RedRock or Steadicam

redrock, because for that money it's no steadicam, it's a toy and even more, it's
not the one you take and start making results...
 
Well, if you need a steadicam (an slr for video is a toy too, what's the problem?) you get that, if you want the redrock bundle you get that. It depends on what you're shooting and how. They serve two completely different purposes. This said i use the hague mini stabilizer and it's in many ways better than the merlin and at a tiny fraction of the cost. For handheld i use the dvtech shoulder rig. Get both and you've still spent less.
 
I've seen some impressive results with the Glidecam HD (though starting at US$400, it's dearer than the Hague mini-motion). Whatever you get, you have a few things to consider. You will need to focus I'm guessing, and unless you can nail this with the D90 lcd (which, particularly when you are moving the camera, is difficult), you might also want to look at some sort of on-board monitor. Even with the monitor, you will be served by a follow focus mechanism. Hand-on-lens focussing tends to be imprecise without a lot of practice, and the camera movement it encourages makes the image dance like a bedsheet on a clothes line (at least, when I try it). All of this would add weight and perhaps change the model you will want to buy. I would think that if you have add-ons, a steadicam set-up would be easier to use, since you will need one hand free for the focus. Maybe you don't need any of these things, but it's worth considering whether you are buying one device, or one component in what will turn out to be a modular system that you build over time.

Depending on what you are doing, you could also begin with a decent fluid head tripod. You can make a little soft wheeled rig to sit it in so you can use it stationary, adjust the height, and also move it around.
 
damonb said:
I would think that if you have add-ons, a steadicam set-up would be easier to use, since you will need one hand free for the focus
Click to expand...
you can't focus while flying on a steadicam, which in a way makes it easier i guess but also harder. it's also much much harder to frame accurately for scenes that require it. i don't think these two rigs are any more comparable than apples and, i don't know, space shuttles or whatever.
 
Yes mattsand, the rigs are completely different. None of us know what the OP wants to do with the two options - but moving the camera is certainly the desire. I think the Redrock model is too limited for moving the camera.

Maybe staying in focus is necessary for the OP, in which case follow-focus and a reference monitor is necessary. Maybe focus is not important to the OP. I'm not sure what is meant by "flying" but generally steadicam and imitation-steadicam footage has focus, as I'm sure you know. Garrett Brown could certainly run through the maze in The Shining and keep focus (who knows if he knew where he was going, mind you).

And a jogging stroller sounds great, especially if you can regulate the air in the tyres.

OP: What do you want to do with the camera? If you want to make it move, mattsand and squig have given you solid options. If you want something else, you need to refine your question.
 
Apples are Good...and so are Oranges

Apples are Good...and so are Oranges

I use a GlideCam 2000 Pro as well as a Captain Stubling. While I've never personally used a Merlin, my impression is that it's a more elegant design than the GlideCam, but nonetheless operates upon the same principle of passive dampening.

The GlideCam is a one trick pony- you can "fly" a camera, but unless you want to bump & jostle the camera, you cannot pull focus or adjust zoom without a wireless, motorized system, at least not with a DSLR.

The beauty of the Redrock system is that it's so adaptable. I've mounted it atop tripods, clamped a KenLab gyroscopic stabilizer to it, and even hung it from a rudimentary, DIY chest harness for pseudo-steadicam work. (I'm going to pursue the latter further, as the preliminary results have been very promising.)

I just finished up an industrial shoot in Northern Jersey last week, and I used both Captain Stubling and my GlideCam, swapping my D90 from one to the other. I used Captain Stubling for tripod shots and helicopter work (stabilized by a gyro); whereas I used the GlideCam for "run & gun" applications- following guys through a rail yard, etc.

While the Merlin is certainly prettier than the GlideCam, I've appreciated the versatility of the GlideCam. I mounted a Roland Edirol R-09HR digital audio recorded to the "foot" of my GlideCam- not only is my D90 balanced out, but I get some pretty decent audio as well. There are plenty of folks who mount battery packs and/or preview monitors on GlideCams, but I've never seen the same done with a Merlin.


If you tend to keep your camera static, then Captain Stubling is probably a better choice. If you prefer to keep pace with your subject, and rarely pull focus, then a steadicam-style rig would be a better choice.


Wes
 
squig, that BOB Sports Utility model looks damn near perfect for skateboard/upskirt work, and more. It claims to go "over the meadow, through the woods, go all the way to grandma's house off the paved path"
 
I would never even dream of shooting a documentary on a steadicam. No focus pulling, difficult framing, arm fatigue, wind sensibility, are just a few of the reasons. Why not a shoulder rig?
 
damonb said:
squig, that BOB Sports Utility model looks damn near perfect for skateboard/upskirt work, and more. It claims to go "over the meadow, through the woods, go all the way to grandma's house off the paved path"
Click to expand...

it's good for putting the kids to sleep too. It's not a toorak tractor we go bush with it.
 
How does the Captain stubling mount to the glidecam? Or to a tripod for the matter? Can you put a quick release platen on it?


fotobywes said:
I use a GlideCam 2000 Pro as well as a Captain Stubling. While I've never personally used a Merlin, my impression is that it's a more elegant design than the GlideCam, but nonetheless operates upon the same principle of passive dampening.

The GlideCam is a one trick pony- you can "fly" a camera, but unless you want to bump & jostle the camera, you cannot pull focus or adjust zoom without a wireless, motorized system, at least not with a DSLR.

The beauty of the Redrock system is that it's so adaptable. I've mounted it atop tripods, clamped a KenLab gyroscopic stabilizer to it, and even hung it from a rudimentary, DIY chest harness for pseudo-steadicam work. (I'm going to pursue the latter further, as the preliminary results have been very promising.)

I just finished up an industrial shoot in Northern Jersey last week, and I used both Captain Stubling and my GlideCam, swapping my D90 from one to the other. I used Captain Stubling for tripod shots and helicopter work (stabilized by a gyro); whereas I used the GlideCam for "run & gun" applications- following guys through a rail yard, etc.

While the Merlin is certainly prettier than the GlideCam, I've appreciated the versatility of the GlideCam. I mounted a Roland Edirol R-09HR digital audio recorded to the "foot" of my GlideCam- not only is my D90 balanced out, but I get some pretty decent audio as well. There are plenty of folks who mount battery packs and/or preview monitors on GlideCams, but I've never seen the same done with a Merlin.


If you tend to keep your camera static, then Captain Stubling is probably a better choice. If you prefer to keep pace with your subject, and rarely pull focus, then a steadicam-style rig would be a better choice.


Wes
Click to expand...
 
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