Tripod Dolly vs. Spreader??
- Thread starter APLFilms
- Start date
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
A spreder is much lighter and more portable than a tripod dolly.
Remember that a tripod dolly isn't for dolly shots, but to move the camera between shots.
- Mikko
Remember that a tripod dolly isn't for dolly shots, but to move the camera between shots.
- Mikko
mikkowilson said:
Remember that if your ever going to purchase one. Because some of them have super xxx wheels etc and the reality is they can be moved in shot.
filmat11
Well-known member
www.jlfisher.com look at the model 10 dollie.
If the floor is perfect, and I mean perfect...This could be used almost anywhere. You can also, and most people do, use dollie track in either straight or curved pieces or both.
If the floor is perfect, and I mean perfect...This could be used almost anywhere. You can also, and most people do, use dollie track in either straight or curved pieces or both.
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
FilmBoy77 said:
Normally a sales term used to make it sound like a manufacturer's tripod dolly could be used better for dolly shots by potential customers shopping with the common misconception:
FilmBoy77 said:
which unfortunatly isn't 100% true.
Ideally tripod dollies are intended, and sold, for dolly shots. But the truth is that they almost always produce poor results.
They are moddled after and attempt to emulate the wheels on professional studio camera pedestals, but at a lower cost. The result is less than sufficent quality wheels, that are then used on surfaces that don't normally come close to the expensive perfectly flat TV studio floors that are necesarry to pull off smooth moves.
Unfortunaly, this:
Just can't match this:
Tripod dollys aren't useless by a long shot. They are very handy for moving tripods between shots, and they are used for this in studios everywhere that can't afford pedestals, but need movable cameras. As a lightweight portable, and cost effective solution, for cameras that need to move between shots, but not during them, a good tripod dolly is hard to beat.
Good dollys can be made inexpensivly, but they must be built to the purpose of beeing a dolly, not to replace a pedestal's wheels.
Look into a "skateboard" dolly, or one of many lightweight dollys and you can find some good results.
- Mikko
Gauranga
Active member
Funny, I was just talking to a colleague just the other day about spreaders vs. tripod dollys. Anyway, I use a tripod dolly. Why? Personal preference.
I prefer to be able to roll my camera between shots when in the studio and on location.
I prefer the stabilization at the bottom of the tripod feet as opposed to the stabilization a spreader gives you in the middle of the tripod legs (which is the spreader option for my tripod). If the tripod gets kicked or bumped you don't have to re-level, a mid-leg spreader you will definately have to. I think that the tripod dolly is actually more stable than a spreader. However, if the spreader is at the bottom of the tripod feet I actually still prefer to have a dolly instead. I've used them before and I just think that they are a pain. Again, personal preference.
I do not think that it is a viable option for "dolly shots" as the floor is NEVER smooth enough (as said earlier).
I prefer to be able to roll my camera between shots when in the studio and on location.
I prefer the stabilization at the bottom of the tripod feet as opposed to the stabilization a spreader gives you in the middle of the tripod legs (which is the spreader option for my tripod). If the tripod gets kicked or bumped you don't have to re-level, a mid-leg spreader you will definately have to. I think that the tripod dolly is actually more stable than a spreader. However, if the spreader is at the bottom of the tripod feet I actually still prefer to have a dolly instead. I've used them before and I just think that they are a pain. Again, personal preference.
I do not think that it is a viable option for "dolly shots" as the floor is NEVER smooth enough (as said earlier).
