Quality hand held shots - any tips?

Inoran

Inoran

Well-known member
Anybody have any good tips on getting nice and smooth hand held shots?

Any different ways perhaps to get smoother shots while walking or panning? Perhaps some different ways of holding the camera?
 
By best advice is don't rely on your hands, and uh......don't drink too much.

but seriously, I love the flowpod system. It's no steadicam, but for the price it's hard to beat.
 
I usually hold my wrist. Hold the camera in your right (or dominate) hand and hold the wrist of that hand with your other hand. Pan by twisting your torso. Tilt with your wrist. But make sure you grip your wrist well. It def reduces shaking because it keeps your hand from leaning. Then just act as if you are using a steady cam when you need to walk with it. Meaning, dont move your arms alot or at all. And walk with long strides. Basically when you are walking try not to move your torso or arms alot. Move your legs and keep them bent. I wish i could get a clip on here of one of my shots. I have had numerous people ask what steadycam i use, but (because im in college and dont have the money) i never bought a steadycam. Obviously it wont look exactly as good as a steady cam but itll look close. Practice too. Good luck!
 
Hey
I have Built this....And it does work....as long as you have an extra tripod head laying round this is great...i found it dificult to attach the Head to the Pole, But i Managed to get it done...it will work...great little thing...
Cheap and you get really smooth shots, give it a look

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam/
 
I would say to use the eye piece instead of the LCD. This gives you the extra stablization you need. Practice walking with books balanced on your head for smoothness also, it will get you used to walking without bobbing too much.
 
natdizzle said:
Hey
I have Built this....And it does work....as long as you have an extra tripod head laying round this is great...i found it dificult to attach the Head to the Pole, But i Managed to get it done...it will work...great little thing...
Cheap and you get really smooth shots, give it a look

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam/
Click to expand...

Yeah, I built it too. It does a pretty good job right off the workbench. Have to watch the pitch and yaw, though. Takes a little practice, and proper counterwieghting.

Oh, and DON'T put it down on a glass table.
 
I put 1 hand cupping the bottom of the camera with my left hand and my right hand either on the handle or around the servo-zoom switch. I also pull the viewfinder up to a 45* position and use it to hold the camera against my body for stabalization. Try to keep you palms loose enough to absorb movements and your wrists stiff enough to hold the camera still. Move the camera with your arms if you need to, and pan by turning your torso. It's important to have good arm strength so your arms don't shake. Practice at it a lot and you can get better and smoother. Books are also a good way to practice.
 
i just tighten up my tripod and extend it and use it as if it was a mini crane/jib kinda thing. Hard to explain, i'll host a pic and show it in a sec

LosAngelesPart1312low.jpg
 
I once heard to practice holding a 3-5 lb. weight in your hand as if it were a camera to help strengthen the muscles needed. i'm not sure if it works or not but thats what i heard
 
Try this.

FIll up a water glass within 1/4 inch of top. Hold it out like you would a camera and try moving, walking, turning, stairs, whatever. Onc eyou can do that without spilling any, fill it right to the top and practice some more. Then switch to a plastic cup and do it some more. Make sure you practice while holding it in different positions, or moving it away form you, up, etc. as well as moving your whole body.

There is also a traning video called "Moving Camera Techniques" that has a bunch of cool ideas on it, not only in how to move but how to shoot from different angles, reveals, etc. It is geared to weddings, but most info is universal.

Try this link. http://www.tulsaweddingvideos.com/videographers.shtml
 
I definately want to suggest working out. There is really nothing that can beat having a lot of arm, wrist and back muscle. My main camera package is a 27lb film camera with a 10lb battery system, and so, to use that I had to do a lot of curls, squats and wrist curls. Once I started using the DVX, my handheld looks like I'm using a monopod/glidecam system. All you need is practice and the raw muscle that can absorb the punishment of constantly performing tiny little muscle corrections and stabilizing movements. Get a couple 5-10lb weights and start doing wrist rolls, and endurance work-outs. And, hell, you get the bonus of tricking your lazy bones into working out!
 
Icarus2005 said:
By best advice is don't rely on your hands, and uh......don't drink too much.
Click to expand...


Speak for yourself! The ONLY time I can get my hands to stop shaking is after a few. Of course, I am hypoglycemic and HDD, but hey, that's just me. :beer:

Seriously though, I put my cam on an old heavy tripod and hold it directly in front of me with my elbows at around 45 degrees. Doesn't feel to good on the back after a while, but you get a degree of stability.

Newer cams are so damn lightweight.
 
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