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Video on a long lens always looks shakey
- Thread starter treynolds
- Start date
earthwhile
New member
Sticks are just about everything
Sticks are just about everything
As it's 5 AM, I really need to get to sleep soon...and may not have read all the posts carefully. I'm hoping this isn't all redundant info.
My work is filming nature and specifically birds and wildlife. Long lenses have been the staple of this work for 21 years and nothing is more important to my shots being steady than as large a high-quality tripod as I can bear to carry.
There are lots of very good tripod head and legs combos, the better ones are as stated made by Vinten, Sachtler, O'Connor, Miller, Cartoni and a few Manfrottos (did I miss any?). My present assignment is filming high desert wildlife for the next year in Oregon with a T2i. Ha
I've been using a Canon 10-22 for wide shots, Canon 100-400 for middle teleshots and a 500mm f4 super-telephoto lens for the long stuff and have gotten some great results adding the 1.4x or 2.0x extenders on that jumbo 500 prime...even stacked them a few times! (don't laugh until you try it) This lens on it's own is damn powerful and when the telextenders are added, it's a very high power unit. Without good support, the shots would look like crap. Also, there are those that don't suggest using the IS (image stabilization) when this lens is on a tripod. If I didn't, the shakeys would kick my butt.
The tripod I've used on the first 2 shooting expeditions has been a rented Manfrotto 516 head and legs...don't know the legs model #, but this system is adequate AT BEST for a lens system so strong. This link will take you to a 4 minute "video progress report" of this project on Vimeo, that gives an idea of the effectiveness of this leg/head combo in use in the field...often with strong wind to further the challenge of long lens shooting:
http://vimeo.com/16870426
The last clip of this video is somehow missing, thus the music ends abruptly, but you'll get the idea.
Anyway, get a true fluid head (rated to at least match the weight and size of your cameral/lens system) and legs that also keep shake to a minimum when your hand is on the panhandle. In some ways you can almost not have too large a tripod head, as more mass/bulk helps with stability, if you're willing to tote it...but counterbalance issues would likely render that last statement questionable.
In general, when shooting video with tele lenses, as far as tripod heads and legs is concerned...bigger is better!
Sticks are just about everything
As it's 5 AM, I really need to get to sleep soon...and may not have read all the posts carefully. I'm hoping this isn't all redundant info.
My work is filming nature and specifically birds and wildlife. Long lenses have been the staple of this work for 21 years and nothing is more important to my shots being steady than as large a high-quality tripod as I can bear to carry.
There are lots of very good tripod head and legs combos, the better ones are as stated made by Vinten, Sachtler, O'Connor, Miller, Cartoni and a few Manfrottos (did I miss any?). My present assignment is filming high desert wildlife for the next year in Oregon with a T2i. Ha
I've been using a Canon 10-22 for wide shots, Canon 100-400 for middle teleshots and a 500mm f4 super-telephoto lens for the long stuff and have gotten some great results adding the 1.4x or 2.0x extenders on that jumbo 500 prime...even stacked them a few times! (don't laugh until you try it) This lens on it's own is damn powerful and when the telextenders are added, it's a very high power unit. Without good support, the shots would look like crap. Also, there are those that don't suggest using the IS (image stabilization) when this lens is on a tripod. If I didn't, the shakeys would kick my butt.
The tripod I've used on the first 2 shooting expeditions has been a rented Manfrotto 516 head and legs...don't know the legs model #, but this system is adequate AT BEST for a lens system so strong. This link will take you to a 4 minute "video progress report" of this project on Vimeo, that gives an idea of the effectiveness of this leg/head combo in use in the field...often with strong wind to further the challenge of long lens shooting:
http://vimeo.com/16870426
The last clip of this video is somehow missing, thus the music ends abruptly, but you'll get the idea.
Anyway, get a true fluid head (rated to at least match the weight and size of your cameral/lens system) and legs that also keep shake to a minimum when your hand is on the panhandle. In some ways you can almost not have too large a tripod head, as more mass/bulk helps with stability, if you're willing to tote it...but counterbalance issues would likely render that last statement questionable.
In general, when shooting video with tele lenses, as far as tripod heads and legs is concerned...bigger is better!
Hi Earthwile. The problem if you're shooting nature type stuff, is you can't really lug around a huge tripod. I shot a surfing/doc project in Peru. I used just a Manfrotto 701 HDV (small and light) and on the long lenses, with I.S. It worked great. With the IS off, you notice tons of micro shakes, especially with 70-200 L IS with a 2X extender. With the IS on, the shakes are all gone.
So if you have a small, light tripod for mobility, have IS for your longer lenses.
So if you have a small, light tripod for mobility, have IS for your longer lenses.
The Tamron 70-300 in question doesn't have a tripod collar, so this is about as wobbly a combo as you can get on a monopod since the mount/rotation point will be the camera.
If you want to try this again, I would try a manual focus 300/4.5 or 300/4 with a tripod collar like the Nikon.
I have several midrange teles , but they all have a tripod collar to give a more balanced setup, and I find the extra weight/heft helps with stability.
If you want to try this again, I would try a manual focus 300/4.5 or 300/4 with a tripod collar like the Nikon.
I have several midrange teles , but they all have a tripod collar to give a more balanced setup, and I find the extra weight/heft helps with stability.
The tripod collar kn the lens was not something I have previously thought about being a cause. I have a fairly limited budget and I've got a relatively good head and legs. Manfrotto 701. And I think it would be smarter to spend money on nicer glass first before I replace a tripod that works prefectly 90% of the time. thanks a lot for all of great response on this board. You gus are more valuable than film school