Video shot by my stablizer[2]

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hello everyone,

I made a video about my dad play pingpong shot by my stablizer. I look forward to your comments regarding to the steadiness of the video.

The file is around 27mb encode with divx.

http://www.salenz.com/movie/pingpong1.avi

You may need to download latest divx decoder from www.divx.com

Thank you for your time to read my message and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Leigh

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hello everyone,

I made a video about my dad walking shot by my stablizer. I look forward to your comments regarding to the steadiness of the video.

The file is around 7mb encoded with divx.

http://www.salenz.com/movie/leg.avi

You may need to download latest divx decoder from www.divx.com

Thank you for your time to read my message and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Leigh

[Cliff Hepburn]

Not bad, you're still transfering a bit of your own body movements to the camera. It gets better after you stablize yourself (after you turn the corner). Is this a DIY stablizer? I'm getting ready to design and build my own based on Steadycam's design.
Can you post a pic of it?

[Matt Gettemeier]

Thanks for posting VIDEO... I love it when members give us things to look at and listen to!

Your footage doesn't look too bad... but you should practice with your stabilizer more and eventually put up some video that's more challenging... the pace of this could be quicker if you want to prove a point about controlled shooting... and hey, turn off your auto-aperature! Switch that baby into full manual...

Seriously thanks for posting... it looks pretty good.

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the comment.

Regards
Leigh

[Rob Lohman]

I've merged your two threads so all footage is one place.

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hello everyone,

I made a short video about my dad walking shot by my stablizer. I look forward to your comments regarding to the steadiness of the video.

The file is around 7mb encode with divx.

http://www.salenz.com/movie/follow.avi

You may need to download latest divx decoder from www.divx.com, it won't be played if you do not have this decoder installed on your computer.

My camera is JVC GY-DV5000 with Fujinon s20 6.4brm-sd lense. The whole camera weighs around 7kg.

Thank you for your time to read my message and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Leigh

[Charles King]

Leigh, you still havn't told us the stabilizer you used to make this clip or even shown us a pic of it. It's nice that you posted a clip but what about letting us take a look at the rig itself?

You shown us B before showing us A, com'on now don't keep us in the back room. ;)

[Leigh Wanstead]

<<<-- Originally posted by Charles King : Leigh, you still havn't told us the stabilizer you used to make this clip or even shown us a pic of it. It's nice that you posted a clip but what about letting us take a look at the rig itself?

You shown us B before showing us A, com'on now don't keep us in the back room. ;) -->>>

Dear Charles,

I want to be in stablizer business to manufacture cheaper and good quality device and I am in the patent process of the stablizer. Sorry that I can't show you the device. I apologize for that.

Regards
Leigh

[Charles Papert]

OK, now you've got my curiousity Leigh.

I've tried downloading the latest divx and all I get from downloading your clips is a 1 sec audio blip.

(using Mac OS 10.3.5, Safari)

any thoughts?

[Charles Papert]

Never mind, I got it going through Explorer.

Leigh, seeing as you posted about this here and in the Steadicam Forum (and maybe other places as well) for your commercial interests, I think it would be helpful if you indicated what makes your stabilizer different (capabilities? lighter weight? easier to use?) and what might be the limitations (maximum weight capacity?). Since you are pursuing a patent, there is presumably something different about your system versus the many, many counterweighted stabilizers out there (I saw the shadow of the post with a circular weight on the end in the walking video).

As far as the video itself, perhaps some more comprehensive shots, and some editing may be in order for the test clips.

Looking forward to hearing more about this.

[Leigh Wanstead]

<<<-- Originally posted by Charles Papert : OK, now you've got my curiousity Leigh.

I've tried downloading the latest divx and all I get from downloading your clips is a 1 sec audio blip.

(using Mac OS 10.3.5, Safari)

any thoughts? -->>>

I asked my collegue and he told me that quicktime 6.5.1 for mac can play.

Hope it helps.

Regards
Leigh

[Leigh Wanstead]

<<<-- Originally posted by Charles Papert : Never mind, I got it going through Explorer.

Leigh, seeing as you posted about this here and in the Steadicam Forum (and maybe other places as well) for your commercial interests, I think it would be helpful if you indicated what makes your stabilizer different (capabilities? lighter weight? easier to use?) and what might be the limitations (maximum weight capacity?). Since you are pursuing a patent, there is presumably something different about your system versus the many, many counterweighted stabilizers out there (I saw the shadow of the post with a circular weight on the end in the walking video).

As far as the video itself, perhaps some more comprehensive shots, and some editing may be in order for the test clips.

Looking forward to hearing more about this. -->>>

Dear Charles,

Nothing is so important. Just simple design of the arm.

Regards
Leigh

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hello everyone,

Another video about go upstair.

divx format
File size 15mbytes
http://www.salenz.com/movie/stair.avi

Regards
Leigh

[Charles Papert]

Leigh:

I have some thoughts, but first, I'm wondering what your intentions are for continuing to post your footage. You originally asked for comments about the steadiness of the video; I would assume this is because you are, as you said, planning on selling your design.

I honestly can't speak much to the steadiness factor, as your footage is making it hard to judge this. In general, you are too close to your subject and your operating is, to be honest, erratic.

To improve this, I recommend the "X" on the wall drill (which I detailed in this post. Rather than practice with a human subject, it's helpful to remove any other moving variables and this will help you identify your "problem" areas in operating. Right now you are over-controlling the rig, meaning that it jerks around left and right rather than floating smoothly. Relax the hand on the post, use just your fingertips, let it find it's own level and make teeny adjustments to retrain it in a different direction.

As far as evaluation footage regarding the stabilizer itself; run a length of brightly colored tape down a wall at camera height, then walk the camera alongside the tape as close as possible. Small variations in the position of the arm will begin to manifest themselves. A slow pumping up and down indicates operator error more than anything, but little jerking motions and pogo-ing (rising and falling with every footstep) is due to friction in the arm.

Another way to show the functionality of the stabilization is to walk the lens very close to a free-standing object, and then walk in place. Because of the parallax, you can see object in the foreground appear to move around. In a perfect situation, standing still and walking should appear exactly the same (the foreground object doesn't move relative to the background). Then ramp up to a running-in-place speed and examine the results. Jitter will show up again in the movement of the foreground object. Finally, stand in place and then raise one foot in the air (if the rig is attached to the right side of the vest, use your right foot) and stamp it down hard. Watch the edges of the frame to see if vibration is getting through the system. This can be coming from the arm or the sled.

Finally, if you are interested in operating your rig as well as selling it, start studying Steadicam shots in movies and TV shows, and watch how the framing and shot design is achieved. Pick a favorite scene (it doesn't have to be complicated) and try to copy it. Watch them back to back, learn what you didn't do, and then try it again.

Finally, I'll say this as delicately as I can; I'm sure your dad is a very fine gent, but let's try not to feature his posterior in closeup any more...?!