Glidecam
and his buddies…
glidecam…a few weeks ago I explained what a steadicam. I think that this article should provide you with an alternative solution so that you can also make a dolly for pro-quality without your savings going. The glidecam and his buddies will thrill you…
In this article I’m not going to talk to you about tips to do a travelling or to make a steadicam for low-cost. Can be the will I do in another article where I’ll tell you about the system D.
Today I’m going to show you the equipment that you can find in the trade and who can meet your budget and your technical needs ;o)
For a few years now there are solutions lights. By this I mean that new technologies have emerged in order that the common of mortals (amateurs and semi-pro non-millionaires ;o)) to use thee steadicam.
And then we must say that today’s consumer cameras and semi-pro are considerably reduced in size and weight, not to mention the high resolution which is located on all devices.
In short, it was necessary for the inventors and manufacturers to find solutions to be able to turn in any fluidity ; (o) without being a multinational corporation.
I wanted to make plans more fluid and, at the time, I had bought used a camera PD150 (sony). For those who do not know this camera, it was almost state of the art technology in the early 2000s. This camera could read the dv and the dvcam, you’ll understand that the pd150 was on cassette…
This purchase has me vaccinated ! Cameras pro or semi pro are changing too fast for the bank account of the man in the world. It is also for this reason thatthe purchase of the equipment semi-pro without having a large volume of activity, it is nothing !
So in 2004, I broke my piggy bank to buy me an object absolutely incredible : a glidecam. I say “break my piggy bank” because the product had just come out or was not very old and, like all novelties, the dealers you murder blows the notes of a thousand !
The glidecam is based on the same principle as the steadicam pro or semi-pro, the difference is that there is no harness.
The Glidecam works like a steadicam that is to say, on balancing static and dynamic (CF article on the steadicam). The price is also very different, you can very well-you buy this type of equipment without having to spend any inheritance from grandma or all your savings.
Frankly, I’ve always found that the balancing of the Glidecam was tedious, but now the adjustment of the counter-weight seems to me more simple. Once you have mastered the beast (it takes a bit of practice) the results are quite amazing.
A Glidecam, depending on the camera, if bought between 220 and 520 euros. As you can imagine, the price of the rental is even more affordable.
You can also opt for a Glidecam Body, that is to say, a Glidecam with a harness. The cost of the Glidecam Body should rotate around 190 euros.
Here is a video demo of the glidecam :
The trademark Steadicam has developed a product like the Glidecam, under the name of Merlin and Merlin2. Merlin2 is a Steadicam that fits in one hand but can also be accompanied by a jacket and an arm.
Another product that is out there is not so long ago and that I find extra : the Smoothee.
You know that today there are festivals for films made with a Smartphone. It is therefore normal that products like the Smoothee see the light of day. More Smartphones, for some, have a resolution quite amazing.
I said from the beginning, if you really want to do a short film, you don’t need to deploy an arsenal of cameras, projos and have 45 technicians. Of course it depends on your project, but if your goal is to lead you, to understand the mechanisms of the realization, then a simple Smartphone is enough for you.
And thanks to devices such as the Smoothee you can really have a rendered extraordinary.
Moreover, as the great, the Smoothee also has a low mode…as you may have noticed, the smoothee was developed by the brand steadicam… a must !
And the price of a glidecam ?
And the Smoothee is more thanaffordable compared to the material we talked about in the article on the steadicam. You can find the Smoothee for less than 149 euros.
Last point that has its importance, you can also put a go-pro !
Support Iphone :
To finish, I’d like to tell you about another amazing system ! Let’s be clear this is not a system within the reach of everyone. If I decide to tell you about it here, it’s because I can’t do an article (it would be too short) and at the same time it is a technology that “replaces” the Steadicam and the bottom is much less expensive than the Steadicams pro, see semi-pro !
This device is called the Galaxy !
Movi is developed by the company freeflying , which is specializing in aerial photography through drônes such as the one on the picture below which may take pro cameras such as Red Epic.
That fact that Samsung is innovative is that the system does not gain weight or counter weight to give the impression of floating in the air of the camera. In addition the operator is not more harnessed a jacket ! This allows him to be much more free and fast as a Steadicam normal.
Another tip is crazy is that the camera moves on its axis and can be controlled by a joystick, all at a distance !!
http://gizmodo.com/5993678/this-new-camera-stabilizer-could-change-cinematography-forever
I put also the video of the making of ! ;o)
Earlier I was talking about the price…today the system is in pre-order, and costs the trifle of $ 15,000 or € 11,000 ! A smaller version is also available for preorder at 5000 dollars or 3700 euro !
What remains much less expensive than a Stead ! At the beginning of the article I told you that I had bought a glidecam, a fortune to its release, I am sure that by some time the price of the movi is going to fall, and will be, why not, to reach the greatest number of you.
The second-hand market can also be an alternative in order to equip less expensive. One day (why not) you will find a Movi for almost nothing on EBay or on the right corner lol
I hope that this article on : the Glidecam and the flycams you liked it. I think it is a very good conclusion to the two articles : the Steadicam
One last thing, I have given rates for some systems. Are links to Amazon with that blog is affiliated. If you want to buy that kind of equipment, you can do so via these links. The blog will earn a small commission, but for you this does not change the price is the same ;o) This commission will help pay for the new hosting (which is now paid off…) the speed at alas a shot…thank you to all those who will go through those links ;o)
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Soon,
Tom