Didn't someone here vote this "Worse NAB gadget"?
- Thread starter Sirius_Doggy
- Start date
XCheck
Veteran
While I agree it looks sort of ridiculous, I think that the inner gyroscope idea is great. It could be a battery-powered metal ring rotating inside the tubular wheel (it could be filled with tiny magnets so it would be like a large electro-magnetic rotor - you'd have to be careful with putting magnetic media near it, though, so some kind of geared power train would probably work better).
Since moment of inertia increases proportionally with the square of radius, this could be used to substantially stabilize the rig.
From physics point of view, it's not ridiculous at all. I wouldn't discount it for how it looks.
Since moment of inertia increases proportionally with the square of radius, this could be used to substantially stabilize the rig.
From physics point of view, it's not ridiculous at all. I wouldn't discount it for how it looks.
I like how Fig says - and I'm paraphrasing a bit from the video here - "I just wanted anything [to stabilize the camera] and I was stuck with whatever was in the shop".
Well, you get out of R&D what you put into it. When you put a steering wheel from a lorry around your camera with some cheap brackets to hold lights and mics - because the camera can't possibly hold these on the mic mount and hotshoe - then that Fig Rig is what you get. Leaving Las Vegas or not - the footage they show in that reel looks a lot like my handheld work, which borders on embarrassing using prosumer form cameras.
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Well, you get out of R&D what you put into it. When you put a steering wheel from a lorry around your camera with some cheap brackets to hold lights and mics - because the camera can't possibly hold these on the mic mount and hotshoe - then that Fig Rig is what you get. Leaving Las Vegas or not - the footage they show in that reel looks a lot like my handheld work, which borders on embarrassing using prosumer form cameras.
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XCheck
Veteran
Actually the footage looks awful in all aspects (are we talking about same thing here?). I doubt it was shot with any sort of stabilizer.overlandfilms said:
But: I try to see it what it COULD be, not for what it IS. Yeah - they should have spent more time and/or energy in R&D.
My point is that just because Ridley Scott uses Trader Joe's toilet paper doesn't mean everyone should. He might just be crazy. Have you ever used TJ's toilet paper? I rest my case.
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Sirius_Doggy
Veteran
Barry_S said:
Don't worry Barry, I know TC was just kidding. I picked up on the smilie.
As for the other guys, I'm sure they'll be posting after they get back from the show. It doesn't end until tomorrow. Hopefully they saved some room on their CF's for stuff other than the HVX... I wish I had more time to walk the floor. 4 hours just didn't cut it but I had a job opportunity that I couldn't turn down. The client at least let me off 1/2 a day to grab what I was able to.
WaveRiderXIX
Well-known member
Everytime I walked by the Manfrotto boothe, there were people gathered around this thing and trying it out. This thing would be cool if it had some "gyro" type of shock mounting. Like whenever your hands moved, the cam would stay centered.
Did any of you guys check out the new system from Steadicam? $800 seemed pretty steep for gimble handle with weights on the end of it.
Did any of you guys check out the new system from Steadicam? $800 seemed pretty steep for gimble handle with weights on the end of it.
thisiswells
Retired
I never made it to Steadicam. I did see Garrett Brown in Central Hall and said, "hello"
I told him I received my first Steadicam as a gift when I was eleven years old (ten years ago)
It was a JR. I thanked him. That was the highlight of my NAB trip.
I told him I received my first Steadicam as a gift when I was eleven years old (ten years ago)
It was a JR. I thanked him. That was the highlight of my NAB trip.
marctronixx
Well-known member
GB is DA man! PERIOD! he taught me.... thats whos in my avatar... him on the set of "the shining" snow maze (salt and styrofoam) with the model1. very nice guy! meeting him and learning from him were two of my accomplishments in my life. i have some very great videos of him speaking about his craft and how he started... amazing stories!!
i even got a chance to drive his mercedes... long story...
i even got a chance to drive his mercedes... long story...
storytime... 
The only nice thing I can say about this silly rig is that in the Figgis video on the manfrotto site (http://www.bogenimaging.us) he uses the DVX, that's about it
The Steadicam Merlin looks really cool, If it was priced around 400$ I would buy it in a second but 800$ is way too much. they should lower the price and sell it to all camcorder owners (even for home use it will be great)
The Steadicam Merlin looks really cool, If it was priced around 400$ I would buy it in a second but 800$ is way too much. they should lower the price and sell it to all camcorder owners (even for home use it will be great)
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
My lighting guy works for a big photo/video place out here. He talked his boss into ordering a fig rig to have on hand. He wants to try it out, and says he will let me use it a bit. We'll see....
I recently tried the "steering wheel" at Samy's in Hoolywood and liked the feel of it. You can attach a mic and a light to it, too. Once I held the camera with both hands, it actually made sense.
The "steering wheel" is actually a large round handle around the camera, which provides:
- finer control of the camera movement (the lever effect)
- possiblity to place my hands in the best position for a low or overhead shot, without bending my wrist
- more stamina - holding the rig+camera with both hands is much easier on the hands
- more stable video - camera shakes less when I move
What I hated about this was the price. It's $300 f***** dollars! A "superclamp" for it is another $60. The model with the clamp and zoom remote is $600! Unbeliavable.
I would probably buy it for 1/f of this but this is ridiculous.
To see the rig in action check out Figgis' Hotel and especially the behind the scenes videos.
I think it might work well with a wide angle - it adds the advantage to move your mic out of the shot and your light off center.
Regards,
-- Andre
The "steering wheel" is actually a large round handle around the camera, which provides:
- finer control of the camera movement (the lever effect)
- possiblity to place my hands in the best position for a low or overhead shot, without bending my wrist
- more stamina - holding the rig+camera with both hands is much easier on the hands
- more stable video - camera shakes less when I move
What I hated about this was the price. It's $300 f***** dollars! A "superclamp" for it is another $60. The model with the clamp and zoom remote is $600! Unbeliavable.
I would probably buy it for 1/f of this but this is ridiculous.
To see the rig in action check out Figgis' Hotel and especially the behind the scenes videos.
I think it might work well with a wide angle - it adds the advantage to move your mic out of the shot and your light off center.
Regards,
-- Andre
Kirk Gillock
Rebel with a cause
Recently I saw one being used by an A-list director, for behind the scenes footage and practice shoots. Can't remember where I saw it though.