Found this video that shows how to acheive an effective dolly shot, without a dolly. Pretty cool. Worth a look

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1281928/video_cam_super_trick/

j.

Brilliant.

That IS brilliant.

Now why didn't I think of that! So simple and effective.

Best tip I've come across since an elastic band on a 503 head!!!

Good find.

Best tip I've come across since an elastic band on a 503 head!!!

Good find.

Missed that one...please fill me in.

Thanks
Jake

I've used this a bit in the past, with my 503, but had not really attempted to perfect it like he has done here. Last one I tried was on a side hill which presented its own problems. My experience was mixed.

Nice job here.

I'm wondering if tripod head had any drag on it in this shooting mode.

It's probably been 15 years since I've done that gag, that's a good one. It would actually work much better with the current cameras than when I used to do it with a broadcast camera and full-size sticks, I had to have someone help me with the tilt while I operated.

One thing that is really important is to have a smooth head, otherwise the back-tilt will be apparent A little bit of fluid drag is helpful (it would be very challenging to pull off without any drag) but if the head was sticky at all, it would ruin the effect. And it requires a fair amount of "tai chi" style muscular coordination; the gent in the video has very good form!

fun stuff!

Missed that one...please fill me in.

Thanks
Jake

Sorry, I was a little late checking back on this thread.

Seeing as Bogen 503 heads tend to have a bit of stiction (is that a word??) and bounceback at the start and end of pans....a way to sometimes overcome this and perform VERY slow smooth pans is to use a rubber band on the tripod handle and pull by the band. The stretch of the rubber band helps to smooth out the movement.

wow, i actually thought of this a few years back when i needed a dolly, i didnt think it worked very well, i guess not

Thats cool,
Does anyone have other tricks to share?

Nick

Best Camera Trick Ever! - Video (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1443089/best_camera_trick_ever/)

the clumsy movement of the camera i find it over exadurated asif granny is making a pan, but stil its good way for getting a nice looking pan.

Amazing trick! Very fast & simple. I tested it and it works!
Thanx

Simple yet an effective trick. I used to this kind of shot using my body with the camera at hand.

I've done it before. One tip: Hang on to it! also not that camera doesn't stay level.

What was it??? The links to those vids are dead.

What was everyone raving about ?

Not sure, but I saw a youtube of a kid who build a decent dolly for like $30 from Home Depot. Worked pretty well, used PVC piping, a 4x4 sheet of plywood, and bungee cords to hold the tripod down. I can't seem to find the one I saw right now, but there's a few of them on there.

Will someone PLEASE tell me what this brilliant, amazing idea WAS???

I gues it was the trick where you shorten one leg of your tripod and use the other two legs as a pivot point to move the camera back and forth while holding the pan handle. That way you create a kind of gliding shot towards your subject. It works good but the one thing to keep in mind is that the camera doesn't stay level that way but makes a curve (down-up-down).

I've seen one before and thought it was brilliant as an idea.

Something like this one (http://editcrunch.co.uk/editcrunch/2009/06/diy-track-dolly/).

Andrew

I'm guessing the "one short leg" tripod trick is this one?

YouTube - Video Camera Super Trick! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqPX0gH2id0&NR=1)

It's the two leg trick. You have to tilt though and be sure and hang on to the dang thing. Great way to drop a cam.

I missed it.

That looks cool Andrew