Shock and vibration isolator for a camera

1. A camera support comprising:

a first member;

a second member;

a pivot joint connecting the second member to the first member, with the second member pivotable about a first axis and about a second axis;

at least one first dampener attached to the first member and to the second member, for dampening pivoting movement of the second member about the first axis;

at least one second dampener attached to the first member and to the second member, for dampening pivoting movement of the second member about the second axis; and

a camera head attached to the second member, with the second member between the first member and the camera head, and with the second member and the camera head forming a gravity centered pendulum connected to the first member only via the pivot joint and the dampening members.

2. The camera support of claim 1 wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

3. The camera support of claim 2 wherein the first axis is co-planer with the second axis.

4. The camera support of claim 1 further comprising third and fourth dampeners attached to the first and second members, and with the first, second, third and fourth dampeners extending diagonally between the first and second members.

5. The camera support of claim 1 wherein:

the first member has first, second, third and fourth corners;

the second member has first, second, third and fourth corners;

the first dampening member having a first end attached adjacent to the first corner of the first member and having a second end attached adjacent to the fourth corner of the second member;

second dampening member having a first end attached adjacent to the second corner of the first member and having a second end attached adjacent to the first corner of the second member; and further comprising:

a third dampening member having a first end attached adjacent to the third corner of the first member and having a second end attached adjacent to the second corner of the second member; and

a fourth dampening member having a first end attached adjacent to the fourth corner of the first member and having a second end attached adjacent to the third corner of the second member.

6. The camera support of claim 5 wherein the first member comprises a first plate, and with the first, second, third and fourth dampening members oriented at an angle of about 30–60° to the first plate.

7. The camera support of claim 1 wherein the dampening members comprise hydraulic shock absorbers.

8. The camera support of claim 1 further comprising means for adjusting the dampening characteristics of the dampening members.

9. A camera support, comprising:

a vertical axis system including:

a base;

an arm pivotably attached to the base;

at least one spring connected to the base and to the arm;

at least one vertical axis system dampener connected to the base and to the arm;

a horizontal axis system supported by the vertical axis system, with the horizontal axis system including:

a first member;

a second member;

a pivot joint connecting the second member to the first member, with the second member pivotable about a first axis and about a second axis;

a first dampener attached to the first member and to the second member, for dampening pivoting movement of the second member about the first axis;

a second dampener attached to the first member and to the second member, for dampening pivoting movement of the second member about the second axis; and

a leveling linkage connecting to the base and to the horizontal axis system.

10. The camera support of claim 9 further including adjustment features for adjusting the leveling linkage to compensate for angulation movement of the base.

11. The camera support of claim 9 wherein the leveling linkage comprises a parallelogram linkage on the vertical axis system.

12. A camera crane, comprising:

a vehicle;

a crane arm attached to the vehicle;

a nose plate on the crane arm;

a vertical axis system including:

a base supported on the nose plate;

an arm pivotably attached to the base;

at least one spring connected to the base and to the arm;

at least one vertical axis system dampener connected to the base and to the arm; and

a horizontal axis system supported by the vertical axis system, with the horizontal axis system including:

a first member;

a second member;

a pivot joint connecting the second member to the first member, with the second member pivotable about a first axis and about a second axis;

a first dampener attached to the first member and to the second member, for dampening pivoting movement of the second member about the first axis;

a second dampener attached to the first member and to the second member, for dampening pivoting movement of the second member about the second axis; and

a leveling linkage connecting to the base and to the horizontal axis system, for maintaining the first member in a level position.

13. The camera crane of claim 12 further comprising a crane arm leveling system linked to the nose plate, for keeping the nose plate level as the elevation angle of the crane arm changes.

14. The camera support of claim 12 wherein a inner end of the arm is pivotably attached to the base, and an outer end of the arm is pivotably attached to a leveling plate, and wherein the leveling linkage maintains the leveling plate in a level position as the arm pivots up or down relative to the base, and wherein the horizontal axis system is supported on the leveling plate of the vertical axis system.

15. A camera support, comprising:

a base;

an arm pivotably attached to the base;

a leveling plate pivotally attached to the arm;

spring and dampening means associated with the arm for providing dampened shock absorbing movement of the leveling plate relative to the base;

leveling means for keeping the leveling plate level relative to the base;

a pendulum suspended from the leveling plate and free to pivot in two dimensions relative to the leveling plate;

a camera platform adjacent to a bottom end of the pendulum for holding a camera; and

pendulum dampening means for dampening movement of the pendulum.

16. A camera support, comprising:

a vertical shock absorbing system, including:

a base;

an arm pivotably aft ached to the base;

a leveling plate pivotally attached to the arm;

one or more springs and one or more arm dampeners associated with the arm for reducing transmission of shock impulses from the base to the leveling plate;

a leveling linkage attached to the base and to the leveling plate; and

a horizontal shock absorbing system, including:

a first plate pivotably connected to a second plate;

one or more plate dampeners associated with the second plate for dampening pivoting movement of the second plate relative to the first plate; and

a multiple axis stabilized camera head attached to the second plate.

17. A camera support, comprising:

a vertical shock absorbing system, including:

a base;

an arm pivotably attached to the base;

a leveling plate pivotally attached to the arm;

one or more springs and one or more arm dampeners attached to the base and to the arm;

a leveling linkage pivotably attached to the base and to the leveling plate, with the leveling linkage automatically keeping the leveling plate level, regardless of movement of the arm; and

a horizontal shock absorbing system, including:

an upper member pivotably connected to a lower member;

one or more horizontal axis dampeners attached to the upper member and the lower member, with the lower member free to pivot relative to the upper member, except for dampening forces exerted on the lower member via the horizontal dampeners;

a multiple axis gyro-stabilized camera head attached to the lower member, with the camera head having a camera mounting plate for attaching a camera to the camera head.