I am deciding whether I should get a glidecam smooth shooter or shoulder rig. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one over the other?
-
✅ Technical and creative solutions for your film.
✅ Screenplay formatting help, plot and story guidance.
✅ A respectful community of professionals and newbies.
✅ Network with composers, editors, cast, crew, and more!
🎬 IndieTalk - Filmmaking and Screenwriting help site and community.
By filmmakers, for filmmakers since 2003
cinematography glidecam vs. shoulder rig
- Thread starter wparrish24
- Start date
You can focus on a shoulder rig and you can't when flying, well at least not without an electronic follow focus and another person to pull/operate it. Video cams with a deep DOF on infinite wide focus work on many cameras while others use auto focus while some operators try to stay within a specific focal range.
From personal experience, shoulder rigs are great, but the temptation is to overuse it and forgo creative use of your tripod.
I have the Glidecam X-10 system and don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would. You'll get more use out of the shoulder rig IMO.
No matter what you do, have fun and good luck.