Cable Cams.

[Trippy_filmer]

Firsts off im new to dvxuser but ive lurked along time... theres tons of great stuff especially in this thread, keep it up good work.

I am currently in the proccess of building a small cable cam for a panisonic gs series camera, for this winter and snowboarding. Ive already go some good ideas but seeing others seem to make my ideas even better. So i was just wondering if people could post some pics(mainly of the bracket)/footage. nothin has to be wayyy in depth just simple designs and ideas. Thanks.

[veidog]

Hi, I have just built my first zip line for filming mountain biking. I dont have any photo's of my setup yet. But you can view a short video I put together of some test shots I took here. mark.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=79321

[crazycatz]

Hi, I have just built my first zip line for filming mountain biking. I dont have any photo's of my setup yet. But you can view a short video I put together of some test shots I took here. mark.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=79321

Thats sweet dude!
I would love to see how you put that together! is it just a camera on a cable, or is someone sliding on a cable holding the camera?
would like to see pictures too!
awesome!

[leteeci]

Firsts off im new to dvxuser but ive lurked along time... theres tons of great stuff especially in this thread, keep it up good work.

I am currently in the proccess of building a small cable cam for a panisonic gs series camera, for this winter and snowboarding. Ive already go some good ideas but seeing others seem to make my ideas even better. So i was just wondering if people could post some pics(mainly of the bracket)/footage. nothin has to be wayyy in depth just simple designs and ideas. Thanks.

Hi!

I think you could get some valuable informations at:

http://www.bignoz.com/steadycam%20et%20bricolages/bricolage_cablecam/bricolagecablecam.htm

video instructions are on French, but you can anyway see how it's done..

Cheers, :beer:

david

[mikkowilson]

Hi!

I think you could get some valuable informations at:

http://www.bignoz.com/steadycam%20et%20bricolages/bricolage_cablecam/bricolagecablecam.htm

video instructions are on French, but you can anyway see how it's done..

Cheers, :beer:

david

Very clever design. Counter-weighting the camera will yeild superior results to just a hanging camera.

EDIT: ... as can be seen from his demo videos.

- Mikko

[MattinSTL]

I think executing the design well is the main thing... no slack and a long wheel base on the rig. For starters this guy is using a pair of Petzl cable pullies. You can get these from a climbing shop. Just look for the tandem pullies with the yellow anodizing.

After you get those two tandem pullies as far apart as practical... UNIFY them PERFECTLY TIGHT. Get 'em perfectly in line with each other by bolting them in place... put the pully and frame assembly upside down on a table so that everything is perfectly in-line and then tighten down. I suggest aluminum angle for the frame. This way you can bolt one piece to each side of the pair of pullies... crank 'em down so that it's all unified. Then on the flats facing down you have perfect mounting surfaces for the rest of the structure.

Notice that as he lets the assembly go he is extremely gentle. Inducing rocking motion at the release is what ruins this type of footage. I think the weighted system this guy is using is overthinking it... having an upside down V with the weights on the ends of the V should yield the most stable balance of the cam... also I'd suggest investing in a manfrotto quick release plate... the big one allows a full 3" of slide... and it's only $40... this way you can evenly load the ballast and then balance the cam, rather then the other way around.

I'm gonna' build one of these freakin' things... been talking about it for over a year now...

Also... it's a lot bigger deal to have the cam moving throughout the shot then it is to have a cam only... locked in place... so we gotta' give props to viedog for his early efforts. The footage 'aint where it needs to be overall... but it looks promising.

[mikkowilson]

I think the weighted system this guy is using is overthinking it...

Not really. His unit has a gimble that holds his counterbalanced camera to the trolley. The result is that the camera is isolated from any sway in the trolley.
The side counterbalance minimizes sway/rocking of the trolley on the line and allows it to remain flat with the camera out on one side (thus making the gimble arrangement possible)

...yes, the camera is essentially mounted on a Steadicam system attached to the dolly.
As a result any sway or changes in angle of the line will be eliminated from the shot.

It's a very stable solid base for the camera to shoot from. - Notice how level the shot in his short demo is .. even when it hits the breaks at the end of the shot!

All that's missing is pan & tilt control.

- Mikko

[infurno]

you can translate that website to pseudo english with
http://babelfish.altavista.com/

This may be of interest: lego cable cam...
http://www.brandonkahler.com/arspics/Lego_Cable_Cam.htm

[Erik Olson]

The best is having that amazing (if somewhat over-engineered) rig sitting on the ground behind him as he ties knots in the steel cable from which it will soon be suspended. AWESOME!!! Who needs a compression sleeve or Crosby clamp anyway?!

I love this guy!

e

[futureman]

well i have to congratulate the lego cable cam guy, it has become quite an impressive system, however...

the french system is absolutely unbelievable, he seems to have solved every problem one might encounter...

can someone please translate the site, in a more sensical way than babble-fish...

please, please, please

also, it would be nice to have a real translation of the diagrams as well!

[mikkowilson]

This may be of interest: lego cable cam...
http://www.brandonkahler.com/arspics/Lego_Cable_Cam.htm

Holey cow that's cool. Totally badass.


- Mikko ... approves