DoF Too Deep?

Hey squig, that blackbird stabilizer thing looks pretty cool, have you used it? I think I'll still go with the Merlin because it's tried and true, industry standard, and pretty light for backpacking.

As for the Glidetrack, I'd love to go that route for backpacking but those things look to be in the 10 lb range. I'd like to hit up a mfg to make me an extremely lightweight one out of magnesium or something, only 2-3 lbs max. I'll only need my MKII and a wide-angle lens so the weight would be minimal.
 
I did some quick research on the Blackbird and it looks really good. I'd probably go for that one if I weren't using it primarily for backpacking. That long extension rod looks like it might be trouble as I'm flying down trails or over fields of wildflowers.
 
Na haven't tried one myself. I'm trying out a steadytracker extreme at the moment. Morgan how do you pull focus with the stabilizers? The only way I can think you'd be able to focus is maybe with a follow focus and a whip but even the whip might throw the gimble off balance? There's some HV20 dudes that have built follow focus units with remotes outta technics lego.

Buck if you're only gonna have a lightweight wide mounted you could look at the Hague http://www.b-hague.co.uk/hague_mini_motion_cam_steadicam_type_camcorder_stabilizer.htm
Mattias from the D90 forum shot a feature with it, he added some extra weight to balance it. The MKII is a little heavier than a D90 so I'd ask him if he thinks the extra weight would be a problem. Kholi had one for sale dunno if he still has it.
 
Thanks, squig®, I didn't realize there were all these options out there. Are these other options really good, or are they compromises due to price? I'm of the thinking that it'd be better to say *ouch* once on the price and get the best, rather than trying multiple options of less quality. I don't know anything about this Hague other than it looks pretty good.

If both the Hague and the Merlin cost the same (which they obviously don't), would you still consider the Hague? Although I don't toss money to the wind, I do have a budget for no-compromise quality stuff, just so I know I'm good to go. I don't want to budget for gear that I'll regret or have to replace. I did get the el-cheapo shoulder mount for the EX1, but that's because I rarely shoulder mount it. Otherwise I've tried to go with industry standard stuff. I appreciate your suggestions.
 
squig said:
how do you pull focus with the stabilizers?
Click to expand...

You absolutely cannot pull focus, or even touch a stabiliers while shooting

(unless of course you get a $5000 bartech follow focus which needs paower and rails and will make your rig so heavy that you have to get a steadicam pilot (or under development Hocus Focus))

Which brings us full circle on this thread.. "DoF Too Deep? "

S
 
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The merlin has a good rep but I pointed out the hague cause it's really light. As to whether it performs as well as the merlin I have nfi but send a pm to mattsand, he's a volvo driving abba loving blonde muff diver but he knows his **** and he's done plenty of lugging in the BC. Check with Kholi whether he still has his hague if ur interested in one. With cheap stuff like that I generally just get one and try it and flog it on ebay if it doesn't work for me.

Personally I don't have any experience with gimbal stabilizers just the steadytracker extreme and ultralite which are just counterbalance stabilizers. So far they've made it possible to run in the bush with a D90 jello free with a wide lens but I don't think they give the kind of fluid motion that something like a merlin is capable of.
 
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