Like the older Steadycam JR, the Glidecam achieves stability by using a gimbaled handle to isolate a counterbalanced camcorder from the operator. It works well with camcorders weighing up to 5.5 pounds, and is easy to assemble, balance and use. The camcorder is secured to a plate that rests atop a 16 inch aluminum rod. Depending on your camcorder, you'll add up to two pounds of washers to the bottom of the rod for balance. With a camcorder, the Glidecam's total weight ranges from about six to ten pounds.
Basic operation is self-evident.
Just try it out. It's capable of such a wide array of movements that there is a way to accomplish almost any angle you can imagine, although the rod prevents very low shots. However you can use the rod to swing the camcorder into position for ingenious types of shots. For example, while running across a roof, I stopped dead at the roof's edge and dropped my upper steering hand to the rod's base swiftly arcing the camcorder into facing straight down over the edge to the ground. The Glidecam's handle is off-center, permitting several inches of vertical movement by a user.