GLIDECAM vs. GIMBAL - Which is Better for Cinematic Footage?

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Have you ever wondered what's better for cinematic footage? We did too, so we decided to put them to the test. In this video we put the Glidecam and the Gimbal through a number of different classic shot types and compare the results side by side. If you're in the market for a stabilizer, we hope that this can help you in your decision.
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[@meanwhileinespoo1265]

when Running, the gimbal looks like grand theft auto and the glidecam looks like a hollywood movie

[@nonameexpdng]

That's exactly the point

[@lonewalkerproductions]

I can't unsee it now

[@zolen3046]

Maybe is also due to the lens they are using. The scene is more focused on the gimbal whereas on the glidecam there is less depth of field and more cinema looking overall in every shot.

[@shueibdahir]

@@zolen3046wtf are you talking about

[@no-trick-pony]

The glidecam footage looks really natural. The diagonal pan with the gimbal was kinda bad and more like a diganol + horizontal pan.

[@seandavis8213]

As a videographer who has experienced both for weddings, I can honestly say I prefer my glidecam over my studio's Ronin-S. The Ronin is a great gimbal and is very reliable. If you're new to video and want to jump into the fray, it's a good tool. However I find myself loving not just that organic feel to the glidecam, but the learning you get as an operator. Plus, rebalancing on a gimbal can get messy and the motors might struggle. With a glidecam, it's all just balancing all the axises.

[@azmiryusof3301]

agreed with u !! natural and no need to recharge the battery...

[@cheesedust-n3w]

Don't forget when you're on set and you have to change lenses. Switching from a sigma 18-35mm to a laowa 9mm is a nightmare 😱

[@wavetojupiter]

@@azmiryusof3301 yeah we have the same mind bro

[@kelasbebas8742]

And cheaper hahaha... But yeah i agree with you. Especially because my favorite way of shooting is in almost steadily way. don't like smooth-dynamic-gimbal-whatever movement, but stay in place or a little of walking. But when i stand to shoot i always want a little smooth movement of the camera. The problem with handheld is that sometimes its shaky. I don't really much using tripod. Too static. And tool like glidecam is very fit for me because it has, like you said, natural feel of movement

[@danielvilliers612]

One thing I see is the glidecam doesn't look to have the ugly step/Z axis movement as the gymbal.

[@damiandigitaldude5531]

Wow I'm impressed so many people here are feeling the Glidecam

[@Traficantes]

This vid should have 2M views, not 3K. Excellent demo. Thank you!

[@ChristopherKou]

I thought the Glidecam beat the Gimbal on a number of shots that you judged a tie. The subject change shot in particular I thought the Glidecam tilt/pan was much smoother and less robotic. I thought the Gimbal performed better full stop to full speed running shot and obviously the 360 roll shot.

[@alexiadevine5467]

I thinks it's still kind of hard to tell since the one who was using the Gimbal didn't have as much experience with it as the guy with his Glidecam. We need two people at the same skill level with their equipment.

[@PraveenKumar-fs6of]

Absolutely

[@SEANLIGHTZTV]

someone who uses a gimbal more often would've most likely came out with identical or perhaps even better shots.. this video is slightly botched haha

[@jacobdesio]

@@SEANLIGHTZTV that’s not true, if a gimbal was inherently better nobody would use a glidecam. I work in film professionally and I use both and if I have to choose I pick my steadicam over a motorized gimbal everytime. Electronic gimbals look better than steadicam if you have limited to no experience but as your skill goes up the steadicam looks better and better whereas the electronic gimbal becomes less organic looking

[@alexiadevine5467]

Seems like the Glidecam provides more control

[@piotrmasiak6355]

Glidecam is not only a tool. Its the way you think as an operator, you have to tell the story by movement of your body, its like a painting or dancing. You can be the perfect printer or you can be an artist. In my opinion gimbals are for people who knows what to do with glidecam not in a reverse.

[@paraisosaudiovisuais]

"...gimbals are for people who knows what to do with glidecam not in a reverse". Interesting statement, can´t say I disagree...

[@ToxicTurtleIsMad]

Using a steadicam is not art my dude.

[@jonahrichards8378]

Glidecam is CLEARLY better

[@EricRudolph9]

your buddy on the glide cam was the difference,

[@CodyDIY]

Even his gimbal shots were nice!

[@AlexVictor]

being 'too' stabilized isn't always good, especially when you're shooting actions

[@mikemuponda1781]

You’re absolutely right, I didn’t always know this until I started paying attention to hollywood movies. They have cinematically shaky footage for a purpose, not because they didn’t have the best stabilizer in the world.

[@GodsLastWarning]

I definitely prefered the glidecam footage. So much more cinematic. I dare say I wouldn't have the patience to learn it though... so it is a tough one.

[@sfisolungisani3799]

This man really hating on the glidecam

[@chrishart2577]

Right?

[@510TonyT]

That’s what I was thinking lol

[@mihintai8166]

exactly.. I felt like he was talking for himself..

[@frozenbrick]

Have to agree lol. Anything wrong with the gimbal was “the motors not being set up properly” and anytime the glidecam looked good it was because of “Marcus’ experience”. Then when he held the glidecam he moved it like he was holding a hot potato and made it seem so hard to hold properly lol.

[@JLongTom]

Maybe because the channel is hoping to make money through amazon referrals, and the Ronin is more expensive?

[@casimirbielinski6182]

Thank you for this. I didn't expect the Glidecam to be my favorite footage overall, but it totally is. I think it has just enough stabilization + enough bounce to make it seem much more natural than the gimbal movements.

[@cjramki3956]

Excellent demonstration. I like the Glidecam shots. It's looks more cinematic than Gimbal in my opinion except 360 degree shot. But As you said to shot like a pro in Glidecam will take time and need more practice. Really It's a great demonstration video. Thanks a lot!!!

[@oolcc]

great demonstration !! super helpful! I think u really nailed the main differences especially the learning curve!

[@francoisgodofe]

The glidecam has a really natural look, I would almost say that's the average between handheld and gimbal, really interesting. Thank's for that video.

[@98JamesNixon]

I’ve had my Glidedam HD-2000 for a few yrs now. Happy to see a lot people are actually preferring the look of the glide cam. Two different tools both have their place, think I’m going to stick with the Glidecam for a while and save some money. Will probably get a Robin S eventually for certain shots but the glide cam is still be try capable and extremely reliable!

[@mkphotofilm]

Canada Place in the background! I have spent some time in that city. I noticed it mostly by the square you were walking through, and that building. It was years ago. Some places never change.

[@paraisosaudiovisuais]

Nice review! I agree completely with your opinon regading the "natural look" of the Glidecam and as you said, the tool you choose will depend on the situation you have and the desired final result....

[@RaphaelChan888]

Terrific video with really practical comparisons. You really do get a sense of the differences and pros and cons between these two tools. Liked and Subscribed 👍

[@NilakshaFreeson]

Very informative and awesome illustration!

[@yeanahcheers]

Very helpful, thanks a lot!

[@amargmedia100]

Subscribed. Thanks for this amazing video

[@alchymista2]

very nice comparison, thank you

[@gregscarcella519]

Great side-by-side comparison. Valuable video

[@PraveenKumar-fs6of]

One of THE best Video about Gimabl, ON KZbin ! .

[@jdpst20]

Great VIDEO. I've recently picked up a Used Glidecam HD 4000 with quick release plate for a super good price and I've been working on using it now. I recently had it on my 1dxii however I sold that fora an XT3 and I find it much easier to operate as it's A LOT lighter. Sure there are shots that a Gimbal can get that a Glidecam cannot however, like you mentioned I think the slight movement or more natural movement actually is more appealing to the eye and ads to the shot over the extreme steadiness of the gimbal. I think some filmmakers "I know I was guilty" of this when I first started shooting video, want that absolutely super steady footage. Everything needs to be 100% smooth ect. However if you're telling a story and depending on the shot a little motion can go a long way.

[@filipzamec9671]

Owning a few gimbals, I'm starting to looking for a glidecam. Gimbal gives you this stutters, that feels robotic. It can be seen on rotational video here as well. Where as glidecam seems very smooth with human factor :)

[@Mike0193Azul]

Awesome video! Very helpful

[@TheTrackdriver]

A great demo and you are both skilled operators. Gimbal looks video and glidecam looks cinematic to me.

[@LarlemMagic]

Use the Rhonin to get stable shots when you don't need to use the stick to pan up/down, left/right. Use then glidecam to get any other shot where you need human control of the center point of the shot. ANY ACTION SHOTS.

[@fabioaguiar5480]

Pretty good informations. Tks for it

[@openplayexplore6704]

Very helpful!

[@DuffTV]

Great review, please do more

[@GTacticalJody]

Those running shots made me laugh lol 😂

[@JohnnyHurcomb]

I have been shooting on a Glide Cam HD2000 for about 5 years now. I purchased the old Ronin M thinking it would work better surely a $1200 gimbal would do better than a $500 steadicam but I returned in after using it 3 times. Bought a Ronin SC thinking the same thing and returned it after about a month of use. Glidecam just feel so much more organic to me.

[@beaugotdrums7821]

Why did you want to go for gimbal anyway?

[@realnobeats4525]

Thank you for video. :)

[@stevebarnesmedia]

I have a Canon XA30. I'll be using it soon for a permaculture documentary. There are a few things I'm wanting to do: 1. Steady footage with face detection mode whilst moving/walking 2. More creative shots, such as from low down, looking up 3. Focus pulling to provide more interest My research has led me to believe a gimbal will be better for me than a mechanical glidecam kit. I'm also considering whether a should rig will assist me, but I'm not sure how I'll go accessing controls on the XA30, specifically for focus pulling. Advice much appreciated.

[@Batmonthesequel]

I personally don’t think they look similar at all. The glidecam footage is so smooth and natural even with little bumps here and there. The gimbal footage is so tense and the movement is so clearly robotic side by side like this (to me, at least) I’ve only ever used a gimbal (crane 3 lab) on a job before and I’ve been looking to grab a glidecam. It may be more work to figure out the glidecam but that might be a sign that it’s the better way to go. Idk. Gotta see

[@RixCanDoit]

Very helpful. I was just playing with my new Raleno (glidecam) that I balanced for the first time today. Once you get used to how to balance, I was able to shoot some decent shots and was impressed. And it only cost me about $50. :-)

[@cayden7725]

Damn, gonna look into that now. Is it hard to learn? Idk if I have the commitment lol

[@xglvn]

Thank you!!!

[@jorgem50]

7:11 I have mastered the vortex mode shot with my glidecam.

[@amrashmawy2129]

great video, very beneficial

[@joelmulder]

The biggest difference between a glidecam and a gimbal for me is that the glide cam produces way more natural motion, but if you want to track focus you need a focus puller. The major advantage of a gimbal is that your left hand is free to adjust focus.

[@pepenomly6572]

When walking back you can get cycling mirrors that fit on sunglasses so you don’t have to look back

[@jorgem50]

I am going to start using my came tv h4 (glidecam type stabilizer) and have my weebill s as a backup

[@miketayolar1852]

Can you please make a video on what settings you tweak to the ronin s to make it more comfortable for you and helps you get smoother shots? I have this gimbal and i don't know what settings to tweak to get the smoothest shots

[@petcastbrazil]

You Guys really nailed it by doing a Fantastic comparison. Thanks! Could you also mention wich cameras you used? Thanks

[@Movesmedia]

Hey patty, we shot these using the Sony A7sii amzn.to/3q073dB I think most shots we used this 24-105 lens: amzn.to/35kWmsC

[@hardwiredreview]

Amazing video dude! Loved the comparison. Keep it up!

[@NakataLTU]

If you're a freelancer it's great to have both. Honestly, just buy a very cheap glidecam, it servers the same, but do invest into a better gimbal, cause it involves electronics, functions and other perks. Glidecam is really good for simple one angle shots, it's more wavy and results into a really cinematic looks, but it takes loads of practice to frame and to have a good composition. I've been using a glidecam for 2 years now and only now I can nail the composition. Gimbal is more of a robotic smooth kind of thing, it's great if you need different angles, cause you wont need to rebalance the whole thing and it will stay on one angle while filming, but it wont feel as cinematic. Gimbal is great if you're freelancing and you need to film things quick and nail the composition and angles, it's made for that. So yeah honestly just get both of those if you're able, I got my glidecam for 50$ from aliexpress, it's a yelangu s60t i believe, honestly 5 years and it's still holding up and is serving it's purporse, nothing is broken and it works great!

[@charliepollard8919]

How does this have 20k views, amazing video 💕💕

[@ramonbannister9498]

I agree w/ everything here. I liked the Glidecam footage better though. But like you said, Glidecam is extremely difficult to learn. First time I used it, most of the footage was unusable. It takes quite a gentle touch, because any little movement screws up the shot.

[@naoton201]

Greater stability leads to robotic feels thats why we think glidecam feel more natural

[@ZukoSikhafungana]

Team glidecam here🙂

[@vallejopnw]

Seems a lot of this is personal preference. Im shooting music videos with the GH5 and clients want the completely level look. Gimbal.

[@daniellopezk.9659]

Great Vid, think im going to go glide cam

[@jorgem50]

I did my own test of a cheap glidecam knockoff vs weebill s. I get very similar results.

[@teceneu1596]

Hello! This glidecam works with a bridge camera ? Like Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 ?

[@laiwang1404]

I think the universal joint is better, and the rotation angle can be based on your own wishes, rather than waiting for the reaction from the electronic stabilizer

[@evanthowell]

thanks for this great demo. main reason i'm looking at the glidecam is because many of my shoots are run/gun - I need to take my FS5 off the tripod and follow the subject we just interviewed for a walk around. but it looks like with the gimbal, one must strip down (importantly with the side handle and battery). because the gimbal seems to be better suited for dslrs and mirrorless, like my sony A7III. Thoughts?

[@Movesmedia]

We operate ours with our c200 as well. Its annoying to strip it down but keep in mind the glidcam has its own draw backs like if you are wanting to change lenses or zoom in a bit on a zoom lens you have to rebalance it. With the gimbal small changes can be handled by the motors. It is nice not having to worry about extra power with the glidecam but it there are benefits and challenges on both sides

[@ewansabri1054]

Glidecam looks more natural! But awesome video!!

[@cedarandsound]

I'd say the gimbal has more troubles with smooth movements, such as tilt down shot from the building. The motor stops are all so robotic and mechanical, you can see where the camera stops and re-adjusts for the next direction. Is that adjustable because my DJI phone gimbal is never smooth with combined pan/tilt movements. You can always tell when you let off of the move, it never slows down before stopping.

[@franki3flash808]

did u use differente camaras or lenses?? They look different in quality and autofocus

[@kcmoviemkr]

Never used a glide or stedicam. I have used the DJI and Crane however. I shoot with a Canon R6 and primarily the 28-70. Both the DJI and Crane motors struggle after a period of time. Anyone else experience that? Resolution? And yep, I make sure they are completely balanced prior to using.

[@andyr8812]

I have both, but never use the Glidecam as it has some serious limitations, like panning and tilting and when it is windy.

[@WastedTalentStudio]

Yea i had 2 gimbals and theyre dope but i want to try the glidecam..gimbal motors sometimes

[@theunboxnetwork]

GLIDECAM X-10 vs thanos pro 2 which one os the best2

[@jghjjhkhkhk]

They both have their benefits I have both tools and I love them both

[@ltv1d]

When it comes to framing, the ronin Sc has a tracking feature so

[@cuuppaajoe]

Same here. I think the gimbal is the best because of the remote operation and one-handed operation. I got the sc for 259 as a special and have not looked back!

[@twesttv]

Glidecam vet of 10 years believe it or not and still using it with the vest. It takes time to learn it but once you do it's very effective. You can put a heavier camera on it, don't have to worry about batteries for it and you can't break it.

[@2010KOAB]

Perfect

[@BrianMillion]

The only thing missing was a cost comparison. Would’ve been helpful having a Amazon link to both. Otherwise, it was a great video that answered all my questions. Thanks

[@husariaproductions4240]

That’s the thing. It’s all about your operator in regards to glide cam. Also do some testing with cine and you’ll find out who wins ;)

[@christinteron1]

Awesome

[@peterkoomen1]

Great video. Like it a lot!

[@larrylarry1368]

Question: if my camera has severe rolling shutter problems and it is only capable of 30fps. Would you recommend Glider or Gimbal for cinematic recordings?

[@Movesmedia]

Both will be similar but glidecam will take you much longer to master. So I'd suggest gimbal for your situation but maybe upgrading your camera before either....

[@italogiardina8183]

Learning the glidecam would give in the long run a comparative advantage over the gimbal.

[@PatrikWestli]

8:24 Wouldn't really call that "similar" to be fair. Two completely different shots

[@jacobdesio]

Seriously, the DJI looked awful on that shot

[@KosolOnwudinjor]

I prefer both 😁

[@Unogamingchannel]

the glidecam looks a lot smoother in majority of the shots, even with slight wobble, they're slow enough that you don't notice a major shift, and seems to be a more natural follow, even in the low shot, while his did shift up and down a bit more it was so slow and smooth it just seemed like natural movement for the camera. in a lot of the gimbal's shots the up and down/left and right panning were much faster and more jerky, like it takes a second for the gimbal to realize a change in motion so it ramps up quickly to catch up then stops suddenly, also the amount of micro jitter from the gimbal almost makes it unwatchable, you can definitely tell the motors are trying to compensate for the camera's shift in weight/direction. as a whole I would have to give the edge to the glidecam for overall smoothness and non robotic micro jerks that produce the very quick start stop motion when the motors need to catch up to any change in direction.

[@sottosopra4769]

You can get with both good results but with steadycam is really really hard.

[@ThaexakaMavro]

a steadycam and glidecam are way more natural but it's hard to use

[@hensbread]

Where I see the complete benefit of the glide came is better control over zoom and you mic wont get cut in the motor. To me, as a ronin S owner, not being able to capture audio on the fly makes a lot of my footage mute the volume and put audio underneath it. I think that is great, but I want to be able to have flexibility with my clients. If someone is watching this and thinking well shoot, they are the same price. I would say buy the glidecam because this video is true in the sense learning the gimbal is pretty easy. Learn the hard thing first but also have the benefit of hooking an external mic to the camera. Disclaimer: you can hook up a mic to your gimbal set up but it can get caught up when you do pans and rolls. For me? I'd rather not have the mic on in those scenerios because its not worth the trouble. All in all, this is a pretty vanilla video "Both are great", they are great but there are more pros and cons I did not feel this video explored enough.

[@navreet7356]

As an amateur, i really like the glidecam

[@MAMREZG]

tnx

[@MGrose407]

I think the glidecam looks more natural and cinematic while the gimbal looks kinda digital and too crisp. There are some specific modes that are better for the gimbal, but not for everyday uses.

[@GuillaumeB7]

That's mainly because they are not using the same camera though. With completely different sharpening settings. The Gimbal has a sony a6x00 on it and the Glidecam has a Sony A7x on it.

[@GarretGrayCamera]

To me, having used a glidecam it's more of a craft and a skill that you learn and get better at over time. The gimbal has a little learning curve but you can essentially operate it out of the box. I wish I could get those extra smooth clinical looking shots on my glidecam though but I'll take the tradeoff of having something that feels like a tool, doesn't need batteries, over a mechanical stabilizer any day.

[@rioalwaali1471]

I have a glidecam too..but it seriously heavy and take a little bit long time to adjust..but glide cam make footage look more cinematic and natural

[@thelaw2174]

I personnally had the glidecam HD 2000 and used it for many years. It is a tricky tool and is difficult to get right. If you go sideways with the glidecam, it's almost impossible to keep the frame parallel to the ground, it's gonna look tilted toward the direction you're going despite your best efforts. Rotating around an a subject is also tricky because one most turn the shaft with the fingers to keep the subject in frame while walking, looking at the screen and paying attention where they're going. Too much or too little input on the shaft and the subject wont be centered anymore. Any movement on the shaft will 100% be noticeable in post prod. And it's very painful on your arm after 15 minutes of holding this thing. Remember, the more weight you add, the more stable it is, but the harder it becomes to hold in the air.

[@THelvenstine]

Great content. I couldn't help but notice the title is redundant, as both of these are gimbals. One is just motorized, the other is not.

[@magSPHB]

I prefer glidecam look so muuuch

[@AnahatNaad]

Which camera was used to shoot inside shots ? Amazing footage!!! Outside as well. Which cameras were used. ? Please let me know

[@Movesmedia]

Hey Blurryface, we used the Sony A7sii for all these shots!

[@AnahatNaad]

Moves Media wow and which lens? The image quality is awesome 😱😱😱

[@Movesmedia]

Sony 24-105 G lens. It's very versatile.

[@AnahatNaad]

Moves Media excellent results I must day

[@DASHCREATIONODIA]

Overall good

[@heyfly9218]

The shots are not similar at all. Gimbal footage is super robotic and not smooth at all. It's obvious in every single pan: pan-gimbal catchess up,pan-gimbal catches up. Follow shots as well. Not organic like a glidecam, not as good as a dolly. Jack of all trades, master of none. If you want to say its operator driven, he blows you out of the water, its not even close.

[@troywalt4834]

I disagree I think the gimbal was smoother and felt the glidecam had a bit too much jitter.

[@SuperBratan]

ROllerblades are key

[@JosephYunMusic]

hey do you still recommend glidecam for canon's R5 in 2021?

[@Movesmedia]

I'd personally prefer gimbal but if you know how to operate a glidecam then yes!

[@RedEyrisFilms]

They are both great tools I own a glidecam and just started to use it again today after years balanced my cinema camera on it in minutes. I've see people use a gimbal and by the time they balanced it I would be finished several shots handheld and on my glidecam. Less hassle is always a plus and I change batteries on my ninjav enough I dont need a stabilizer with batteries it's just me... great video by the way

[@Movesmedia]

Thanks, glad you liked it.

[@Rahul_ke]

I wanted to do 360 in glidecam 😩

[@HARI-xh5sz]

Can I use this for mobile instantly.and this have mobile holder?

[@HARI-xh5sz]

Answer please