2016Steadi-Newbies forum
Effects of drop time settings on Steadicam balance and stability
What the thread found
- A drop time of 2-3 seconds is widely considered optimal for Steadicam operation
- Shorter drop times, such as 1 second, produce a pendulum effect when changing speed or starting and stopping moves
- Longer drop times are less prone to acceleration-induced pendulum effects and are suitable for car-mounted systems
- Longer drop times make tilting movements significantly more difficult to perform
- Making the rig more bottom-heavy helps with very slow movements or stationary shots but worsens tilting performance
- During static balance testing, if the gimbal has minimal friction it will rock for an extended time before coming to rest
- To test balance more efficiently, level the sled with your hand and release it gently rather than waiting for it to settle naturally
Depends on
- Drop time preferences may vary depending on whether the rig is handheld or mounted on a vehicle
- The relationship between drop time and performance characteristics was not comprehensively tested in the thread
- Specific discussion focused mainly on Pilot model rigs but principles apply to other Steadicam designs