GH4 Steadicam system / sled, arm & vest or 3 axis gimbal

E

EDRAKEL

Active member
Not sure which system to purchase. The 3 axis system will be more expensive with more moving parts and motors to deal with and still using the arms to hold the weight. However, I wont be wearing a vest and dealing with the arm. The Came 7500 system is what I'm leaning to at a price of around $1,100. The Laing system will cost me around $800. Any thoughts on this.
 
I think it takes a lot more time to master the Steadicam. With a gimbal, once you get it balanced it's more forgiving.
 
It's the other way around. The gimbal besides balancing, you need to tune it. It's not for the faint of heart lol
 
mdifilm said:
It's the other way around. The gimbal besides balancing, you need to tune it. It's not for the faint of heart lol
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Yeah, but once it's balanced and tuned, operating is easier. To get footage as smooth as a gimbal on a steadicam takes a lot of practice.
 
The other factor with the motorized gimbals is their weight. You might be surprised by how quickly you'll tire out. I love them in concept, but I've found them to be a bit gimmicky in use. If you don't mind a vest and arm, then I've found the more traditional steadicam style to be more practical for extended use.
 
The gimbals are heavy partly because they're designed to be used with much larger loads. I wish there was a variant for smaller mirrorless cameras with native lenses...
 
Just purchased the Came-TV LoadPro steadicam system, and for the money, it's good value and works well. Sure I have flown before so know how to set a system up. Did a corporate shoot last week where I was flying the system around the streets and local parks for around 3 hrs, wouldn't want to do this with a 3 axis system!
 
two years ago, I pondered the cheaper vests as well. as more gimbals dropped in, they seemed as good, but way smaller to pack and use. I feel gimbles should be easier to learn as well - near idiot proof compared to the learning to "Fly" a vest, and setup time, and break down time... I'm leaning toward gimble over vest, and have been eye balling the 7800 as well.
 
wwjd said:
two years ago, I pondered the cheaper vests as well. as more gimbals dropped in, they seemed as good, but way smaller to pack and use. I feel gimbles should be easier to learn as well - near idiot proof compared to the learning to "Fly" a vest, and setup time, and break down time... I'm leaning toward gimble over vest, and have been eye balling the 7800 as well.
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One thing I don't like about gimbals is that you have to hold them above the camera. This means you are always shooting with a low angle. Sometimes low angle works well, but often not. A steadicam allows more height variety and the handle under the camera (for no vest systems) puts the camera at a more useful location.
 
Fellas - quick question. For something like the Varavon Birdycam 2 or the CAME 7800, can you run an external shotgun mic with them?
 
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