Jerky Video while pushing tripod at DVinfo.net

Greg Clark · July 9th, 2009, 08:27 PM

The XH-A1 creates jerky motion if you try and record while pushing slowly on tripod with wheels. I never had this problem in the same venue with my DVX camera. Is it because I have the stabilizer set to off, the sensitivity of the A1, my use of auto focus, or shake caused by people dancing on the same floor?
Any solution?

Kevin Duffey · July 9th, 2009, 09:55 PM

Not entirely sure of your setup.. how are you pushing a camera with a tripod? But.. a camera stabilizer system for keeping the cam stable while moving with it would help you. You can build a rudimentary one for $50 or less or spend over a grand on a really good one that movie/news crews use.

Dany Badaoui · July 10th, 2009, 01:59 AM

should be ok with stabilizer off, just try it while on and see.

John Estcourt · July 10th, 2009, 05:52 AM

Are you zoomed in or wide, because on full zoom even the slightest movement will be magnified. ( even just toching the pan handle lightly !)
try image stabilizer on as that may help remove small shakes.
Auto focus wouldnt cause shaky footage but you would see the focus hunt if it wasnt set correctly.
is the floor smooth?
is it flexing with peoples movement?
are the dolly wheels good quality ?
so many variables that more info is required.

what frame rate are you using ? 25p with a 1/25 shutter? because that could do it.

Greg Clark · July 10th, 2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Estcourt

Are you zoomed in or wide, because on full zoom even the slightest movement will be magnified. ( even just toching the pan handle lightly !)
try image stabilizer on as that may help remove small shakes.
is the floor smooth?
is it flexing with peoples movement?
are the dolly wheels good quality ?
what frame rate are you using ? 25p with a 1/25 shutter?

Mostly wide shots. Floor is gym floor and it probably is flexing because of the dancers on same floor as I am rolling and I am guessing it is a sprung floor. I was using 60i Shutter 1/60.
Bottom Line. I was using the same tripod, same dolly, but XH-A1 instead of the Panasonic DVX that never gave a jerky image.
I will definitely try image stabilizer on and always wide shots. Advice always appreciated.

Philip Younger · July 10th, 2009, 06:15 PM

I do not own a dolly, the one occasion I needed one I actually improvised and used a typist chair with a short plank across the arms which I rested the camera on. Part way through filming I realised I still had the image stabiliser on, so switched it off.

In the edit, the first five minutes was jerky, but when I got to the footage with the stabiliser off, it was fine.

And may i add that a cheap typist chair makes an excellent dolly, OK so it doesn't look very professional but sometimes you have to do what you have to do!

Alex Savarie · July 13th, 2009, 09:47 AM

one thing i use all the time is the smoothcam filter in FCP. I film skiing more than anything and when doing follow cams (skiing behind a rider holding the camera) its inevitable that the camera will shake a bit, not much i can do about it. To fix it i use smoothcam and it makes the shots look very good. I imagine it will fix your small bumps with VERY little loss of quality

Janson Williams · July 19th, 2009, 05:47 AM

Alex~
are you shooting HDV? and if you are, after you use the smoothcam filter, do you get a blurry frame during the clip?

Josh and Aubrey Stock's Wedding on Vimeo

at 2:15 i believe it starts for me
it does a tiny blurry shake, like losses the smoothcam filter, idk, but it bothers me

The smoothcam filter does amazing stuff, awesome filter and helps out a lot, with HDV footage i have had some issues but with DV footage all is good

Greg~
ive learned while using a tripod, turn off the img stabalizer, if thats on and auto focus is on, i will have acquired some real horrible footage,

Also, the chair method has worked for me b/c of no money, but ive learned to push the chair with a flat object, say another flat board, b/c with auto focus and having two arms pushing the chair unevenly has made it appeared shaky... to me

July 9th, 2009, 08:27 PM	#1
Greg Clark Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Surprise Arizona Posts: 297	Jerky Video while pushing tripod The XH-A1 creates jerky motion if you try and record while pushing slowly on tripod with wheels. I never had this problem in the same venue with my DVX camera. Is it because I have the stabilizer set to off, the sensitivity of the A1, my use of auto focus, or shake caused by people dancing on the same floor? Any solution?

July 9th, 2009, 09:55 PM	#2
Kevin Duffey Major Player Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: California Posts: 206	Stabilizers Not entirely sure of your setup.. how are you pushing a camera with a tripod? But.. a camera stabilizer system for keeping the cam stable while moving with it would help you. You can build a rudimentary one for $50 or less or spend over a grand on a really good one that movie/news crews use.

July 10th, 2009, 05:52 AM	#4
John Estcourt Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Scotland, Ayr www.amour weddingvideos.co.uk Posts: 305	Are you zoomed in or wide, because on full zoom even the slightest movement will be magnified. ( even just toching the pan handle lightly !) try image stabilizer on as that may help remove small shakes. Auto focus wouldnt cause shaky footage but you would see the focus hunt if it wasnt set correctly. is the floor smooth? is it flexing with peoples movement? are the dolly wheels good quality ? so many variables that more info is required. what frame rate are you using ? 25p with a 1/25 shutter? because that could do it. __________________ john estcourt www.amourweddingvideos.co.uk

July 13th, 2009, 09:47 AM	#7
Alex Savarie New Boot Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Plattsburgh New York Posts: 8	Smoothcam one thing i use all the time is the smoothcam filter in FCP. I film skiing more than anything and when doing follow cams (skiing behind a rider holding the camera) its inevitable that the camera will shake a bit, not much i can do about it. To fix it i use smoothcam and it makes the shots look very good. I imagine it will fix your small bumps with VERY little loss of quality

July 10th, 2009, 01:59 AM	#3
Dany Badaoui Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 40	should be ok with stabilizer off, just try it while on and see.

July 10th, 2009, 06:15 PM	#6
Philip Younger Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 207	I do not own a dolly, the one occasion I needed one I actually improvised and used a typist chair with a short plank across the arms which I rested the camera on. Part way through filming I realised I still had the image stabiliser on, so switched it off. In the edit, the first five minutes was jerky, but when I got to the footage with the stabiliser off, it was fine. And may i add that a cheap typist chair makes an excellent dolly, OK so it doesn't look very professional but sometimes you have to do what you have to do!

July 19th, 2009, 05:47 AM	#8
Janson Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 101	Alex~ are you shooting HDV? and if you are, after you use the smoothcam filter, do you get a blurry frame during the clip? Josh and Aubrey Stock's Wedding on Vimeo at 2:15 i believe it starts for me it does a tiny blurry shake, like losses the smoothcam filter, idk, but it bothers me The smoothcam filter does amazing stuff, awesome filter and helps out a lot, with HDV footage i have had some issues but with DV footage all is good Greg~ ive learned while using a tripod, turn off the img stabalizer, if thats on and auto focus is on, i will have acquired some real horrible footage, Also, the chair method has worked for me b/c of no money, but ive learned to push the chair with a flat object, say another flat board, b/c with auto focus and having two arms pushing the chair unevenly has made it appeared shaky... to me