Gimbals are great tools for stabilizing your camera and creating smooth and cinematic footage. But even with a gimbal, you may still encounter some unwanted shakiness when you're walking or running with your camera. How do you avoid that and get the best results from your gimbal? Here are some tips and tricks to help you out.
The first step is to choose a gimbal that suits your camera and your shooting style. Different gimbals have different weight capacities, battery life, features, and modes. You want a gimbal that can handle your camera's weight and size, as well as offer you the flexibility and control you need. For example, some gimbals have a lock mode that keeps the camera fixed in one direction, while others have a follow mode that tracks your movements. Depending on what kind of shots you want, you may prefer one mode over another.
The next step is to balance your gimbal before you start shooting. Balancing your gimbal means adjusting the position and angle of your camera on the gimbal so that it stays level and doesn't tilt or rotate when you turn the gimbal off. This will ensure that your gimbal doesn't have to work too hard to stabilize your camera, and that your footage doesn't suffer from motor noise or vibrations. To balance your gimbal, follow the instructions that come with your device, and check that your camera doesn't move when you hold the gimbal in different orientations.
The third step is to hold your gimbal properly when you're walking or running with it. Holding your gimbal properly means using a comfortable and stable grip, keeping your elbows close to your body, and avoiding sudden or jerky movements. You also want to avoid touching the gimbal's motors or joints, as this can interfere with its performance and cause noise or shakiness. Some gimbals have a handle or a tripod that you can attach to the bottom, which can help you with holding and maneuvering your gimbal.
Hold the gimbal handle horizontally while walking. This will reduce the up-and-down motion that occurs naturally when we walk. The camera head does not move in this position, only the handle.
The fourth step is to use the right settings on your gimbal and your camera when you're walking or running with them. Using the right settings means choosing the appropriate mode, speed, and sensitivity for your gimbal, as well as the optimal shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for your camera. For example, you may want to use a faster shutter speed to reduce motion blur, a smaller aperture to increase depth of field, and a lower ISO to reduce noise. You may also want to experiment with different modes and speeds on your gimbal, such as sport mode, smooth mode, or custom mode, to see what works best for your situation.
Consider shooting at 4K at 60fps. You can use stabilization software to steady the shot if you shoot in 4K and keep the subject in the center with room around the edges to crop. A 60fps frame rate gives the software more information to work with while correcting shakiness.
The fifth step is to practice your movements before you start shooting. Practicing your movements means rehearsing your walk or run, finding the best route and angle, and anticipating any obstacles or changes. You also want to practice how you move your gimbal, whether you tilt it, pan it, or rotate it, to create the desired effect. By practicing your movements, you can improve your coordination, timing, and confidence, and reduce the chances of making mistakes or missing shots.
This might be helpful, using a lens that between 24-35mm tends to be the sweet spot when operating a gimbal for smaller spaces/ or following people around. I’ll use a longer lens like an 85mm for closeups and do some parallax effect.
The final step is to review your footage after you finish shooting. Reviewing your footage means checking for any shakiness, blur, noise, or distortion in your video, and identifying what caused them and how to fix them. You may also want to compare your footage with other examples of gimbal shots, and see what you can learn from them. By reviewing your footage, you can evaluate your performance, spot your strengths and weaknesses, and improve your skills for the next time.