Glidecam HD 4000 unboxing
Glidecam HD 4000: http://amzn.to/1EpLMMY
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This is me unboxing our new Glidecam HD 4000.
Shot with a Canon 60D
The Glidecam HD4000 is a lightweight, hand-held camcorder stabilizing system. This system is upgraded from the 4000 Pro and offers fine adjustments and an improved gimbal and balance system.
Camera stabilization systems like this one work to provide camera stability during movement for dynamic and subjective camera shots. It utilizes a balancing system that dampens the user's body movement, providing a smooth, floating moving image appearance usually achieved with more expensive equipment.
A STEADICAM is a brand of camera stabilizing mount for a motion picture camera that mechanically isolates it from the operator's movement, allowing a smooth shot even when moving quickly over an uneven surface.
The brand Steadicam is a registered trademark of The Tiffen Company
The operator wears a harness which is attached to an iso-elastic arm. This is connected by a gimbal to the Steadicam armature which has the camera mounted at one end and a counterbalance weight at the other. The counterbalance usually includes the battery pack and a monitor. The monitor substitutes for the camera's viewfinder, since the range of motion of the camera relative to the operator makes the camera's own viewfinder unusable. In the film industry the armature and weight are traditionally called the "sled", as they resembled a sled in an early model of the Steadicam.
The combined weight of the counterbalance and camera means that the armature bears a relatively high inertial mass which will not be easily moved by small body movements from the operator (much as it is difficult to quickly shake a bowling ball). The freely pivoting armature adds additional stabilization to the photographed image, and makes the weight of the camera-sled assembly acceptable by allowing the body harness to support it.
When the armature is correctly adjusted, the operator is able to remove his hands from the Steadicam entirely and have the camera stay in place. During operation, the operator usually rests his hand on the camera gimbal and applies force at that point to move the camera. To avoid shaking the camera when lens adjustments must be made during the shot, a wireless remote operated by the camera assistant is used to control focus and iris.
For low-angle shots, the camera/sled armature can be rotated vertically, putting the camera on the bottom, and the sled on the top. This is referred to as "low mode" operation.
The newest generation is the TANGO. The most modern body-supported camera-stabilisation-system, its horizontal mechanism makes it possible to move the camera freely while staying horizontal. A Steadicam operator can change from lowmode to highmode without any alteration. Dimensions are not limited to ups and downs, but also in depth and over or through obstacles.
The smallest, lightest Steadicam which can be used with a support arm and vest is the Steadicam Merlin. It is light enough to be hand held without the arm with cameras weighing up to about 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg), and may carry cameras up to about 7 pounds (3.2 kg) when used with the arm. The Merlin may be folded up and carried in comparatively small spaces such as medium-size camera bags or its own case which measures 14.25 x 11.25 x 5.5 inches (36 x 28.6 x 14 cm). In its lightest configuration, the Merlin weighs just 12.5 ounces (0.35 kg). Photographers who shoot with HDSLR cameras that combine still and motion photography most often work with the Merlin. Since the Merlin has no facility to carry a separate monitor, cameras suitable for it must have their own built-in monitors.
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