Your plans for stabilizition on the 7D?

Hello there. Just want to pop in a give you some usefull info about stabilizers so you wont be buying stuff that dont work.
Make sure the rig you are looking at has a gimbal, either the glidecam style hheld gimbal style stabilizer or Merlin style stabilizer. If you are looking at stuff that dont have a gimbal there is going to be no isolation of vibrations or motion there for no stability.
All of the above styles of stabilizers work to a degree depending how well you can balance the camera in x.y adjustments compensating with counter weights, and secondly how much friction there is in the gimbal. Because these systems are free floating the less friction the better they work. All the rest of the stuff you see are more camera positioning systems rather than stabilizers so they wont work as stabilizers.
Third always demand to see a video from actual footage taken from the systems rather than sawing the systems. that will tell you the truth as long as the footage is from the actual systems taken and not scam.
BR
Constantine
 
The Hague Mini Motion has a gimbal. I honestly think, after researching the market for months I can't get a better one for the money. £70 is a steal especially as us UK guys are usually ripped off to high heaven over camera kit.

Footage from it is on my Vimeo account - Erase & Rewind music vid. And the video I posted earlier is simply a shot of the steadicam in action and a size comparison with the much larger Glidecam.
 
here is a link to the product:
http://www.b-hague.co.uk/Camcorder Stabilizer HCS3.htm

wonder about US pricing with shipping???

commanderspike said:
The Hague Mini Motion has a gimbal. I honestly think, after researching the market for months I can't get a better one for the money. £70 is a steal especially as us UK guys are usually ripped off to high heaven over camera kit.

Footage from it is on my Vimeo account - Erase & Rewind music vid. And the video I posted earlier is simply a shot of the steadicam in action and a size comparison with the much larger Glidecam.
Click to expand...
 
from that website above, which would we need for the 7d? just the mini? will that support it if we get into FF, mattebox, etc???
 
I don't understand what the point is at looking at a gimbal based stabilizer ?? Do you have access to a wireless FF unit? How do you intend to pull focus, or will you just always have your subject at equal distance from the camera during any given shot? Because truly you are restricted to that.

Now with a wireless FF, i would say go for it. But if you don't have those resources at your disposal, not to mention a focus puller, then getting some sturdy shoulder rig would be of the most benefit, along with a strong tripod, a dolly, maybe a jib as well: all things you can control manual focus pulls.
 
PaPa said:
I don't understand what the point is at looking at a gimbal based stabilizer ?? Do you have access to a wireless FF unit? How do you intend to pull focus, or will you just always have your subject at equal distance from the camera during any given shot? Because truly you are restricted to that.

Now with a wireless FF, i would say go for it. But if you don't have those resources at your disposal, not to mention a focus puller, then getting some sturdy shoulder rig would be of the most benefit, along with a strong tripod, a dolly, maybe a jib as well: all things you can control manual focus pulls.
Click to expand...

The question of focus I find most bemusing

even the shoulder mounts where you cant access the focus seem totally useless without having a puller working for you

My rig www.halfinchrails.com gives the operator access to the focus wheel..

S
 
about 300UKP - small runs = large outlay

not the cheapest but it works in some situations better than any other kit you can buy all

black is coming BTW

S
 
For most new hd cams there is a wired ffocus solution have a search.For DSLRs there is birger mounts, and also you can make a cheap r/c servo control for focus controlled only by a pot. If you like I can give you info about hoe to make this.
That will allow you to pull focus placing in somewhere convenient with out having to tough the lense.
The wires are very thin and wont have any effect if rooted nicely on the stabilization.
If there is no gimbal there is no isolation from motion its just pure physics and Iam afraid thats the way it is .
The rigs you dont see a gimbal are just for easy and comfortable positioning of the camera and angle nothing else really as they react to any body error.
Take my word for it my firend. Ive been a steadicam op for more than 12 years and designer of tools for more than 8 years.
There is also a cheap solution to your probs if you like to make it for your selve.
Buy a manfroto little stage and plate , connect a tube under it, and add some counter weights at the bottom . Make it in a way that you can adjust the counter weights in x,y axis adding some rods and rod bracket.Now you have created a rig with big inertia and just grab it at the post where its balance a bit bottom heavy.
Your wrist and arm will act as a gimbal, your arm as a spring arm.
This is the cheapest possible way to have some stabilization, it was called a pogo -cam.
But seriously a gimbal design is a must for stability.
Thats why I have a gimbal on my shoulder mount rigs and 12 bearings for each rig 6 pivots.
My 2 cents .
Constantine
 
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morgan_moore said:
The question of focus I find most bemusing

even the shoulder mounts where you cant access the focus seem totally useless without having a puller working for you

My rig www.halfinchrails.com gives the operator access to the focus wheel..

S
Click to expand...

lol, of course you can access a focus wheel on a shoulder mount. I do it all the time with ease, where as on a gimbal, it's impossible without throwing off the balance. Seems like a bit of a waste to go gimbal route without a wireless FF when there are so many other better investments you can make that will allow you to control focus.
 
PaPa said:
lol, of course you can access a focus wheel on a shoulder mount. .
Click to expand...

I think there is some cross chat going on , im not suggesting a gimbal

---

How do you access a FF on a shoulder mount - without taking your hand off the handle

removing your hand from the handle surely ruins your shot

S
 
I guess it depends on how you run your rig, but i simply have my right hand on the right grip, i have my left hand on the focus wheel, and if everything is nicely balanced, then most of the weight is being held by your shoulder and not your wrists. Easy peasy.
 
doesn't zacuto or redrock make a single handgrip shoulder mount? perhaps it is balanced properly for this very reason... of course i can't afford it but just throwing it out.
the captain stubling i believe
 
PaPa said:
I guess it depends on how you run your rig, but i simply have my right hand on the right grip, i have my left hand on the focus wheel, and if everything is nicely balanced, then most of the weight is being held by your shoulder and not your wrists. Easy peasy.
Click to expand...

Can you show some footage?

Handheld focus pull in shot

S
 
that link goes to soething shot with..

shot on XH A1 - truecolor preset
Letus Extreme 35mm adapter

the rig is a little heavier and more balanced is it not ?

You have a 7d clip online too just at the end you pull focus and the image shakes as you do it ...

im not attacking your work BTW - I just think handleing the small light DSLRs is a new skill and techset required..

S
 
I just received in my switronix DSLR-pro bracket for my Canon 5D and it works pretty well. I didn't have the budget for the zacuto rig, so I gave it a shot at $265. The single handed grip works well for me. You may want to check it out. One pain is that the shoulder portion is pre-bent so you have to manipulate it a bit to get it to fit right, but after about 30min. of working with it, i got it right.

I'm going to try to post some pics.
 
morgan, ill post footage in about an hour and a half. If that doesn't convince you.. ;)
 
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