MOVE IT!
“At the heart of everything is the humble tripod– but what’smore important is the quality of the head”
important is the quality of the head. Ideally, you want adjustable counterbalance to stop the payload frommaking the head droop, plus highly adjustable pan and tilt managed by a fluid-damped system. Look for one that doesn’t bounce back when you stop moving, as this looks amateurish. Lots of tripod brands make great heads, but some of the best are found in Sachtler’s Aktiv8 range or the Manfrotto Nitrotech series. The Sachtler’s quick-release allows camera operators to mount, level and lock the head in seconds – and switch quickly from tripod, slider or handheld shots. Manfrotto’s Move system is a modular quick-release that allows similarly speedy change. And SmallRig makes top-quality, super-compact heads if you want to keep your kit as tiny as possible. For linear motion, there are remote-controlled sliders and cable cams of all kinds. Many high-spec systems are for big productions – but for more affordable options, Syrp offers a range of hardware. The heart of the Syrp system is the useful £433/$482 Genie One device, which can create measured movements on a slider or tripod, ideal for time-lapse as well as motion control. On a tripod, it makes for some strong panning
TWO IN ONE The Manfrotto MVG300XM (above) works like a normal gimbal, or may be split in the middle for remote control
GOLDEN SYRP The Genie kit is a winner, bringing easy motion control to sliders and tripods
shots, while fitting it to a slider allows for great control. The larger Genie II costs £1440/$1713, but includes a motorised pan-and-tilt head function. Add on the £749/$963 Genie II Linear and you get full three-axis remote control. The £129/$160 Syrp Genie Micro is a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth camera remote that gives full command through the Syrp App. On top of this, ISO, shutter speed and aperture can be adjusted remotely – and
HEAVEN PAN WAIT A quality tripod head like this Sachtler is divine for tilting and panning
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