Optimal Frame Rate/Shutter Speed Settings for Glidecam/Steadicam?

[C Barker]

Hi there,

I have just taken some footage using the Scarlet with a Glidecam and the results are quite disappointing (shot at 24fps / 48s shutter).

If anyone can please let me know the best frame rate and shutter settings to avoid motion problems (but without negatively affecting the look of the shot) I would hugely appreciate it.

Many thanks...

 

[Eric M Hurt]

What kind of problems? The frame rate and shutter have nothing to do with how well the rig is operated. Slow motion and wide lenses are much more forgiving, but for general work with dialog 180 degrees and 24FPS are very common.

 

[Jason Nolte]

The 180 degree shutter is fairly standard with steadicam work. Getting a balanced rig (which is the hard part), using a wide angle and a reasonable amount of practicing getting smooth moves are the secret sauce.

 

[Eric M Hurt]

A lot of practice. Balancing the rig is certainly challenging at first, but after a while it becomes second nature and happens quickly. It's the operating that takes a long time to master, especially if you want to be able to operate with longer lenses. Being constrained to wider lenses is not favorable.

 

[Chris McKechnie]

It's hard to solve your problem with the limited information you provided.

Just a thought, if you're using Canon EF lenses with built in IS, you might want to turn it off. Sometimes it can cause major problems when doing steadicam work.

 

[Keith Putnam]

Since you bring up frame rate and shutter speed, I presume the problem you're seeing is strobing and judder. Most likely this is because your camera operator isn't experienced enough to know what "safe" panning speeds are for 24fps capture. Believe me, people are not changing frame rates or shutter speeds just because they're going on Steadicam.

Even in studio mode or handheld, operators have to learn what correct panning speeds are for 24fps to avoid strobing and judder. This goes all the way back to early cinematography. I believe there's a guide in the ASC manual which gets into acceptable degrees of arc over time at different fields of view, but that's really just an attempt to codify what operators learn by experience.

Short answer: find a more experienced camera operator.