Glidecam HD-4000 Pro good for AF-100, Samurai Blade?

I

Ian Stark

Active member
I need to shoot some sailing footage (from an anchored rib) and I'd like to keep the horizon as level as possible.

I have already captured the 'action' footage I need (on board the boats with a GH3 and a GoPro 4, and from the rib with the Af100 handheld) where I don't care so much about the horizon, but now I want some more serene material of the boats sailing past in formation. We tried shooting some of this over the last couple of days but reviewing the footage reveals that the moving horizon is very unsettling!

I am thinking that a handheld stabiliser is the way I want to go with the GH3 (and I am happy to take opinions on alternative solutions) but I'm curious to know whether the HD-4000 Pro will also bear the AF100 with a Samurai Blade and potentially some heavy glass. The HD-4000 is about the right budget for me and seems to gather decent reviews. I'm in the UK and filming a sailing holiday company promo in Menorca. Hard life . . .

I am also about to pull the trigger on a GH4 so I can do some post stabilisation as well without losing resolution. The finished video will be delivered on line.

Any and all guidance welcomed.
 
I filmed all of my Steadicam reel with the Glidecam HD4000 with a Canon C100; around the same weight as an AF-100. About 5-7 lbs depending on how I had it configured. I use it both handheld and with this Steadicam vest and arm. Without a vest it kind of depends on how strong you are; I built up wrist muscles over time so while a 60D was heavy starting out a heavier C100 wasn't so heavy as time went on and I had built endurance. 7 lbs gets a bit heavy for me but is manageable for short shots, and 5 lbs isn't bad at all. I tried out a 10-11 lb configuration handheld once and found it painfully heavy but still possible to pull off quick shots. I do prefer to use the vest when I can now that I have it, though.



Keep in mind there is a somewhat steep learning curve with the Glidecam or Steadicams. While I feel the shots you can achieve with a Glidecam are generally better than gimbals systems for standard shots, one of the advantages of gimbals systems is the lower learning curve to get usable shots. I was able to get usable shots on day one with the Glidecam, but good and stable shots took longer to achieve. For a lower learning curve, and also filming in the confines of a boat and keeping a level horizon, something like a Ronin M may be a good choice if it's in the budget.

Also, if I had a GH4 I'd probably hardly ever use the AF-100 as an a-camera. Even the GH3 always looked better to me than the AF-100.
 
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Thanks Eric, very useful - and a great reel.

Luckily I have four weeks to practice before I go back to Menorca to shoot the rest of the promo so I have gone for the HD-4000 (and a GH4).

To be honest I don't really expect to use the AF100 on the Glidecam but I was curious to know whether it could bear the weight. One of the reasons I continue to use the AF100 is because of the annoying 30 minute limit on recording times on the GH3 (and the GH4) that we suffer in the world of PAL (or is it just the UK? It's some weird tax related issue). I occasionally shoot events and stage shows and the AF100 coupled with the Samurai Blade gives me a useful locked off full stage shot while I can wander around with the GH3 for close-ups etc. Oh, plus the NDs, XLRs of course. And sadly I still come across clients who raise their eyebrows when I pull out a handy tool like the GH3 instead of a chunky box like the AF100! Sigh . . .

Are the Steadicam accessories (specifically the vest and arm) all compatible with Glidecam stabilizers? That's good to know if that is the case. I hope they make them adjustable for the larger operator - I've piled the pounds on this year!

Thanks again for the guidance.

Ian . . .
 
The Steadicam vest and arm I linked to is compatible with the Glidecam with the Berkey System Glidecam adapter. Glidecam also sells a more expensive vest and arm which isn't as good as the less expensive Steadicam vest and arm.

Steadicam sells a Merlin Vest Buckle & Belt Upgrade Kit. I believe this is for older versions of the Steadicam vest I linked to, as the current version already come with it (not sure, but I think I read that was the case). However, it may be possible to use some of the pieces in that kit as extensions for a larger operator if the regular vest size doesn't fit, as it looks like it would work in the same way that seat belt extensions (such as on an airplane) work.

I forgot to mention (I guess kind of late since you already bought it), the new Glidecam Devin Graham Signature Series Hand-Held Stabilizer is a sort of upgraded Glidecam HD4000 with some nice features that may be worth looking at. It's got some advantages and disadvantages; I haven't decided yet if I like it more than the original design, but I'd guess it's a bit better overall.
 
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Thanks again Eric.

I'm not quite at the seat belt extension stage . . . but give it time :-)

I did look at the new Glidecam but it was out of my budget as well as not in stock at the usual places I buy from. My HD-4000 arrived half an hour ago - time to practice! Not hugely impressed with the clarity of the manual so far, but I have been watching a few YouTube videos that are much clearer about setting up and balancing.

Cheers.
 
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