smooth pans ,angles,movement issue

[Paul peabody]

For anyone who has considered tai chi lessons in order to use theirXL2 handheld smoothly and without bumps,,,I have happened on to a relatively inexpensive device called the glidecam 2000 no I dont work for them,,,but I tried a bunch of products and the size ,weight,,,and the ease of use is particularly good if you have a good sense of balance,,,I was always the kid who would walk around the yard balancing long sticks etc,,,,and this device informs your motion through the medium of balance,,,there are obviously infinitely more sophisticated devices,,,however if your company is on a budget, I think you will find this very helpful, I am thrilled with the freedom this will allow for a mulitude of angles and pans, hope this is helpful

[Armin DeFiesta]

...however if your company is on a budget, I think you will find this very helpful, I am thrilled with the freedom this will allow for a mulitude of angles and pans, hope this is helpful

 

I agree. I've had my Glidecam 2K Pro for a couple of months and am very satisfied with it (I'm using my old Vx1000). Once it's balanced, and with practice, the unit is great, and I can run like hell and still get an incredibly smooth shot. It will take practice, and lord knows I need it, but once you get the basics, it's awesome. I recently attached a Marshall 4" LCD w/battery pack to the base and rebalanced it perfectly, but boy is it heavy now! The optional forearm brace does help redistribute the weight to your biceps and shoulder muscles, but I still fatigue. I think when I can afford it, I'll pick up a smooth shooter for longer tracking shots. Here's a short video that has some G2K footage.

 

For dialup users or those in a hurry (5MB), decent low-resolution, small

size:

 

http://rapidshare.de/files/6011716/Nathan_2005_5mb.mov

 

For hi-speed users (25MB), better resolution and size:

 

http://srtred.com/FamilyVidz/NATHAN_2005.mov

 

I recently attached this monitor w/battery pack to the bottom of my Glidecam 2000 Pro (I use a Sony VX1000):

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...oughType=search

 

It's now pretty heavy, but my optional forearm brace helps.

 

I screwed a hole on one end of the included "table" mount (came with the LCD) and placed the screw through it (I used the G2K screw). I then used one strip of velcro to secure the other end of the table mount. I then used two strips of velcro to secure the battery pack on the opposite side and attached G2K discs to balance the weight. It worked perfectly for me.

 

Some pics:

 

 

 

 

[Jay Gladwell]

Actually, the XL2 is too big for the Glidecam 2000 Pro. You should have gotten the 4000. At any rate, unless you are some massive muscle-bound bloke, you're going to experience, sooner or later, problems with your wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

 

Having used the 4000 Pro on a shoot, I was messed up for several months. Finally, the pain and discomfort went away. So did the Glidecam 4000 Pro!

 

Regardless of what they show, these items are for the smaller "palmcorder" type cameras.

 

Jay

[Armin DeFiesta]

Actually, the XL2 is too big for the Glidecam 2000 Pro. You should have gotten the 4000. At any rate, unless you are some massive muscle-bound bloke, you're going to experience, sooner or later, problems with your wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

 

Having used the 4000 Pro on a shoot, I was messed up for several months. Finally, the pain and discomfort went away. So did the Glidecam 4000 Pro!

 

Regardless of what they show, these items are for the smaller "palmcorder" type cameras.

 

Jay

 

I agree Jay, the XL2 is probably two heavy for the G2K Pro. I'm already pushing the limits of weight with my VX1000 setup. Your palmcorder suggestion gives me the perfect excuse to pick up a high end consumer camera. :D