This might make use of some kind of portable track, or it might roll freely. Dolly - Dolly shots are created by attaching the camera to some kind of device that rolls.A slider is very much like a dolly, it is just far more portable and can be operated by a single person.įigure 6 A slider allows the camera to move smoothly from side to side or up and down. Slider - The camera is mounted on a rail that provides smooth vertical or lateral movement.Be sure to explore options for adjusting tension and balance for the camera.įigure 5 If you are going to tilt or pan during a shot, you’ll want to use a fluid head on your tripod for smoothness. This typically requires the use of a fluid head on your tripod. Fluid head - The camera can stay on a tripod and the tripod stays still, but the camera is tilted or panned as the shot is happening.
Any sturdy tripod will do the trick, but make sure it is rated to carry the full weight of the video rig.įigure 4 When a camera stays on a tripod in the same position for the entire shoot, it is said to be “locked down.” Photo by Jim Ball
Lock down - The camera can be firmly attached to a tripod. There are quite a few other support devices available, with new manufacturers coming online all the time.įigure 3 There are many different devices to help you smooth out the motion in handheld shots. This was originally developed by the Steadicam company, which offers its own hardware devices to achieve smooth movement. The use of weights and springs helps achieve a better balance. Motion stabilized - In this variation on handheld shooting, the camera is attached to a device that uses some sort of mechanism to smooth out the movements of the camera. If you’ll need to focus during the shot, it can be helpful to use a loupe attached to the camera’s LCD. The additional hardware can often transfer the stabilization over a larger surface of the camera operator’s body leading to smoother movement. This may include the use of 15mm rod systems that have handles or a shoulder brace. Handheld - The camera is supported by the photographer. In general there are seven types of camera support used with DSLR video cameras. Generally, unstable camera movements simply make video unpleasant to watch. Movements are much smoother if they originate from this center.Īnd it’s also possible that you want some kind of jerky or frenetic camera movements in your video, but these need to be used carefully and with real purpose in mind. Good handheld operating is helped greatly by having a balanced rig close to a photographer’s center of gravity. Most of these rigs are designed to help distribute the weight of the camera (putting more of it on the shoulders, arms or body). A whole side-industry has cropped up offering a number of rigs to help you further refine and expand a photographer’s ability to shoot video with a DSLR camera. Photographers also often desire mobility when shooting video, but the form-factor can make this challenging. Creating a stable platform that lets the camera be positioned at various heights is fundamental for most professional videos. The entire look and feel of a video shoot is tied to the point of view that it provides the viewer. If the camera is too heavy, you’ll end up with shaky footage.Ĭamera support is one of the most important aspects of video shooting. Be careful not to choose a body that is too heavy for what you can handle, especially if you intend to do lots of handheld work. Pro bodies (or bodies that have battery grips installed) tend to be heaviest and provide a nice counterbalance to long lenses. However, this can make them hard to handle, especially when a large lens is mounted (making the camera very front-heavy). Entry-level video DSLRs tend to be rather light, which is great for travel. The weight of the camera body you choose is also important. All camera bodies can be easily mounted onto support equipment like a tripod or attached to accessories that make it feel more like a traditional video camera. With that said, you won’t always be holding your camera. Conversely, if the body is too big, you’ll find the body hard to hold. If the body is too small, your hands will get in the way of the controls. The camera body you choose should fit your hands well. 
These non-standard shooting grips may require you to evaluate your shooting style and modify your approach. As such, the camera is often held in an awkward way. The technical need to shoot with the camera’s mirror open requires the photographer to compose a shot using the DSLR’s LiveView feature or LCD monitor. Shooting video on a DSLR camera is currently not a well-designed experience in terms of ergonomics. Figure 1 A DSLR camera attached to a 15mm rod system and video tripod.
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