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Epic on a Glidecam HD 4000

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Peter Cote

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I started using my Epic on my Glidecam HD 4000 this week by keeping accessories to a minimum and am happy to say that it works pretty well. Shots are smooth as butter after adjusting to the heavy weight. It's tiring that's for sure. Red Brick was my only counter balance, and I used a lightweight lens (Duclos 11-16). I posted a picture so you can see. I am hoping to post video examples soon too.

I was shooting primarily 300 FPS which is why I needed such a wide lens to counter the 2K crop. Even 11mm feels like a tight field of view with that crop, having an 8mm or 9.5mm Super 16 lens would be great for that. The Duclos 11-16 didn't hold up well with the crop and was quite soft.

AeWaj6tCMAA93C5.jpg:large
 
Tonaci Tran said:
How many minutes can you go before needing to put it down?
Click to expand...

I would say about 5 minutes but it depends on the shot. If I am running then much shorter. I have been using Glidecam's for over 7 years so my wrist is used to the exercise. Wouldn't recommend this setup to someone new to Glidecam, but I guess you have to start somewhere. That's how I got started.
 
I think it would be a heavier rig if you used redvolts. that adds to the weight of the camera which means you need more counter weight. Right now the battery is the perfect counterweight for the camera. Worth a shot though. I was actually going to try that first but my DSMC side handle hasn't arrived yet. I am happy with how this is working though.
 
What kind of stabilizer rig do you guys recommend ?
 
Thx for sharing
I thought about this too :o)
But might need some kind of vest for longer shoots/days
 
REDone + GLIDECAM HD4000 (Balanced)
I'm using this with Modified X-10 set up for two years without issues...

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I use a setup similar to this for simple steadicam shots (I prefer to spend the money on a REAL operator if the camera needs to 'perform' too).

Difference is that we use a long LCD cable to drop the 5" screen to the base and power from sidehandle redvolts. The screen counterbalances the small battery just fine and makes the rig much lighter overall as well as allowing a more traditional (and safe) mode of operation where you can see what you're treading on ;)
 
Nice Peter - looks like something I might try.

You might look into the Peleng 8mm for your 2k work - good wide angle in 2k mode and also crazy funky fisheye in 4k.

As for 2k not being sharp, I did some sharpening in post that really made the difference. Just a bit of sharpening in Final Cut and it looks very much like super 16 to me.
 
Nice setup. Thanks for posting this Peter.
 
I have a question: you can tilt the RED LCD, right? How much does that affect the balance? Does it move by itself or is it stable?
 
I have the same Glidecam, and this is exactly what I want to do (once my Epic gets to my house!!).

Question: how have you securely attached the battery plate to the base?
And how do you balance it like that?
Normally I need to carefully adjust the counterweights.
 
Felix K. said:
I have a question: you can tilt the RED LCD, right? How much does that affect the balance? Does it move by itself or is it stable?
Click to expand...

Yes the RED LCD can tilt, which can change the balance....but since the Glidecam HD-4000 has a
Fine Adjustment Camera Balance Platform you can quickly bring the system back into balance
by simply turning the balance knobs.
 
Martin Stevens said:
Yes the RED LCD can tilt, which can change the balance....but since the Glidecam HD-4000 has a
Fine Adjustment Camera Balance Platform you can quickly bring the system back into balance
by simply turning the balance knobs.
Click to expand...

Yep that's correct, it's easy to make quick fine tuned adjustments.

As for the question on how I mounted the battery plate, I am using the Red Cradle which has holes for mounting. I tried using these but I couldn't get it to fit snuggly enough so I just used a few #1 clamps and it was perfect. The clamps are lightweight and allow for quick removal if needed.
 
I was planning on using the HD4000 with Epic. To that end, I have RED's Battery Belt Clip on my shopping list. Do you guys think running the battery cable from camera to a belt clip could cause problems with rig movement?
 
Petri Teittinen said:
I was planning on using the HD4000 with Epic. To that end, I have RED's Battery Belt Clip on my shopping list. Do you guys think running the battery cable from camera to a belt clip could cause problems with rig movement?
Click to expand...

It could cause problems with movement. When I run cables off the rig I make sure they run down my arm since that is where it is connected to my body. One of the problems is that Red's cables are very stiff so even while leaving some slack it can create tension. Also if you use a belt clip then you will have to add counter weights in its' place at the bottom of the rig so I wouldn't even say that it helps you in any way.
 
Thanks Peter. I was worried that might be the case. So either mount the battery (V-mount) on the camera or use the battery as a weight like Kwan did.
 
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