Various SLC posts

[Frank Granovski]

Yup, and his article collection keep growing.

[Steven Salmon]

Hi All

Did a search through the forum but could not see an obvious answer. You may of seen that I am fairly new to using the XM2/GL2 and I was wondering how others get on trying to keep the camera steady during shooting. I was considering purchasing a camera support when I am not using a tripod but I just wanted to invite others to comment on what they use.

I think I can keep the camera fairly steady during freehand mode but I am still lacking the final touch in places. Any thoughts?

Many thanks

Steven

[Alan McCormick]

Steven,

I will watch this one with care but have you tried the main DV forum? I believe there is a specific section that may help.

I could do with some help as my hand held shots are a bit shakey when reviewed, being new too I would like to give this Cam the justification it deserves.

[Michael Tien]

The press for the new Sony PD-170 camera says the flip out monitor is a new hybrid LCD that does not use backlight when outside. Unlike all other lcd screens this will take advantage of the sun and not fight it. Has anyone seen stand alone versions of this type of Monitor? It would be fantastic for Steadicams.

Michael Tien

[Rob Lohman]

I don't think I would call that an advantage. A backlight screen
with monitor hood will probably work better I think.

[Norman Woo]

Hi folks

I'm about to dive into purchasing this baby - V16 (Xmas present!!!). I will be using a fully loaded XL1. Are there any special accessories I should also purchase?

Thanks

[Rob Lohman]

Talk to the people at Glidecam. They have much experience
with the XL1. Also do a search on Glidecam here on the board,
that should return threads on the subject. Perhaps you can
find something in them.

[Dan Brown]

My newbie project is progressing. Screenplay nearly done, story-boarding under way. Camera (DVC80), audio (AT835B), lighting (Home Depot halogen) are decided. Now for camera support.

From my still film kit, I have two solid Bogen/Manfrotto tripods. I'm going to add a 700JR mini fluid head. That will give me fixed shots and pans (horizontal and vertical). My screenplay includes a couple of crane shots (head to toe) and I can envision using a curved track & dolly shot or it could be done with a straight track. I would also like to do one or two high angle POV shots). I think these will make the film much more visually interesting. However, jibs, cranes, dollies and track are pretty darned expensive.

Questions: Can a stabilizer be used as a replacement for some of these conventional support systems? Is a shoulder brace a reasonable alternative to a track/dolly shot? Can a carefully planned pan (vertical) replace a crane shot?

I guess I'm looking for a discussion from experienced user on how to add visual interest to the camera/blocking aspect of cinematography with heavy spin toward economy. Any creative ideas?

Thanks again to all the experienced DV Info Net members for helping this newbie.

[Chad Cleveland]

Place a tripod and camera and operator in a shopping cart. this sounds strange, but it works incredibly well and it cost nothing. the surface has to be smooth of course.

i was on a shoe-ring budget, while putting together a short film in college, so we tried the shopping cart and it worked beautifully.

happy movie-making!!!

[Kent Fraser]

Looking to get the Miller DS-10 or DS-5 for my GL2. With the long-life battery, varizoom controller and camera, the weight comes in around 5 pounds (before mic, etc). What I'm wondering is if anyone out there has any experience with how much the varizoom offsets the balance and control of the head... and what recommendations you'd make before I purchase.

Thanks

Kent

[Boyd Ostroff]

I use a Varizoom Pro-L on a DS-5 with my PDX-10. The camera is probably a bit lighter than your GL-2, but you're right in that the Varizoom does shift things out of balance (specifically, this is the Varizoom which is made from a big block of aluminum).

When I first got the Varizoom I had a few issues that you might want to be aware of with the Miller. First, the shaft on the pan handle is rather small in diameter and the varizoom clamp doesn't close down far enough. Second, the built-in handle on the varizoom is very awkward when it's adjacent to the rubber pan handle on the Miller, and neither of these handles are removable.

Now you can make the Varizoom clamp onto the miller handle by inverting the removable part of the clamp, but when you put it all the way at the end of the pan handle it throws things unaccetably out of balance. Sliding the Varizoom forward produces and awkward alignment of the two handles. The Miller quick release plate doesn't slide very far and doesn't help much with balancing. Perhaps there's some sort of additional sliding plate that could be added between the quick release and the camera?

I finally kludged a solution which works fine, but it isn't ideal. I took the pan handle off my Manfrotto 501 (which I rarely use anymore). It has a larger diameter shaft which fits the Varizoom clamp, but best of all the shaft is actually two sections which splice in the middle with an allen keyed fitting. So I just removed the rear section along with the Manfrotto pan handle. This put things closer to being in balance, but still not quite. Unfortunately, the mounting thumbscrew is a different diameter and length on the Manfrotto handle, so I had to kludge that with a 1/4" bolt which needed to be pretty tight to keep the handle locked down.

Not very elegant but it works. I suppose a better solution would be to buy a second Miller pan handle and saw it off short. Unfortunately the DS-5 doesn't have any adjustments on the head or mounting plate that would help to bring things back into balance. Don't know if the DS-10 would be better in this regard since I've never seen one.

[Dan Brown]

Newbie here, working on a 10 minute comedy, shot partly out of doors, partly indoors. I have the camera and audio worked out so far (Pana DV852, Oktava M012, AT897 and a BeachTek). I also have a Bogen 3021 with 700CR fluid head, and a heavy duty Bogen 3036 (12 kg class). A monopod too. I'm using HomeDepot work lights indoors. Since the camera and mics were way cheaper than planned, I've got some $$ to spend on support.

I've read the Steadicam JR manuals, and that looks tempting becasue it would seem to replace a track/dolly and a jib. But what about mic wiring to the camera, that's a problem?

I looked at the Indie-Dolly system and I could see that adding some very dynamic movements and blocking to my screenplay. I'm also looking that the SkyCrane Junior of Glidecam GlideCrane 200, high angle and crane shots would be useful. Right now, the SkyCrane Junior seems the most tempting.

I guess my question is this: If you had your tripod gear set, and wanted to add another dimension to your camera support (for about $700-800), which direction would you go, why, and what products would you recommend?

Thanks again to all those experienced users for helping and answering my endless series of newbie questions.

Cheers...

[Mike Rehmus]

I think you need to ask yourself what gear would make your production better match your vision. Could be any number of support or other gear that would make a difference.

Maybe not gear but a pro operator for some aspect of the production.

Or think about your Post. What will you need there? Music, special software, stock shots?

[Donie Kelly]

Hi all

I need to put a TRV22 hanging out at the end of the wing on a microlight to capture some footage of the pilot. Any ideas on how I could do this easily. I plan to make it up myself so some pointers on how to protect the camera as it travels at around 50mph would be good.

I was thinking of putting it in some form of tube to protect it from direct wind. I'm not trying to capture sound with this camera so I can cover the microphone to protect it.

The tube, if I use one, will be perpendicular to the wind as it will be on the end of the righ looking back along it towards the pilot.

Other issues I can imagine are the exposure. Obviously there will be a lot of sky in the shot and if I leave the camera on auto it will look like crap depending on the direction of the light. Any ideas on how to set the exposure manully on the ground. Where should I take my exposure from? Remenber the TRV22 has a touch screen LCD panel and exposure can be set by touching the screen and it takes it's exposure from that point.

Thanks for any input.
Donie

[Brett Erskine]

Looking for info on both commercial and D.I.Y. rail systems for the purpose of using a follow focus on DV cameras. Thanks to all that can help.

-Brett Erskine