No matter what sort of camera you’re using for YouTube, proper support and stabilization is essential to avoid that unprofessional shaky look. Though the professional systems used on your favorite large films can cost tens of thousands of dollars, getting smooth shots doesn’t have to be so painful. There are many different systems worth considering, and they all have their unique advantages and disadvantages for different use cases.
Tripods and Monopods
For most people, the best way to increase their video stabilization is with a solid tripod. Not all tripods are created equal, and many new video creators are surprised when they learn what a professional system may cost. Luckily, there are still budget options that are definitely worth getting. One solid option is the Davis & Sanford Provista 7518b, which we did a separate review on here. This high quality budget tripod has a 75mm half-bowl mount tripod head and supports large camera rigs up to 18 pounds. I like the inclusion of a bowl mount on this tripod. It allows the tripod head to be quickly leveled when setting up, without the need for the tripod legs to be the same length. This isn’t a big deal for photographers, but it’s important when filming video since you can’t level the shot during editing. I often find myself using this tripod for use on my YouTube videos, especially B-roll shots of products when working on reviews. The head provides fairly smooth pans and tilts, but I would have liked to have an adjustable tension for the pan friction. To me, the pan friction is a little loose, which can lead to inconsistent panning speeds at times. The good news is, this tripod can easily be upgraded to another head in the future if you find its not working out, whether you use a normal 75mm tripod head, or a standard flat base head with a 75mm half-bowl adapter.
If you require more of a portable solution, a monopod could be a better option for you. They’re much smaller than tripods and can often be thrown in a bag and carried much easier. Monopods have only one support and can usually fit a video head, although with a lower weight capacity. The often have a tilting base, which can allow them to achieve sliding shots in some cases. When choosing a monopod, we recommend a free-standing option with its own feet, that way you’re not constantly holding it up. If you require both a tripod and monopod for different situations, there are hybrid tripod/monopod options available.
Overhead Camera Angles
Many content creators are often looking for a solution that will give them a top down perspective when filming. These are often used on a tabletop for unboxing or cooking videos, when the best shot is a looking straight down on the object. These support systems often don’t allow for any motion in the shots, and they’re known as overhead camera rigs. One simple option that’s available is the Glide Gear Overhead Camera Rig. This system is placed on a tabletop and holds the camera facing downwards.
For those who aren’t looking to invest in a dedicated overhead rig, there are also extendable tripods that allow the head to tilt to a top-down perspective.
Sliders
Shots that move side-to-side without that change in angle from panning are often made using a slider. Though you can do this by hand, sliders offer a few advantages. First, they support the camera and prevent that jitter you get from freehand motion. Second, they keep the camera on a straight track allowing for more consistent shots. Finally, professional sliders can often be combined with a motor or flywheel, allowing them to achieve perfectly smooth motion, especially when the camera is moving slowly.Camera sliders often come in different lengths, usually between 60 and 150 cm. Smaller sliders are more portable, but they don’t allow much range of motion. Larger sliders provide a longer distance which is helpful in larger scenes, but they often flex if mounted in the center and require a much more robust support system.
There are two main types of sliders available. The first is a friction slider. These can often sell for under $50, but they’re made cheap. All they are is a rail and a plate with a camera mount on top, often with a plastic strip in between to avoid direct contact between the metal components. These systems are not very good and don’t provide very smooth motion. The next type of slider is a bearing slider, which typically starts at around $100. These also have a plate sliding along a track, but instead they use a set of bearings to ensure smoother contact between plate and rails. Bearing sliders can often be made of a metal track or carbon fibers rails, but they both effectively work the same way. The motion provided by a bearing slider is much smoother and easier to control, and they can often be combined with accessories such as a flywheel or motor.
At the low end, the cheapest slider that has acceptable results is the Neewer carbon fiber slider. This slider works on a dual-rail bearing system and provides smooth enough results with a little practice. The problem with this slider is that there are no available accessories, so the smoothness and speed of the sliding motion is entirely dependent on the skill of the operator. Some people have also had a few issues with the motion being a little stiff near the center, and loosening up towards the edge, leading to speed inconsistency.
An intermediate slider is offered by Konova, which creates solid metal sliders. These are some of the cheapest sliders available that offer a wide variety of flywheel, motor, and timelapse accessories. They’re a good starting point for creators, since they can be upgraded over time as your needs evolve. Konova sliders have a much better build quality than Neewer, however their metal rails can pick up dirt along the track which lead to bumps in the motion, meaning they require maintenance and cleaning for optimal performance.
For a truly professional grade slider, there are great options available such as the Rhino Slider and Edelkrone slider, however, the return you get on your investment starts to diminish at this point.
Higher end motorized sliders can also provide great features such as time lapse support. Creating a sliding time lapse is a great way to establish a new scene, especially if there’s a lot of slow activity, such as clouds moving by outdoors. Adding a moving time lapse, can give you a professional look, but systems to do this can be fairly expensive. One good example of a rig that can do this is the Rhino Slider with Motion. These sliders can support side to side motion, and often also have pan capabilities. They can be programmed to slide the camera a certain distance along their length, and take a certain number of shots during a specified time. When choosing one of these systems, it’s not as simple as just using a regular motorized slider with an intervalometer to trigger the time lapse. The slider and intervalometer must work together, snapping each picture while the camera is not moving. Though this isn’t a big deal during the day when a short shutter speed can be used, it is essential for creating night time lapses due to the longer exposure time required.
Gimbals and Glidecams
A great way to achieve a longer smooth shot, such as following an actor or actress, is with a gimbal. These stabilizers allow for a wider range of motion than a tripod or slider, since the camera can be held freehand. The role of a gimbal is to hold the camera as stationary as possible, all while the operators’ hand can be moving. They even have been used to create smooth footage where it would have otherwise been unusable, such as while holding the camera and running.
Since most video creators reading this article will likely be shooting their video on a DSLR or mirrorless camera, they’re able to use a gimbal like the Zhiyun Crane 2, which has a maximum weight capacity of 7 pounds. This covers most small cameras with a reasonably sized lens, but it won’t work for a large telephoto lens. If your video setup only uses a small camera like an action camera, there are smaller options available like the Feiyu G5 V2. These are cheaper than the full size gimbals, and they’re more portable and easier to carry around for longer periods of time due to their lightweight design.
Though previously a lot of these shots were done with a Glidecam, the price of 3-axis motorized gimbals has dropped substantially in recent years. Gimbals are often much easier to operate and balance compared to a Glidecam, and they can provide professional results without much practice, provided you at least learn how to control it. The motors in a gimbal can also compensate for being slightly out of balance, whereas glidecams struggle in this area. This is especially important when using zoom lenses, since changing the focal length alters the balance of the camera system.
Due to the available options now for gimbals, we wouldn’t recommend glidecam-style stabilizers for video production unless you’re working on a tight budget and are looking for a cheaper way to create smooth motion. In that case, a Neewer stabilizer will work, but they can be a lot of hassle and still not provide the best results.
Overall, smooth motion is a great way to improve the quality of videos for YouTube. Nothing looks more unprofessional than shaky footage, and smooth footage can really provide a nice cinematic look to your content. Though many people are scared off by the vast selection of support and stabilization equipment available, we hope this article provided a great overview of some of the available options than will help you achieve the best results for your situation.