Glidecam vs steadycam???

J

jsauce

Active member
hey guys
im directing a pilot which features high end yoga demonstrations, etc...and im trying to get a really smooth, nice look that creates a sense of serenity. im shooting hvx200 and may add on the lettuce with a wider prime but regardless i'll want to use something to get smooth movement around the yoga.
i just started looking at the glidecam demonstrations and the site and it looks great. i love what i see. it seems easier to use and less burdensome than the typical steadicam rig.
what are your thoughts?
thanks so much for the help
J
 
Which models are you talking about, there are dozens of products using those names? Using terms like "less burdensome" sounds like your comparing two completely different class units?

If a stock HVX is your choice, you cannot beat the Steadicam Pilot, it's flat out the best in it's class. Same with the Steadicam Flyer-LE, if you need extra capacity. That said, it takes talent and practice to make this gear work, your not just going to strap them on and get great vision.

If your just doing simple straight tracking shots and want it as smooth as possible, your best option is to rent a big solid dolly.
 
Glidecam makes some great products...Steadicam makes some great products.

But you must always remember to compare similar products.

I've seen some bulky rigs from both companies, but rest assured that these cumbersome rigs are finely crafted, well thought out, precision engineered, time tested pieces of equipment.

You could compare a tack hammer to a claw hammer when trying to do upholstery work, and decide that the tack hammer is best for the job....but you certainly wouldn't go and try to nail up roofing shingles based on the prior example.

The right tool for the right job. If your talking about doing a shoot where the hallway is going to be 2 feet wide, then perhaps a small hand held stabilizer is well suited for the job....but in all honesty how many 2 feet wide hallways do you run into? But in this example there is a solution from both Steadicam and Glidecam, but you wouldn't want to use this stabilizer in ALL situations...most of the time you want a full rig that has an articulating arm, a sled, vest, monitor, batteries, wireless FF/Iris/Zoom, Audio receiver, video transmitter, etc.

You may be confusing the fact that some of these low-end system do not have all those items, while some higher end models do...and then comparing them.

Do you always need FF/Iris/Zoom, batteries, etc. etc. etc...of course not but they sure do make the shots better.

I would suggest you write down everything you are wanting out of a stabilizer on a piece of paper, then decide if you want to include some I'll provide:

1.Do you want precise focus?
2.Do you want precise zoom?
3.Do you want precise Iris?
4.Do you want the operator to be able to correctly frame the shots?


In order here are the extras you'd need to write down on your piece of paper

1. I need a remote follow focus
2. I need a remote zoom unit
3. I need a remote Iris
4. I need a battery and monitor

If you wrote down any of the first three you'll also need another monitor and a Video transmitter receiver which a Focus Puller will use to monitor and adjust any of those things.

Also you need to write down the weight of your camera and any accesories that you currently use on your camera, and add a few pounds for fudge factor.


Now take all these notes and call both Glidecam and Tiffen and ask for their recommendations...then research their recommendations.

You could even visit various sites like homebuiltstabilizers.com steadiforum.com steadicamforum.com and dvinfo's forum which has a stabilizer forum....among many others.

Of course this can all be alot for one person to do, and another great option is hiring a Steadicam Operator...they'll know what to do :)
 
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wow. thats an amazing and thorough response. thanks so much!

i was thinking about the glidecam 4000 which is weighted for the hvx200. i don't have the time, money or space to lay down dolley track. and i think this version will give me what i need in terms of flexibility and price, etc

is it really that difficult to operate???? in all of the clips i see on youtube and reviews from friends etc. it seems like testing it out for one day does the trick. im not going to be needing a focus puller or anything like that as im shooting with the hvx and ill probably just adjust iris before i start shooting and stay wide
 
I would take a good, careful look at how they're built.

In my opinion, Glidecam has selected the wrong type of bearing for the panning axis. It appears to be an axial bearing, used in the wrong orientation. What they should have used is a thrust bearing.

As a result, the pan bearing tends to bind after a while. It simply wasn't designed to carry a load in that direction.

Glidecam has a pretty good design, but not quite good enough.

Steadicam tends to cost more but the engineering seems to make more sense. And in the heavier designs, they seem to provide a greater degree of comfort. If I ever bought one of my own (I operate someone else's Glidecam), I'd get a Steadicam system. After demoing one at NAB, I was sold.
 
Both of these were shot using a glidecam 4000pro with smooth shooter arm and vest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_f0E3KO-RU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNQt6-rsGjg&feature=related

While shooting both of these, my rig was approximately 12 pounds, so yes, it holds up well. Camera, Battery, Letus Extreme, 24mm lens, Rails and Mattebox ( no mattebox on the second video mind you)

But don't be fooled, it takes months and months and months of training to develop skills with any stabilizer. The glidecam and steadicam are not excluded.

The heavier the rig, the more innertia it has, so it's easier to create smoother shots to a certain extent, at the tradeoff that you tire much more easily.
 
Hey PaPa;
I have your same rig..A1 and Glidecam with Smoothshooter etc. I agree that practice is the best advice. Even though my rig was balanced properly, my initial results were that my footage was a little bouncy up and down. I had to learn how to control that. Still not perfect but it is much better.
 
I completely and totally agree with PaPa, A Stabilizer is absolutely not a plug and play piece of equipment. After one day of practice the only thing you'll be doing is sleeping and then cruising the inet the next day, lol...you'll be tired.

Stabilizer work is more then just an apparatus, it is an art which requires the entire human body to work in unison with this insane piece of equipment with who knows how many fulcrums.

Sure you can get some shots with ANY stabilizer, but will they look good? Probably not.

I myself purchased a Steadicam SK2 almost a month ago and have been steadily practicing, modifying my rig(most importantly I replaced the lower sled), reading about it, and more often then not screaming at it.


If you have an interest in Steadicam, or stabilizers in general here is my advice...this is for anyone who reads this by the way :
1. Be sure you want to pursue this, as it isn't just a tool you pick up.
2. Write down all the things you want out of a Stabilizer as per my former instructions.
3. Stay Informed by visiting the websites and forums I mentioned
4. Don't buy a Stabilizer....wait until you've done ALOT of research.
5. Never buy a handheld stabilizer.
6. Buy the following
a. "Steadicam Operators Handbook" by Laurie Hayball and Jerry Holway
b. Steadicam EFP Training DVD
7. Sign up for a workshop. More info can be found at http://steadicamworkshop.com/

And of course start an exsercize regimen immediately which includes alot of back muscle strengthening.

I would suggest studying the world of stabilization a couple months before you buy one...one month at the least. In the mean time read and post in the forums, especially http://hbsboard.com and http://www.steadicamforum.com (read alot on this last, and post less often...that is a professional forum)read the book I mentioned, watch the DVD, absorb as much as you can on every model available, every stabilization technique, every homebuilt type of system....don't just use all my links...use google to find more info, and video services like vimeo, youtube, google video, etc. to find reviews, examples, tutorials, and how-to's that involve any subject in the stabilization world....

In the end this isn't a small subject, but we do live in a wonderful age where all this info IS available QUICK....so if anyone is trully interested in Steadicam, follow the path, have fun, don't push yourself physically while operating a Steadicam, ATTEND A WORKSHOP, and practice, practice, practice.

I do want everyone to understand that these are my opinions, so they may be skewed in a certain direction...certainly with regard to handheld stabilizers...buy one if you must, but personally I'd rather build a $15 hardware store stabilizer then spend a couple hundred on a ball socket and counterweight known as a "professional" handheld stabilizer.
 
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okay so basically everybody is discouraging me from using this thing myself.
understandable. i usually try and do too much.

i do have the budget to hire a DP who can hopefully be a steadicam operator/lighting wizard. if anybody here fits that bill and is looking for work, you can email me reels at josh@houseblendmedia.com
 
Nick Walters said:
You might want to try http://www.steadicam-ops.com/
and their forum link goes to none other then : http://www.steadicamforum.com/

Try looking around on the first, perhaps contact a few people, and also post in the "Jobs & Resumes" section of the Forum...I'm sure you'll find someone, and in the end you'll be much happier with Steadicam footage done by a professional.
Click to expand...


Just to add to Nicks excellent comments, just remmemer you get what you pay for when hiring ops. If you are planning to spend less then $600-$700 on an op, they probably are very green. Pro rates will vary from $1100 for a good op to $2200 for the best ops.
 
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