Hail the rubber band! at DVinfo.net

Brett Cole · July 4th, 2007, 07:01 PM

I nominate the rubber band as one of the top five technological achievements ever in film/video. Simple, small, cheap, and so effective. I've made these observations:

1) It is so far superior to panning by hand as to be genuinely profound in its benefits
2) Thin, stretched out rubber bands (about 2 inches when relaxed) work the best, a gossamer connection between you and the tripod
3) In general cranking the pan resistance up yields the best results.
4) The smoothest pans happen when the tension is enough that the ruuber band is stretched to 75% of it's max (about 8-10 inches) when panning.
5) The rubber band also allows the head to slowly come to stop as the band contracts after you've stopped panning.
6) With just a little practice, the benefits are even more stunning when executing diaganol moves
7) You can bundle several around the pan arm on your tripod and never be without

Three cheers for the rubber band!

Gregg Bond · July 4th, 2007, 07:36 PM

I too hail this although I have some nice stretchy hair bungees/scrunchies (the kind for pony tails) as they tend not to rip the hair off my arms (I store them round my wrist) and they are generally "less ghetto looking"

I dunno what the pro camera people call it but certainly in Lightwave that effect is called "envelope" where you have a nice non-linear progression in speed change.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hb_pho...635032,00.html for pictures of this simple yet effective technique.

Jaron Berman · July 5th, 2007, 12:35 AM

you may also try gripping the head itself - it gives you far less leverage on the head, and consequently you can make finer moves. The advantage to limiting your leverage is that you can still make precise moves, where it may be far more difficult using a rubberband on the pan bar.

Bob Hart · July 5th, 2007, 05:12 AM

Looped together in a chain and one around the lens barrel thick ones can be half-handy for improvised focus pulls when you don't want to drag the cameraman off his shot.

Eugenia Loli-Queru · September 16th, 2007, 07:19 PM

This is a great trick, thanks!
I made a test today of before and after shots (both with a fluid tripod head) and the rubber band way is the best. You can check out my test here:
http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/0...r-smooth-pans/

Jeff Anselmo · September 16th, 2007, 11:05 PM

Very cool test. It was a really smooth move!

Now if I can only find a rubber band for the jib arm :)

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Tom Blizzard · February 24th, 2008, 09:34 PM

Yep, it works. Many thanks! Just amazing.

Smooth with very, very slow and even movement. Great for a small correction when you overshoot a pan without drawing attention....

Now if I can just find some black ones that won't look so cheezy.....

Eric Stemen · February 24th, 2008, 11:59 PM

I keep hearing about this. I will buy some rubber bands at work tomorrow and check out the results.

Pietro Impagliazzo · May 31st, 2008, 03:29 PM

I was reading this thread and not later after I received two packages from B&H.

Funny thing is there were 2 rubber bands inside of the packages, they are now attached to my 501HDV, I can get silk smooth pans with cheapo rubber bands haha.

Andrew Kufahl · June 1st, 2008, 05:57 AM

This may already be very logical, but I figured this out about 2 weeks ago... Initially I was putting the rubber band around the end of the tripod handle in order to pan/tilt smoothly. But, it is a TON smoother if you move the rubber band way up the handle near the head. It requires more effort to get the pan/tilt started, but once you do it is very smooth. Also, my pans/tilts are less jittery/shakey than when I would have the rubber band near the end of the handle.

Andrew

Ken Steadman · June 6th, 2008, 10:32 PM

Wow! Thats a great idea Thanks!
I will try it out tomorrow

Corey Williams · June 13th, 2008, 08:37 PM

Great tip. This works like a charm. I now have about 8 rubberbands on my tripod. I got to be ready in case one pops.

Allan Black · May 2nd, 2009, 07:03 PM

Haven't tried it yet, who still uses it? What happens if you're panning with say an aircraft taking off and it's accelerating to a very fast speed over a 120degree pan. Also do you guys use the EVF or LCD?

Cheers.

John Ellis · May 17th, 2009, 08:36 PM

I smell a Nobel Prize.
Jock Ellis

Dale Guthormsen · May 18th, 2009, 04:43 PM

The rubber band has been reinvented several times over and is always an all time favorite.

Never travel with out them!

its really great as you can buy different thicknesses depending on how much force you need to apply, they also shoot bobby pins real well too.

July 4th, 2007, 07:01 PM	#1
Brett Cole Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Eugene, OR Posts: 26	Hail the rubber band! I nominate the rubber band as one of the top five technological achievements ever in film/video. Simple, small, cheap, and so effective. I've made these observations: 1) It is so far superior to panning by hand as to be genuinely profound in its benefits 2) Thin, stretched out rubber bands (about 2 inches when relaxed) work the best, a gossamer connection between you and the tripod 3) In general cranking the pan resistance up yields the best results. 4) The smoothest pans happen when the tension is enough that the ruuber band is stretched to 75% of it's max (about 8-10 inches) when panning. 5) The rubber band also allows the head to slowly come to stop as the band contracts after you've stopped panning. 6) With just a little practice, the benefits are even more stunning when executing diaganol moves 7) You can bundle several around the pan arm on your tripod and never be without Three cheers for the rubber band!

September 16th, 2007, 07:19 PM	#5
Eugenia Loli-Queru Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bay Area, CA, USA Posts: 348	it rocks! This is a great trick, thanks! I made a test today of before and after shots (both with a fluid tripod head) and the rubber band way is the best. You can check out my test here: http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/0...r-smooth-pans/

September 16th, 2007, 11:05 PM	#6
Jeff Anselmo Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 566	Cool! Very cool test. It was a really smooth move! Now if I can only find a rubber band for the jib arm :) --JA www.madjavaproductions.com

May 31st, 2008, 03:29 PM	#9
Pietro Impagliazzo Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rio de Janeiro, BR Posts: 170	I was reading this thread and not later after I received two packages from B&H. Funny thing is there were 2 rubber bands inside of the packages, they are now attached to my 501HDV, I can get silk smooth pans with cheapo rubber bands haha. __________________ Pietro Impagliazzo flickr.com/photos/impagliazzo

May 17th, 2009, 08:36 PM	#14
John Ellis New Boot Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cumming, GA 330041 Posts: 11	Rubber band man I smell a Nobel Prize. Jock Ellis

July 4th, 2007, 07:36 PM	#2
Gregg Bond Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 28	I too hail this although I have some nice stretchy hair bungees/scrunchies (the kind for pony tails) as they tend not to rip the hair off my arms (I store them round my wrist) and they are generally "less ghetto looking" I dunno what the pro camera people call it but certainly in Lightwave that effect is called "envelope" where you have a nice non-linear progression in speed change. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hb_pho...635032,00.html for pictures of this simple yet effective technique.

July 5th, 2007, 12:35 AM	#3
Jaron Berman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 439	you may also try gripping the head itself - it gives you far less leverage on the head, and consequently you can make finer moves. The advantage to limiting your leverage is that you can still make precise moves, where it may be far more difficult using a rubberband on the pan bar.

July 5th, 2007, 05:12 AM	#4
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,477	Looped together in a chain and one around the lens barrel thick ones can be half-handy for improvised focus pulls when you don't want to drag the cameraman off his shot.

February 24th, 2008, 09:34 PM	#7
Tom Blizzard Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: West Rosemary Beach, Florida Posts: 199	Yep, it works. Many thanks! Just amazing. Smooth with very, very slow and even movement. Great for a small correction when you overshoot a pan without drawing attention.... Now if I can just find some black ones that won't look so cheezy.....

February 24th, 2008, 11:59 PM	#8
Eric Stemen Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 378	I keep hearing about this. I will buy some rubber bands at work tomorrow and check out the results.

June 1st, 2008, 05:57 AM	#10
Andrew Kufahl Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Menasha, WI Posts: 88	This may already be very logical, but I figured this out about 2 weeks ago... Initially I was putting the rubber band around the end of the tripod handle in order to pan/tilt smoothly. But, it is a TON smoother if you move the rubber band way up the handle near the head. It requires more effort to get the pan/tilt started, but once you do it is very smooth. Also, my pans/tilts are less jittery/shakey than when I would have the rubber band near the end of the handle. Andrew

June 6th, 2008, 10:32 PM	#11
Ken Steadman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: DC Suburbs Posts: 86	Wow! Thats a great idea Thanks! I will try it out tomorrow

June 13th, 2008, 08:37 PM	#12
Corey Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: McKinney,TX/New Orleans, LA Posts: 104	Great tip. This works like a charm. I now have about 8 rubberbands on my tripod. I got to be ready in case one pops.

May 2nd, 2009, 07:03 PM	#13
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,928	Haven't tried it yet, who still uses it? What happens if you're panning with say an aircraft taking off and it's accelerating to a very fast speed over a 120degree pan. Also do you guys use the EVF or LCD? Cheers.

May 18th, 2009, 04:43 PM	#15
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	The rubber band has been reinvented several times over and is always an all time favorite. Never travel with out them! its really great as you can buy different thicknesses depending on how much force you need to apply, they also shoot bobby pins real well too. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen