Patent ID: 7854555

Claim:
A camera crane comprising: a telescopically extendible arm having a front end and a back end; a camera platform supported at the front end of the arm; a mechanical leveling system linked to the camera platform, to keep the camera platform in a substantially horizontal position, a counter weight moveable along the arm from a first position adjacent to the back end of the arm to a second position between the back end and the front end of the arm; at least one actuator on the arm, for telescopically extending and retracting the arm; and a camera platform stabilizing system including a first sensor for sensing the elevation angle of the arm, a second sensor on the camera platform for sensing the angular position of the camera platform, first and second electric motors driving the camera platform, and a controller electrically connected to the first and second sensors, and to the first and second motors, and with the controller providing a positive preload to the first motor and a negative preload to the second motor, and with the controller controlling the motors to maintain the camera platform in a stabilized position.