit embarrassing video) out:
We set the Olfi to record at 120 frames per second which allowed us to slow it down to 25fps in the edit. As you can see the Centriphone keeps the action cam pretty well aligned, and no matter what direction you spin it in (on the end of transparent fishing line, BTW) it rights itself well to keep the image straight.
We modified the original plans slightly, not only to make it wider, but also to include holes in the body through which various ties and mounts could attach. That way we can use any model of phone with it, and also any kind of action cam - so long as they can record at least 120fps. Oh, and the red tip is actually a dollop of Sugru we had to add after the first test flight - a knot came udone and the thing crash into a wall, cracking the Centriphone. Fortunately the camera was all right.
So although the footage is nowhere near as exciting as Nicolas' (and all the many other people on YouTube who have tried it) it goes to show that if you have a 3D printer and a love of looking like a complete idiot in slow-motion, you should print one today.
Visit http://www.centriphone.me (where pre-printed versions will also soon be available to buy!)