KUDOS to Momoffduty and a few ???'s for you, too...

[videovillageidiot]

Congrats!!! Did you get the one with the pistol pull grip?

Cheryl, I would have responded sooner, but…I was such a crazy optimist when last I posted…
"Gotta' run...so far today, i've bought bolts and a washer for the CHEAP monopod you steered me to, received my slider and now I'm headed out to look at hummingbird feeders..."

Well, Saturday started fine…I even finished a video from a 1-day excursion to Itasca State Park with my neighbors...oops, former neighbors (the ones who abandoned the poor hummingbirds to the care of the new neighbors…haha). We went on Tuesday and the video was done and delivered on Saturday…I was thinking I am AWESOME…
I even bought a hummingbird feeder. Hmmmm…I forgot to buy something to hang it with (from the little loop built into the plastic top). That didn’t matter, though, because shortly after that my schedule went waaaaay downhill.

I had been having problems with my computer…one thing led to another and I was on the phone with geeks or online with geeks or in the Best Buy store with geeks for 12 hours on Sunday…consecutive…ok that includes packing the computer into my car and hauling it there…12 hours, 6 (SIX!!!!!) geeks later, I brought the computer home, supposedly fixed.

Too frazzled to use the computer that nite, I turned to my videocamera - I was anxious to use that slider!! Then…I noticed after a few clips that the cam’s counter was not incrementing…turns out pressing the record/pause button had no effect…couldn’t power it off…nothing happened. It had worked that morning when I was on hold with Best Buy and shot random slider stuff out my window. Now – NOTHING!!! I couldn’t believe another Best Buy purchase had run into trouble in the same day (this camera was recently obtained after Best Buy “junked” my previous camera which had broken and could not be fixed). I had to wait for the battery to run down to get the dumb thing shut off.

Well, I exchanged the camera the next evening after a very busy and tiring day and went home and crashed. Tonite I realized the store geek installed a different security program and I don’t see any firewall protection so now I’m posting this from a laptop…

Soooo, to answer your question Cheryl … I got the slider with the legs. I already have a pistol grip for my tripod so Tim at Indisystems said I could probably use that one. Because of all my lost time I haven’t used it much, but it seems really interesting. I’m seeing that its main effect comes with things close up – far away stuff doesn’t change much over just 2 feet. The side to side view seems so unusual because in every day viewing we typically “pan” with our heads rotating on a monopod (um…neck). I’m looking forward to using it!! Any ideas would be welcomed! Like shooting a bunny as it hops by so it looks like the side views of the sprinters in the Olympics…maybe I’ll let you try that first since you’ve had more experience – haha!!

Thank you for starting this thread, Sherrin! It inspired me to buy that Monopod I wanted to have since a long time.

Glad you got your monopod! I have an inexpensive one that I used with my videocamera last week on a pontoon boat. I put the tip on the seat cushion and braced it against the back cushion and it seemed fairly steady. My neighbor's 7 year old took some video that way (ok I was also holding the monopod a little) and she did a great job! Putting the tip on the deck of the boat when power was applied resulted in not so great video...haha

[momoffduty]

Wow Sherrin lots of problems! Guess the pitfalls come with anything to do with video. I've had more than my share. It ain't easy is what I always say to my husband.

To get the slider to fit in the gear bag, I loosen the legs and swivel them to align with the slider. Just remember to take the allen wrenches to readjust later in the field.

To help stabilize the monopod, I place the monopod base resting against the inside of my foot. Rarely do I have it fully extended. The monopod is great for tight spaces and that is what I use from the bleachers at commencements.

I read a tip elsewhere about panning when shooting holding the camera. The tip said to place your feet facing where you want to end the shot. Twist at the waist to the beginning of the shot. Keep arms tucked in tight at sides.

Looking forward to your slider shots! And yours too Gerlinde with your new monopod!

[Gerlinde]

Have been trying to get some humming birds on film, but it seems they can read my mind. As soon as I turn my camera on they disappear from the face of the earth. But then, when my camera is out of reach they all magically show up again.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[momoffduty]

Have been trying to get some humming birds on film, but it seems they can read my mind. As soon as I turn my camera on they disappear from the face of the earth. But then, when my camera is out of reach they all magically show up again.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Read this flickr page for lots of tips. It is for photos, but would apply to video too:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/hummingbir ... 670503843/

[Gerlinde]

Thanks for the link, Cheryl, makes for some interesting reading. I came to the conclusion, that the current batch of humming birds is just weird, nothing like the ones we had last year. I have 3 feeders and the only thing going on is that as soon one tries to use it, 3 other hummers chase it away. The only time I got lucky so far, was when I just happened to be close to the right flowers they were feeding on.

I have a purple and red fuchsia just out side my living room window and I had my camera in hand......

Now I need some time to edit a video. As soon as I have finished my current project. I'm working on a big poster for my son (2 x 3 ft).

[videovillageidiot]

To get the slider to fit in the gear bag, I loosen the legs and swivel them to align with the slider. Just remember to take the allen wrenches to readjust later in the field.

Question about the wrenches...i received 2 wrenches, 1 big, 1 small. i can't find a use for the large one. Do you know what i might be overlooking?

To help stabilize the monopod, I place the monopod base resting against the inside of my foot. Rarely do I have it fully extended. The monopod is great for tight spaces and that is what I use from the bleachers at commencements. I read a tip elsewhere about panning when shooting holding the camera. The tip said to place your feet facing where you want to end the shot. Twist at the waist to the beginning of the shot. Keep arms tucked in tight at sides.

Great shooting tips. I frequently do nearly 180 degree pans...I can't count the number of times i've started panning and keep going until, at the end of the shot, I'm twisted like a pretzel. I need to consider my feet before i start the shot...

[momoffduty]

Question about the wrenches...i received 2 wrenches, 1 big, 1 small. i can't find a use for the large one. Do you know what i might be overlooking?

I got 2 extra wrenches along with the small one, a headless screw & a bolt. They do not fit anywhere nor can be spares. I called and they said it was 'extra' to disregard. It did throw me off when I was assembling.

[videovillageidiot]

I got 2 extra wrenches along with the small one, a headless screw & a bolt. They do not fit anywhere nor can be spares. I called and they said it was 'extra' to disregard. It did throw me off when I was assembling.

That's funny...I seem to be missing the screw that keeps the slider from sliding...it gets annoying to pick it up and have the camera whiz down to the other end. I'm waiting for a call back from them on that part. I also got the headless screw...at first i thought it fit over the small screw in case your camera required the larger screw...nope, that's not what it's for.

Did you also get a little bag of jelly beans like i did??

[momoffduty]

Ahhh, maybe the bolt is to keep it from sliding? I don't see a need, but others may. YOU got JELLYBEANS????

[videovillageidiot]

Ahhh, maybe the bolt is to keep it from sliding? I don't see a need, but others may. YOU got JELLYBEANS????

Here's what i learned from Tim at Indi...the large wrench is used to remove the large puck...access the bolt by taking out the small "inner" puck. You would remove the large puck if you wanted to mount a head directly on the slider's "transport" (the part that slides). That brings us to the "headless" screw. Apparently, once the large puck is removed, you can use the "headless" screw to hold anything that uses a larger screw...I think it fits over whatever is left when you remove the large puck (as you can tell, I haven't removed the large puck...I tried but it's on verrrrrry tight) I have a Manfrotto ball head that uses a larger screw than what is on the little puck, so i f I want to put that on the slider I would use the "headless" screw.

Here's a photo of what came in my box... http://www.flickr.com/photos/montanaphotos/9604557267/ And yes, those are jelly beans

[momoffduty]

Thanks for the info Sherrin! Makes perfect sense now. I did not get jelly beans, but forgot to mention they did send me cornbread & a beer:


Cornbread by Cheryl3001, on Flickr

[Dave McElderry]

Thanks for the info Sherrin! Makes perfect sense now. I did not get jelly beans, but forgot to mention they did send me cornbread & a beer

Bud Light? They could have at least sent real beer.

[videovillageidiot]

I did not get jelly beans, but forgot to mention they did send me cornbread & a beer:

Too funny, Cheryl...I guess the cornbread is 'cuz Indi is located in Iowa - where there's nuthin' BUT corn and the Bud, of course, is to honor your neck of the woods in St. Louis. Honoring my "home state" would have probably involved lutefisk and I sure don't want that!

[BuddyB]

I guess I haven't quite gotten into the 21st century yet. What is that thing? Looks like something you whack people with

[videovillageidiot]

I guess I haven't quite gotten into the 21st century yet. What is that thing? Looks like something you whack people with

Hi Buddy...it's an "indislidermini" - allows you to move your camera back & forth to alter the view. For me, when I watch, the effect is sometimes subtle - just enuf to make your brain go "That's different...not sure what it is, but I like it". I first heard of it from Momoffduty in this thread...
http://muvipix.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=10011&p=87419&hilit=slider#p87419

She has a lovely example. In it, the foreground changes but the background seems stationary. I'm guessing that's because the camera is only being moved a distance of 2 feet.

Check it out...great little gadget - can be used alone or mounted on a tripod for additional height. It's made of metal and seems fairly heavy - between that and my tripod and monopod I'll be over my luggage weight limit in no time!