D90 Gyro Rig

F

fotobywes

Active member
I've got an aerial photo shoot coming up next month, and my boss asked me to shoot some video as well. That was sufficient excuse to order a rail system from Redrock Micro.

Here's a list of the hardware:

Nikon D90
Nikkor 24-120 VR lens
Kirk L Bracket
Camera Armour
Kirk 2" Quick Release Plate
Kenlabs KP-6 gyroscopic stabilizer
Redrock Micro "Captain Stubling" DSLR Kit, plus
Redrock Micro "Cheeseplate

I've got the follow focus set up on the zoom ring of the lens, since the vast majority of my shots will be at infinity. It took me a while to get the Redrock system worked out: I was disappointed that I received NO instructions or setup guidelines. I still have a set ofminiature screws & hex wrenches labelled "Nikon" and "Canon," but I have no idea where they're supposed to go.

I'm not sure how tight to tighten the various clamps on the rods, but I figure if the grips are slipping, then the clamps must still be loose. It also took me a couple of weeks to figure out that the grips could be extended.

One of the customer service guys at Redrock said that they'd be coming out with a new instructional video. That'll be nice, because all I had to go by was just the one picture on their website. I had a box full of parts, but only a minimal understanding of how they were supposed to go together. I'm sure that I would have had an easier time if I'd had prior experience with rail systems, but I was a pure novice.







 
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I understand how normal gyroscopic stabilizers work, with the rings and motors and all.

But I guess I don't get how the small device under the camera can significantly effect the motion of the camera - apart from just being more weight. Physic's wouldn't seem to allow that. Are there shifting weights inside it or something like that?
 
Back in the late '80s, we tried a gyro-stabilized lens on our HL-79 in a helicopter. When the lens was turned on, movements by the helicopter made the camera VERY hard to handle. We ended up back on the trusty Tyler Mount.

Are you at all worried about jello?
 
Rings & Motors are Inside

Rings & Motors are Inside

Jester2138 said:
I understand how normal gyroscopic stabilizers work, with the rings and motors and all.

But I guess I don't get how the small device under the camera can significantly effect the motion of the camera - apart from just being more weight. Physic's wouldn't seem to allow that. Are there shifting weights inside it or something like that?
Click to expand...


It's an inertia thing. The "rings and motors" are sealed in nitrogen inside of the black casing. There are 2 motors spinning weights at something like 8,000 RPM. The spinning weights create inertia, resisting any motion against their axis of rotation.

At 8,000 RPM, the gyro easily provides 10 times the dampening effect than if it was simply at rest.
 
Worried about jello?

Worried about jello?

mhood said:
Back in the late '80s, we tried a gyro-stabilized lens on our HL-79 in a helicopter. When the lens was turned on, movements by the helicopter made the camera VERY hard to handle. We ended up back on the trusty Tyler Mount.

Are you at all worried about jello?
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm worried about jello. If I was really worried about jello, I'd get a second gyro & mount it on the side of my camera.

3683436592_dfa014d5c9.jpg
 
Get a good grip on it. I'd sure hate to have it in my lap when the smart aleck pilot decides to entertain everyone with a cyclic popup.
 
No footage...Yet

No footage...Yet

techboy said:
Dang that's cool. Can you walk about with the gyro? Any footage available?
Click to expand...


I've worked with both gyros and the GlideCam Pro2000. If I've got to be moving around, I'll take the GlideCam. If I get to sit in/on a vehicle, then I'll take the gyro.

The gyro is a really odd beast to work with handheld: I've used to to stabilize a variety of 35mm & medium-format cameras. It's almost like you're dancing with the gyro- there are limits as to the rate of acceleration/decceleration before the gyro motors "snap" and interrupt the smooth motion. In some ways, the steadicam reacts the same way to acceleration/decceleration, but not nearly as violently.

Also, because the gyro whines like an electric weedwacker, it's not all that conducive to recording audio. I usually use the gyro in industrial settings where the whine is masked by other sound pollution.

Wes
 
mhood said:
Get a good grip on it. I'd sure hate to have it in my lap when the smart aleck pilot decides to entertain everyone with a cyclic popup.
Click to expand...
I'd rather have my camera in my lap than out the door! Usually I shoot with both rear doors off in a 4-seater helicopter, so I'm constantly aware of securing everything.
 
the gyro is designed to maintain its position, if you move around its inertial force starts to battle with you. It surely doesnt shake but the result of this handheld can give seasickness.
 
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