DIYPhotography.net

If you are doing any video production, one of the first tools you'll probably end up building/buying is a slider/dolly combo.

A slider gives you the ability to smoothly move the camera sideways during a shot and it adds a great deal of value to any video production.

If you are building a slider getting a one of the cheap sliders the "Industry standard" super cool (yet no so cheap) kessler pocket dolly, this tip will make your life easier.

You can use a drill as a dolly motor which will give it a constant and smooth movement. Click to continue ›

If you shoot any dSLR video, you probably already know that some scenes reacquire shifting focus between several planes. This is a great way to tell a story.

For example, think about a shot where you see a person eating at the front of the frame, then, the focus changes and you see a sign that says "Dont feed the monkeys" or "No people allowed behind this line" or any other thing that adds to the story.

Here is the thing, though, it is not trivial to shift the focus between those two planes without a focus rack or a follow focus. Those usually come with a marking wheel where you can mark each plane of focus and easily return to it while shooting. That's the up side, there are about 600 downsides if you are not shooting video regularly.

Michael The Mentor came up with a poorman's solution to focus racking using arrow post its. Click to continue ›

A while back we posted a tutorial on how to make a PVC video dolly. This dolly works great for in house on floors or tables or any other smooth surface.

The guys at Fugal Film Maker (kinda like DIYP, only for video) made a video version of constructing a very similar dolly, so if you had any questions about what goes in where or how to use the skateboard wheels your questions will be answered.

The video is a bit old, but still worth a watch if you just started videography and looking for inexpensive hacks. Click to continue ›

I was literally screaming with joy when Derek Mellott (you know Derek, he likes Barbeque and time lapse movies) showed me his latest Time Lapse Slider Dolly. Then, I literally fell from my chair when he suggested to share the build with DIYP readers.

Now, every once in a while we have a "dare" tutorial, one that will kill an entire month of weekends (and then some). Those are not for the faint of heart, but the results and satisfaction from completing one of those projects in unbelievable. (see the battlefield pinhole camera for example). It is the same with this project - it is not an easy task, it takes woodmenship, electronics know-how, and plenty of time, but the results are stunning.

(But hey, you know what, even if you just pick up one of the ideas in this post, it would rock. For example, building the collapsible rails idea to be used with the cheapo motor slider puller)

The movie comes first - this should get you motivated - then the instructions. Embrace yourselves.

Click to continue ›

A while back we featured a nifty way to slide your camera while taking time lapse movies. At the core of that system there was a BBQ rotisserie motor. It is a very common item, but hell to carry on location.

If you own a slider rail or a dolly (or if you hacked one yourself, or if you own a skateboard), you can take the concept of sliding with you on location.

Norwegian photographer Joakim Fjeldli takes the concept of motorizing a slider, an Igus DryLin in his case, and adds portability. Click to continue ›

Photogrpher Miguel Vicente build one of a most complete steadycam systems I'd ever seen DIYed. This is one of the projects where a workshop and free time can save big time. A commercial version will set you back about $700. Click to continue ›

Seems like vidoe is getting bigger and bigger. I am considering to add a video category instead of having it hide under the Camera Hacks section.

After the impressive table top dolly design, Martin Taylor shows how to build a Slider Dolly.

As more and more people get into video the number one accessory they seem to want after a shoulder rig is a slider. A slider allows short trucking camera movements. Commercial sliders run the gamut in price (from several hundred to several thousand) and design. A slider usually has a captive body that you mount a tripod head to. The body runs on a track on mechanical bearings or some low friction material. The tracks seem to run anywhere from 2 to 5 feet and can mount on a tripod themselves or some have feet that allow you to lay the slider on the ground for a low profile shot, or rest it on a convenient table or counter top. Click to continue ›

The good guys over at Age of Rockets are sharing their DIY design for a video dolly. Me likey. Unlike the iPhone Dolly or the PVC Skater Dolly which are for small cameras, this one allows you to mount a full fledged tripod on it. Probably a light camera only, but still better than a skateboard :).

The dolly also comes with a set of cheap aluminum angle bars rails (~$10 for 96" @ HomeDepot) for smooth motion.

Basically it is nothing more than a few pieces of aluminum angle, some wood and bolts and 6 roller blade wheels. Did I say quick and dirty yet? Click to continue ›

Photographer Tony Carretti came up with a pretty twisted way to make a cheap follow focus.

Tony uses a $2.49 Bed Bath & Beyond twist jar opener with the focus ring on the lens replacing the jar lid. As Tony says it is not solve 100% of your follow focus problems, but for $2.49 it really is a sweet solution.

If you are looking for a more complete DIY solution, prepare your workshop and check out the friction based follow focus that we features a while ago.

via planet5d. Click to continue ›

User knoptop of Instructables came up with a video to show how you can make an HDSLR shoulder rig from PVC pipes.

For the most basic configuration all you'd need is a bunch of PVC pipes and fitting and a conduit box.

If you want a little bit extra you can add insulation foam as padding. I really like these kind of projects I wish we'd see more of them. Click to continue ›