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Camera rotation around center of the lens?

Stephen Pruitt

Stephen Pruitt

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Hi all. . .

I am wanting to do a shot where my camera rotates precisely around the center of the lens pointing out straight ahead.

Now, in Hollywood, I'm sure this would be easy, but I'm a poor indie filmmaker and wondering if there is an easier way than for me to do this than to build a camera mount on a wheel.

I'm only going to be doing like a 200 degree spin of the ol' One, but I'd like the ability to go further for shots and films to come.

Thanks much.

Stephen
 
Might be easier to just rent the head.. Ronford-Baker Mark IV 3 axis head will save you a ton of time and headaches .. plus your camera will be secure.
 
I suppose you are shooting with a red camera... If so then there is a really easy fix, that does not involve any rigs and is possible to adjust to taste in post... :)


Simply do this:

Epic got 2700 pixels in hight it's plenty if you compare to many others. so simply put on a wider lens, a lens that that is wide enough so you can frame your shot with the camera rolled 90degrees and also add a little bit extra. then you just shoot with the given lookaround and rotate your canvas in post.
If well lit and shot with a sharp lens you then have no issues and you get away from all the roll rigs that is quite difficult to calibrate and the are also quite intimidating in size, especially the onces that can make a smooth motion in and out of the spinn...

Or you rent our milo with perfectly laser calibrated camera aim and pre program your rolls to taste. but that comes with much more hassel and a totally different bill all together. :)
 
Bjorn knows his stuff. That could work, for sure.

I made a device years back called the Dyna Dutch that allowed rotation on the lens axis.

You might call Panavision and plead poverty. They had something called the Panatate. I bet they still have them, just have to blow the dust off.

Finally, yep, you'd have to make a wheel rig or makes something that works off a large bearing or shaft.
 
Basically if you really want to do it a wheel axis with good ball bearings and a welding torch is pretty much all you need. think of a barbeque grill with one of these things for spinning the chicken over the fire. :)

I actually done it once, large scale. not only did I need to spin the camera but at the same time the whole miniature set. I got the grip guy involved, Hasse, wich is not only the oldest grip here in stockholm but also the most experienced. So within a few hours me and him constructed something that could tip over the gravity of the small scaled set and not only that but while doing it also tilt the camera towards the sky... which would be the floor in the end of the take...

basically we made a huge grill stick and attached our mitchell S35 on hinches and also the miniature set, greenscreen and light was all attached.... then we had one chance to get the take. Nobody thought it would work but it actually came out splendid gravity went from down to up and the camera tiled up to see the dust and stuff leaving the ground. One of my best told you so moments actually :)

Have to show it, so here is the link:http://www.syndicate.se/Files/Projects/Hoover/Snurra_dirt-town.mov

Note the Mitchell in there with the tiltup done by gravity and angel adjusted with some straps and a little bungycord for smoothing the tilt :)

Important in the end of the shot you hear the producer.. saying something like.. "you where right benckert... it worked" love it.

Here is the resulting film, it's the shot where the tornado sucks the little dust guys out of the carpet... http://www.syndicate.se/Files/Projects/Hoover/hoover.mov

and the little web page coverage :http://www.syndicate.se/Default.aspx?Id=149


Sorry for derailing the tread but I got all nostalgic and wanted to show you my little spinning camera action :)
 
Make sure you build up the center of gravity using weights an the top mount of the cam so the camera is balanced on roll axis in the middle of the lens. You will need some kind of apparatus where motor control is behind the camera on the center of gravity line. A wheel sounds good. There's not really any other way.
 
Most people don't realize that the two axis version of the Weaver Steadman can be set up to do this easily. There is a "dutch angle" bracket that allows you to mount a strike plate to your beefy head of choice. Then make an "L" with the two tubes coming straight out the back and use one of the modules as a third axis. There is adjustability to get the right nodal centering. Not saying its elegant, especially if you are also panning and tilting in the same shot (though that is doable), but very straightforward. It's outlined in the manual. I never even new about it until I picked up a head recently. And W/S are common and cheap to rent.

I've been waiting and waiting for the Helix. Looks great. But I'm not holding my breath.
 

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Wow! That Letus Helix looks amazing!

Bjorn, totally cool shot!

We're shooting on the RED One, so I don't know if I want to push in that much, but since it is pretty much just a dream shot with tons of fog, it just might work. I'll try a test shot here at home and see how it works.

Otherwise, I think I'm in for some serious headaches.

Thanks much.

Stephen
 
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