3 thoughts on “Glidecam HD-2000 Hand-Held Stabilizer”

  1. matt wolfe [cc] "-matt wolfe [cc]"
    matt wolfe [cc] "-matt wolfe [cc]" says:
    December 26, 2013 at 5:37 am

    Great addition for HDSLR rig Looking to give more fluid movement to your videos? I definitely like this if you are shooting on an HDSLR setup like the Canon/Nikon/Panasonic/Sony DSLRs that are real popular in video right now.For a video example (and since Amazon won’t allow external links), simply click on my profile, click on my website, go to the VIDEO dropdown, click on BABY VIDEOS, and look for the video BABY LIAM. It was shot with this Glidecam 2000, the , and the .Obviously if you are using a setup like this, focus control is an issue – to which I simply recommend setting your lens to focus on infinity to give you the longest focal field achievable with your lens, and step back away from the subject. If that is not possible, at least get a lens with a large focus ring and plan out your shot BEFORE you press record.But for the Glidecam 2000. As with every review, you must consider management of expectations. Once you see a product in relation to what else is out there and what else costs whatever, then you can really see where the product exists.CONS:-You have to readjust weight if you add or take parts off your rig, such as changing lenses, adding or removing an eternal mic, etc. This can be time-consuming.-Is not the most stable-It feels awkward and requires some getting used to before you can pull off what it is intended for-Is a work-out on your wrist and arm if you are doing this for a LONG time-Approximately $500 to spend may seem like a lot-Focus control is a problem since both of your hands are on the stabilizerPROS:+More fluid movement than handheld – YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE ANYTHING HANDHELD ANYWAY+Increases perception of value of your services if you are in the video business+On the fly spins and pans is great for any fast-paced video you are trying to create+Price is more than cheap if you know how much the film camera stabilizers areConstruction*4 stars (would be 5 except that the quick release plate, with the Canon 7D anyway, has to be unscrewed to access the battery. Which means you need another adaptor set like the )Functionality*4 stars – a definite upgrade from handheldPrice*3.5 stars – appears to cost a lot, but in reality it doesn’tTotal:*4 starsI recommend this product for consumer level and mild prosumer level use. (The ratings are based on these expectations.)Cheers.

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  2. aceofbase
    aceofbase says:
    December 26, 2013 at 5:54 am

    A very good video stabilizer for those with strong arms! I got the HD2000 for use in home/family videos so did not want a very expensive solution. The 2000 is a good size for my gripped 7D, rode SVM, and I use 10-22 and 24-105 lenses they balance nicely. I use a manfrotto 394 quick release plate, it is a sturdy plate that releases the camera quickly and easily because the lever is on the side. It also has a built in fluid level which aids in balancing. I bolted a stack of small washers to the glidecam baseplate so they push up against the 394 and hold it in place (very tightly too).Setup with the glidecam is tricky there is no getting around it but the manual is well written and there are lots of videos on youtube. I recommend getting the rig close to the balancing point (weights), then sort the drop time (length of pole/weights), then fine tune the front/back and left/right balancing (with screws). I learnt to balance it by putting the removable pole from the glidecam forearm brace on the edge of a table or bench and prop it up to get the support pole vertical, then while holding the brace against the bench put the glidecam on so that it hangs freely then you can adjuct the front back and side to side screws with the other hand. Once you get the hang of what you are trying to achieve this method is very quick to balance. I make markings on the pole and baseplate for each lens but sometimes have to tweak slightly with each change. With this setup I have the weight pole ~3/4 extended, with 4 weights on each and the 394 attached to the middle hole 3rd from the back.Using the glidecam is what will take most people some time to master, I still need lots more practice! Countering any back/forwards sway and accurate panning are the trickiest things to start with. I highly recommend getting the forearm brace. My wrist really starts feeling the weight after 10min (entire rig weighs ~5kg), and you really want to concentrate on shooting instead of how tired your wrist is getting! Most hobbyists wont want to spend thousands on a vest, but clearly thats what professionals will use.The glidecam is not cheap and not everyone will like it but if you take the time and effort to learn how to use it the results are amazing!

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  3. Phil Lowe
    Phil Lowe says:
    December 26, 2013 at 5:54 am

    5 stars with practice… I’m using this with a Canon 5D MkIII and a Sigma 24mm 2.8 prime lens. It’s heavy. It will definitely work your arm, wrist, and shoulder out. Initial set-up (balancing) takes a while, but once you have it down, it goes pretty quickly. The only major re-balancing that needs to be done is whenever you change a lens (or add/subtract anything with mass to the rig, like a mic or monitor).Definitely get the Manfroto quick release plate. It will make replacing batteries and changing shooting modes (hand-held to tripod and back) so much faster and easier.I also got the Glidecam Forearm Support Brace (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002B0PV6/ref=cfb_at_prodpg), but as my muscles get stronger from using this I find I may be needing it less. Without the brace, you’ll find your wrist is carrying most of the load. With the brace, the load is actually transferred to the larger muscle groups in the shoulder . But here’s the thing: simply transferring the load to your shoulder doesn’t help if your shoulders aren’t used to the weight! It definitely helps to have strong wrists, forearms, biceps, and shoulders going in, otherwise what may seem like a long learning curve to get smooth shots is really just the time it takes to build up and train your muscles.With that in mind, you will definitely notice a marked improvement in your hand-held shooting right out of the gate (provided you’ve balanced it properly.) The practice really comes down to learning how to walk with it (heel-toe, narrow stance and small steps), and building those muscles! Once I get that down, I will give this thing 5 stars.Starting out, though, use as little weight on the rig as possible (prime lens instead of zoom, built-in mic instead of hot shoe shot-gun, LCD screen instead of 5″ monitor, etc.) It will make training with it much easier and more fun! However, I would not expect to use anything like this professionally until you’ve put in a good, solid week’s worth of practice with it. Once you do get good with it, though, you and your clients will love what you can do with it!

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