A steadicam or a New Tripod

[mochouinard]

This may sound weird, but Im wondering if I should save all my $$$ (after I pay my credit card !!!) to get a Good Steadicam (HVX200 + M2 + ..) , or get a good tripod first (cartonie focus).

What would you guys do ?

[mcgeedigital]

Tripod first.

Always.

[mochouinard]

Argh... But I want a Steadicam badly ;) ...


Ok Ok !!!

[DavidBeier]

I have the same delema but I'm going ahead and get a Cartoni Focus and wait on the Steadycam. Yeah, they look cool you'll probably be using a tripod for 95% of your shots. Put your money in the important stuff first.

[mochouinard]

I guess, but I am having a hard time to record a resonable stable image handheld, and it frustrating me, I might not be a good camera man... But I like handeling one, and it frustrating not having a stable image...

[Mike Poindexter]

Yeah, want vs. need.

Fix 95% of my shots first, or 5%. You are looking at the cool toy before the first important tool of the trade. Shoot 100% of your stuff on a steadicam and you can at least save on the gym membership. And you will probably have Popeye arms, too.

I am in the same boat as you and am getting the tripod.

[akuepper]

Handheld on mini dv format:

Keep horizon level.

Don't be the wrist-based guy waving a video camera around.

Get a manfrotto steering wheel. Picture a big round wheel with the camera in the center. You "steer" the camera, and instinctually keep a level horizon. When you turn, you turn like the torso of a person, and not with your arms/wrists. This translates on the screen to more of a natural or big movie look, and not a sick throw-up DV to big screen blowup mess.

Use some sort of dual handheld grip. It's all about the horizon, and how you turn and pan. Also, go wider on your lens and get closer. No need to be handheld on a super long zoom lens.

If you can afford a cheap jib, you can use it as a "loose" tripod. I plan on doing this for an upcoming feature. I may not USE the jib by swooping all over the place, but more of a light, stable, but not too stable support system.

Steadicam takes a long time to master. For the first few years you are zooming all over the place and your horizon looks like a shot from a documentary on rouge waves. I've worked with a bunch of guys over 10 years from their career's beginnings and I've seen a vast improvement from the 5 to 10 year mark. Steadicam's are cool and all, but they are way overused sometimes, they call attention to the shot more than the subject matter which is bad.

And to wrap it up,

You can shoot a whole movie and make it good on a tripod. You can't do this on a steadicam.

[Lil_Red]

Steadicams are way hard on your back. If you thought you could run around and use it all the time, that would not be the case.

[4mat]

Steadicams are way hard on your back. If you thought you could run around and use it all the time, that would not be the case.

Utter tosh get your facts right before posting please.
Steadicam operated properly is good for your back and helps to strengthen it.
If you over do it like anything you might get problems.
However a steadicam flyer perfect for the HVX would be more comfortable to carry than doing hand held with the HVX as the weight is distributed over the body.

[4mat]

Also steadicam is not as hard to learn as you might think.
Some people learn very fast.
I made this video after a workshop and 2 weeks practice http://www.steadiforum.com/virus7.mov
-matt

[David Saraceno]

Argh... But I want a Steadicam badly ;) ...


Ok Ok !!!

Then Steadicam first.

[mochouinard]

It all a question of $
Buying a tripod first, might push back the steadicam 2,3 month longer...

I guess a Cartonie Focus will do the job for now. I also need a Monitor.

And yea the jib might be the cheap and great solution before the steadicam... I had my eyes on one.

By budget aint part of the show anymore :(

[Anders Holck]

First: Get the Focus.
Next: Make friends with someone who has the flyer, but never uses it.

[dustino]

Tripod first. Then another option could be:

http://dannynatovich.bizland.com/nonamerig/

DV Multi Rig for handheld, then Steadicam later. This way you can do alot of handheld with a much steadier image while you save up for a steadicam.