Elevation between bowl and fluidhead

WalterB

WalterB

I've got a question.

Let me start by painting the picture of context:

Sometimes I use a Cinevate Atlas slider to move the camera sideways or for- or backwards.
When moving back and forth most of the time the usable distance is a lot smaller than the 48" available, because the track itself becomes visible. The camera rests on a fluidhead attached to a bowl that sits in the 'car' between the rods.
See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=057ASkyzFe8

Especially with a wide lens the track shows quickly.
Even when putting 2 fluidheads on top of each other, removing the legs with kiphandles (only possible when the track is mounted on tripods) and attaching the kiphandles of the block upside-down, the full length can still not be used completely.

(I got the second fluidhead from my tripod, but it's not efficient to have to de- and reconstruct my tripod all the time.)

So, the question is:
is there a standard piece of equipment to elevate the camera higher above the track?
Something like a bazooka on a dolly, without being cast-iron heavy.
In essence it could be a (10" of 12") tube that can be mounted (3/8" female) on a bowl. On the topside it should have a 3/8" screw to attached a plate to connect the camera.
Obviously bottom and top need to be level (and thus parallel) and lightweight.

Does this exist?
And what is it called?

My google and webshop searches yielded no results.
 
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Sounds like you're thinking of a hi-hat
http://www.filmtools.com/cameradept/movcamsupeq/hihats/msemihihacat.html

You might be able to get by with something cheaper, but keep in mind the higher up from the mount point you move the camera, the less stable it will be.

A cheap-ish solution might be to take a piece of 4x4 lumber, run a hole through it with a drill press, so it's perfectly plumb, then run a long 1/4 20 bolt through it to secure the camera. Not sure how you'd best go about securing it to the slider, but it would provide a decently wide base, without a huge amount of extra weight, to keep things more stable.

The better option though, for these type of shots would probably be a jib on a dolly.

EDIT: I suppose if you had a quick-release plate and receiver, you could permanently affix the receiver to that block of wood, and then figure a way to semi-permanently attach the block of wood to your slider (you'd want it to be removable, but maybe not super fast/easy to remove, stability would be more important).. then you could just slide the camera onto it with that quick-release.

Probably a 4" rise would be plenty, but you could do a 6", 8", or 12" rise this way pretty easily. Want it to look less ghetto? use a rounded post, and paint it flat black. ;)
 
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Indeed, something like a hihat, but simpler: I have only 1 bowl and that will be under it.

4" isn't enough: recently I put a 2nd tripod head on the tripod head.
(Looked very, uhm... special ;) I should ask for the picture that was made of it :P )
Maybe 8" will do the trick.
I am indeed looking for a simple version of a hihat.
Actually it would indeed be a 'stick' with male and female 3/8'" screws.
Lightweight, but strong enough to hold 12lbs (I like safety margins :P )
 
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seems a lot of trouble that can be fixed by using a more telephoto lens with the slider further away.. Also, in the example you can see the slider track is angled down, while the camera is level. The angle would make a big difference in your situation.
 
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Thanks for thinking about other solutions :)

I showed the video to show the track.
I know that on this case the camera angle and the track weren't parallel.
But it's not the best way to get a nice dolly in shot: perspective moves a bit funny that way.

Yes, I know more zoomed is a shortcut, but that way DOF becomes smaller (not always preferable for focus reasons) and the whole effect of movement become different because the lens is less wide.

I am totally aware of how I can work around the problem.
Now I am just curious whether there is a simple existing solution that eliminates the need to work around it, or that I will just have to make something myself.
 
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WalterB said:
Now I am just curious whether there is a simple existing solution that eliminates the need to work around it
Click to expand...
Yes, it's called the right tool for the job. :P

If given the distance to subject and lens choice you cannot achieve the look without gear in the shot with a slider, then you put the camera on a dolly, optionally with a jib on it.

As for 'cheap' ... a decent dolly and jib can be built for under $300 together, without skimping on parts or quality.
 
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Sounds like you want a dolly... That being said, often dollies don't really give you all that much extra length before seeing track, assuming you're tracking directly backwards.

On long dolly shots in bigger budget movies, you'll often find they have a team of grips pulling track off the front as the camera passes it so that it doesn't get into shot.
 
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However, a dolly doesn't always fit in the setting :P
Or in my car...

Looks like I'm looking for something like this with a female 3/8 in the bottom and a sliding plate on top.
 
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