Shoulder rig - creative and cheap

[newpball]

Who says making videos is a super expensive business:

[smrpix]

A shoulder rig he never puts on his shoulder. Is he a relative of yours?

[Cornucopia]

"Making video" is not a super expensive business. "Making high quality video" might be. "Making high quality, professional video, on a regular basis" IS a super expensive business.

Couple of points on that presentation:

1. I agree with smrpix - He never shows it in action. Bad sell.
2. Did you see how wiggly it was every time he even barely touched it?!! And that is BEYOND however loose his tripod may have been set. Too light to have the solidity necessary for smoothness.
3. A "quick release plate" that doesn't release quickly. It's just called a plate. No etched markings either (for calibration, balancing, repeatability).
4. He doesn't know why a shoulder cushion is non-symetrical, just that it is? (see #1, I guess)
5. A "matte box" that doesn't have a box to put mattes (filters). It's just called "french flags" (those flaps).
6. Those flaps are WAY too flimsy/loose. And too light. And too shiny. Totally defeats the purpose of them.
7. Too much plastic!! Won't hold up to real, professional field use (probably <5 gigs).
8. Never talked about the grips, but they aren't adjustable enough (width-wise) to be that solid for run & gun.
9. He "doesn't use the bubble level much". 'Nuff said. Tsk, tsk. Gotta love those canted & tilted shots. And the bubble level is totally unusable where it is when/IF actually used in the field.
10. His cam is situated way too far back for normal, balanced use (though he has a non-standard setup, so...).
11. The "lens weight support" doesn't properly "float" F<->B, so there'll be friction (and non-repeatability).
12. I got a fully adjustable, foldable/collapsible unit that is all metal, on craigslist or ebay, for $60. Of course, mine didn't come with rails, matte box or magic arm, but it is visibly much more stable than THAT thing. Mine, I can mod out in more ways as my needs change, that unit doesn't have much expandibility.
13. Even with the camera & lens(es) on it, that thing is still quite unbalanced (F<->B weight distribution).
14. ANAMORPHIC! That's why newpball likes this so much - 21:9 final AR (but that can be done on any pro/semi-pro setup like this).

Yes, there are good deals to be had and smart, economic ways to build your gear. IMO, this unit is NOT one of them. Not a fan of the tripod, either.

Scott

[newpball]

Can't beat it for $9.99 + $1.00 shipping.

Remember the digital divide!

Now also extreme low budget videographers have no longer an excuse not to do shoulder rig shots!

Perhaps we should do a joint topic on low budget essentials such as:

• Tripod
• Monopod
• Shoulder rig
• Audio recorder
• Light

etc

[Cornucopia]

$9.99? The person in the video clearly says "$85.00 on ebay". The sections where he talks about $9.99 and $14.99 is in regard to a few of those parts as he points them out.

If it truly were $9.99, I STRONGLY would not recommend it! Would probably fall apart the 1st time it was used. I would call that an UN-stabilizer.

Scott

[racer-x]

Here is a good cheap Shoulder Mount I made out of spare parts in my garage. Some may think it's too heavy, but I never had a problem with it. It's about 12 years old now and is nearly indestructible.........

[newpball]

$9.99? The person in the video clearly says "$85.00 on ebay". The sections where he talks about $9.99 and $14.99 is in regard to a few of those parts as he points them out.

If it truly were $9.99, I STRONGLY would not recommend it! Would probably fall apart the 1st time it was used. I would call that an UN-stabilizer.

Scott

Yes you are right, still around a $100 bucks is a good deal.

[Cornucopia]

NOT for flimsy plastic.

[newpball]

More affordable gear to close the digital video divide!

Try to walk that stairs? Do a 360?
Steadycam anyone?

No need for $10,000 vests with a small camcorder or DSLR and a small lens!



Obtainable for about 170 smackeroonies!

Go for it and enjoy!

[Cornucopia]

Couple of points of clarification about that:

1. It's a good setup - I've got its "older/bigger brother".
2. The narrator is underestimating - it takes LOTS of practice to both get the balance right and to get the handling right. That guy has been doing it for years, so he makes it look super easy. It isn't.
3. The need for vests & armatures is all about weight distribution & fatigue. If you aren't going to be shooting all day, and if your cam is light (this one is designed for DSLRs & light consumer camcorders), you wouldn't need a vest anyway. If you ARE shooting all day, or if your gear is heavier, and especially if BOTH, you really should look into using a vest/armature setup (otherwise, you are making yourself prone to muscle strain problems - and a less steady shot). Most of the Steadicam, GlideCam, GlideGear, and similar brands allow for the gimballed sled to be quickly & easily added to or removed from a vest/armature support. Yes, it is extra*, but you only need to buy it when you get to that level of work.
4. One cannot easily "do a 360" with those, as (and as is demonstrated in the video) the device is meant to keep the cam pointed straight ahead. Doing pans still requires use of one's fingers on the gimbal/stem, and that is still manual & slow moving and prone to adding some slow wobble.
5. Similarly, one cannot do any real adjustment to the camera while it is loaded on the device (such as changing focus, aperture, zoom). And motorized attachments to enable remotely-operated changes would push the weight up to the next class of device.
6. Newpball is making this sound like it's brand new, but it's been out for a couple of years.

Scott

*It's not $10k either. I got a used GG with vest/armature for <$400. (another of newpball's hyperboles)

[newpball]

ANAMORPHIC! That's why newpball likes this so much - 21:9 final AR (but that can be done on any pro/semi-pro setup like this).

Ah yes, anamorphic, the thing that separates the men from the boys.



The lens and cam does cost some money, you may wait till it goes on sale.....

[Cornucopia]

"Some money"?!!! Over $40k. Even if it goes on sale at 75% off (not gonna happen because they hold their value), that's still over $10k.

I thought this topic was supposed to be about AFFORDABILITY. That's totally counter to affordability for your average hobbyist videographer. Even the cheapest (read crappy optical quality) adapter is ~$800. You can't have your cake (21:9 anamorphic recording) and eat it too (cheap high quality video). Talk about letting your pet projects color your perspective and skew your arguments!

Scott

[newpball]

"Some money"?!!! Over $40k. Even if it goes on sale at 75% off (not gonna happen because they hold their value), that's still over $10k.

Well maybe they can have a coupon day..



But seriously, the Arri Alexa and the anamorphic Zeiss are a pretty sweet combination.

[Cornucopia]

I doubt you'd find any argument there. But personal Lear jets are sweet too, doesn't make them affordable or attainable to 99% of humanity.

For the rest of us, if you really wanted to do 21:9, you do it by shooting non-anamorphic 16:9 at a larger resolution, and then crop down (making sure the shot was composed for the intended final AR).

Scott

[newpball]

For the rest of us, if you really wanted to do 21:9, you do it by shooting non-anamorphic 16:9 at a larger resolution, and then crop down (making sure the shot was composed for the intended final AR).

Yes, I think that is still nice, as the AR is more compelling (in my opinion), but not really the same thing.

But I agree with you that if you want true anamorphic you need suitable glass and this glass is extremely expensive. Low end anamorphic glass is like eating budget sushi, perhaps not advisable.

[newpball]

By the way, about the above mentioned "Trip to Remember" video......

$150k+ of equipment and not getting the sound balanced?



Epic failure!

[newpball]

No dolly around, no problem you could always use a wheelchair!

[newpball]

DIY lighting for $80

[racer-x]

Stop already....... Plenty of DIY Videography Tips videos on YouTube if anyone wants to check them out.

[Cornucopia]

CFL bulb lighting like that would be very inconsistent and uncontrolled (and possibly difficult to WB) - exactly not the kind of thing an amateur could handle. And that backing is probably a fire hazard! A single makeshift light rig for $80 that has obvious problems vs. a single semi-pro light rig for probably ~$120. Makes much more sense to just get the real thing. But you'll likely want/need 3 or 4 for most gigs anyway.

Scott

[newpball]

More cheap solutions to close the digital divide!

How about a DIY shotgun mic mount?



$3.22

[glenpinn]

This is very easy, shoulder mount rigs are just dumb, nothing more to say on that matter.

I use a custom made Camera rig for most of my video work, either using a removable neck support on the rig for long shoots where i can rest the camera on my chest between shooting scenes, or i can attach a small chest support which actually becomes a handle to hold onto the rig with while not shooting video.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gzpnla97wa0ov0r/AAAVjDeZTO2_aSDqAE1AQWAEa?dl=0

I built several shoulder rigs myself, and hated all of them.

Cheers

[newpball]

This is very easy, shoulder mount rigs are just dumb, nothing more to say on that matter.

[glenpinn]

This is very easy, shoulder mount rigs are just dumb, nothing more to say on that matter.

That comment i made about shoulder rigs should make you very happy to say the least, given your single minded opinion that the only way to shoot good quality video is to use a tripod with minimal panning and zooming, oh and lets not do too much tilting either while we are at it.

DIY lighting for $80


[Attachment 32262 - Click to enlarge]

Not good enough for you tho, cant be using cheap and nasty home made stuff to shoot video, quality will suffer badly if its not done using the correct professional lights.

[newpball]

This is very easy, shoulder mount rigs are just dumb, nothing more to say on that matter.

That comment i made about shoulder rigs should make you very happy to say the least, given your single minded opinion that the only way to shoot good quality video is to use a tripod with minimal panning and zooming, oh and lets not do too much tilting either while we are at it.

Not sure where you get that from, it is not true.

Shoulder rig or steadycam can certainly be useful in some scenarios or a solution to impracticalities.

[glenpinn]

Shoulder rig or steadycam can certainly be useful in some scenarios or a solution to impracticalities.

What is wrong with you, you put shit on me for not being able to shoot good video using hand held rigs, you then claim glidecams or stabilizers are useless, but here you are singing the praises of Shoulder Rigs

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What on earth is wrong with you, i will put a Glidecam or any similar Stabilized device up against a shoulder rig any day, and will always get more stable video from them, but having said that, if people choose to use them over other devices, then great, that is their business, i applaud them for it.

I just think they are a horrible device to use myself.

[newpball]

...you then claim glidecams or stabilizers are useless....

Good man, where do I claim that glidecams or stabilizers are useless?

What I claimed is that cheap shot stabilizers are useless. I can guarantee you that that $100 (or Australian dollars, Rupees ..or whatever currency) device you just bought is going to land somewhere in storage within one month.

It is actually common knowledge that those cheap devices really don't work.

[glenpinn]

...you then claim glidecams or stabilizers are useless....

Good man, where do I claim that glidecams or stabilizers are useless?

What I claimed is that cheap shot stabilizers are useless. I can guarantee you that that $100 (or Australian dollars, Rupees ..or whatever currency) device you just bought is going to land somewhere in storage within one month.

OMFG, what is it with you, ok, here is the facts, in one thread, you claimed that you cannot shoot good quality video from any kind of hand held Device (not holding the cam in your hand) and you said that to shoot good quality video, you must use a tripod and restrict your pans and zooms, so now you are contradicting everything you have been saying, because a weighted stabilizer like the Glidecam is a hand held device, and when set up and used properly, they will shoot video as stable as you can using a tripod.

The fact remains, like i have already told you before, the actual Glidecam brand stabilizer rig is a complete ripoff in price, everyone knows it, and they are made in china using the same parts as all the other brands do, and all you are doing is trying to create more arguments to feed your crazy hunger for annoying people.

The $130 Flycan Nano HD is no different to a Glidecam, the same goes for Laing P-04 stabilizer, which gets lots of rave reviews, and is much cheaper than the Glidecam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XaqZjJsYiM
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321186783209

It is actually common knowledge that those cheap devices really don't work.

That is just utter rubbish, and you know it.

[newpball]

...you then claim glidecams or stabilizers are useless....

Good man, where do I claim that glidecams or stabilizers are useless?

What I claimed is that cheap shot stabilizers are useless. I can guarantee you that that $100 (or Australian dollars, Rupees ..or whatever currency) device you just bought is going to land somewhere in storage within one month.

OMFG, what is it with you, ok, here is the facts, i n one thread, you claimed that you cannot shoot good quality video from any kind of hand held Device (not holding the cam in your hand)....

Nope, what I wrote is exactly the opposite.

Pure handheld (thus not with a tool) is a mistake. A good quality glidecam, with the accent on good quality can certainly be useful, provided the operator know what he is doing, a shoulder rig can be useful for some type of scenes.

Tripod is king, and zoom and pans should generally be used with moderation.

[glenpinn]

Pure handheld (thus not with a tool) is a mistake. A good quality glidecam, with the accent on good quality can certainly be useful, provided the operator know what he is doing, a shoulder rig can be useful for some type of scenes.

What a load of croc, nuff said about that i think, you just contradict yourself all the time.

Tripod is king, and zoom and pan should generally be used with moderation.

Wow, all the videographers that i know pan quite a lot, and often have to zoom into their subjects when shooting on a tripod, all depends on the particular scenario, so i dunno where you get this from.

Actually i do, but i am not allowed to say it in the forum.