2007Operating forum
Using swing and tilt lens systems with steadicam cameras
19 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Swing and tilt lenses work with limited results on 16mm due to small negative size, while 35mm produces better results.
- Focus pulling becomes extremely challenging with swing and tilt lenses because focus shifts are most visible at low F-numbers.
- Monitoring focus accuracy is difficult when operating steadicam since the camera operator views a low resolution video screen rather than looking through the lens, creating uncertainty about actual focus at playback.
- Swing and tilt lens rigs add significant weight to camera bodies, requiring additional support like bridge plates and rods.
- Motorized focus control on swing and tilt lenses is problematic because calibration references change with each lens movement, making setup time-consuming and painful.
- Some operators have successfully avoided motorized focus by manually pulling focus with a whip while looking through the viewfinder and using marked positions, which works for specific aesthetic looks.
- Mounting swing and tilt lenses on steadicam rigs is rare in practice despite technical feasibility.
Depends on
- The discussion involves older camera models from 2007 era like SR3 and Moviecam Compact.
- No consensus was reached on whether motorized focus control is workable for this application.
- Experience reported was primarily with music videos and advertisement work, not narrative or documentary production.
- Some claims about focus motor feasibility remain unresolved between participants.