Power Kite Forum

GoPro Hero/Hero2 Camera Jib Crane

burritobandit - 15-11-2011 at 10:33 PM

I wanted to build a jib crane for my Hero and Hero2, so here's what I came up with:
http://imgur.com/a/N597z#

This is a work in progress for me, and it's currently resting at 'Hey, this works pretty good :thumbup: ' I've taken some test footage outside and this actually works pretty good. I just need to get it out to the lake or park and get some real footage ((kiting footage ;)) now.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them! :)

My next phase is making the control rod easily removable. My requirements are simple:
1. Able to attach/detach easily.
2. *Very* secure when attached.

A nice to have would be for it to be retractable as well, so I'm currently going to look into retractable ski poles for their light weight, retractability, and comfort-grip handles.

cheezycheese - 15-11-2011 at 10:44 PM

What type of shots are you trying to obtain...? Static shooting or holding this device while flying/riding ?

Kamikuza - 15-11-2011 at 10:54 PM

Nice idea!

I wanted something for the GoPro-on-a-pole to swap the camera around 180deg ... this might be a better idea than what I was thinking of ...

burritobandit - 15-11-2011 at 10:55 PM

My first idea was to be static while the kiter passes by me, or throws a trick in front of me. The original shot in my head worked as follows:
1. Kiter is approaching, camera is high
2. Kiter starts coming in close, camera remains trained on the rider, but starts descending.
3. Kiter throws trick/boosts right in front of me, camera is at lowest point facing upwards at kiter.

Then later I realized I could release the control rod, then face towards me while I was riding (kiting with one hand, camming with the 2nd). Or I could use it to cam other kiters riding around. For this case, I'd have to incorporate a float of some sort in case I dropped it.

Another shot I had in mind was spinning the camera on its Z axis as it filmed the kiter throwing an S-Bend or backroll kiteloop right in front of me.

I'm sure when I start using it, I'll come up with more ideas for shots.

John Holgate - 16-11-2011 at 02:11 AM

Can't quite see what you're trying to do there - looks like monopod mounted gopro with a secondary handle to adjust the camera ??

Or have you got it pivoting on something? If you use a parallelogram mount (er...something like that!!) the camera will continue pointing in the same plane regardless of how high or low it is. Check some of the astronomy forums - particularly for home made binocular mounts. I think that's what the commercial jibs use but wouldn't be too complicated to knock one up. In the last video I did Speed Week 2011 I think I took all the footage with the gopro mounted on the end of a tripod leg (a crappy cheap one). Wasn't too bad to wave around in the buggy and I could tuck it under one leg quickly when it got gusty. My favorite shots are the ones where the gopro is only a couple inches off the ground and moving forward.

Jib crane pic - is this what you're making?

jib crane.jpg - 6kB

PHREERIDER - 16-11-2011 at 07:29 AM

spring loaded pistol grip style to give tilt action when squeezed, could have click lock action maybe.

like a device used to pick items from the ground without bending over. a basic design to start with and cheap easy protos. just suggestions and could get pricey with custom Al parts

burritobandit - 16-11-2011 at 08:28 AM

John, the crane in the pic you linked will produce a similar effect as my DIY project. Perhaps I should have named this something different as it isn't a full-blown jib crane, just a cheaper/simpler version of it. In my case, I don't have it pivoting on a tripod or anything- I am the pivot/tripod. As far as creating the effect produced by a parallelogram mount, I'd simply just have to move the control rod slightly to keep the camera level as it changes altitude.

Phree, what you mentioned about a pistol grip is what I first had in mind to control the tilt when all of this popped in my head. I wanted something I could rest on or under my arm and use my hand to control a joystick that connected to the mount the camera sat on. I might still go that route later, but I think for now I can use this to achieve the type of shots I have in my head.

14 ft jib---looks owsummm

joearndt59 - 20-5-2014 at 04:42 AM

Check it out for action with jib.,,,,,,


Feyd - 20-5-2014 at 07:27 AM

That's pretty killer

Good save when he trips at 2:04 :D

PHREERIDER - 20-5-2014 at 07:53 AM

i remember abe on superkiteday rider made an articulated version , have not found it yet , he made a vid of it.