OT: How to you get really smooth pans?

Rich Parry wrote on 9/11/2010, 4:29 PM

How to you get really smooth pans?

As an example, let’s take Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy or the Grand Canyon. When I watch a professional video of these subjects, the pans are silky smooth from left to right. In fact, they are so smooth and perfect I can’t help but wonder if some special equipment is used.

I have a nice video “fluid head” tripod, but no matter how I pan a scene, my pans are never perfectly smooth. There are portions of the video that have different pan velocities no matter how much I try for a smooth pan. Is it just a matter of practice?

I have also noticed that during the first second or two a professional pan accelerates very smoothly, comes to a constant pan velocity during the middle of the pan and then during the last one or two seconds the pan de-accelerates very smoothly.

I know cameramen are talented, but I can’t help but wonder if they are using some special equipment, something more than just a fluid head tripod?

Rich

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Rich Parry wrote on 9/13/2010, 9:02 PM

I would like to thank everyone for responding to my post and for an education on panning. There were a dozen excellent suggestions/solutions in this thread and I got to learn about equipment I didn't know existed.

After thinking harder about my poor pans, I have two thoughts. First, I believe I made the mistake assuming a smooth pan was easy. I think more practice is the first step to smoother pans.

Second, I borrowed the fluid head from a friend and I believe simulates a "fluid effect" when panning, it is not a true fluid head as someone here mentioned.

I am willing to pay $1K or $2K for a head and another $1K or $2K for a good tripod. My current Gitzo tripod is $1K and I love it, but it is mostly for my still photography.

I think I will try renting and practicing before considering the Hollywood solutions.

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to enlighten me. I appreciate your help.

Rich

Rich Parry wrote on 9/13/2010, 9:08 PM

Craftech,

I just sent a message to the entire list thanking them for taking the time to answer my question. Thought I would respond to your specific comment.

You are correct, I have a Canon 5D Mark II. Essentially no "video only" equipment yet. I am new to HD video. My tripod is a nice professional Gitzo unit but it is for still photography.

The fluid head I referred in my post was borrowed from a friend. It felt like a fluid head, but I am starting to have my doubts. It was less than $1K and it included the tripod, so I think it isn't a real fluid head.

Regarding the "video" you asked me to look at, the link did not work, but I see you wanted to know if my pan problem was "rolling shutter". I know what rolling shutter is and it is not the problem I am having.

thanks again for taking the time to respond,
Rich

rmack350 wrote on 9/13/2010, 9:39 PM

Rich, you might find a rental house that would just set you up with gear in the shop. You could practice pans without renting the gear. We certainly would have helped you out at Gasser's, where i worked in the '80s.

Peterduke, i got the humor of the picture. Sorry for responding so seriously. The two meter arm reminded me of an unfortunate nun joke, and an even more unfortunate real job where we set up a chapman jib inside a tiny hallway. The jib could only move about 2 feet. Poor planning.

Rob

PeterDuke wrote on 9/13/2010, 10:57 PM

"The two meter arm reminded me of an unfortunate nun joke"

My imagination is racing on.... Is the joke safe for general consumption?

fausseplanete wrote on 9/14/2010, 2:11 AM

...and steadyshot off of course (else may get snatching).

I use elastic band too. In fact a pair of them, in opposition, to spread fingers of same hand. Gives lag so at live events have to guess ahead and maybe frame wider.

Also I count in my head and try to make firm decision where I'm going to stop (not just bumble-about with "false pauses". Learning all the time.

Any cheap-good motorized heads with preset positions, variable speed and feathering I wonder? A dream-machine would have both that and camera controls operable from same control unit (iPad?). Just dreaming...