OIS on/off during helicopter-flight?

C

cici

Well-known member
Next week I'm gonna have to film during a helicopter flight.

I will film a city (for a mayor) with maximum wideangle. Wideangle will "swallow" already a lot of trembling and small movements... but:

- Should I switch OIS on or off?

- Should I film with my shoulder-pad for the camera?
- or better put the camera on my lap?
- or try to hold it freely with elbows on stomach (to unconnect it a little bit from helicopter's vibrations) ?


No, I don't have neither a Steadycam-System, nor a car-tripod etc. .... and I have already filmed before in a helicopter with wideangle - the results were "satisfaying" but I'd like to get more with some little tricks...

Don't bother the results: the mayor wants just some views of "his" city and as it is in Turkey - they are used to very low quality standard - nobody would expect me to get a steady-system etc. .... the mayor won't be able to pay more than 100 bucks plus the helicopter flight and I don't do it to earn money - I just want to enjoy the flight, film as good as I can and just be the buddy for a photographer who actually got that job and will make photographs during the flight, while he asked me to help him out, filming the city. That man and I are used to live in "symbiosis" and so I'll just enjoy the flight and deliver him a video as good as possible with just a DVX100 and maybe some hints and tricks you guys have for me to take the helicopter's vibrations and shaking movements... :thumbup:
 
I wouldn't hold the camera against your body or in your lap. You want to try and isolate the camera from as much vibration as possible. I'd either hold the camera in front of me and treat it like it's a full cup of coffee ready to spill over or use a beanbag like the cinesaddle or something like that.
 
"steady" (@zaa2156) is in many cases a contradiction to isolate the camera from as much vibration as possible (quote n8ture) ....

The farer I hold the camera from the body, the better I disconnect it from the vibrations.... but the faster I will get tired (and tremble) and the more it's gonna be the arm that shakes the camera.... and the closer I get the camera to my body, the better will I be able to fix it, but the more vibrations will infuent the recording...

What do you think about the shoulder pad? - It will give me a maximum of stabilisation whilst it might be to strongly connected to the vibrations again.... - but from my last flight I don't remember vibrations having so much influence in the picture...

Thanks guys for help! - More hints and tipps wanted!

I won't have the time during the flight to compare footage with shoulder pad or camera in the lap / hand... the beanbag is a good idea (generally - also for sites where tripods are forbidden) but probably the view would be too low if it's on my lap... I'll try it at home...
 
NoNoob said:
1) • OIS off.

2) Use a FigRig, or dual pistol grip type support

3) Use a viewfinder hood.

4) Best results are found by holding the camera out in front of you, sighting your shot through the viewfinder for framing

5) Don't bother zooming in or out unless there's something specific you need to 'see' (record) down below.

6) Your muscles in upper and lower parts of the arm, and those in your shoulders and back- will absorb a lot of the vibrations you are concerned with.

7) I really don't know what kind of aircraft you'll get for $100

8) Also, what city? (I've shot lots of aerial footage there in Turkey.)

9) I like to shoot with door off, my ass on the edge of the seat, and feet on the skids.

10) [teşekkür ederim]
Click to expand...


Hi NoNoob!

I'm gonna reply on your quotes using enumeration paragraphs...

1) OIS off ??? - But I thought it should calibrate itself once the chopper holds speed and direction... Could you explain the reason more precisely? e.g. the slight "hopping" could probably get softened... no?

2) I could try to build something.... but I have nothing more than this one: http://www.be-verleih.com/var/video...325-5-ger-DE/vivanco_schulterstativ_small.jpg from Vivanco....

So I'll have to ask again: without spending money - should I USE that Vivanco shoulder pad or should I hold the camera in my hands?


3) I have a homebuilt very strong light-shade and definitely I'm gonna use it!

You can see the plans and the prototype here:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=112473

I first built it for that photograph for his DVX100 as we had too much sun in the egaeis while shooting historical places (Claros, Ephesos, Pergamon, etc.) and when I left, I built him a stronger one and took the prototype (picture) at home where I built a really strong one - I'll post pictures... with sewed velcro on it and strong (DVD-)plastic walls.

4) best? - Probably better than that shoulder pad? ... what about the arms getting tired?

5) it's the photographer who will get some digital tele-shots... we will introduce them into the SD-video

6) that's how I made it last time and it sounds logic... but back then I had a Sony TRV900.... the DVX100 might get too heavy if the flight lasts

7) NO aircraft! :) - it's not 100 USD, but the mayor will pay the entire flight PLUS my friend, the photographer will probably get some 100 USD ON TOP OF THE EXPENSES.

8) it's the city of Menderes (70'000 habitants) - located almost AT the international airport Adnan Menderes (Izmir International Airport)

9) yes - that's how it's gonna be like: we'll take the door off (last time I enjoyed that so much - you feel so free when filming without door...)

10) birsey degil! - Asil BEN SANA tesekkür ederim!

Actually I'm in Switzerland and can't tell you anything about the aircraft... the turkish photographer will book the chopper and is still negotiating with the mayor.
 
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Thanks a lot NoNoob for your help!

I'm gonna study and implement each single point of your trick-list!

The UV-Filter is always on the camera... we have also a polarizer, but there's no reason to put it on - especially with the poor light in january...

Now I will study my last helicopter-video to see what caused the most unwanted movements. With about one pound more weight (DVX vs. TRV900) there should be more stabilization and I think I can handle the weight for 40 minutes as I often do sport as lifting weights etc. .

If we only had a wideangle converter - that would have given us subjectively more stabilization... but I even don't know exaclty what that man wants us to shoot - I hope no tele will be required. And I also hope the pilot can get us close enough (and slowly enough) too the items to shoot.

As it's just near the airport, at least the noise is less a problem than in my hometown, where the helicopters need a certain altitude to avoid complaints from the habitants. The army often flies fast and close to the ground in that area with helicopters.

Thanks again for help NoNoob and everybody!
 
NoNoob said:
1) a tight turn using the center point of the tower/statue as the pivot point

2) We flew in and out of a base high atop a mountain pass, right in the middle of the highway. You know the place?

3) Post samples when you get it done!
Click to expand...

1) VERY good idea! - We all know that from Rio de Janeiro etc. - but I never thought that I should do that too! :) - no idea though for Menderes... perhaps a Mosque on a hill ... wow: the amphitheatre of Pergamon would be so cool! - it's on top of a very high hill with a antique temple place on it:

pergamon.wide.jpg


Menderes is rather unspectacular... there's a large dam and some antique places - but both are some miles away from Menderes. We'll see what the mayor wants... If it's some TV-commercials for the region, then I could prabably convince my buddy to put in some seconds of Claros, Ephesos or the dam. It's just some seconds away by helicopter :)

2) sorry.... to many peaks in Switzerland... and a lot of highways near passes... Sankt Gotthard, San Bernardino, Bernina, Furka, Simplon... ? - But it's such a small country, that I know any spot :)

3) of course! - I'm gonna copy the tapes for myself and try to post something here...

Thanks again!

(I'm reflecting about a system of textile rubber bands all over the open door of the helicopter like a spider net... and the camera in the middle of it... hanging freely... and I wonder whether the bands would eliminate the vibrations well if I filmed by tilting the camera downwards and slightly pulled it down.... - but it's NOT for this time - and you guys feel free to realize this idea!)
 
As already mentioned DONT use a matte box, it will just catch the wind and you will not be able to hold the camera. The weight of the camera (or lack of it) is going to be your biggest problem.

Sit on the right side of the helicopter behind the pilot and have the door removed or wired open, make sure that you have a "monkey belt" on and the length adjust so your feet can just rest on the skids. The hardest bit now is you must have full faith in the monkey belt and lean out as far as you can without getting into the slipstream, when actually filming get the pilot to reduce speed back to what he thinks is a safe speed. You should be trying to look forward as much as you can without seeing the left hand side of the helicopter.

Personally I have had great success holding the camera under my right arm, close to the body. Try the position sitting on a chair at home. You will rely totally on the helicopter to pan and do all the movements, your job is just to try and hold the camera as secure as possible. Shoot on the wide angle position and then tape all the other controls that maybe bumped. I can envisage that you may have a problem of the viewfinder moving around so you have to sort out how to secure it.

Always check that the camera running light is ON, you don't want to find out when you get back that you got nothing. If you decide to hold the camera in another position make sure you ask for a single sided headset other wise the righthand head set will get in the way.

Before you fly make sure the pilot knows EXACTLY where you want to go, as everytime you speak you are going to wobble the camera.

Lastly have a good time

Bob
 
bjingbar said:
Always check that the camera running light is ON, you don't want to find out when you get back that you got nothing.
Click to expand...

:) - I've been filming for about 20 years now... so no problem in that point ;) - btw: I have the red lights turned off as I don't want people to know when I film... in Turkey I once shot some "undercover" scenes where filming was forbidden and since then, that camera's lights are turned off... I only use LCD for control - for the undercover shootings I had the LCD turned all up and looked from above into the tunnel (see link to shade in posting before) and if you weren't just above that LCD shade, you couldn't notice I was filming, holding the camera loose in my hanging right arm - lens tillt slightly upwards...

In the helicopter I will use the lens shade for control but no mattebox of course...

BTW it's pretty much same job as I am used to when I film underwater: hold as still as possible, no tripod, hold breath (for underwater scenes during REC period), let the action happen IN FRONT of the camera... not by moving the camera... so I think this will be no problem... the pilot of my last helicopter flight was no pro at all for videographing purposes, but we matched pretty well to communicate. Most important for him is to know my key-spots to shoot and to hold the helicopter in the right position FOR ME (and my buddy) and to fly as smooth as possible or to hold it as still as possible which is difficult - even for a helicopter...
 
One last tip, if you plan to be leaning out of the helicopter take a small piece of foam rubber and elastic bands and wrap tightly around the headset microphone. Although the headsets are noise cancelling you will still get the wind noise, also keep the mic very close to your lips. If you have a buddy with you (and I refuse to fly without one, for emergency reasons), consider giving them a small monitor so you can feed them the picture and they can look out for wobble you may have missed. I feed the video into another camcorder which the assistant leaves recording all the time this way we have a backup tape (although it is only composite it is better than nothing) and they are able to view on the LCD screen

PS: Give the pilot the aprox position of the centre of your lens (for me its about 2 oclock position) and then the pilot has a guide what is in the frame
 
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