What does Vincent Laforet Think is a Game Changer?

[NormanBates]

It's out, visit his blog.

It's a $15K stabilitation system ($7.5K version coming down the road).

Not a game changer for people without that kind of budget, I'm afraid...

 

[BJNY]

http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2013/04/04/movi-a-revolutionary-handheld-stabilized-system-takes-flight/

 

[iP337]

This is interesting but how is this on par with the first announcement of DSLRs video? First off it's way too expensive to go mainstream and the end result isn't much different than what you could do with a steadicam. I get it's an improved steadicam that can do a bit more but come on, game changer is a bit much for this.

I am not convinced this is better or easier to use than a steadicam for most shots. Most of it looked like footage from a bad steadicam operator, focus and composition was all over the place and it made me a little sick trying to watch. Every shot had camera movement just for the sake of camera movement. Don't get me wrong; it's a good idea and very cool but in the wrong hands it could be the most annoying piece of kit ever.

This is not on par with the announcement of the 5D2, I think Vincent was just trying to get more traffic for his blog.

https://vimeo.com/62917185

 

[DavidRiesenberg]

The movie was meant to showcase the tech so the excessive use of it is understandable.

As for the Movi itself, it IS pretty cool but not so much of a game changer, me thinks.

 

[iP337]

The movie was meant to showcase the tech so the excessive use of it is understandable.

As for the Movi itself, it IS pretty cool but not so much of a game changer, me thinks.

I understand that and I agree, just to be clear I'm not disappointed in the technology of this thing:
"...Don't get me wrong; it's a good idea and very cool..."

But I am very disappointed in Vincent LaForet's use and hype of it. It's not a game changer like the 5D2 and DSLR filming was.

DSLRs broke down barriers (both price and location barriers) and was useful to every filmmaker for every one of their shots, a true game changer. This is actually putting up new barriers as its price is obviously not for everyone (or anyone really) and from what I've seen requires a bit of new training and experience to use properly. Cool new technology? Yes. Game Changer? No.

 

[DavidRiesenberg]

I agree. They hype was targeted towards Laforet's readers while this tech's market is mostly Laforet himself and other similarly sized production studios. The price, the two (skilled) men required to operate it properly and hardware limitations that require more money (wireless monitoring) all preclude it from being a "game changer".

 

[iP337]

I agree. They hype was targeted towards Laforet's readers while this tech's market is mostly Laforet himself and other similarly sized production studios. The price, the two (skilled) men required to operate it properly and hardware limitations that require more money (wireless monitoring) all preclude it from being a "game changer".

Yep I totally agree, and I told him that. (btw I heard the price includes wireless monitoring, may not be HD though and no wireless follow focus or exposure controls)

FYI, check these out! zenmuse, picloc, tarot,skyline, radian and alexmos
http://www.youtube.com/embed/v6TWct7VqCY

Peter Kent 20 hours ago
This is interesting but how is this on par with the first announcement of DSLR video? First off it's way too expensive to go mainstream and the end result isn't much different than what you could do with a steadicam. I get it's an improved steadicam that can do a bit more but come on, game changer is a bit much for this.

Vincent Laforet PRO 19 hours ago
You're not seeing it. The nearest thing that does only part of what this does is six figures.... Same thing happened w 5D came out btw... And look what happened since.

Peter Kent 17 hours ago
I get that but I think it's still a bit early to be calling the "MoVI" a 5D2 kinda game changer; this is at best a game changer for studio productions with tens of thousands of dollars lying around but means next to nothing for the DSLR Indie crowd that has followed you since Reverie. It's like the difference from the RED ONE and the 5D Mark II, I feel the real game changer there broke down barriers for EVERY filmmaker. I thank you for bringing this new and cool technology to our attention but I can't wait until you get to report on the real game changer, which is when the chinese start cranking out decent ones at $3000 a pop for every filmmaker to enjoy :-D but in the end if you don't need helicopter shots or literally jumping through hoops it still looks an awful lot like $500 glidecam footage.

AntonyMeadley 16 hours ago
"six figures" ?? As someone else pointed out, the Zenmuse is only $3500.
What are the differences apart from the remote joystick operation?

Peter Kent 16 hours ago
That's interesting Antony! these other names also popped up with Zenmuse stabilizer; Alexmos, Radian, Picloc, Skyline and Tarot.
Found this on the EOSHD forum: "MoVI do pans and tilt the same way as any other stabilized gimbal on the market that use 3 brushlees motors (roll, tilt and pan) and zenmuse does excatly the same thing..." eoshd.com/comments/topic/2436-blog-comments-m%C5%8Dvi-set-to-revolutionise-filmmaking-vincent-laforet-shows-gyro-stabiliser-by-freefly-systems-with-footage-from-gh3-and-1d-c/
I don't know if it's true though.

Vincent Laforet PRO 10 hours ago
There are dozens and dozens of patents on what these guys have done... being able to control this incredibly well as a solo operator (and panning and tilting) is just but one of them and what other systems can't do. Staying locked on one horizon / GPS point has been around for decades (think military) - panning / zooming etc are film concepts and require tremendous finesse in engineering, sofwtare etc.

Richard Squires PRO 6 hours ago
With a steadicam you are limited to a great extent on the ability of the operator to not only hit marks but also frame and move at the same time. There are very very good steadicam ops (Jim Muro whose work is almost signature) they are that good but this is totally different. By making the operator/focus seperate you free the person or persons holding the camera to concentrate on that. Imagine someone on a crane descending to a window and passing it thru to someone out of frame to continue the the move inside. Then that person follows the action inside down stairs out of the front door and passing again to someone already in the car as your talent drives off. Amazing possibilities. Also the guy holding the rig can be a stuntman etc for amazing falling shots perhaps.

Peter Kent 1 minute ago
Thanks Richard, I understand this is a great product and there are a lot of things you can do with it. My issue is not with its usefulness, just with its overzealous reception from some and their willingness to pay "anything" to have it. It's like they're running around shouting they've found the Holy Grail to all of us using paper cups but it turned out to be a $15k thermos, sure it's better but doesn't change the way I have to drink my coffee every morning lol.

xCreative PLUS 18 hours ago
Stabilization result is really impressive. Also pleased that the device can be held with one hand. However, in my view, your words as "revolutionary", "Game Changer" is greatly exaggerated. When I read your blog entry (before the official video), I was expecting something completely unimaginable. There are many questions: first of all - the price. "The entry level M5 is $ 7,500 and the mid level M10 is $ 15,000." - After this words becomes clear that about any indifilmmakers, videography and other are not talking. Steadicam, type, Glidecam, Flycam, Merlin are ten times cheaper and yield similar results. Also not entirely clear how this device to shoot footage - top - down. And most importantly - on the Glidecam, Flycam can quickly "throw" camera monopod rig etc. using a quick release plate, and how to rearrange the camera on the device, from the video, it was not clear.

Old Dead Eye PLUS 7 hours ago
I agree. It's interesting when reading the blog that after the price is mentioned suddenly there are a lot of justifications and comparisons to other products. Almost as if Vincent Laforet feels that this could be sold for cheaper but is trying to rationalise. At $3000 this would've been a game changer, at $7500 the only revolution is might cause is with productions commanding a 5 figure budget or more. DSLR's were a game changer because for what they could do, they were pretty much within most peoples budgets. I think due to Vincent Laforet's association with the history of those cameras, there is some serious manipulative branding going on here. Nice device though and I'm sure it'll do well at the top, just a shame that it couldn't be a little bit cheaper.

The Shot Above PLUS 1 hour ago
At this price it is way beyond what I at least was expecting. I own the Zenmuse, and I use it with a hacked GH2 or simular sized DSLR. Others are currently working on this exact rig for an Epic and by summer, it will be available with the Alexmos control boards....so for under $1,000 I can build one. Your previous "Radian" system by Freefly cost $1,100 for the electronics plus another $1,500 or so for the rig and servo motors. Servo motors have [now] been replaced by brushless motors at the same price or lower, so the prices should be dropping not going up. I get it, your the first to do it with larger cameras, but this victory will be short lived for all of one more month. Get the price reasonable for what it is cause 1,000's more are coming.

 

[Policar]

It's very cheap. Relative to a $50k budget for a short or $1 million for a very low budget feature it's nothing to rent something like this.

If you want it and can't afford to buy it, rent it. Footage looks fine, but not quite "great" yet. I'd love to use one of these and plan to rent one for a few projects if I can. If these become popular so will ultra small cameras (1DC, etc.) perhaps...

 

[Gulado]

Oh so his game changer was something he's making money from? Surprise surprise...

The next chump to use the term game changer gets a free enema.

 

[azezal]

I guess I'm gonna be grilled for saying that I find this product to be a game changer, well atleast for me but then i'v Said it so ...............I dunno

 

[AG]

I guess I'm gonna be grilled for saying that I find this product to be a game changer, well atleast for me but then i'v Said it so ...............I dunno

I have to agree.

For those of us shooting low budget shorts and indy films the price of the current model puts it out of affordability to purchase outright but I'm still going to rent one when i get a chance to have a play around.

I feel that a lot of people that are complaining that this is "just another gyro" or steady cam obviously don't need what this would be used for.

It seems that whenever someone mentions even the hint of something to do with DSLR Filmmaking on this forum, people go into witch hunt mode, as if its going to bastardise the sanctity of pure DSLR photography. Or something along those lines.

 

[azezal]

I guess I'm gonna be grilled for saying that I find this product to be a game changer, well atleast for me but then i'v Said it so ...............I dunno

I have to agree.

For those of us shooting low budget shorts and indy films the price of the current model puts it out of affordability to purchase outright but I'm still going to rent one when i get a chance to have a play around.

I feel that a lot of people that are complaining that this is "just another gyro" or steady cam obviously don't need what this would be used for.

It seems that whenever someone mentions even the hint of something to do with DSLR Filmmaking on this forum, people go into witch hunt mode, as if its going to bastardise the sanctity of pure DSLR photography. Or something along those lines.

+1
The price makes renting a better option

 

[npeters]

From reading his blog, my guess is that it will be an IS version of his favourite 24-70mm f2.8 lens. Here in Australia the lens RRP is $2,400, more than the old 5D2 body used to sell for.

 

[KyleSTL]

From reading his blog, my guess is that it will be an IS version of his favourite 24-70mm f2.8 lens. Here in Australia the lens RRP is $2,400, more than the old 5D2 body used to sell for.

Couple months too late. It was a video stabilization system that uses accelerometers and ultrasonic motor for a lightweight and silent solution.

http://www.freeflysystems.com/products/moviM10.php