2006Operating forum
Eliminating pendulum swaying motion when operating a Steadicam rig
20 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A tight grip on the gimbal hand can transfer body movements to the rig; relaxing the grip reduces unwanted motion.
- Walking with excessive side-to-side motion or uneven acceleration causes the rig to swing; practicing fluid, consistent footsteps similar to balancing a glass of water helps.
- The arm should be adjusted so it floats near neutral or slightly below horizontal to minimize the need to push or lift during operation.
- Increasing the drop time can reduce pendulum effects, though this should not replace developing proper operator technique.
- Keeping the operating hand separate from the gimbal hand functions prevents blending of control motions that causes swaying.
- Spreading the control hand along the gimbal sleeve allows better sensing of post movement before it becomes visible.
- Taking short steps positioned in front of the body minimizes hip movement that transfers to the rig.
- A longer post reacts more slowly to external forces but is harder to stop once moving, while a shorter post reacts quickly but may show more roll.
- Proper arm tuning should require a slight upward force even when slightly hung down, and operator lifting participation contributes to smoother shots.
Depends on
- The advice assumes attendance at or familiarity with standard Steadicam training; basic fundamentals are assumed knowledge.
- These techniques apply to standard operating conditions and may vary with different arm models or rig configurations.
- Some solutions like longer drop times are presented as workarounds rather than replacements for proper technique development.
- The discussion addresses the symptom (visible swaying) but also notes other potential causes like gimbal condition or rig trimming that may require equipment inspection.