GE AR . BIG GIMBALS
T he internet is replete with vintage film sequences that glide through the early 20th century on a boat or a car. Our interest in strapping cameras to people and vehicles remains as strong as ever, but technology now allows us to make anything – from a human to a helicopter – into a precision camera platform. We find ourselves discussing this just as the stabilisation supremos at DJI have been getting attention for the Ronin 4D. On one hand, it contains very few technologies that haven’t existed before; three-axis stabilisation is not new, wireless transmission is commonplace, and the camera is an example of the company’s existing Zenmuse range. Broadly similar optical focus assist features have been seen previously, in the form of
Qinematiq’s Image+. What’s new is fitting all that into such a compact and affordable package. There are downsides. While most reasonably lightweight lenses are usable with adaptation, remote focus requires the company’s own lens set. Many productions will want to choose a sensor and lens, so it seems unlikely that the standard arrangements are going anywhere fast. The Ronin 2 is the latest incarnation of the company’s larger option, and will support at least the miniature versions of full-size cinema cameras, even handling medium-size Super 35 zoom lenses. At the opposite end of the scale, vehicle-mounted stabilisers are perhaps best represented by Shotover, most famously seen nestled under the nose of many a camera helicopter. When a key part of a product’s feature set is that it avoids export restriction under ITAR arms control rules – as with several members of Shotover’s range – it’s clear we’re talking about a capable piece of equipment. The stabilisers range from the 80kg K1, to the G1 at 5.25kg; supported cameras necessarily vary with size and weight. All but the very smallest offer six- axis stabilisation, making the arrangement somewhat more than conventional. Handheld stabilisers control where a camera is pointing, but not necessarily where it is positioned. Keeping the camera pointed in a constant direction does the lion’s share of the work
UNDERBELLY The Shotover B1 (above) has six-axis stabilisation, and can be mounted on many vehicles
“Technology now allows us to make anything – from a human to a helicopter – into a precision camera platform” in creating a stable image, as every operator knows. GOOD VIBRATIONS High-frequency vibrations can create visible problems, only solved by shifting the camera around to compensate. Naturally, the amount of movement is fairly limited on most practical designs, but it’s enough to solve small, fast
MEMS It’s been possible to automatically stabilise camera mounts for decades. In the late seventies, around the time of the Apache with its stabilised cameras for reconnaissance and targeting, the Marconi company built the Heli-Tele mount for broadcast cameras. Then, classical spinning gyroscopes were required for alignment, but the mechanical approach is too noisy, heavy and power-hungry for portable applications like handheld gimbals. Modern designs are possible because of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), among the first widely deployed nanotechnologies; the level sensor looks like just another microchip, though some systems may still need the classic approach.
54. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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