What image stabilizer do you use?
 

I want to get a stabilizer but I don't want one that is too heavy or costly. What stabilizers do you use? Can you post a clip that illustrates what it does best?

We use a body mounted stabilizer, the magiqcam, and a handheld stabilizer which is homemade, like a glidecam with a monopod attached.

The body mounted stabilizer is fairly new for us, I have only hot a couple weddings with it, but I already rarely use the handheld stabilizer as it is much easier to work with the body mounted version, there is less strain, and more options.

Here is a highlights clip from the second wedding I shot with the stabilizer. Every shot with motion in it came from the stabilizer (even the overhead shots of the cake), which shows how versatile is can be. Within this clip there is a steady reveal of the dress, a couple overhead shots, walking shots, and some other camera moves that all came with relatively little experience with the unit. I have worked with handheld stabilizers before though, so I did have an idea of what I wanted to do.

www.smcouples.com/Des/HighlightsRev1.mov

Patrick

Thanks Patrick, I'll check it out.

hey patrick i been lookin at gettn a magiqcam.. not for the stability but more so coz im a lazy bastard .. lol jk
How do u find learning to shoot with it?? i was lookin at glidecams and the like, but i cant be lazy..
just downloading ur clip now, but would be great to hear some feedback on the unit in use out in the real world :)

glidecam 4000
 

Michelle-
Here's a shortie I threw together. First time using my Glidecam 4000 (with the armbrace) at a wedding. I put some practice time in with it first, but I'm still learning how to use it right. Cam was a PD170.
Vin
http://www.firsttakestudios.com/demos/gcam4000demo.wmv

In the beginning, I thought I would use it a lot less. It was purchased for love storied and specials shots at weddings now, after learing to use it, I try and wear it as much as possible simply because it is easier and makes great footage, in my opinion. For introductions, it is great to be able to walk in front of the peope and track them coming in, for other events like th first dance and what not, you can still get very stable tripod like footage with virtually no strain on your body, so it is easy to hold.

When I purchased it I already had soem experience with the glidecam and homemade stabilizer so that made the learning curve much (quicker for me, I think). I got it in the offseason and practiced every once in a while for the first month then took it out on the first shoot. I was quite surprised that most of the footage turned out well, some of it turned out amazing, and very little turned out unusable. I'm still getting much better at using it, but I think you can get great results quickly and I much prefer it over a hand held stabilizer which I used all the time for years. Does that help? Let me know if you have any other questions.

Music
 

Patrick,

Do you find that using a full body stabilizer is too intrusive for a wedding? I mean you probably stick out like a sore thumb at a wedding? no?

do you mind sharing where you got the musical score from?

thanks

The couple chose and provided it, it was two songs from the Island soundtrack.

http://www.firsttakestudios.com/demos/gcam4000demo.wmv

Are you sure it was a wedding ? It looks more like a funeral to me...

Thanks Vincent. I will go to B&H and tryout a few stabilizers. B&H doesn't sell the Magiqcam, though.

Danny--I randomly picked a few glidecam pieces just to show Michelle something done by GCam4000, but I know what you mean--it was mostly that one bridesmaid that seemed to be having a bad day...and I had chopped that down--the full piece has her looking even more PO'd. Overall, it was a fairly stiff wedding. The groom's side of the family are Brits, with most of his family flying over just for the wedding. Very nice folks, just didn't let their hair down much at all. The bride's family is Scottish, and they even had a piper playing at the ceremony--I enjoyed it quite a bit.

maybe you're just kidding but how did it look like a funeral? theres a little girl in a white dress with a flower basket running around....looks like a post wedding to me.

Michelle--I would highly recommend, no matter which stabilizer you choose to go with, getting an armbrace and/or vest support. Don't know about any others, but I've used the Glidecam and Steadicam JR with and without supports, and let me tell you they can really wear you out physically. I've got both the armbrace and the vest for the Glidecam and I wouldn't last very long without them.

maybe you're just kidding,

Yes, Just teasing.... gloomy folks, shoots are good though.

I use a Steadicam flyer for all my weddings but really only use it at receptions. I find that using the stabiliser at the brides house you get in the way although it makes for some great shots. The problem is moving the item from location to location and having to get the camera set up and balanced first and this can take about 15 minutes at each locations. I use an XL2 on my steadicam.