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Shots using my Glidecam are jittery.

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EC-Skier
Posts: 3899 - Karma: 668
Hey guys,

I recently bought a Glidecam HD-2000 and I have been working with it and trying to get my shots to look better. But my shots come out jittery. Not really "shaky" i guess, it is more tiny up and down vibrations. I know this is because of how I use it. What can I do to fix this?
It is more when I am trying to walk/run with it.
Is this something that is common when first learning how to really use one? Is there a simple solution (like im probably holding it wrong or something like that)? Or is it simply that I need to spend more time working with it and it just takes a while to get it right?

Thanks
May 10 2013 12:20PM
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Jewschoolers
Posts: 1785 - Karma: 1,142
assuming you have it balanced right, it just takes a while
May 10 2013 1:02PM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
^
May 10 2013 2:40PM
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EC-Skier
Posts: 3899 - Karma: 668
thanks guys. +k, ill just spend more time with it.
May 10 2013 3:30PM
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dergblerp
Posts: 1303 - Karma: 77
Does your lens have Image Stabilization?  You might want to try using it with that switched off. 

Also, Definitely do some research, and watch some youtube vids on balancing to make sure you have everything setup correctly.  I had mine setup incorrectly for a few months before I actually balanced it properly haha. 
May 10 2013 4:00PM
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NickVentura
Posts: 243 - Karma: 1,229
whats your camera setup? because a heavier rig is more stable.
May 10 2013 4:37PM
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Flame
Posts: 35 - Karma: 5
another thing that you can try is a stabilisation plugin through your editing program. sony stabilize in vegas works really well. just dont add a lot, its really powerful
May 10 2013 6:16PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
you could be holding it too tightly with your guide hand maybe

one hand should hold all the weight, your other hand is used to point it where you want
you'll get better with practice
May 10 2013 6:37PM
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Downtofilm
Posts: 6896 - Karma: 20,395
Iv noticed this too, I thought it might be because the rig is to heavy, or the lens mount is not the tightest.
May 12 2013 10:04AM
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
make sure your using the widest lens you have.
May 12 2013 11:35AM
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NMMedia
Posts: 982 - Karma: 1,700
could just be because of wind, I know my rig is perfectly fine indoors or just walking around outside. But as soon as I am going downhill with it and using it as a followcam it starts to sway because of the wind
May 12 2013 8:16PM
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NPF
Posts: 5152 - Karma: 12,116
I have found with mine having less weights and extending it more helps keep it better balanced. (maybe this is common knowledge and I'm just a noob who only figured this out like 2 months ago) i used to have it the opposite way with more weight and it swayed + jittered a lot more.

practice practice practice is the name of the glidecam game.
May 13 2013 12:55AM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
You can also add weight to both the top and the bottom to make it less prone to wind.

Minor threadjack, but does anyone use a battery grip with a glidecam? And are there any qr plates that allow you to take the battery out without unscrewing the camera?
May 13 2013 9:24AM
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
I can use a manfrotto 577 qr plate and still have room to take my battery in/out.
May 13 2013 7:35PM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
With your t3i I assume?
May 13 2013 9:27PM
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ColinB
Posts: 1452 - Karma: 2,236
i can say with pretty much pure confidence that Image stabilization would do nothing but make the footage smoother. unless it was some really terrible stabilization technology.

just spend more time with it. and if you're using your free hand to guide the camera, try just using two fingers lightly right below the gimbal. it makes it so they have less of an effect on the overall function of the glidecam
May 13 2013 10:07PM
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EC-Skier
Posts: 3899 - Karma: 668
im using a t2i with a battery grip and an 11-16.

I think that Sklar may be right. I feel like i may be holding it to tightly.

Could i be holding it wrong? Should i keep my arm extended, or should i keep my arm pressed to my side?

thanks +k to all
May 14 2013 9:32AM
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NMMedia
Posts: 982 - Karma: 1,700
I would say dont extend your arm all the way, and dont press it to your side. The name of the game with glidecams is taking out bumps/vibrations, basically anything that makes it look like the camera isnt floating. It seems to work best if you have your arm somewhere between the two positions you mentioned, try to keep your elbow bent and not have your arm tensed up so it can absorb some of your movements, almost like a secondary stabilizer.
May 14 2013 9:59AM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,231
There needs to be a thread on how to balance/fly a glidecam correctly because I swear so many of you kids buy them and then have no idea what to do.

-1 Hand holds the handle. This hand supports all the weight. Man up and prepare for hell, it will fatigue you if you shoot for more than a few minutes at a time.

-The other hand (well, thumb and pointer finger ONLY, imo) lightly grip the center column and are simply used to point the cam and prevent it from swaying. THAT IS THEIR ONLY JOB, THEY DO NOT TAKE ANY WEIGHT


DO NOT Hold a glidecam with equal weight distributed between your two hands
DO NOT use just one hand (none on the post to direct) and expect it not to sway/drift especially in motion
May 14 2013 1:38PM
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ColinB
Posts: 1452 - Karma: 2,236
thats just something that you end up figuring out. there's nothing wrong with your glidecam, it'll just take some time. they take practice
May 19 2013 8:35PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Successful use of a Glidecam is 100% a matter of skill. Don't expect instant results; people spend decades practicing, as it is an artform in itself. The best you can do is balance it correctly; no, "close enough" won't do, since there's no difference between "close enough" and "way off." Either it's perfectly balanced or it won't work.
May 20 2013 4:34PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
I disagree. "Close Enough" on hill will work. Im not saying my glidecam work is perfect, but close enough on hill works well. Sometimes when it is high winds, I will even compensate for it and have the glidecam a little off balance and have it lean forward a tad when balancing.
May 20 2013 5:36PM
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.qzyxya
Posts: 1479 - Karma: -26
This. The 'you need absolute perfect balance' thing doesn't really apply with skiing, since there is going to be wind and snow and tons of other elements (gloves vs bare fingers) that will affect it also. I sometimes make the sled heavier so it cant sway as much with the wind
May 20 2013 7:47PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
This is very true. I was speaking more generally, as I have found that doing slow tracking shots on foot requires perfect balance, which many people seem to overlook.
May 21 2013 3:27PM
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