Glidecam 4000

[Car3o]

Can someone come up with a how to explanation or a video to calibrate the Glidecam 4000 for a Dvx?

-rh

[Chris Geukens]

Check on glidecam's site, they have a video about how to balance the unit.

[MagicCat]

HI Car3o

I have an HVX and a GC 4000. Chris was right in checking out the web site for tuning. A tip that may help you here, (As long as you own the GC and dont mind inducing some helpful scratches in the paint) On mine, I took it all apart and etched in a 1/4 inch grid both on the sled and the Cam Mount plates and Tubes. Getting my camera on and off the rig became a lot quicker to re-set up. It is never a Snap to do but definitely shaves off about 70% of the time it normally takes re-mounting the camera.

There are no distinguishable markings anywhere on the Glidecam 4000 and if you use it right out of the box, every setup is going to be painful. I dont know why the manufacturer does not do this themselves, maybe there are too many variables between all the available adjustments??. But I say Tisk Tisk Tisk on them for not doing this. (I would think the HR person would be screaming there. They could probably save a ton of money on incoming 800 number phone bills as well as putting thir techs to better use)

I made a jig out of a couple blocks of wood and used a carpet knife and a steel ruler to score my grid with. Pretty crude but very helpful.

MagicCat

[FutureDVXUser]

I just got one of these gimmicks today... The thing contanstly goes limp... It came with a DVD, maybe that'll show how to balance it...

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

The Glidecam a gimmick? Hardly, lol.

FYI it takes about 20 HOURS of practice before you can expect to get USEABLE footage. Not great - USEABLE.

The GLIDECAM and most stabilizers work on the same basic fluid gimbal sled premise as the high end Steadicam. There is a reason you have to be certified to use one and the operators get paid TONS of dough.

You cannot expect to tae it out of the box and fly it or any other sled.

[FutureDVXUser]

Oh Dayum... Looks like those 20 hrs. may double for me...

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

haha, there are some good "how to walk" clips and such on another stabilizer's site
http://www.indicam.com/

[FutureDVXUser]

That is def. going in my favorites haha...

Thanks man