2008Steadi-Newbies forum
Steadicam operation techniques and equipment setup for wedding videography
18 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Tiffen Europe conducts Steadicam workshops in the UK that typically offer only about 6 places per session and run once or twice per year.
- The NFTS in Beaconsfield also offers Steadicam courses.
- Remote focus systems like Bartech can be mounted on camera support rails, with the focus motor and video transmitter powered from the steadicam sled's 12V power rail on Flyer and more advanced models.
- Pilot users with V-Lok batteries may not have a 12V power output available on the battery plate.
- Setting focus at approximately 6 feet on a 1/3-inch camera allows acceptable sharpness for most shots without remote focus adjustment.
- A light rig with a 1/3-inch camera may struggle to pull focus effectively during significant telephoto shots regardless of the remote control system used.
- Full Auto iris mode can produce visually inconsistent results and should be avoided when possible.
- Operators transitioning between different lighting environments may stop shooting to manually adjust white balance rather than using auto white balance, allowing for color correction or transitions.
- Steadicam is not appropriate for all wedding scenarios, particularly in crowded spaces with limited room for movement.
- Wedding operators sometimes use multiple camera operators on static rigs instead of a Steadicam when space constraints make it impractical.
Depends on
- Discussion is specific to 2008 and UK-focused resources.
- Remote focus operation while actively operating a Steadicam sled is described as difficult due to potential unwanted movements.
- Pricing and specifications of equipment mentioned are from 2008 and may have changed.
- Experience shared is primarily from wedding videography applications.
- Some participants discuss small 1/3-inch format cameras which may have different behavior than larger sensors.