High shots with Vx2100
 

Anyone recommend a tool for getting shots from up high, some kind of pole or something? I shoot weddings, and find you cannot replace those great shots from up around 12-15 feet, especially when capturing dancing footage.

I currently extend my tripod and put the feet against my stomach raise it up, but it is extremely tiring panning with that thing extended out.

When I do need to get that kind of shot I use my Bogen 682 monopod and simply extend it all the way about 65 inches and hold it as high as my weak little arms will let me. :-0 When I get tired I bring it down to my belt line still high enough to get over the crowd and when I really get tired I bring it back to earth.
Don

Thanks, Don...I'll check out that monopod, I need one anyway.

A member here once let me know about a great option for this. I'm away from my home computer now so I don't have the link but it is a pole that extends to about 30 ft. I never got around to buying this but there were 2 instances (weddings) this year where I wish I had it. I will be buying this over the next few moths (before wedding season gets started). If interested I can post the link tonight when I'm home.

Hi Don...I would be very interested. The monopod, while handy, doesn't extend as far as I would like to go. I'd like ability to get 10 feet higher as well as out and over the crowd, like directly over head. I cant' imagine anything that will do that that would be manageable for a single person, but who knows!

10 feet!!! Holy cow, what are you shooting Basketball players?lol

With a monopod extended to 5'6" and your arms that should get you about 8 feet after that well unless you're about 6'6" tall or taller then I guess the Long Pole is what you need, I think, not sure but think, it's by Varizoom.

You're right it could be more than a little cumbersome with all the weight on top and trying to hold it steady and securely by yourself.

Good Luck! :-)

Don

getting the camera overhead of people in the center of the dance floor and scanning without going on to the dance floor is what I want to do. I can achieve that to some degree on a very small dance floor with my tripod fully extended 75".

It's not just height I need but reach. Actually it occured to me I could theoretcally build a rig to do that...sounds complicated though.

My budget is tight too, so I don't know.

When the camera is overhead and far out like that people reach for it and get really crazy, making for some of the best dance footage. A camera "floating" like that just brings it out in people, I don't know why.

Yeah when I do use the monopod to get overhead stuff like that (not too often any more) people really seem to go nuts about it. They act sillier than normal ;-) Fun footage though. Good luck with the project-if you do make something be sure to let us know.
Don

I sure will...

I will post a link to the pole I mentioned later tonight if still interested. I didn't realize you want to be able to go up AND out. The pole I'm thinking of would be great for overhead shots. I'm not sure how you (once you raise the cam on the pole) would control the cam. I'm not sure that what I'm thinking of would work for what you have in mind. The camera clamp/mount I would put on top of the pole only reaches about 3 feet max.

My specific use for this device would be when there's no place (railings, window sill) to mount a camera clamp/mount. I ran into this twice this year here at Sage Chapel at Cornell. The chapel was built in the 1800s and there was no place at all to mount my 3rd (locked down wide safe shot) cam. This year I was able to barely mount it on a sill but the building manager didn't want me to clamp anything on the very old wood . I did it when he was distracted (with no damage). ;) Next year I'll have this pole I'm talking about.

Thanks, I'd still be interested, always looking for new ideas!

www.kesslercrane.com Will get you 11ft with their 8ft crane. I highly recommend it for dance floor coverage. Maybe out of your budget but definately a good investment. Space is a factor as well, some of the dance floors are just too small for it. Total setup time, 10 minutes. Total cost $1000-1500, Depending on were you can find a tripod and head that will support the crane. They also have a 12ft crane that will give you a max height of 19ft.

Thanks, Jon. That crane looks very good. While is is out of my currnet budget, I had hoped to buy one at some point anyway, and I had actually wondered if a Crane would work for the dance floor also, and of course it would!

This thing can go up as high as 31 feet!!!

http://hi-pod.com/

David, that is an fantasic piece of equipment! Exactly what I was looking for!