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Monopod – The lost stabilizer.

November 7, 2010 By

article by Jeremy, one of this site contributor…

Doing a search for video stabilization on the web will bring you tons of great gadgets and gizmos.  Each is great and the tricks DIY folks provide to the masses are a great reference for those Hollywood style shots that make filming great. I am actually going to write about one that rarely comes up in searches, the monopod, and why I think that for the price and versatility it provides –  it is one of the strongest stabilizers in my arsenal.

A couple disclaimers first though.  A monopod is not an end all stabilizer.  While it is great at getting rid of  nearly all vertical vibrations, you can still mess up a shot if your not paying attention to the horizon.  Footage filmed with a crooked horizon line will need to be fixed in post and when that happens you lose the clarity of your video.  Be careful to make sure the shots are straight before filming.  I know this is basic stuff, but a simple reminder never hurts.

I think most monopods are the same: a screw on an extensible pole that you attach your camera to.  Sure there are better quality ones made from unbreakable lightweight material, but I personally have a $30 model that I bought for a recent trip to Alaska.  I needed a stabilizer that didn’t raise red flags in security and didn’t cost me an arm and a leg to check in.  Mine fit in my carry on bag, and if they dont want you to bring it on the plane, the price of mailing it back wouldn’t be nearly as hard on the wallet as a tripod.

Look at models with a pan or fluid head.  I really wish I had this on my trip.  The pan head will help you get a more unique shot.

I love my monopod for the following reasons.:

1. Affordability.

Starting at a measly $18 on B&H, the simple monopod is a great way to get the steady shot that you need for very little money.

2. Traverse.

Lightweight and efficient, almost all monopods can fit or attach to a gear bag taking up little room for people who like to shoot b-roll while walking around.  When shooting in the city, a monopod is a simple and effective way to avoid disturbing sidewalk traffic and the fact you can pick up and move it with little hassle is worth it’s weight in gold.

3. Easy and quick setup

Created with photographers in mind, the monopod is all set for your HDLSR.  The shots I got were simple but effective for what I needed.  I was even able to do a handheld rack focus with ease.  You can’t get any easier than screwing a handle to your camera.

4. No/little vibrations

Part of the reason vibrations screw up shots with the HDSLR’s is the famous jello effect you can get on footage.  The jello effect can happen with shoulder rigs and more.  The monopod is the most cost efficient way to stabilize your video besides the basic tripod.

5. Perfect for capturing b-roll

With all the above mentioned, capturing b-roll on the go can be less cumbersome than setting up a tripod for each shot.  Most of the time you can barely tell that the shots came from a monopod.

The one reason why I don’t like my monopod:

1. You can’t set your camera up to be hands free.

This is a silly reason, but it still should be mentioned.  You will need to carry a towel or a bag with you at all times to put your camera on if you need both hands.  It’s a monopod – if your not holding it up, something else will have to.

Comments from the Admin

I am not a big monopod fan, it just does fit with my shooting style BUT I do carry a monopod to use it as a camera crane.

While you cant control the tilt angle of the camera, it is still possible to get some decent shots by holding the monopod over a group of people. This is best done with a tall monopod and a wide lens (24mm to 35mm). You can then boom up/down the group and get some interesting shots.

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iMovie 11 review

November 4, 2010 By

iMovie is one of these apps may proish shooter dont want to touch, yet could benefit a lot from. I know because I used to be in this category. iMovie felt too amateurish compared to FCP for me to even dare to use it. At each iLife release, I would give it a shot but never managed to complete a project, always feeling too restricted.

Enters iMovie11. It is still very amateurish at its core (Movie trailers & themes), yet it has some very practical features which make it a great tool to edit something in a rush or to get a draft.

Lets review some of its key features.

Good

Edit native H.264

The first of these features is that you do not need to transcode your clips to ProRes. It saves times and HD space so you can start editing as soon as you are home.

Visual segment selection

Being able to visually select clip segments without having to watch the whole clip is extremely useful. While it is not new and it is also (somewhat) possible in Final Cut, it has to be my favourite feature of iMovie.

Rolling shutter

This little checkbox took a lot of people by surprise. First because it is not advertised on Apple site and second because it actually works. Well, for panning shots. You still have to be careful about jelloying your clip but at least pans are not a dont-do anymore.

FCP XML export

Once you have your rough cut, you can export the clip into a FCP XML file to continue the edit in FCP (or Premiere). I dont know if this features was there in previous version but its the first time I went far enough in my edits to make use of it.

Less good

Clip import

iMovie gives you two choices regarding clips import: either move the files to your project folder or copy them. There is no way to just reference them. I guess the development team does not want to confuse users so they decided to put all project related files in a single directory.

Clip grading

No matter which clip I used, I never managed to make the adjustment sliders work. They systematically destroy my clips. If you are not planning to grade your clips in another software, I highly suggest to not shoot flat or you will end up with a near impossible clip to grade in iMovie.

Compression

While iMovie offers presets to most popular video sharing sites, there are no ways to control the quality of each of these presets. And unfortunately, these presets really damage image quality. If you want to do something decent, you either have to use the QT export or Compressor (via FCP XML).

No precise editing

While I love the fast and rough way to select clips to insert in the timeline, I wish there was a way to trim clips at a specific timecode.

Overall impression

If you can’t afford Final Cut or Premiere Pro, iMovie is the way to go. It is way better than Premiere Element (which was a big deception). Then again, even if you cut using pro apps, you may want to give it a shot, it is fun!

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FoV test video Full frame (5DMrkii) vs 1.6x crop (7D)

November 1, 2010 By

My friend Chad sent me this link (thanks!). While most 5DMrkII owners realize the difference between a cropped sensor and the real thing, those who don’t own one usually miss why we love our 5D that much! This is especially true when shooting with a super wide lens.

Actually, there are two cases where I prefer cropped sensors: macro shots (for the same minimum focus distance, you get a bigger magnification factor) and for portrait/headshots since you can use a 50mm f1.4 as if it was a 80mm (which is a great focal range for portraits) or when using a 85L as a 135mm which make even the 135L looks bad.

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iPad light painting = cool!

October 25, 2010 By

These guys put light painting to a whole new level of complexity! Oh, and it is shot with an HDSLR ;-)

Making Future Magic: iPad light painting from Dentsu London on Vimeo.

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Filed Under: On the web, Video Tagged With:

Shape WLB Composite Review (HDSLR Rig)

October 20, 2010 By

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure to shoot a movie for a friend (more on this in another post). Since we were shooting for the Kino Kabaret (kind of a film festival), we had access to a lot of sponsored gear which is how I managed to put my hands on the  Shape WLB Composite. I already talked about the Sumo a while ago, the composite is its big brother.

The good

The best part about this rig is the quick handle system. Simply put, they are the best handles I have used on a HDSLR rig. Contrary to those on the old Sumo which had a bit of slack, once set, these handles wont move at all. If you want to change their angle, simply press the red button at the end of the handle and adjust them to the desired position and you are set. If it takes you more than 3 seconds, you are slow.

The next improvement over the Sumo are the multiple adjustment knobs. Contrary to the Sumo which is built in a straight line, the composite can off-set the camera to the side which make it much easier to use my Z-Finder. Every single part of the rig can be adjusted using either red levers (almost as good as those from Zacuto) or black knob. While it can take a few tries to find the perfect adjustment, once you found it, the rig is both comfortable and super stable.

The less good

The rig was given to me already assembled and looking at the assembly plan, I am glad it was. Contrary to the Zacuto Striker and other small HDSLR rigs which can be setup in less than 2 minutes, the Composite takes some time to assemble and requires tools. Nothing serious when you are aware of it but it could cause some issues if you are in the middle of nowhere and need to make an adjustment.

The only issue we had with the rig was the #$%#% camera plate. I am used to work with the Manfrotto plate system. They are pretty much the standard in photography/videography so I was surprised to see Shape using a different kind of triangle shaped plate. This plate caused us a few issues: first we had to figure out how to remove it from the holder (not as easy as it sounds, some blood was spilled) then we had to used a screw driver to attach it to the camera. This is for me the biggest problem: you dont want to have to use a screw driver every time you want to attach/remove your camera from the rig. It is another piece of gear to keep track of which can get lost and it slows down the shooting. That being said, the plate system is very sturdy and I was never afraid about the camera falling off the rig.

Finally, the rig is priced in the upper end of the market segment. At about 1500$, it is expensive but one has to realize that compared to toys rigs like the RRM Nano series, this is a pro level rig. It will outlast every other piece of gear you own. At least, it feels like it would.

Conclusion

Like I said in my initial review of the Sumo, this rig is perfect for everyone but the traveling videographer (who needs something more compact). It is stable, comfortable, extremely durable, comes with everything you need out of the box and will fit pretty much every physiognomy. If it was not for the tool requirements, I would have given it a perfect score.

Note: I am really sorry about the pictures. We were so busy on the day of the shoot that I totally forgot to take pictures of the rig so I had to use Shape promo pics.

Gear discussed in this review

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DIY slider: Igus is looking at the market more seriously

October 14, 2010 By

About a year go, I made my initial post about the DIY Igus slider. Back then, sliders were a bit of a novelty for HDSLR users and the DIY way was the only affordable solution.

Since then, manufacturers have reacted and are offering commercial alternatives at various price points.

Still, I think the DIY slider made out of Igus part gives the best bang for your buck. Its only flaw was the DIY part which required some drilling (and potential errors…). Igus noticed and they are now selling a pre-drilled version, the only thing left to do is attaching the ball head and tripod. Cant get simpler than that and at 150$, it is a fraction of similar solutions.

Small advice: while tempting, dont put any lubricant on the slider. Igus parts are designed to work without lubricant and while spraying some could improve the sliding motion, it will leave residues which will force you to use lubricant every time you want to use it afterward.

Also, some people inquired about the DIY electric slider I have been talking about. It is still not finished. My first version was a total disaster so I decided to revise the whole design.

You can get it here from Amazon.

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Just announced: EVF from Red Rock Micro

September 27, 2010 By

Red Rock Micro just announced an electronic view finder. And no, I am not going to bitch about it because I think it is a product with great potential. Of course it is still vaporware until it is released, just like the micro remote (and all the product prototypes in my garage), but the concept and spec sheet look promising. And lets admit it, it is a much needed part for every rig!

Its pricing is extremely aggressive. For a bit more than a Z-finder, you get something that is way better and more flexible. Pressing the add to cart button is a nobrainer from a cost perspective.

I am also very interested by the advanced assist features they are hinting about. I guess it will have some zebra and other contrast based tools to help focusing. What ever it is, it will be welcome! I just wonder how we will control these features since I could not find any buttons on the pictures (or HDMI cable for that matter).

From the press release, it looks like a very solid product. My only worry is about the up-scaling of the HDMI signal to make it fit the 1.2m dot LCD. Most up-scalers do a crappy job but I guess we will only know how good it is once it is released.

Now please, give us a realistic shipping date!

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Killing your baby

September 26, 2010 By

No, I am not planning to kill my cute baby girl Victoria, I am quoting Stu in his book “The DV Rebel Guide” (if I remember correctly, lost the bock when I moved). What he means is that once you give away your footage for someone else to edit, they are going to do everything but what you originally had in mind with it.

A few months ago, I shot a video clip for one of my friend, which I talked about here. Due to some divergence of art vision,  my friend and I decided it would be better if he found someone else to finish the edit so I gave the guy all  my clips. No hard feelings, I was stuck in a dead end and the wife delivered the baby girl the same week so there was no way I would find enough time to fix the clip.

When I gave the original files to my friend, I knew I was killing my baby: that the end result would not look and feel like what I had in mind. It was a strange feeling.

Fast forward a few weeks and now my friend released the official version of the clip on YouTube. Wish I was at the party but then again, baby girl screwed up my schedule. Here is an advice: dont commit to anything once you have a baby, you are not the master of your schedule anymore.

I find it interesting to see how the clips differ. While the official version is cut in a much better way, mine follows a logical process and put more emphasis on the look and feel.

It is to be expected, I have a photography background while the other guy is an editor. By the way, which one do you  prefer?

It was the first time I edited something then had someone else use the same clips to do another version and I find it very interesting because:

  • you see what you could have done
  • it is a great way to assess yourself
  • you can compare vision

I highly suggest to everyone to try it sometime. Be warned, it is very humbling!

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7D shooting video at 1000fps

September 16, 2010 By

Saw this video in Gizmodo

7D 1000 fps from Oton Bačar on Vimeo.

Looks pretty cool, he?

Before you go out and load Twixtor, you should understand that you are probably not going to achieve such good results without a lot of planing. Twixtor is good, but you have to give it some help if you want it to generate (1000/60=16.6 – 1 (original frame) = 15) about 15 missing images for each ‘real’ one. I have personally achieve such good results but on other hand, I never tried to pump it up over 120fps…

So here is the recipe check list:

  • First shoot against a solid background (most of the slomo shots are against the sky).
  • Then set the camera on a tripod so only the movement in the clip is the one you want to slow down.
  • Finally, use a super high shutter speed to prevent any motion blur.

I think this last point is the key that a lot of people are missing. The 1/50 sec shutter speed is not a magical number. It is simply the double of the frame rate. Since the insane frame rate is done in post, the shutter speed could be anything required to get a sharp image, probably over 1/1000 in this case. When doing pixel interpolation, you need a sharp image to make it easier for Twixtor to ‘guess’ where the pixels should go next. If it is all blurry, it will not be able to know where to place the pixels

Someone in the comment mentioned the Casio Exilim EX-FS10. This little point and shoot can shoot 210 fps at 720p or 30fps in JPEG mode! Of course image quality is not in the same league as an HDSLR but still, I want one! And at 110$ it is cheaper than Twixtor and it is probably going to pay for itself in one shooting session! If you have a bit more budget, the EX-FH100 is an even better alternative.

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Final Cut Pro Smoothcam vs Coremelt Lock and Load X

September 2, 2010 By

Guest post by Jeremy…

Video stabilization is a great tool for tweaking and smoothing video that was shot with out (or even with) the use of some sort of rigging to keep the vibrations at a low rate. I use Final Cut Pro to edit my video, and have always been impressed with the results of the default Smoothcam filter/effect. I was asked by Alain to do a review on CoreMelt Lock and Load X and give my honest opinion.

I ran the video through 2 different tests, the first was a simple pan that was shot without the use of my tripod. The footage was about equal on both parties results. I was impressed with Lock & Loads X (LLX) speed. It took Final Cut Pro over 2 minutes to analyze the footage, while LLX analyzed it in under 15 seconds, with a render of about 20 more seconds. The final end product were about the same. I left everything on the default settings for this run and was impressed with the results.

For the second footage, I decided to test a moving object, an old spinning mill wheel at a local resort. FCP’s Smoothcam took over 5 minutes to analyze the footage, while LLX took only 45 seconds with a render time of 30 seconds after that. These results were not as cut and dry.

The Smoothcam render has a noticeable wave coming from the right side of the screen, at the base of the mill. If your looking at it, the footage seems like it is spinning. I know this is due to the fact of how Smoothcam processes the data.

LLX’s footage was a bit rough around the edges, I had to go in and play with the settings to get a decent shot. I actually ran the footage through two different ways, one in the “lockdown” stabilization mode, the other in the “smooth single shot” option. I was not as impressed with the footage. I did some tweaking on the “lockdown” mode to get it as smooth as possible. I admit, I could be doing something wrong, but compared to the “smooth single shot” the footage was better. The “smooth single shot” mode is the default setting when you start LLX to process the footage, and what I have noticed on the video I shot (along with the video on the demo real on Coremelt’s website) is that when using this method, the stabilized video becomes wavy, almost like your video was being projected onto a white screen blowing in the wind. With the hints of movement, it can make your audience feel seasick. I am going to continue using the trial and if I come across findings that alter my judgement, I will post them below.

Pros

It’s fast, and non intrusive to the editing process. The whole process is very easy and the support from CoreMelt’s website walks you through step by step with great explanations on the science that goes on behind the scenes. Coremelt’s plug ins have a reign of success because they are efficient at what they do. For panning shots, I encourage you to try the LLX plugin.

Cons

I was not impressed with the really shaky footage. The warping effect would deter me from using this plugin on anything more than panning shots. Any action shot I ran through the process was playing too many tricks on my eyes. Even though I got the same experience with the Smoothcam filter, I was more impressed with the footage for shots like this. Even on the footage they have on their website’s demo reel, the you can see there are issues with the periodic wave of pixels going in and out.

Result

As stated before, panning shots are awesome and LLX is a time saver. Is it worth the $150 price tag… not in my opinion. Even the time ratio equation doesn’t work for me. Since Smoothcam can work in the background, it isn’t so intrusive I would consider buying a program to help, I would invest it in better stabilizing gear to get the proper shot in the first place. I am not badmouthing CoreMelt’s programs, they have other great plugins you should try for yourself.

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