Jason Romero sent me a link to the BoingBoing blog entry about a review of the SpiderBrace on CoolTools. This is not a bad looking brace and the price is right ($70), but I'd have some concerns using it with my Canon XL-H1:
- Both forearms getting tired since it doesn't look like it redistributes any more weight to your back rather than to your arms
- Lack of camcorder controls at your fingertips
From the picture, the Spiderbrace really seems designed for the new HDV mid-size camcorders that are coming out rather than full-size HDV camcorders like the XL-H1.
I'm currently shooting a documentary in HDV and have been using the spiderbrace in combination with the HDR-FX1 for about six months now. It's really an incredible piece of equipment for how cheap it is and I'd recommend it to anyone. It offers enough stability that I rarely use a tripod anymore. It also makes it easier to set the camera down if you do need a break since many of the recent HDV cams are heavier than their DV counterparts - the FX1 or XH A1 are much heavier than the PD170 for example. Definitely recommended.
I'd highly recommend you look at the Steadybrace. It's a much better unit and does not suffer from the squeeky joint problems and sits more level on the ground than the spiderbrace. Plus it is a little cheaper.