Glidcam 4000 pro just wont work!

F

flatlander

Well-known member
ive sent hours on trying to work my Glidcam 4000 pro ands it just wont stay straight!ive tryed some many different ways of setting it up and i just cant get it!if i cant get it soon i will be selling it!plus i using a dvx100a.please help
 
have you down the fall test?
it should take 2.5-3 seconds to go from horizontal to verticle. It is not the easiest thing in the world to balance, but once you understand the hpysics of it, it shouldn't take you that long.

If its falling too quickly, that means you have too much weight on the bottom, so decrease the number of plates being used, and shorten the pole. the pole lengthening should be your last resort, as it is for precise adjustments, where as the weight load needs to be exact.

my xh A1 is a full pound heavier than the dvx ( at least ) and i use three plates on either side. so i would suggest using one plate on either side and do the vertical test there. If it seems like its too top heavy, add one more plate on each side. If it drops slightly too slowly, elongate the pole cm by cm until it drops at aroudn 2.5 seconds.
 
You're not alone. They're nearly impossible to balance. I've had more luck balancing much lighter cameras, like an HV20.
 
Are you trying to balance while gripping the handle?
If so, try to rig up a c-stand or other support to carry the weight while balancing. I'm not sure if the 4000 alone comes with a dock. If not, you'll need to engineer something. You just need to be able to concentrate on balancing and not lugging the weight.
 
Whenever balancing a stabilization rig I always put too much counterweight on it first and then take weight away a little at a time as I make adjustments to balance the camera. Doing this will allow you to see than an unbalanced camera will make it seem like you need more counterweight. In fact, as the camera is rebalanced you'll then see that you can actually take away more weight and get the verticle fall time where you prefer.
 
they aren't impossible to balance. Mind you i understand exactly what you are going through. When i purchased my first glidecam2000 pro two years ago, it took me THREE nights to figure out how to balance this thing. I was damn near ready to throw it through my wall. Just don't give up because it is an amazing tool.
 
I said NEARLY impossible. Three nights is pretty darn good compared to my experience and the experience of many people I've known. It is a sweet tool when you get it working acceptably. But the frustration we've all felt is real.
 
I'm wondering if it's really drop time that's the issue. Flatlander, are you getting extra sway front to back or side to side? Or is it both?
 
sean90291 said:
You're not alone. They're nearly impossible to balance. I've had more luck balancing much lighter cameras, like an HV20.
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I'm a certified Steadicam & Segway operator. I must say glidecam 4000 is a sweet tool to have. Please watch tutorial and keep trying. There are plenty of tutorial on you tube.
 
flatlander said:
ive sent hours on trying to work my Glidcam 4000 pro ands it just wont stay straight!ive tryed some many different ways of setting it up and i just cant get it!if i cant get it soon i will be selling it!plus i using a dvx100a.please help
Click to expand...

FWIW, I purchased a 2000 and found it to be extremely awkward to hold. I personally think the concept is good but the execution is flawed.

Anyway, if you're willing to accept the ergo flaws in this design I would recommend adjusting the rig will standing in front of a full length mirror. You should be able to "quickly" balance the rig by observing how the rig reacts when quickly moved forward/backward and left/right.

good luck
JohnG
 
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