Jib?

[Jeremy White]

1) Do you ever use a jib on your shoots?
2) What do you use?
3) Any experience with the EPhotoInc Jib? Amazon.com: ePhotoInc Portable DSLR Mini Jib Crane Video Camera Jib Video Jib Arm extention 4FT MJ-906JIB: Camera & Photo

[Adrian Tan]

1. Once in a blue moon, because of the extra gear to lug around (including weights), the setup time, and what to me felt like limited functionality, especially if you have a steadicam with you as well.

2. Aviator jib. Not entirely happy with it, but it does the job. Kessler portable jib is better.

3. No experience with that EPhotoInc jib.

[Nate Haustein]

I have one that is very similar: http://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Porta...words=CAME+jib

It's ok for the price. I wouldn't pay more than $200 for it, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't get some cool shots. 4 feet is a pretty nice size actually, the reach is perfectly adequate. Also, it's small, quick and portable enough for you to actually use on a regular basis.

I bought it about 10 months ago, and to be honest, it's not doing so hot. The glue on where the extension joints are is coming apart so I'm a little nervous using it in situations above someone or where the camera might fall to an untimely doom. Not sure if the aluminum version is built any differently. Then again, I haven't been exactly "careful" with it. It's a throw-it-in-the-car and have-it-when-you-need-it kind of thing for me. It certainly is small!

If you're just putting a little DSLR on there for a quick shot, I'd say you'd be just fine. If you need something for a larger camera or are planing on using it regularly, I'd shop for something else. I've got my eye on the Kessler Pocket Jib Traveller.

[Robert Benda]

I'm considering something to be able to get an overhead shot of the dance floor, especially for the first dance. That would mean most jibs wouldn't work for me since I feel they're too low and would be a distraction.

I might modify a light stand so the pivot would be at 8-12 feet up. I'm thinking I'd have a 25lb weight to attach to the bottom to make sure I don't have a tipping problem.

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Jeremy White

1) Do you ever use a jib on your shoots?
2) What do you use?
3) Any experience with the EPhotoInc Jib? Amazon.com: ePhotoInc Portable DSLR Mini Jib Crane Video Camera Jib Video Jib Arm extention 4FT MJ-906JIB: Camera & Photo

Yes we use a jib on corporate shoots but not weddings, too much to carry around and most venues are too small. No experience of the jib you linked to, sorry.

Originally Posted by Robert Benda

I'm considering something to be able to get an overhead shot of the dance floor, especially for the first dance. That would mean most jibs wouldn't work for me since I feel they're too low and would be a distraction.

I stick a camera on a Manfrotto monopod, fully extended if needed and stick two of the feet on my belt and then hold the monopod half way up leaning towards the dance floor. This means you can track the couple nicely and even move around and get pretty much overhead footage at-will. No real setup or pull-down time.

[Robert Benda]

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

I stick a camera on a Manfrotto monopod, fully extended if needed and stick two of the feet on my belt and then hold the monopod half way up leaning towards the dance floor. This means you can track the couple nicely and even move around and get pretty much overhead footage at-will. No real setup or pull-down time.

I've used a tripod the way you are, and am thinking of using the monopod, but am hoping for as close to a straight down shot as I can. I had a location where we had a balcony view of the dance floor and I loved it.

I think if I stood on the DJ side, my gear wouldn't be obnoxious. Or just use the speakers on stands as my fulcrum/support.

Anyone know if Manfrotto's 682B monopod is any good? it has feet, but is only $115 so I assume it's from their cheap junk side of things, instead of the nicer gear like the 694 or 695CX seem to be ($200-$250).

[Peter Rush]

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

I stick a camera on a Manfrotto monopod, fully extended if needed and stick two of the feet on my belt and then hold the monopod half way up leaning towards the dance floor. This means you can track the couple nicely and even move around and get pretty much overhead footage at-will. No real setup or pull-down time.

What camera do you use for this shot dave and what do you do about keeping focus? - I'm thinking of doing this with a GoPro set to wide and little LED light at my next wedding for when the dance floor's full - should be a good shot.

Pete

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Peter Rush

What camera do you use for this shot dave and what do you do about keeping focus? - I'm thinking of doing this with a GoPro set to wide and little LED light at my next wedding for when the dance floor's full - should be a good shot.

Pete

Canon G10 usually, though you could do it with a 70D now.

[Kyle Root]

(1) To Date - No. But I'm doing my first "cinema style" wedding this coming June and have brought in what I call a "Creative Specialist" who is bringing his Jib and Steadicam. The footage he was showing me from it looked great though. This will be my first time to ever have such equipment on a shoot in my 14 years of shooting weddings.. so I'm excited to have this chance to be really creative, and I'm hoping this may be a new route for me to take.

In these parts, Ceremonies are usually held in churches and they have a lot of restrictions (naturally) on movement and equipment etc. However, this one is outdoors at a Plantation Style house/mansion and is a perfect venue for this experiment of mine. I'm brining in a crew of 3 camera guys plus an intern to help with all the gear. lol

(2) In this case, he built his own Jib...

(3) I've looked at getting one before, but as others have noted, unless you've got at least one additional person to help set it up... I talked myself out of it simply because around here, usage is really limited.

[Don Bloom]

Robert,
I see you asked about the 682B monopod. I have one and used it off and on for about 9 or 10 years BUT only with small form factor cameras such as Sony PD150/170 and most recently with a JVC HM100.

First let me tell you that if you're thinking about putting a camera on it and letting it stand on it's own in an area that has any kind of foot traffic I will say this. DON'T! It's not made for that although if there is NO traffic going by the camera it will hold up. There is some sway to the unit. It isn't a tripod and if you look at the way it's built you'll see that it's going to sway. Hell, even holding on to it with a tripod head (which I used to do) it swayed. Nature of the beast.
I have used it on numerous occasions as a "poor mans boom" and frankly for dancing segments it was really a great shot. I used a Manfrotto QR577 (Quick Release plate assembly) and made sure the camera was well locked down to that. I also used a Lite Panel Micro on the camera and turned the power down to about half. Now that light wasn't a really powerful light to begin with but it did the job. Lastly I had a wide angle lens attachment on the camera (again it used to be a PD150 or 170) so that added some weight but I have to say I could go from an eye level wide shot to an overhead holding the monopod either like an mic boom (fishpole) overhead or pushing the legs into my gut and actually using my bel as a stop to help hold it in place and simply use the monopod at an angle like a flagpole. The biggest problem was seeing the LCD but after I remembered to take off my glasses it was a lot easier to see and honestly, it was a super speciality shot at the time so if I had great framing good on me, if not, it hit the "cutting room floor".
I wish I had only paid $115 for it. When I bought it it was, IIRC, about $150.
The thing I would do today is not use the QR assembly and mount the camera right to the monopod. No reason to take any kind of chances.
HTHs.

[Renton Maclachlan]

For what it's worth...

I filmed a wedding for a friend some time ago. When the couple came out of the church and people were filing past congratulating them, or were millling around talking, I used a monopod out to full extent to get 'aerial' shots. I hooked the monopods feet (home made) onto a couple of hooks (home made) I put on a waste belt. To control the camera I used a tripod head on the top of the monopod and had a long handle (home made) which replaced the tripod head handle, so I could tilt the camera if need be. Of course just leaning the monopod forward or back, or turning it, changes the shot but sometimes you want more control and the handle enabled that. The handle is made of 8 or 9mm aluminium rod in three sections, of 450mm each (joined with 40mm nuts to make it solid) so I can make it 450mm or 900mm or 1350mm long depending on the situation.

Another time I did some filming at a politcal rally. I wanted my camera well above the crowd so bought a window washer brush kit from a local hardware shop (cost I think about $NZ30) which had a really great and long and solid aluminium telescoping pole for getting the brush to high windows. The pole is just under three metres in length fully out. I put a rubber foot on the bottom end and a thread suitable for taking a tripod head on the top end, and put the tripod head and camera on that - the camera could be up as high as 3m when the bottom of the pole was on the ground. I then used the before mentioned long handle which I had made to easily control the tilt of the camera. Yeah, the LCD screen was a bit difficult to see being so far away, but with it facing down I could easily frame my shots. The set up was solid as a rock and no strain to use. To get good sound I had my mic in my blimp on the camera as well. I used the wired remote controller that came with the camera to control the zoom. I use another such pole in my studio (more or less horizontal) for getting the mic really close to the talent but overhead and out of the way.

At another outdoor situation, I used the above setup when a whole heap of press, and TV cameramen were there (I'm not press in anyway) filming a speech at a rally type setting. I was able to poke my camera on its long pole through gaps between the TV and radio people to the front of the crush (I guess the pole was at about 30>45 degrees) and still control the tilt of the camera, etc. Worked a treat and got good shots and sound.

The same sort of setup could easily be used at weddings for 'aerial' shots...

[Chris Harding]

Hi Guys

More gear for me to lug into the reception ..I certainly couldn't handle 3 cams and a jib at ceremonies and prices don't warrant the cost of a jib operator!!

However I was looking at the stedipod and actually made one using a benro monopod and the base of a mic stand and it worked pretty well. On their website they have a few pics of it in high mode too..maybe even some footage!
As Renton says all you need is a lightweight aluminium telescopic pole but I would consider putting some sort of pad at the base so it sits securely on your stomach as an anchor point ...then have a neck strap that goes behind your neck and clips to the pole and you should have quite a stable high view moveable rig.

Not nearly as good as a crane but cheap and easy to use for reception dancing...yep I think I would go for the GoPro route here as well otherwise you are fighting a big weight at the end of a long pole which means lack of stability so the super light GoPro would be the way to go and one could track left and right very easily but I don't think any up or down movement would work too well??

Something like that, simple and easy to run 'n gun would warrant some sample footage ... Anyone game to try it or maybe Renton can show us a short clip with his pole??

Chris

[Tom Van den Berghe]

I want to buy a carbon telescopic pole from about 10m (32 feet) for aerial shots.

Something like this:

Fake a Drone Shot with a Phone Tutorial by Chung Dha - YouTube

So who has experience with this? My first plan was to add a zhiyun crane gimbal + small camera on it = +/- 2kg

But I think that could be too heavy. Maybe a smartphone gimbal+ action cam would be better = +/-600 g.
similar like in the video.

[Noa Put]

Get a Zhiyun Crane-M while they still are available, they don't make them anymore but you can still find them new for 280euro and they support up to 650gr so a panasonic gx80 with a 12mm Panasonic lens could be used but also gopro or smartphones.