Any tricks to remove/reduce vibration…

[David Smith]

vibration from the music, or from the crowd dancing?

Do the cameras you’re using have image stabilizers? That can help, depending on the music. I’ve shot some shows where the bass is so strong we had to turn the stabilizers off. Microphonics from the sound pressure was so intense it was shaking the stabilizer!

The more solid and heavy the platform, the better. Two platforms per camera is another good trick. One for the camera and one for the operator with a space between them. (They can’t be connected in any way for this to work). Of course if the floor is moving because of the crowd, the platform will move too.

Security around the platforms is important. One person’s camera platform is another person’s drink holder and leaning/sitting/climbing on jungle jim.

Heavy duty bracing of the platform can help (see floor caveat above) and most carpenters won’t understand just how solid you need it to be. Invite them to look through your camera on a tight shot so they “get it”. Once they do, I’ve never worked with a carpentry crew who didn’t try their best to resolve any problems. I’ve even seen them place extra jacks under the floor in a small club to help out.

[Michael Sacci]

The vibration is from the amps (Bass) I’m talking big arenas, When I use hard cameras with real lenses 66x and above these are normally just fine, they have major stabilization in them but not all clients can afford them so sometime we have to use Varicams with 22x ENG style lenses. I always try to do the 2 platform set up for a camera, I’m amazed on how many people cannot understand why the is important and have had staging companies just swap (2) 4×4 for a 4×8 and wonder why I get pissed.

But what I’m looking for is a trick for a dumping system to reduce or remove the vibration.

[Thomas Leong]

AFAIK, Sound Recording Room Designers use Frequency Dampers (tuned springs?) to isolate external vibrations from a sound room, i.e. the whole room(s) is mounted on these springs such that a big truck rumbling by outside would not affect the sound in the room.

I did a search for “Frequency Dampers” and two seemingly relevant results are –

https://www.csaengineering.com/vibdamp/tmd.shtml

https://www.lord.com/tabid/3523/Default.aspx

Highly technical, and sounds expensive though.

best of luck,
Thomas Leong

[Vince Becquiot]

Hey, how about a large knife, something that could, say.. cut a Neutrix cable 😉

Here a link you might want to look at.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/equipment/1203/isolationshootout.htm

Cheers,

Vince

[Thomas Leong]

In terms of the weight of the camera, lens and tripod, the second last item in the review – the Sound Isol-Pods – seem to have the most potential.