New brushless 3-axis GoPro control adds pan & tilt

Aetho Aeon

Crowdfunding provides yet another interesting product for filmmakers: the Aetho Aeon, a three axis GoPro stabliser with manual pan and tilt.

It is hard to imagine the impact that the development of the brushless motor has had on the video industry. Yet, it has transformed the idea of camera movement and the accessibility of cinematic shots to those on extremely low budgets literally over night. Without it, you wouldn’t have DJI’s Phantom platform, nor the Movi or Ronin systems.

While such systems cannot fulfill all of the roles of a body mounted Steadicam, they surely must have made a dent in the market.

For a few years now, there have been similar handheld stabilisation systems available for the GoPro. DJI has its long promised handheld mount for its X3 gimbal/camera system on the very near horizon, too. But, out of the mists has arisen a new competitor: the Aetho Aeon.

The Aeon is a crowdfunded device, that, unlike many other crowdfunded gadgets, is actually already completed, with the funds going entirely towards the production run.

What’s so special about the Aeon? At first glance, it appears to be just another three axis camera stabiliser. However, it has been designed to be compact, stylish and more functional than its closest rivals.

For starters, it utilises a thumb joystick to allow manual panning and tilting of the camera while in use. This should enable a much greater variety of shots, as well as offering creative control over framing that hasn’t been seen elsewhere outside of the larger rigs.

To assist with this, there is a small LCD screen to give you an indication of framing. I say 'indication' because the screen is circular, so critical framing will most likely be impossible. However, it will allow you enough of a view to track your subjects.

The makers claim a battery life of 5 hours, with the device being recharged in 2 hours via a USB plug. A variety of camera mounts are also available, meaning that whichever action cam you own or use should be compatible.

Price is currently between $324 and $349, depending on the Indiegogo option you go with – a reasonable price for a device with this capability. If you're interested in the Aetho Aeon, please take note: the estimated delivery date is March 2016.

If nothing else, the Aeon is another indication of how accessible tools are becoming to make steady shots a reality for everyone, regardless of skill level.