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

[videovillageidiot]

I want to thank Momoffduty for so many helpful posts...you post on many topics i'm interested in (like timelapse, DSLR video and many more!). But what's so neat is you post on things i never considered but now am really interested in!!!

A couple years ago you linked to a video on stabilizing low angle shots...not having your fascination for "foot shots" I had never thought about it. Well it was a great tip (though i'll be sure to use a quality bottled water instead of my typical cheap/flimsy bottle, lest the bottle burst under the pressure of the rubber band). A few days ago i searched for your post on a "slider" and found the low-angle thread again. I discovered your later postings there about great ways to use a monopod - WHAT A FIND!! So glad i revisited that thread. http://muvipix.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=9354&p=87154&hilit=slider#p87154

As i mentioned, i have renewed my interest (that you sparked) in the indislider. QUESTION...do you use it mainly for your DSLR or does it work well with a standard video cam (HV30, HFR400, etc.)? What do you find the difference is between slide and pan? i guess one is that in panning you're actually shooting in an arc and with the slider you are shooting in a straight line. I am trying to picture how much difference that would make. Yesterday i was on a pontoon boat and tried to simulate the effect...i had my video camera on a monopod (thanks for reminding me to use it ) and rested the tip of the monopod on the seat at the back of the boat...i then tried to steadily slide the tip of the monopod across the seat. Yeah...well I didn't see anything that didn't look like standard panning...though i admit the boat started bouncing on the water and turning at the same time so it all looked pretty messy - NOT a very good experiment...

I'm thinking i might like a slider so any info would be really helpful!! i've watched your lake video that used the slider and it looks very nice...what would have been the difference if you just panned? And seriously, am i wrong in thinking a pan shot is one where the camera is stationary and turns in an arc to cover left to right (or right-left...haha)?

[Bob]

when shooting video, a pan is a horizontal rotation around the vertical axis. Imagine standing on the side of the street watching a parade and you turn your head left or right. The slider is a dolly move. The camera doesn't rotate, but moves to the side. Imagine you're still at the parade and decide to walk down the street with your head turned to the side to continue watching the parade.

In post processing and cgi, pan is used in the same sense as the dolly move. That is, the apparent camera position moves side to side to exposure a different part of a larger image (the Ken Burns effect), or to shift the position of the cgi object in the frame.

[videovillageidiot]

Thanks Bob...you described what i was trying to say...though i hadn't thought of it so much in terms of moving objects (the parade). If the parade is standing still, the pan shot from left to right will include the faces of those to the left, the profiles of those 90 degrees from the camera and the backs of those further to the right of the camera. The slider shot will see the profile of each...unless, of course the camera is turned somewhat to the left and then it may see the right front quarter, right?

I was thinking mostly in terms of shooting landscapes and trying to visualize the difference. I better expain that spatial stuff is hard for me to "see"...analytic geometry killed me in college...it involved very late nights gluing toothpicks together to try to see the various angular configurations in the problems...it didn't end well. I can see in Cheryl's video that something very interesting is happening and it must be 'cuz of the slider.

Mom...would you be able to do a very brief comparison shoot? I have something coming up soon and i'm trying to plan what types of stuff will be most interesting to shoot.

THANKS to both BOB and MOM!!! (and of course everyone else here who is so helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[momoffduty]

Ah, gee thanks Sherrin. It is called sidetracking. I've been sidetracked by others since I joined so just paying it forward.

I may be able to do test shots next week. If you want to give it a try: For the arching shots hold your camera with your arm extended straight out. Start taping with your arm as far left as possible and sweep in an arch to the far right. For a slide shot hold the camera next to your upper chest and neck area with arms bent and tucked in. Move left or right with your feet in a slide move (think the Electric slide dance ).

The indislider needs a stable tripod with a good head. The cheap tripod I have won't work because the slider dips at each end from the weight of the camera. A new tripod has been on my wish list for a long time now.

For the upside down monopod shots I used 2 rubber bands on the waterbottle. The trick is to position it with an equal weight to the camera. I placed a folded towel on the kitchen counter for the camera end. Then I lifted the monopod with one finger to find the center point (fulcrum) and used that point to hold the monopod upside down. I did not extend the monopod to full length. The last segment is too small.

A better set up for low angle shots for about $20 is the Xgrip. Also on my wish list.

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Profession ... ords=xgrip

[sidd finch]

Mom, I purchased one of those xgrip’s and I was not too happy with it. It works great as a stand. But because of the way you hold the unit it introduces a lot of swaying motion. I think if there was more weight it would lessen the swaying motion. Also the angle of how you hold it makes it harder to keep it steady. I guess it depends on how heavy the camera is. Also I did not realize it at the time but measure you camera for clearance to make sure it fits in the space.

Sidd

[momoffduty]

Wow, thanks Sidd. Good thing you vet out the gadgets for us.

[sidd finch]

Anytime Mom…..

You could try holding your camera low at your side to emulate what the grip would do then you can see what I am talking about before you buy one.

But it was pretty cool to have a place to set the camera down to record really low profile.....

I still prefer to use a monopod with the camera inverted. The extension of the monopod with the weight so much lower makes the camera sway much less.

Sidd

[momoffduty]

Thanks for the tips Sidd. Speaking of sidetracking....you almost had me sold on a Flip a few years back and recently that mini-cam.

[sidd finch]

Mom, Until I received one as a gift I always thought the Flip was a kids toy. But slowly learning the limitations of the camera has opened up a world of fun. And using multiple Flips to record events is a huge improvement of just having a single camera. That even gives me a lot of time doing multi camera editing.

Sidd

[videovillageidiot]

The indislider needs a stable tripod with a good head. The cheap tripod I have won't work because the slider dips at each end from the weight of the camera.

I just received my indislider today!!! i gotta' check the video review to figure out how to use it...i talked to Tim (the guy who runs the "indi" place) when i ordered it and asked if there were directions - he said no and he was right!! haha...

I also mentioned that you had mentioned the dipping at the ends and he recommended weighting your tripod to make it more stable...do you have a hook on the bottom of the center post of the tripod? You can try hanging something hefty on that.

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...
http://muvipix.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12232

...yikes Muvipix keeps me busy!!!

[momoffduty]

I just received my indislider today!!! i gotta' check the video review to figure out how to use it...i talked to Tim (the guy who runs the "indi" place) when i ordered it and asked if there were directions - he said no and he was right!! haha...

Congrats!!! Did you get the one with the pistol pull grip? When you pull the cam along use a large rubber band around the handle for smoother movement.

The tripod problem is the head has a slight wobble with the weight of the slider & cam. It was a cheap tripod and has seen its better days.

[Gerlinde]

Thank you for starting this thread, Sherrin! It inspired me to buy that Monopod I wanted to have since a long time. Amazon did not have the one that Cheryl has anymore , but I found a similar one . http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-MMC3-01 ... to+monopod
I ordered it on Sunday and it arrived yesterday (I ordered through the store here on the site, shipping was free.)
I like it a lot, it is very light and does not take up much room. The only thing I'm missing is a quick release, but that would add more weight to it. Maybe I can get used to screwing the thing onto my camera. The strap ends up always at the wrong place
But I'm glad I finally got one....

[Peru]

Maybe I can get used to screwing the thing onto my camera. The strap ends up always at the wrong place

Get some thin nylon washers at your local hardware store and place one or two or three on the screw before attaching to the camera. It will change the position of the strap.

Just make sure that you still have enough threads to safely hold the camera.

[Gerlinde]

Great Tip! Thanks Peru, I may even have some in my garage....

[momoffduty]

Gerlinde, that monopod looks like mine just different number and about the price I paid. I use mine a lot. It fits in my camera sling bag, well just barely.

Good tip on the washers Peru!