hello again.
guys, what would be the best alternative to a track and dolly set when shooting a video with a walking character and the camera following or accompanying him/her? are there any special image stabilisers that can be attached to cameras for avoiding shaky shots? i'm using a sony vx2100e, by the way, if that matters.

I have a DVRIGPRO and although it's good (with practice and your cameras own image stabilizer), you'll never get the rock solid performance of D&T or a SteadyCam type device.

Not terribly practical, but I saw BBC doing coverage of the British Open using a Segway scooter. The golfers didn't like it but your talent may well be amused!

but, guys, those steadycams and dvrigpro are nearly in the same price range or even cost more than track&dolly sets! at least, those i've come across via my google search. anything more affordable?

Aram: you probably should have indicated the price range you were looking for in your first post, as you asked for the "best alternative" not the "cheapest alternative".

If you have a lightweight tripod with a center column (photography style), extend the column and spread the legs (but don't extend them) and mount your camera on top. Turn the tripod sideways and balance it in your hand like a tightrope walker. Then grab it just above this point, and walk your shot. This will take out most of the handheld shake, not nearly as well as a Steadicam or similar stabilizer but it didn't cost you a dime.

If you are looking for perfectly steady shots, you will need to spend some money on the hardware. You can always rent if such things are available in your area, if the purchase price is too much. Or, check out one of the homebuilder sites and make your own.

but, guys, those steadycams and dvrigpro are nearly in the same price range or even cost more than track&dolly sets! at least, those i've come across via my google search. anything more affordable?

One 'poor man's camera dolly' alternative has been a wheelchair.

Charles, thanks for the advice. will give it a try.

Steve, i wasn't looking for a "poor man" alternative. i simply thought if track&dolly sets cost around $1000-1500, i might get something less complex at half that price. i imagined there could be a special lens or some additional optical mechanism that could be attached to the camera to improve motion shots.

There are also post- tools such as deShaker. Several people have commented on it here before. Note that it requires Virtual Dub(I think that is the correct name of it) software and then deShaker is a plug-in for it. I have installed it and played with it in the past but have not had cause to use it in about a year or so now.

There is a learning curve and it is very CPU hungry. Also make sure you have plenty of footage before the point where you need to cut in at. Briefly the way it works is that it compares frame by frame and tries to determine which direction each pixel moved and how far. Once it does that it then moves them back even pulling pixels from previous frames to try restore pixels that moved out of frame. I think I got that right.

Randy

but, guys, those steadycams and dvrigpro are nearly in the same price range or even cost more than track&dolly sets! at least, those i've come across via my google search. anything more affordable?

About the only thing more affordable is you'll have to build it yourself.

Try this site. http://www.dvcamerarigs.com/

Check out the Steadicam Merlin. For $800 is less than your dolly budget, it's much more versatile. (www.steadicm.com)

A Steadicam is not a dolly - and you won't be able to replicate rock-solid dolly shots (as that would take a dolly!), however you can produce very steady images with a lot more shooting freedom.

There are also cheaper dollies out there for much less than a grand.

- Mikko