• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

Question about using a lens with no image stabilization.

I am trying to get a short film shoot off the ground, and hopefully we can start shooting soon. However, I have a 50mm prime lens, but the lens has no 'image stabilization'. I can see what people mean when they say IS is better, cause of I put my DSLR onto a steadicam and then move it around, the lens having no IS does cause more shake compare to a lens with IS. So is their a way I can make the 50mm prime not shake or do something DIY to give it IS, or can I avoid the shake, or what I can I do? It seems a steadicam is not enougn and you need IS, when doing tracking shots, when you want to follow actors walking. So what can I do for walking tracking shots?

Thanks.
 
A steadicam is a form of IS.. "steady" cam... Practice is the key to getting a steady image from the camera no matter what the lens. Have you ever seen cinema lenses with image stabilization? Practice each shot on your list (you did make a list right?) and then practice it again, until it is smooth. Sorry but those are the facts. IS can be helpful but only if you can afford it, and also only helps so much with a moving camera.
Post production programs can be used to help out too, so don't forget to research those, and then balance it with what your budget allows.
 
icba has it right, practice with any kind of steadicam should do the trick.
But if it's still a problem, stuff the kit lens back on that T2i for the duration of that shot and then go back to the 50mm prime on a tripod after that.
 
Well the movement looks better for when the actors are walking instead of still shots. There is also one shot that moves and changes into another shot, where I would have to cut otherwise, and figure I could just change the shot by movement while shooting, instead of cutting and re-setting another shot. However, I will make them still shots if I have to.
 
a little movement goes a long way.

Id avoid steady cam, its too much a specific skill that you need serious expertise to do well. Though, renting a MOVI or similar gyro rig sorta makes me rethink that.

Id stick to short jib on good sticks and a good fluid head for most everything. For real tracking shots, Id use a dolly.

You can combine a dolly and jib rig for some serious versatility, which is what I did for the tracking shot on "The Hot Rod" (starting at 1:59) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmNDpBHHbp4

Handheld is good, with some added mass.

Also, try a wider lens. Using my 50mm on my hand held rig works pretty good, but with the 28 it gets way easier.
 
Okay thanks. Right now, I was planning on using a homemade steadicam. I can use a 24mm for wider shots, but there is one shot I would like to move the camera during face close ups, and I want to use the 50, cause otherwise the faces will have barrel distortion. However, I might be able to make a homemade slider to accomplish that shot. I think that if I keep practicing with the homemade I will get better, or I hope. However, a lot of public places don't mind shooting with a steadicam, but will call your movie an official 'production' if you bring in dolly and tracks. Plus the dolly and tracks takes longer to set it up, when you want to do quicker guerilla shoots when everyone is on a time limit.

So is it possible to get an easier steadicam, while not as good, that is acceptable, or some sort of apparatus that can be used, that just not have to be a dolly?

I can get a slider for short shots, that you don't want to last as long. However, if I want to do a longer walk and talk shot where I put the camera, in front of the actors and back it up as they walk. The problem is, is that if I made a DIY slider that is long enough, eventually, you will start to see the slider in the shot. Are their any DIY sliders, or sliders, you can get, where the slider moves back with the camera, so you can slide it a few meters, without it coming into view, while moving backward?
 
Last edited:
Tight moving shots are gonna be jib or dolly.

Regarding time: It takes as long as it takes. And frankly you'll spend as much time lighting as you will setting up a dolly.

And if the shot is tight you'll never see tracks. IS will not smooth bad steadicam. Some post stabilization might help, but good steadicam is done by experienced operators. If you practice to the point where you're getting acceptable results, great.

Okay thanks. Right now, I was planning on using a homemade steadicam. I can use a 24mm for wider shots, but there is one shot I would like to move the camera during face close ups, and I want to use the 50, cause otherwise the faces will have barrel distortion. However, I might be able to make a homemade slider to accomplish that shot. I think that if I keep practicing with the homemade I will get better, or I hope. However, a lot of public places don't mind shooting with a steadicam, but will call your movie an official 'production' if you bring in dolly and tracks. Plus the dolly and tracks takes longer to set it up, when you want to do quicker guerilla shoots when everyone is on a time limit.

So is it possible to get an easier steadicam, while not as good, that is acceptable, or some sort of apparatus that can be used, that just not have to be a dolly?

I can get a slider for short shots, that you don't want to last as long. However, if I want to do a longer walk and talk shot where I put the camera, in front of the actors and back it up as they walk. The problem is, is that if I made a DIY slider that is long enough, eventually, you will start to see the slider in the shot. Are their any DIY sliders, or sliders, you can get, where the slider moves back with the camera, so you can slide it a few meters, without it coming into view, while moving backward?
 
Well I am going to have to hold the boom more likely so I am getting a friend to practice. But she did some good practice shots so far. I've seen shakier cam in Hollywood like the Bourne films and the hunger games, so we are able to get less shaky movement than those movies. Is the shake acceptable if it less than those movies?
 
Iv done a lot of very tight walking handheld, not steady cam, but hand held rig with my 50mm. You don't want a razor thin depth of field, if its outside day light stop the lens down as much as you can get a way with. Having a field of view that is too narrow makes it very hard to keep focus. Iv heard of various tricks, one is to tie a string around your waist and the waist of the subject, your job is to always keep tension on the string, the actors job is to pull you around.

Id say you were better off with a decent hand held setup with counter balance, eye loupe, and follow focus than any inexpensive steady cam.
 
Okay thanks. Well my steadicam is just a $30 homemade one. I wasn't planning on shooting with shallow DOF anyway. I was going to use 100 watt halogen lights, at probably f4, if that's enough depth of field.
 
I think a $30 diy shoulder rig will function WAY better that a $30 steady cam.

Use pvc pipe to build the rig https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNCwPDXODMs

Build a hose clamp FF

followfocus.jpg

http://petapixel.com/2010/10/21/make-a-simple-diy-follow-focus-for-6/
 
Okay thanks. In my storyboards there are at least two shots I want to be moving. For the walking one, I could use a tripod, but I want to stay in front of the two actors walking the whole time. Cause the tripod you have to track them more sideways, and it just doesn't look as good. With the steadicam or shoulder-cam, you can stay in front the whole time, keep it on their facial emotions, and don't have to worry about walking out of frame, and having to pan with them. It just creates a different emotional feeling, if you are in front of them the whole time and moving back. The tripod is not really a substitute, because it creates a different feeling it seems.

For the other shot, I want to do a movement like this, at about 4:21 into this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HrN9Djl6JI

If I do that movement with a tripod, it just doesn't have the same feeling that you get with a steadicam or shouldercam, and with a tripod it just doesn't look as smooth by comparison, since the tripod as to rotate too much sort of.
 
Back
Top