Daylight Screen

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

[A compass? Really?? that is one of the least useful things I've seen on a steadicam

how about a coffee maker?

 

 

No THAT would be useful

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

"A compass? Really?? that is one of the least useful things I've seen on a steadicam "

 

For me, the most useless thing I've seen attached to a rig may just be some of the directors I've worked with!

[RonBaldwin]

"A compass? Really?? that is one of the least useful things I've seen on a steadicam "

 

For me, the most useless thing I've seen attached to a rig may just be some of the directors I've worked with!

 

or possibly a srw deck, or a second camera and all the 3d shiite that goes with it.

[Ken Nguyen]

[A compass? Really?? that is one of the least useful things I've seen on a steadicam

how about a coffee maker?

 

 

No THAT would be useful

 

Well, a compass is very useful for walking back ward.

It helps you to navigate right back to the final mark.

Especially, when the final mark is about 3.6 degree south-west of that water ditch, that well, or more common here in southern California - thorny cactus!

 

Also, it is very useful in case if you are shooting in a forest.

You get lost; then it helps you to get back to camp.

 

Finally, compass and pilot are meant together. A pilot can not work without a compass.

 

Oh! and, what is the coffee maker? Can it helps better dynamic balance?

 

Happy holidays,

Ken Nguyen.

[Sanjay Sami]

Do you have a compass mounted on your sled in front of the electronics box ?

 

Yes - I thought might help me walk in a straight line or at least keep the lens pointing the right way :)

 

I am yet to be convinced of the value

 

its just an experiment

 

it does read when you are not tilting or panning and might help for example when doing a 90 turn down a corridor into a room and you want the room composed square - which is what I like

 

Sam 'going south' MM

 

Good to experiment !! May help you find your way to the bar after wrap ! I think Ron might buy one ;)

[RonBaldwin]

Do you have a compass mounted on your sled in front of the electronics box ?

 

Yes - I thought might help me walk in a straight line or at least keep the lens pointing the right way :)

 

I am yet to be convinced of the value

 

its just an experiment

 

it does read when you are not tilting or panning and might help for example when doing a 90 turn down a corridor into a room and you want the room composed square - which is what I like

 

Sam 'going south' MM

 

Good to experiment !! May help you find your way to the bar after wrap ! I think Ron might buy one ;)

 

a compass is so 1990's -- I use a specially modified diving rod that is sensitive to bourbon and scotch instead of water!

[Sam Morgan Moore]

I said it was an experiment and yes I am laughing too but..

 

Think about this

 

if you have tilt on when proceeding down for example a corridor you get keystoning, well known poor aesthetic in composition

 

less discussed..

 

if your rig is not parrallel to the corridor even if you are flying level you get 'keystoning' in the other axis of the image - if you can see the ceiling or floor it looks wonky

 

Lets say you are going for an X painted on a wall and there is no 'line' on the floor you can deviate of the line and use pan to keep the X in the middle of the frame

 

the X looks right but the rest of the frame is developing a horizontal keystone

 

Keeping on a compass heading THEORETICALLY keeps you on the line

 

While it is common to have an aid for X and Y axes (a two axis level) why should it be so dumb to think about having an aid for the Z axis?

 

point your rig at a brick wall, a tilt keystones the verticals, a pan keystones the horizontals

 

While i am a steadi newb I have done a lot of architectural and interior photography, part of my model for making some easy cash from the rig is doing 'moving' photography on projects for my existant still photography architeture clients

 

Giving the same look - square buildings and rooms , not keystoned or wedged rooms

 

Not imaginitive approach to the business but better than lowballing traditional steadi jobs

 

In such an environment keystoning is critical to avoid unlike dramatic shots that tend to follow the talent

 

here we see the wedge effect, the carpet is exiting the frame at different heights on the image because the camera is a little right of the centre line and panned a little left

 

 

Im off for a coffee..

Edited December 20, 2010 by Sam Morgan Moore

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

While it is common to have an aid for X and Y axes (a two axis level) why should it be so dumb to think about having an aid for the Z axis?

 

 

Yet we only use a Y axis level in actual operation. a X axis (Longitudinal acceleration) is pretty much worthless when you are on the move. Z axis doesn't doesn't matter in composition since that can be done better by simply looking at the frame.

 

If you are looking to use PC lenses in order to correct for headroom and a compass to correct for lateral position then I think that Steadicam is going to frustrate you.

[Sam Morgan Moore]

Steadicam does not frustrate me - my abilities with one do!

 

The compas was a $5 EXPERIMENT

 

The PC lens I will argue for - im 6'5 tall , everythig I read shows that 'aids' are not required but having your shot with a neutral rig always helps

 

S

Edited December 20, 2010 by Sam Morgan Moore

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

The PC lens I will argue for - im 6'5 tall , everythig I read shows that 'aids' are not required but having your shot with a neutral rig always helps

 

 

That's what a F or D bracket is for, not a PC lens.

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

For me, the most useless thing I've seen attached to a rig may just be some of the directors I've worked with!

That folks was Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues slam dunking over Manute Bol

 

 

[Charles Papert]

I think the perspective lens is an interesting choice to have available--being able to "fix" the geometry of the environment independently of the lens height is not something you need every day, but it could have its value. I see it more as something I would use on a dolly than Steadicam (and have done) but no reason it wouldn't work for Steadicam, if the relationships in the frame stayed constant.

 

Sam, does your tape fix actually work for long focal lengths or are you still seeing shifting, just to a lesser degree?

[RonBaldwin]

I hate having to boom way up/tilt down for no other reason than to hide lights...but ya gotta light from somewhere! I dealt a lot with the keystoning/set distortion issue on Ugly Betty (as both Rick Davidson and Charles did before me). Never had I worked with such wide lenses or strict archtechtural compositions (very fun and challenging). I ran around for 28 epsodes with my klassen arm all the way down or using a J-bracket. But...the sets all had cielings and built in lighting, an advantage we don't usually have in practical locations (or most sets really).

[Sam Morgan Moore]

 

Sam, does your tape fix actually work for long focal lengths or are you still seeing shifting, just to a lesser degree?

 

My longer lens is a canon 70-200 F4, so it doesnt have an adapter

 

what it does have is a lens collar so the lens sits on the rails not the camera

 

When mounted properly (via the collar) I dont foresee turning issues

 

especially as I have drilled a second hole in the lens collar meaning it can be attached in a 'spin proof' manner

 

Personally I dont see my operating skills as being able to get a useful shot with a lens longer than a 50 (on the 5d) on a steadicam - so its a sticks solution for my tele

 

I have a plan up my sleeve to make a rail mount for the collar - complex to explain

 

Here is my Mark One TelePhoto solution..

 

S

 

[Sam Morgan Moore]

.. you may note that I am selecting my DSLR lenses a lot on their mechanical rather than optical properties

 

In general the newest nikkor lenses that have proper iris rings (1995?) are IMO the best for DSLR use

 

Low friction, end stops, real aperture

 

This needs to be considered with the FF technology in mind, the good thing about the HoFo is it disconects the focus puller from the throw of the lens and also its direction of travel - which is 'wrong' on nikkors

 

I dont know how more expensive FF devices work in this respect

 

S