2007Operating forum
Measuring and standardizing camera gimbal drop times to improve accuracy and consistency across different rig configurations
19 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Drop time measurements obtained by manual counting often overestimate the actual duration compared to frame-by-frame video analysis
- Rig length significantly affects how drop time feels to an operator because the battery end travels faster through the air when the rig is longer, even if the angular rotation time is identical
- Longer rigs require proportionally longer drop times to maintain the same operational feel and ease of tilting as shorter rigs
- Frame-by-frame video analysis from release to vertical passage provides accurate drop time measurement regardless of operator counting method
- One operator measured a perceived drop time of 3.5 seconds that was actually 2.5 seconds when analyzed frame-by-frame at 74 frames from release to vertical
- Another operator believed they had a 2-second drop time but video analysis of five setups showed it was consistently 2.5 seconds
- A third operator thought they had just over 2 seconds but frame-by-frame analysis showed it was 1.5 seconds
Depends on
- Manual counting of drop times is inherently inaccurate due to inconsistent timing methods across operators
- Different gimbal balance configurations and operator preferences affect how drop time is perceived and utilized
- Video frame rate and transfer quality may affect precision of frame-counting methodology
- The study was based on limited operator participation rather than a comprehensive sample
- Gimbal inertia and sled mass affect dynamic drop behavior differently than static measurement might suggest
- No standardized video format or frame rate was established across measurements