Making movies
“The must-have accessory is the motorised three-axis gimbal, which is pretty much stock-in-trade for many serious filmmakers”
If it sounds massively expensive, you may be surprised to learn that a slider like the Konova P1 S3 has all those features and costs just £259. You get a lightweight carbon-fibre slider with a quiet motor which is controlled by a free smartphone app. It can take a payload of 10kg when used horizontally, but this drops to 1kg if you use it vertically. The app also allows for time-lapse, multi- shot and live motion movements, as well as regular slides that can be controlled manually. Syrp’s systems include motorised sliders and even cable cams that can be used on long cable runs strung up over large distances. In the heights If you are serious about interesting camera moves, then there are other options – mainly involving getting your camera off the ground. The most obvious is a drone, which can be used for aerial shots, of course, but also at a low level to follow vehicles, for example. You do need to read the government code and abide by it, and if your drone is more then 250g then you need to take a test, too. But this can boost your film’s production values out of sight. Alternatively, a range of jibs and cranes are available. Here, the camera fixes onto an extending arm which is usually mounted to a large tripod. There’s a counterbalance weight at the other end of the arm to stop it toppling over. You will need a way of monitoring the footage, such as by an app if you use a mirrorless camera. You’re not going to get as high as a drone, but they can manage smooth reveal shots – making your film look like it was shot by a large crew. Whatever you use, keep it smooth and steady and you will be rewarded with far more polished, professional and cinematic films. PN
HANDS-FREE Film at a distance with the Manfrotto MVG300XM gimbal (above), using its remote-control touchscreen shot, perform smooth dolly in or dolly out moves, do slow sideways reveals like a slider, or even take time-lapse or motion-lapse shots. Some setting up and balancing is required for your specific camera and lens combo, but manufacturers are making this easier than ever with some clever design features. Instead of having to constantly touch the gimbal or even the camera to change settings, touchscreens allow remote control of both, often letting you monitor the shots in real time. You don’t have to mount an external monitor any more, and particular gimbal models even have built-in LED lights and a mic, too. With some of the latest units, you are able to transmit the video signal for miles and control the gimbal from the same remote unit – or even employ it, or your mobile phone, as a motion-control device instead of wheels and buttons. Look at Manfrotto’s MVG300XM, which can be used as a conventional gimbal, but also splits in half by just unlocking a lever. It lets you mount the gimbal to a tripod or boom and use the handle as a remote- control unit from up to a claimed 183cm/72in. Zhiyun gimbals are intended for owners of mirrorless cameras; its latest products are affordable and packed with user-friendly features. The Crane-M2 S combo majors on being as small and light as possible, while the Weebill 3 Professional is for bigger payloads. Slider way A slider is a long rail that you mount your camera to, allowing it to slide along to give great ‘reveal’ shots or expose details of a product or scene. The cheapest and simplest are aluminium rails, available in a variety of lengths. With these, you mount a camera to the carriage on top – ideally with a ball head – then manually push it along the slider. But there are far more advanced options that employ carbon-fibre rails, mechanical devices that automatically turn the camera as it slides, and powered options controlled via a smartphone.
quickly without having to mess with leg locks. Lots also have mounting points, accepting articulating arms to hold accessories like monitors. Many tripods that are packed with all these newfangled features are designed for larger cameras, but Libec’s new HS tripod has a simple counterbalance system that works for lighter mirrorless and DSLR cameras. The tripod legs have a mid- level spreader and use a standard Manfrotto-fit plate. All the big tripod brands – such as Manfrotto, Benro, Vanguard and Sirui – offer a range of video tripods and heads. If a tripod is just too much to carry, a video-specific monopod can work well at keeping motion smooth. These differ from stills monopods because they often feature a small, fluid-damped head on the top as well
as three small legs at the bottom that act as support feet. Take a gamble on a gimbal The must-have video accessory is the motorised three-axis stabilising gimbal, which is pretty much stock- in-trade for many serious filmmakers. And they are not as complicated or expensive as you might imagine. These wonders of mechanical and electronic engineering have largely taken over from mechanical-style counterweight systems as they are easier to set up, faster to use and offer more options, with smooth motion that must be seen to be believed. A gimbal can cut you free from your tripod to let you capture unique moving shots that just aren’t possible any other way. You can walk behind or in front of a subject for a tracking
RAISE THE GAME The DJI Mavic 3 Classic is a great option for smooth video when filming in elevation the dreaded effect where you stop panning and the tripod bounces back a bit. If this happens, try reducing the drag. The bounce-back effect is often caused by a lesser-quality tripod; you get what you pay for, usually. Plenty of video tripods include spreaders, which allow you to fold out the legs to a desired position
STEADY ON Zhiyun’s Crane-M2 S is a particularly strong choice for any owners of a mirrorless camera
Issue 106 | Photography News 27
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