Split Screen Steadicam on Vimeo

Great footage - thanks for posting this. I was planing to purchase a Steadicam Pilot later this year and seeing this footage is great. Could you maybe post a B&H link to the exact kit you bought? That would be great. Thanks!

Hi Steven:

Hope you are enjoying your Pilot! May I give you some (unsolicited) advice?

You are leaning forward too much. Steadicam should always be operated with the torso essentially straight, if anything leaning back slightly. When you lean forward, the rig will have a tendency to fly away from you, as you may have noticed; you have to keep a death grip on the gimbal handle to rein it back in. There's really no reason to lean forward like this, you have plenty of room to boom the camera down if that is the desired goal. It is a natural tendency and we correct this out of novice operators all the time at the workshops (my theory is that it comes from trying to get close to the monitor). If you were operating a bigger rig, you would be very aware of how much energy is being expended by leaning forward in this way! Being so light, the Pilot is much more forgiving but your operating will ultimately improve in the long run if you are not having to fight it in this manner.

FYI, you can see the proper operating stance in my article here (http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/camsupport/steadicampilot1.php) at DVI: see p. 2 for pictures of the arm fully boomed up and down. Notice how low one can get the camera while keeping the back straight. It's not the easiest thing to run like this--you are probably better going into low-mode than trying to run with the rig boomed all the way down in high mode.

Hi Steven:

Hope you are enjoying your Pilot! May I give you some (unsolicited) advice?

You are leaning forward too much. Steadicam should always be operated with the torso essentially straight, if anything leaning back slightly. When you lean forward, the rig will have a tendency to fly away from you, as you may have noticed; you have to keep a death grip on the gimbal handle to rein it back in. There's really no reason to lean forward like this, you have plenty of room to boom the camera down if that is the desired goal. It is a natural tendency and we correct this out of novice operators all the time at the workshops (my theory is that it comes from trying to get close to the monitor). If you were operating a bigger rig, you would be very aware of how much energy is being expended by leaning forward in this way! Being so light, the Pilot is much more forgiving but your operating will ultimately improve in the long run if you are not having to fight it in this manner.

FYI, you can see the proper operating stance in my article here (http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/camsupport/steadicampilot1.php) at DVI: see p. 2 for pictures of the arm fully boomed up and down. Notice how low one can get the camera while keeping the back straight. It's not the easiest thing to run like this--you are probably better going into low-mode than trying to run with the rig boomed all the way down in high mode.

Wow... Thats AWESOME....thank you for that... I need to keep learning as much as I can.... thinking of taking the course from Tiffen.....

Great footage - thanks for posting this. I was planing to purchase a Steadicam Pilot later this year and seeing this footage is great. Could you maybe post a B&H link to the exact kit you bought? That would be great. Thanks!

Thanks for the post!!!!!!

Steadicam | Pilot-AA Camera Stablization System | PILOT-AA | B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/494659-REG/Steadicam_PILOT_AA_Pilot_AA_Camera_Stablization_System.html)

This is the one I bought... I also recommend calling Tiffen Steadicam - Tiffen.Com (http://www.steadicam.com/)
and watching the DVD as well as buying the book... Im still learning all the tricks.... its so AMAZING!!! I had a merlin before I bought this and it really helped in learning ...

Right on, thanks for the link Steven!
And thanks for your advice too Charles :)

NP.... this was my first attempt of using the Steadicam Pilot!!! Im learning so much as I go!! Check out Charles Papert, Director of Photography (http://www.charlespapert.com) ... Charles is a Steadicam GOD!!! He has really amazing tips and videos on his site... and He's on here... read the treads.... Im off to shoot an Air show tomorrow, so keep on checkin out the videos as I go... GET A STEADICAM PILOT!!!! THEY ROCK!!!

STEVEN ESPARZA
Wedding Videos Scottsdale (http://www.RockStarHDStudios.com)
Rockstarhotdogs.com (http://www.rockstarhotdogs.com)