Super-8 Tripods...

[Alex]

Tripods are sometimes afterthoughts when shooting Super-8.

Here are somethings to consider if you want to use the right tripod with your Super-8 camera.

Does your tripod allow you to do a smooth pan when in the TELEPHOTO position? In the wide angle position, you may be fooled into thinking your tripod is adequate for panning, but when the lens of your Super-8 camera is completely zoomed in is when you can truly test the caliber of your tripod.

Although you generally should not leave your tripod unattended, sometimes you must. Do you trust your tripod not to blow over if there is a strong wind?

Are the legs sturdy enough so that they don't slowly collapse over a period of time?

Does your tripod have a "spreader". These are very useful in preventing your tripod's legs from wildly sprawling out in every direction. A spreader connects all the legs together and keeps them equidistant from each other.

The Sachtler Tripod Spreader can then be extended out to allow the tripod to be even more stable by widening the distance between the legs and the center post.

One final and perhaps most important feature...does your tripod have a ball-joint head so that you can instantly level the tripod in any terrain, even if the legs are all at different heights?

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 05, 2002 10:28 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]</font>

[Alex]

Do you own the tripod that you want to own, or do you make do with the one you have?

[cameraguy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Alex:
Do you own the tripod that you want to own, or do you make do with the one you have?</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

I make do with the piece of **** I have. An old rusty tripod is better than handheld anyday.

[BolexPlusx]

I have a nice new tripod which I can't bring myself to use for much except time lapse and titling work.

My style of filmmaking often involves slinging my camera into a backpack and hiking into the woods, and having it hand held and ready to aim at whatever shot crops up. In these circumstances a tripod usually gets in the way.

One area a tripod really does help is when I bungy cord it into a canoe, then I can paddle and film at the same time.

I also have this neat little clamp thingy that screws into the tripod socket and allows me to put a camera on bicycle handle bars or a table or whatever. It does at least some of what a tripod is good for but is very small and light.

[Alex]

Sounds like some interesting set-ups.

Do you use different cameras depending on the set-up?

[Mike Buckles]

I have a Solidex fluid head tripod..have had it for about 13 years now, still works great...only thing, i have to keep switching the camera plate from the video to the super 8 camera..I should search the web, see if the company is still in business, and get a 2nd plate.

[Alex]

It may be even easier than that!

Just type in the name Solidex into the E-bay search engine and see what comes up!

[Alex]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by bossjock-dp:


I just got a copy of

"DIGITAL MOVIEMAKING,"
by Scott Billups.

I am enjoying reading it and reviewing his web site favorites. Just like a golf pro, who might only remind you of things you already know. One point that's worth passing on is this. Use a big heavy tripod, to emulate the feel of a feature film will go along way to selling the audience that you are watching something worth watching, not just another cheap home video.

Although this book is written for the person wanting to acquire on video and distribute on film, getting the best looking film print. You might find it interesting. For video shooting movie makers he even recommends buying a used BETA SP CAMERA WITH A GREAT LENS instead of getting the top prosumer dv camera.

In going from "analog tape ," BETA SP, to digital editing, You can actually get a better looking final product (film Print) than staying all digital.

Something that "SUPER 8 FILMMAKING IN THE DIGITAL AGE." has pointed out in the past. </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

I suppose it's better when others agree with your position than disagree. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]