Experience: EX1 with steadycam systems

S

Sonny83

Member
Hey @ all,
I would like to get some information about using the EX1 with steadycam systems.
Your experience with the specific systems, pros and cons, tips for handling&setup and so on.
For myself I just received the new Glidecam 4000 HD yesterday and I'm totally lost with balancing the camera on the system.

best regards from germany,
Sonny
 
I bought a Glidecam Pro. Was quite excited, but having a nightmare using this with my EX1. Balancing is just not working out!
 
The EX-1 is too heavy for the Glidecam 4000... the HVX200 is almost too heavy for it!

My recommendation is to get a real steadicam system (arm, vest, sled, etc.) and go from there.

The Glidecam 4000 will kill you arm after a while too... so be careful using it!
 
Steadicam Pilot is great for the EX1 or go for the Flyer if you think you might fly larger cameras or a good deal of accessories.
 
Once you understand the basics of balancing the rig it's very easy to do it on any setup that is rated for the weight of a particular camera.

First, balance the sled w/o the camera. Set up the monitor, battery, etc, as it would be for a normal configuration. Now make necessary adjustments to get it to balance perfectly vertical. Shift components, add or remove trim weights.

Once it's properly set up, rig your camera as it would be used atop the sled.

Configure with adapters, wiring, wireless receivers, etc.

Find the balance point of the camera, both fore-and-aft and laterally. You can sit it on a pen or similar and shift it around until you find the point at which the camera's perfectly balanced.

Mark that point.

Now line up that point with the center of the sled's column and take note of where the camera's mounting hole is in relation to the center of the column. That's where you want to place the mounitng bolt for the camera. This will match the center of balance of the sled with the center of balance for the camera. After that, adjust the drop time and make fine adjustments to get perfect overall balance.

There's more details to attend regarding dynamic balance but this should get you a good start.
 
I use the Flyer with the EX-1. My rig is about 10lbs with shotgun, obie-light etc. The flyer works GREAT. Whatever you buy, I suggest getting the best rig you can afford. I have bought several cheaper rigs before to save money and they were all trash. I finally bit the bullet and got the Steadicam. I will have this thing for a loooong time....
 
I used the Glidecam V16 extensively with the sled weighing in between 20 and 30 pounds and am very familiar with how it feels.

Then one day at NAB I tried a Steadicam rig with a sled that weighed about the same and noticed a significant increase in comfort. For some reason it didn't create the strain I usually feel in some of my lower back muscles. That same day I tried a different Glidecam and noticed the same lower back feeling.

The Glidecam I'm using is owned by someone else. It works nicely enough. However, if I invested in one myself, a Steadicam design is definitely worth the price. It's not that much different. There were a few details that were nicely thought-out on the Steadicam system. It's best to take a close look at the ones that are competitively priced and notice the differences.
 
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