GL2 with VZ-LSP : opinions while walking?

[Joe Calalang]

I have a wedding to do in less than two weeks. I've looked at Varizoom's website and I was wonder if VZ-LSP would be good for those walk and shoots.

Yes, I'm a newbie at this. Thanks.

[Ken Tanaka]

Joe,
Varizoom's VZ-LSP, unlike many other other braces, is a well-engineered and nicely manufactured shoulder brace for small cameras. I owned one until earlier this year.

With that said, I must point out that a shoulder brace is not the same as an inertial stabilizer. That is, if you have visions of silky smooth walking shots you'll likely be disappointed by the VZ-LSP or most other shoulder braces, for that matter. By resting the camera on your shoulder and abdomen these braces actually transfer more vibration, that your right arm normally absorbs, to the camera. Unlike heavier (15lb-20lb) professional cameras, the small prosumer cameras just do not have enough inertial mass to resist such vibration.

In my opinion, the DV Rig Pro is the best shoulder brace available today. It manages to offset many of these issues through well-placed mass and a shock absorbing hip brace. Of course, it's much more costly than the VZ-LSP.

One last note. You will need to use a remote controller when using a shoulder brace. Your right hand will be occupied with the brace's handle and will not be free to manage the zoom and start/stop. So you'll need to factor this cost into the overall purchase if you do not already have a controller.

Have fun!

[Graham Bernard]

. .surely Ken you meant this site . http://www.dvtec.tv./ "How DV Rig PRo Changed my life!" .. gotta larf .. .

Ken, are there any sliding adjustments going on? What are the 2 big hinges doing?

Grazie

[Ken Tanaka]

<<<-- Originally posted by Graham Bernard : . .Ken, are there any sliding adjustments going on? What are the 2 big hinges doing?
Grazie -->>>

Ah, that's part of the genius of the DV Rig Pro's design! The hinge toward the shoulder basically enables you to set the balance and vertical position of the overall rig. During most shooting this will be locked-down.

The hinge at the front enables you to adjust the camera platform's tilt. Quite often I will leave this a bit loose.

The whole rig also disassembles from those hinge points for compact storage and transport.

I'm nearly finished with a full review of the DV Rig Pro. We'll have it up asap. Meanwhile if you have any other q's fire away and I'll answer as best as I can.

[Graham Bernard]

Okay .. here's the "cheeky" one.. had enough of the hoo haa with the XL2 today [ hmm Robin went and saw it at Pinewood Studio .. about 20mins from where I live AND he didn't tell me . ] . .sorry Ken. . .yes the cheeky question is , could one actually fabricate it? Is there a waist-band thing going on? Any gas shock absorbers or springs? Anything working independently of the cammie .. ?


Grazie

[Joe Calalang]

Well, after much Googling for the pros and cons of this and that, I think these two links convinced me to get the Steady Tracker Xtreme.

This link http://www.digitalproducer.com/2002/...ckerxtreme.htm has a video of his Steady Tracker in action on page 2. Not bad. I know my deltoid muscles will get a really good work out soon!

And this website (in the middle of the page) has a review about it as well. http://www.makingthefilm.com/diary5.html

For $299, it's not bad at all.

Ken, that DVRig Pro will certainly be a future purchase. But seeing as I'm on an extreme budget, I'll have to set that aside for now. Thanks for teh info!

[Graham Bernard]

Sorry Joe, in terms of engineering I just think it is ugly . . I've been around these items for the past 2 years and i still haven't sen one or used one that comes near to being something akin to looking and performing in a sweet way . . . The nearest I've seen is the Anton Bauer one .. but loadsa money on that baby ..

Grazie

[Ken Tanaka]

Joe,
We all have to live within our budgets!

But if $299 is your budget and you're up for a sore arm you'll get far, far better results from the Glidecam 2000 PRO. That Steady Tracker Xtreme is trying to be an inertial stabilizer without a critical part: a gimbal. It really looks like someone's hobby project. You'd achieve similar (poor) results just sticking your camera on a monopod and attaching some weights to the bottom.

The GC 2000 is a far, far better stabilization product for the same money.

Have fun.

[Graham Bernard]

Ken, that's ugly too! . . Doesn't anybody see what I'm saying? . ..

[Ken Tanaka]

Fortunately, the camera never shoots its support.

No, I'm not sure I follow you.

[Graham Bernard]

There has been a lot of man hours producing function over form - hoping that the function will win out. I think that form will and needs to be explored more. The closest I've come to "it" has been the Martin Bauer system. I feel this system has or is the closest to this "it" . . .

A Charles Rennie Mackintosh chair has "it" . . an egg-cup has it . . . the Sony Walkman had "it" . . what I've experienced to date, with all the weights and spindles and stuff being put together - as if out of a need to only "solving" the problem of stability . . it does not "appear" to have confronted the effect on the user . . . yes yes this sounds blasphemous, when one thinks of the time and money spent on the development of say Steadicam stuff ... doesn't anybody else think that this end of the market are lumbered with naff looking and naff bits and pieces . . it's as if we are expected to be working from inside a Swiss/French Carriage clock - really!

Y'know what, we have some of the best designers, on both sides of the Pond, that need to be enlisted to produce THE design for a cammie support/stabilizer for our end of the video market . . I betcha if they were shown the stuff so far they would wince . . . .

I sometimes feel I'm the only one who sees this . .bit like that poor bloke at the end of the "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers" who is trying to "warn" off Sutherland to get outta town!

. . Grazie

[Ken Tanaka]

As an architect by education I certainly understand the appeal of good industrial design. There is, however, a degree of good industrial design beauty in devices like the Steadicams, the DV Rig and, yes, even the Glidecam 2K. Theirs is not a sculptural beauty but rather a certain elegance of their functional refinements and finishes.

But this thread is probably getting a little long-haired, eh?

[Graham Bernard]

Understood . .. gone ..

[Joe Calalang]

Originally posted by Ken Tanaka : Joe,
We all have to live within our budgets!

But if $299 is your budget and you're up for a sore arm you'll get far, far better results from the Glidecam 2000 PRO. That Steady Tracker Xtreme is trying to be an inertial stabilizer without a critical part: a gimbal. It really looks like someone's hobby project. You'd achieve similar (poor) results just sticking your camera on a monopod and attaching some weights to the bottom.

The GC 2000 is a far, far better stabilization product for the same money.

Have fun.

Okay. I will take your advice and go with the Glidecam 2000.

[Ken Tanaka]

Good choice, Joe.

One note: Don't underestimate the amount of time you will have to practice with this, or any other inertial stabilizer. It's definitely not immediate success out-of-the-box. But if you're dedicated you will be rewarded with some million dollar results.

Have fun!