Has anyone used a glidepod?

[Annie Haycock]

This gadget looks as though it might be useful for being mobile in confined spaces - better than a monopod at least. The accompanying videos show results, but not how to use the thing - eg how to get the sideways gliding shots.

B. Hague & Co. Ltd Monopods

So I just wondered . . . . . .

Thanks

[Colin McDonald]

To quote from the linked website:

It's a twin legged monopod...

As Harry Hill would say - "No it's not, its a bipod!"

The ability to glide in 2 axes is tempting otherwise I would suggest the following trick.

I have used the somewhat cheaper expedient of extending only 2 of the 3 legs of my Matthews M25 monopod (just joking - it's a tripod) and it has worked very well. There have been a couple of threads about that trick here on dvinfo http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/dolly-tr...ml#post1453144

The Hague 2 legged monopod looks quite chunky and I'm not sure it's any safer to use, in that it would still be too easy to let go the camera. I prefer to use an HV 30/40 rather than my XH-A1 when doing the faux dolly move, and I use an extended camera strap round my neck just as a precaution.

[Annie Haycock]

Thanks Colin

I assumed that was how it was used, and even sideways with the camera pointing to what would normally be the side.

I have used a monopod from time to time with my stills cameras, always with a neck strap!!

But the main problem with using a monopod for video, is the sideways movement which leaves you with everything on a tilt and gives a result that is only slightly better than handheld. The glidepod looks as though it is designed to avoid that.

However, I wondered particularly about attaching a video tripod head - is that attachment point strong enough? I'd be likely to use it with both my XH-A1 and the Nikon D7000 with a long telephoto lens attached (but not at the same time for those who take my wording literally). The 701 video head they seem to be recommending would barely support either of these - I aim for a head designed to support twice the weight of the camera I'm using - so I'm wondering if it really is up to the job.

So it's back to the question - has anyone actually used one?

[Wayne Reimer]

No, I haven't. Looking at the website, I don't know that I would either. I like the way my shots look with a tripod and slider