XHA1 Glidecam and Vest or Shoulder

[Tariq Peter]

Hi Guys,

I have tried filming a wedding with the XHA1 and a Glidecam and it was just to heavy and balancing it was a nightmare especially with different add ons. A shoulder mount seems to be a much easier solution however I don't see a lot of people with them anymore is this because they are less stable?

A lot of weddings I film means I need to film the bride and groom walking to the stage so I stand a few feet infront of them and take backward steps until they reach the stage. The weddings last around 10 hours so any advice would be great.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shoulder-sup...ht_5211wt_1146 this one looks good but how much more stability will a glidecam give me that something like this wont?

[Peter D. Parker]

Hi Peter?

I think the shoulder mounts are mainly for steady, non-moving shots. Any movement I would assume will create movement if it's balanced on your shoulder or chest.

I have a Glidecam and X-10 with vest.

If you want to come over to Preston you can have a look and a play and see if you like it.

Peter

Just realised this was posted in Sept. 11, have things changed.

[Mark Wheelan]

Timing is everything.

Hey Peter, can I ask you about your experience with the X10 system? It's on our shopping list and I'm wondering if you're happy with it. We plan on using it for weddings and personal videos. We have Z5's and I have two teenage daughters that I believe will do well to operate it at weddings.

From my research and for our purposes it seems to be the best system in its class.

[Peter D. Parker]

Hi Mark,

to be completely honest, mine's not had the use it should have had. I've used it on a couple of weddings and had very good results but the stress associated with weddings have kept use to a minimum, not because it's hard to use (you do need to practice though before using it in earnest) but because of limitations of venues and time restraints.
Removing the camera from the rig will mean re-balancing it again to use again, which does take time. If you have a dedicated camera, Simples.

I've found the setup and balancing easy (using a Z5), some people say they have trouble, so perhaps I've been luck.

I've tried practicing without the vest but the Z5 is far too heavy for me, too much strain on the wrist and forearm even after just a minute and the vest allows you to "rest" the rig for a short while.

One thing that I have found to be top of your list is the docking bracket.

It's so easy to balance everything when the rig is "hanging" loose and you can adjust knobs and see an immediate reaction, rather than putting it on the floor or trying to hold it with one hand and make adjustments.

I think the main thing to remember is that you need to practice and find your own "sweet spot" for moving.
You just can't get it on a Friday and expect to film a wedding on a Saturday !

I'm not sure how your daughters will handle the vest, which has to be reasonably tight fitting, in fact I've never heard of a female operator, although I'm sure there must be some out there.

Peter

[Mark Wheelan]

Thanks for you insights Peter. I feel pretty good about making the purchase.

I'm looking into using a quick release plate for the unit. Hopefully that will eliminate the need for rebalancing a Z5 throughout the day. We will certainty get the saddle for it.

I am 18 months into my recovery from breaking both of my wrist while filming on vacation. It's taken this long to feel solid just getting out of the bathtub, it will be another year before my wrist are back to full strength. I've been shooting handheld with the Z5 again for about ~10 months.

My daughters are hearty stock for modern-day kids, certainly tougher than most of city boys they go to school with. They were mountain raised and have been backpacking since they were quite young. They both have quite bit of shooting experience and work well as team. Being they're both the same size I figure they can split the duties of operator/assistant for a wedding shoot.

As we are just starting with weddings we have plenty of time to practice with it.

Thanks for your input.

[Buba Kastorski]

I used to have this unit, until it just fell apart in my hands, thank god i was holding my camera when the part you attach QR adapter to just cracked and broke off; mybe it was just my unit, but I'd like to warn everyone who's going to use it

[Peter D. Parker]

Buba, did you get back to Glidecam about this? It's the first time I've heard of something like this happening.

Peter