Patent ID: 8454246

Claim:
A balancing support system for a handheld camera device comprising: a camera mount arranged to support the handheld camera device in fixed relation thereon; a support body including a first pivot coupling at a bottom side of the support body, the support body supporting the camera mount on a top side thereof opposite the bottom side such that the camera mount is arranged to support the handheld camera device above the first pivot coupling; a handle member comprising a grip portion arranged to be gripped in a hand of a user, a second pivot coupling at a free end of the handle member opposite the grip portion, and an arm portion extending in fixed relation between the grip portion and the second pivot coupling; and at least one stabilizer arm extending between a first end coupled to the support body and a second end supporting a stabilizing weight thereon below the first pivot coupling on the support body; one of the first and second pivot couplings comprising a socket including an inner surface which tapers inwardly to a central apex of the socket and the other one of the first and second pivot couplings comprising a tip portion tapering inwardly towards a central apex; the first and second pivot couplings being arranged to be coupled for pivotal movement relative to one another about a balance point between the first and second pivot couplings; the tip portion being arranged to be received in the socket such that: a contact area between the support body and the handle member is limited to a single point defining the balance point; the central apex of the tip portion is aligned with the central apex of the socket at the balance point; and the stabilizing weight of said at least one stabilizer arm supported below the balance point is balanced about the balance point at the central apex of the tip portion with the handheld camera device arranged to be supported by the camera mount above the balance point.