Which Glidecam!?

[Cameron M]

Im your regular run of the mill guy with a T3i. So I was just curious if from ya'lls experience, either of these perform better than the other enough to spend more money, or if there is a product I should be looking at that I havent mentioned.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...abilizing.html


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...er_System.html

[kmediavideo]

For just a DSLR and lens, the 1000 will be perfect for you. It's all by weight. The 4000 is made for 10 pounds of camera, the 1000 is made for 3 pounds. If you were to buy the 4000 you would need to add weight to the camera or the top of the steadicam.

[Cameron M]

Thank you, I was also curious if there was a reasonable difference between the 'HD' and the 'Pro'

[Cameron M]

HD 2000 works with your camera, HD 1000 could be difficult. If you use only "cheap" lenses it'll work.

And what of the 2000 PRO?

[kmediavideo]

there is no difference between HD and not. HD is just the new version. The only differences are the numbers, and that's size.

[kmediavideo]

In the newer, HD versions, they also made it easier to level out the glidecam on top of it using screws and also on the bottom by distributing the weight farer out (sp?). And it looks better.

Interesting. I'll have to take a closer look at those. Seems like a nice little addition. They'd let you distribute the weight (further) out to balance it to your personal preference.

[al dolega]

With the Pro versions there's just slots with tightening/locking screws running through them. You loosen the screws and then the stage (the part the camera sits on) can be adjusting by sliding along the slots. You slide/nudge it to where you want it, and tighten the screws back down.

With the HD versions, there's still tightening/locking screws, but the stages move along a threaded rod with a little knob on it (imagine how a bench vise works- you spin the handle and the jaw moves in or out). So you loosen the screws, and then you use the knob to slowly move the stage to where you want (much easier than trying to slide the stage over a tiny smidge on the Pro's). Then you tighten the screws back down.

Both will work just as well once adjusted. The HD is just easier/faster to adjust, which is important if you're using different lenses or even different cameras on one glidecam. But if you're just using one camera/lens/mic combo, like 90% of skate filmers are doing, then just get the Pro, spend slightly more time adjusting it the first time, and use the extra money on something else.

Either way, get a quick-release adapter. This is a plate that you mount to the top stage, that has a corresponding plate that you mount to the camera, and the two just pop together (just like a tripod and its plate). It will allow you, after the glidecam is adjusted, to just pop the camera on and off, without having to re-adjust each time. I went for the Manfrotto 577 adapter for my glidecam and my shoulder rig, because it uses the same plate as my tripod, so I can easily pop the camera off one and onto the other.

[Kurbles]

Similar question - would the HD-1000 work with a 60D and the kit lens? I got a 100 dollar amazon gift card I want to use on a glidecam but the HD-2000 models are all sold out

[al dolega]

All you've gotta do is look up the weight capacity of the HD1000 and the weights of the body and lens.

I'd re-prioritize your spending, though. Lenses are a lot more important than a glidecam. The kit lens is also gonna be hard to fly, as 18mm is not very wide.

[fortunate few]

i've used 18-135mm kit lenses on a glidecam 2000 hd. One weight on either side. Felt fine and footage came out fine. For skating you're going to want something wider.

get the 2000HD and future proof yourself. You'll get more gear in the future ie; professional (heavy) lesnes, mics, onboard lights, battery grips etc..

the 1000 will be maxed our right when you get it.