EX1/EX3 Footage
 

Does anyone have footage from an EX1 or EX3 on a stabilizer?

I'd PREFER fig rig footage, but steadicam/glidecam footage would suffice. Perhaps something on Vimeo?

Thanks

Dang, no one has any footage at ALL of an EX1/EX3 on a stabilizer?

Hey Perrone, I have a Glidecam 4000 Pro that I haven't set up yet but I plan to start practicing with it in the next few days... I'll see if I can get some sample footage uploaded.

Thanks Buck. I had been going back and forth on the Glidecam 4000 and the Fig Rig, but in the end, decided the Fig did more of what I needed. But I am still hoping to see the footage from either or both.

The Fig Rig looks really cool and I looked at that too. But I wanted more of the "floating" sensation for walking down trails and floating over fields of wildflowers, etc. The Fig Rig looks better for run and gun and a better option for holding the camera steady rather than by 'hand'. When you get it I'm eager to see the results, perhaps I'll add it to my list of 'would like to have someday'.

I needed something for "walk and talk" in the building, and for basic shots where I'd normally be handholding. The ability to pan, dolly, crab, crane, and shoot high or low, with some level of stability was a huge selling point.

Since I am not doing narrative really, the "floaty" feeling I felt would end up being more distractive. The more handheld look connects the user a bit more and most of what I shoot is training and corporate type videos in which I want the user "involved". More like reality TV than a movie.

Different tools for different jobs. I hope to have the unit in a few weeks, as I have a project I will be shooting over the winter. I'll post footage when I start using it.

Flycam 6000
 

I have the Flycam 6000 and produced this short video. I am not proficient at the art of steadicam yet and still trying to balance the unit and learn the technique. But, you asked and here you go.

Phil Hanna

Flycam 6000 Practice Session on Vimeo

About 75% of the shots on my reel were done with the EX1, and the other 25% on my HVX200, all using my Steadicam Pilot.
davegishsteadicamreel on Vimeo

Hey Dave, nice reel. I have a shoot coming up with an EX1, any probs getting a signal for the Steadicam monitor and one for a video transmitter as well?

Yea how are you guys splitting your video signal out of your cameras without using a DA? i tried doing it the other day with a BNC T Joiner and there was a lot of luminance loss on both the outputs, as i expected..

PERFECT! Thank you so much!

Joe, on the Sony Z1 I use the audio/video out connection for the Steadicam monitor and for the video reciever I use the S-video connection. I had a tech custom the cables for me. I can also power the transmitter from a portable 12 v battery - Works great.

Many Sony cameras use a special connector to bring out the composite, audio, and s-video signals. I splice/solder my own custom cables, so I made a 2-3" cable with just a yellow RCA on the composite and everything else disconnected. I've used this with the EX1 and the V1U. Here's where I bought the cable that I spliced down:
http://www.buy.com/prod/sony-handyca.../90117338.html
I just use an RCA Y-cable that I made. Yes, the luminance goes down a bit, but with the contrast all the way up, I can see fine. The important thing is that the director and DP can see the shot. Without the wireless, they tend to hover close to you. They've actually bumped the sled a couple of times.

One time this hovering actually worked to my advantage though. Two days ago, we were shooting a low budget music video on manhattan sidewalks. There was no wireless video link, so the director was hovering. Since there was wind, the sled was a little unstable, so I asked the director to spread out his jacket and hover up-wind, and that helped a lot.

Hover... yes: YouTube - Making Of "1%" Movie Trailer

As an editor and tech the luminance loss annoys me a lot, i've found a little wee DA that is small enough to fit on the rig. Now im just trying to find a spot to put it where i've got room, power and video.

Although, it just ends up being another thing to power, and more video cable to run, im starting to ask myself is it worth it?

VERY interesting. The main issue will be the weight of the BNCs, especially if it's in a place where you need right angle connectors. I would be tempted to rip it apart and solder in appropriate length wires with RCA and 2.1mm molded connectors on the other ends.

Where did you find this?

EDIT: Nevermind, I found it here:
http://www.cctvgadgets.com/Video_Spl...plitter_1.html

Yea, the bnc weight is an issue.. Im still trying to figure out where i'd put the thing and how i'd power it. There isnt really anymore room at the top of the sled.. Maybe take a direct tap off the VLock plate.. but then i'd need 2, 1 for the transmitter as well.

And then steal video signal before it gets to the pilots LCD.. and then run 1 video output back to the LCD and one to the transmitter somewhere on the bottom of the sled..

I do like your idea of getting rid of the BNC connectors all together, then i could very light weight cable with plastic RCA plugs.

Most of this type stuff is just attached with Velcro, so it could go just about anywhere on the camera. As for power, I would just use a 2.1mm y-cable from the connector on the stage.

You guys might prefer this unit which accepts a standard 9 volt battery, covering your power issues.

I picked up this same small video splitter for $29 here:
Video Splitter - Video Splitter by CCTV Gadgets

They sent me a bigger one and called it an "upgrade". When I told them I didn't want the bigger one, they sent me the small one, and I returned the bigger one. If I had it to do over again, I would call in the order and explain why I want the small one.

Anyway, once I got the small splitter, I hooked it up and it worked. Definitely more luminance. I had to turn down the brightness. In the end, it looked about the same, maybe a little clearer, but not noticeably so.

But I had this other problem where the transmitter wire harness kept pulling out. That had to be fixed somehow, so I ended up taking the guts out of this little video splitter, put in it an smaller plastic box, and re-wired everything to the little box, which eliminated the strain on my transmitter connection.

It all works, and the extra power drain of the splitter is barely noticeable. But if I wasn't having other wiring issues, I probably wouldn't have bothered. The extra luminance provided by the splitter just meant I had to turn down the brightness on the monitors, which ended up looking about the same.

Phil, you've got gut practicing your flying around a swimming pool. I'd get disoriented and fall in. :)