Dvx100a Vs Xl2

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Mike Butler

Oh yes, and for shooting a hand-held, I have a technique similar to Greg's. But different. For instance, with a GL1 I keep my upper arms down at my sides, tuck my elbows into my rib cage and my forearms up to my chest, hold the cam in both hands (of course) with the LCD tipped up for me to look down into it. Thus braced against my upper body, the cam uses my body as a tripod (OK, a bipod, don't go there! heh heh) if I'm stationary or a glidecam if moving. Like Greg, my waist becomes the pan head and the cam never changes relationship to the upper body. I shot a street performer's entire routine at a summerfest in Killarney, with no fatigue and minimal camera shake. Even though the rear VF will tilt up to peep into, I ignore it and use the LCD."

Mike, I think your technique is probably closer to mine than first thought because I didn't describe it as well as you did. I do have my elbows tucked tight and the camera is towards the right of center so that my eyes are viewing the left side LCD straight on. It works really well for me.

-gb-

[Barry Green]

Originally Posted by Mike Butler

http://www.tiffen.com/steady_stick.htm

Here's something from Varizoom.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont....x=0&image.y=0

Plus Canon themselves make a stick. I don't know if it also fits the XL2.

The Canon steady-stick is actually the same as the Tiffen, just re-badged for Canon. For a weight-support device it works pretty well. It does little to nothing for "stabilizing" images (i.e., it's not a GlideCam or Steadicam, nor does it represent itself to be) but for getting the weight off your back and shoulders it works really well. All-day shoots with a hand-held camera are much less taxing when using a Steady-stick type of device -- it moves all of the camera weight onto your hips, rather than your arms & back.

[David Lach]

Originally Posted by Barry Green

It does little to nothing for "stabilizing" images (i.e., it's not a GlideCam or Steadicam, nor does it represent itself to be) but for getting the weight off your back and shoulders it works really well.

I'd say yes and no. Obviously, it doesn't stabilize your image when moving like a steadicam. In fact, I would recommand NOT to use it when moving a lot with the camera since the up and down motion of your hips will be directly transfered to the camera when walking.

That being said, if you're shooting in one spot, which is usually the case in a scripted environment (for me), then it does act as a stabilizer, because the stick keeps the camera from going up and down. In other words, it kind of acts like a monopod.

[Mike Butler]

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

Mike, I think your technique is probably closer to mine than first thought because I didn't describe it as well as you did. I do have my elbows tucked tight and the camera is towards the right of center so that my eyes are viewing the left side LCD straight on. It works really well for me.

-gb-

Right, Greg, at first it seemed like you meant you were holding it more like Emmitt Smith rushing for a touchdown on your right hip. Looks like we have both found the way to keep from "fumbling" an undersized vidcam.