FlyCam Nano VS. the Hague Mini Stabilizer

[Samuel H]

I would also call what faultiersid is talking about "lack of static balance", given that the problem appears even without moving the thing around, just lifting it from a table (with the handle in different positions)


edit: let's try to be positive...

if I had this problem, I'd try to play with the lower part of the stabilizer: put the weights in line with the camera or pointing left and right, move one pack of weights a bit closer to the central pole, etc, there must be one configuration that minimizes the problems

the suggestions you posted from the youtube comment seem to be good too: with more distance to the handle and more weight, the effects from the imbalance may become smaller; one thing that will help you balance the thing and will also give you some additional height is a pair of macro rails:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Way-Macro-foc...051?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf581a9e3
I've never seen them mounted on a stabilizer (maybe because they're heavy, but here they'll give you headroom to add more weights at the bottom), but I think they should be quite helpful when trying to balance a stabilizer that doesn't have the "glidecam HD" type of adjustment knobs

 

[mojo43]

Ok, maybe I am wrong about this. I have such a terrible memory and all of the research that I did on this was a few months back. I really should have bookmarked the pages because I can't seem to find them. All I know is that I managed to get the flycam to spin without wobble and then decided that I really didn't need to spin the flycam around for anything that I wanted to shoot so I stopped trying. I think what sparked that was a quote from the someone who said that most flycam work is done with static balance only (IE. The Shining).

 

[faultiersid]

the suggestions you posted from the youtube comment seem to be good too: with more distance to the handle and more weight, the effects from the imbalance may become smaller; one thing that will help you balance the thing and will also give you some additional height is a pair of macro rails:

Well, the effect from the imbalance will become smaller, that's right. But that's because the steadycam is now extreme bottomheavy. And then the flycam starts to swing around as soon as you move it.

 

[Samuel H]

no, I thought: add weights at the bottom, and at the top too!!
for example, a couple of macro rails (which is about a pound of steel)

 

[mojo43]

Here is a question.

Let's say that I set my camera on the very west side of the platform of the stabilizer (meaning all of the weight is on the west side and not over the middle). I pick up the stabilizer with the handle from the east side and it falls to the west (since all of the weight is on that side). I then put the proper amount of weight on the east side of the sled to compensate for the camera's weight. I again pick up the stabilizer from the east side and it is in perfect dynamic balance.

I then pick up the stabilizer from the west side, should it still be in perfect dynamic balance???

 

[mojo43]

Here is a question.

Let's say that I set my camera on the very west side of the platform of the stabilizer (meaning all of the weight is on the west side and not over the middle). I pick up the stabilizer with the handle from the east side and it falls to the west (since all of the weight is on that side). I then put the proper amount of weight on the east side of the sled to compensate for the camera's weight. I again pick up the stabilizer from the east side and it is in perfect dynamic balance.

I then pick up the stabilizer from the west side, should it still be in perfect dynamic balance???

Anyways... I think the answer is that it is going to be close, but not in dynamic balance. And this is what I was getting at. I think that if your weight is not distributed perfectly over the middle then dynamic balance will change when you change the spot you pick it up with... I could be wrong though.

Anyone else know?

 

[faultiersid]

Well I think you have a wrong definition of dynamic balance. Dynamic balance does really only have to do with a turning steadycam (like the word "dynamic" already suggests).

If you only lift it up and hold it still, then you need static balance. And static balance should (may) not be affected by the position of the handle.

So, if you put your camera on the west and the proper amount of weight on the east, so that the center of gravity is in the middle, you should be able to put it up and its balanced no matter where the handle is. Since the position of the handle doesn't (or shouldn't) affect the position of the center of gravity.


Anyway, all I wanted to say was:

VK_Editing, I had problems with the flycam because you just can not get it balanced right. You may be lucky and buy a Flycam Nano that works, but I wish I had spent my money for another steadycam.

The "Merlin-style" steadycams are - in my opinion - easier to design since you do not mess around with 3 roller bearings who defines the 3 axes of the gimbal. You only got a ball-handle.
So I hope that cheap produced Merlin-style steadycams do not suffer from problems like the Nano Flycam do.
But again, I do not own any of the Merlin-styles like the Indiehardware or whatever. It's just my guess.

 

[Jamal Jonesy]

Someone kill me!

Someone kill me!

Alright so here's a thought; I'm sick and tired of trying to balance my GH2 w/ Canon FD 24mm on my SECOND flycam nano (sold the first one out of frustration). Now I got jealous of the explosion of good resulting footage from vimeo users that I psyched myself into buying ANOTHER one. FAIL! This thing is almost impossible to set up; its been 3 weeks now and I have tried every configuration, watched EVERY tutorial video out there,tried every combination of weights, positions of the camera on the sled, etc. I literally almost killed myself trying to get this piece of s@$% to work!

Sorry to all those doing fine with this thing, but it just doesn't like me. Does any one have any suggestions for a REAL DSLR stabilizer for running-and gunning that not going to rape my wallet?! The Wondlan Ares looks good, so does the blackbird. Anything that takes as long to balance as the Flycam Nano is out of the question. I actually have a number of client-based project lined up for the summer, so getting a good stabilizer is a priority.

Any suggestion much appreciated!