HVX in a shakey Helicoptor ?

T

tduncan

Active member
Anybody shoot from a helicoptor with the HVX200? I did a test the other day and found it to be quite a shakey experience. How do you stabilize your HVX for helicoptor shooting? I have OIS turned off by default so I didn't think to try it at the time. Would it help without sacrificing image resolution? (I have it turned off because previously it ruined some of my shoots.)

What about higher shutter speed? That's another thing I didn't think to try. I think that if after all I can do the footage is still shakey I could get better results from the FCP shakey-cam filter (tracking) if each frame were crisper.


I would appreciate any tips or settings you can offer to make the next flight I take a better one.

td
 
you need a stabalization system to get anything near what you want. That will run you about 80 000 so I think your better off buying stock footage ha
 
$3000 for a handheld gyro. Lots of people shoot from helicopters (including myself) with no stabilization and get great footage.

The other thread has lots of info.

I've recently been stabilizing my footage on the timeline with the Prodad Mercalli plugin and it's astounding. I shoot 1080 for a 720 project, and have the plugin crop the shakiness out with no loss of resolution.
 
try the aerial exposures mount or something similar. i've found the AE to be a great piece of equipment that doesn't break the bank to rent.
 
Have you tried shooting in overcrank? I've just done some aerial shoots in a helicopter and got some great shots using overcrank and the shots looked amazing!
 
Yes.. overcranking is the way to go to smooth things out... Possibly might want sometype of stabilizing brace.. some people use bungies. I had a great chopper and pilot so most of that wasn't a factor at all.
 
If you are using the latest FCP, try out the SmoothCam video filter (comes stock with FCP) and you'll definitely be amazed. Shot some footage from a helicopter recently, all handheld and used that filter afterwards and it blew my away!! The pilot couldn't believe it either!! I'll try to post the before and after shots on vimeo.

Note: Can also be used on shaky dolly shots so don't toss those "wrecked" shots in the trash!

cheers
 
hey all, i recently just had my first experience shooting from a helicopter and it was awesome! i too had a lot of shakey footage, but there is usable material out of it. as i was hanging halfway out the chopper, i found my biggest problem was combating the 160mph wind. i shot it on a DVX in 30p mode. i believe this was a mistake because of the strobing, should i have shot in 60i? also, are handheld gyros or stabilization systems the only way to go, or are people able to get acceptable footage out of handheld only?
 
http://vimeo.com/635329
there is stuff with the HVX handheld.

I just recently shot for a intro of a feature. also handheld.
take off the sunshade so the rotorwind doesn´t shake your cam, only fly with little wind, OIS on and 32 fames or even more.
the link above shows stuff that is zoomed almost full in (they can´t ski when the heli blows the snow around, so you can´t get too low), but usually try to stay as wide as possible
 
alpi69 said:
http://vimeo.com/635329
there is stuff with the HVX handheld.

I just recently shot for a intro of a feature. also handheld.
take off the sunshade so the rotorwind doesn´t shake your cam, only fly with little wind, OIS on and 32 fames or even more.
the link above shows stuff that is zoomed almost full in (they can´t ski when the heli blows the snow around, so you can´t get too low), but usually try to stay as wide as possible
Click to expand...

you mean the lens hood? don't i need that for flare protection? and whats 32 fames? you mean frames? plus im using the DVX and i can't overcrank.
 
yeah I meant the lens hood and yes, it might flare, but if you keep the sun behind it won´t be much of a difference and a flare is better than a vibration.
I thought you were on a HVX. That´s why I suggested 32 fps
 
since i'm using the DVX should i use 60i? also how do you guys position yourselves from a helicopter, leaning out? lean in more? digging you elbows into your body? basically, what are some of the techniques you guys use?
 
First off, try and stay wide. Zooming in will add more shake.
We use OIS and swear by it, but others hate it.
Yes, we shoot 60i.
We almost always shoot with the chopper door open, or off on the smaller choppers.
Try and position yourself just inside enough to avoid the wind. But we often shoot from the skids. Mostly because it's so much fun! :beer:

Tie that camera to something. On my first chopper shoot on the skids I didn't even have a harness for me and darned near dropped the camera. :shocked: Now I have me and the camera tethered.

Become friends with the pilot. He is your tripod. Explain that he needs to fly slightly pitched so you don't have to shoot around the door and have him go as LOW as possible. This helps avoid zooming.
Best of luck!
 
TedRR said:
First off, try and stay wide. Zooming in will add more shake.
We use OIS and swear by it, but others hate it.
Yes, we shoot 60i.
We almost always shoot with the chopper door open, or off on the smaller choppers.
Try and position yourself just inside enough to avoid the wind. But we often shoot from the skids. Mostly because it's so much fun! :beer:

Tie that camera to something. On my first chopper shoot on the skids I didn't even have a harness for me and darned near dropped the camera. :shocked: Now I have me and the camera tethered.

Become friends with the pilot. He is your tripod. Explain that he needs to fly slightly pitched so you don't have to shoot around the door and have him go as LOW as possible. This helps avoid zooming.
Best of luck!
Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks so much! Pretty much everything you said, I learned from my first experience in the chopper. He flew slightly behind my subject, causing me to lean out a lot and shoot around the front of the cockpit. That pitch would have been really nice. Plus, I found that the wind was my biggest enemy against a steady shot. I also zoomed in too much trying to stay tight with the action, but watching it later proved pretty shakey. We did end up going lower later on, but only after I asked him to. Funny you mention it, because I didn't have the camera strapped to anything either, just an iron grip against lateral winds up to 160mph! I shot with 30p because I was trying to match some footage I had shot on the ground earlier, but the strobing was driving me crazy, so I think I'll just stick to 60i and deinterlace in post.
 
There are a couple of things I would like to add here. Don't be afraid to ask questions to your pilot. Alot of companies will use the low time pilots for aerial work and you don't want to be paying for them to learn where they need to be to get the shot.
Also depending on the aircraft you are using the best spot is behind the pilot as you both see your subject. Electrical tape around the eyepiece is not a bad idea either. Stops it from flying off. (don't ask me how I know :()
Double tie your shoelaces especially f you are wearing boots.
One of the best ways to shoot smooth wide shots is to stand on the skids (wearing a harness of course) and to hold the camera off your shoulder. Your arms become part of the stabilizer. Minimize the amount of you touching the helicopter. Resting your arm against the door frame during long shoots might give you a short term rest but will give you long term pain with the added vibration you get in your shot.
But most of all RELAX.
 
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