Hello everyone.
Right now I am at Atlantics Hotel, in Dubai UAE.
I am doing a sunrise timelapse with my Insta360 Titan.
As you see behind me.
And I am sitting on the beach.
It is very very beautiful here.
As you see the sun rise in front of me there.
So Today.
I am going to review my build for my travel support system.
Monopod Tripod for professional-grade cameraS like the Insta360 Titan, Z Cam V1 Pro, Insta360
Pro 2 and Kandao Obsidian I am to review the Nodal Ninja Travel Pole as you see right there
supporting my Titan doing a timelapse and also my build guide support system base system
the weight build on the monopod there and also a pan head so you can adjust level quickly
on location it is very important to have a very good support system while you are travelling
around the world and doing VR documentary and you want a system that is very quick portal
travel with you but also very safe very steady for doing timelapse and doing quick capture
on location.
So, if you want to learn about my setup.
Let's dive right in.
[MUSIC]
The original setup idea comes from my friend Sebastien Hameline, the DP who did Hulu VR
Series with Major Lazer, Warner Brother IT, Pacific Rim VR experiences, Best Raindance
VR film 7 Miracles, and more.
As you see, he extends the Travel Pole way higher above the crowd with the Insta360 Pro
2 to capture the Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan.
This video is out now on CreatorUp BTW, so check the final result here.
I can't show you his exact setup.
But I will show you my version of it.
The key part of the component is the Nodal Ninjas Travel Pole - which allows the camera
to have a sitting height, all the way to 3 meters above the crowd aerial 360 views.
My viewers ask me how I can capture aerial 360 in areas that are absolutely not allowed
to fly drone.
Well, I use the Nodal Ninjas Travel Pole or even the Pole 2 or Pole 3 series - that allows
me to reach almost 10 meters.
The best part of the Travel Pole, is the travel.
When it not extends, it can be separated into 2 parts.
The whole package, including the carrying bag, only weights 0.97kg.
It is very compact and fits nicely in any luggage or backpack side pocket.
As a low budget travel VR documentary filmmaker, this is crucial in my setup.
We travel with it to Tokyo, Shanghai, India, Singapore, Greece, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and many
more places.
It never fails us once with different VR cameras on top.
I should also mention Nodal Ninjas is a US company based in Arizona.
So their quality is top-notch.
As a low budget VR filmmaker, we always try to save money in any way we can.
But I will not suggest saving money on your VR camera support system.
You can, for sure, use a regular cinegrade video camera tripod.
But now your nadir is getting big and hard to remove in 360.
You always need a minimal footprint in 360 VR.
Especially in stereoscopic 3D 360.
Most 3D VR Camera has a monoscopic nadir like the Insta360 Titan right here.
If your tripod extends into the 3D area, it will be hard to remove it in post-production.
But you still need a reliable support system and steady monopod.
So your very expensive VR camera is not gonna fall and break.
That is why I won't go cheap on my monopod and get some random brands from China.
Let's look at the detail specs of Nodal Ninjas Travel Pole.
Most of the time, you only need the upper part - for sitting height and stand height.
The package comes with this cap that can easily screw into the bottom of the upper pole.
Then you can connect it to any base with a 3/8 screw on top.
Like what I have here.
BTW, if you also use it with consumer pole or consumer 360 camera, it is worth to invest
a base has interchangeable 3/8 to 1/4 screw, like what you see here.
The 3/8 part will be pushed down with a spring and turn into 1/4 screw.
Very convenient on set when I need to switch from Nodal Ninjas into a selfie stick for
POV 360.
So there is another tip for you.
Write it down.
Just the Upper part, it can be extended all the way to 5.41 Feet - which is usually the
best stand height of your VR camera.
BTW, you don't want your lens in the eye height.
You always want it to be a little bit lower, like your chin height.
Because we are dealing with a distorted fisheye lens.
Also, please write this tip down.
And give me a like while you at it.
Because this tutorial will be full of practical tips and tricks.
When you know, you will only have a standing height and above, for example, filming for
a music festival or concert.
You can connect 2 parts together and extend as height as 9.55 feet, around 3 meters when
you also has a base and a pan head.
Let's take a step back, and talk about why you need above the crowd shot.
Some VR filmmakers might argue that, the VR camera, which is usually the viewers' head
in a VR headset, will never go higher than the viewers' height.
Yes, that might make sense in a 6 Dof VR game that the headset can measure the viewers'
height.
But this principle does not strictly apply to VR360 video.
As 90% of the content is consumed when the viewers are sitting down.
And you will not know their chair height.
So you can, for sure, break that rule.
Any other thing about VR360 videos, viewers actually enjoy a viewpoint that they can not
physically reach.
It gives them the experience that they never see before with their own eyes.
Making them 6 feet height and look over the crowd and the DJ on stage is actually very
cool.
That is also why my aerial 360 videos are cool, and people always love it.
Because people can not fly with birds in the sky in real life.
They at least want to do it virtually.
Another technical challenge is stitching.
When you in the crowd, people are too close to stitch line, and you will have massive
stitching problems later on in Mistika VR or whatever you use.
Getting the camera up creating distance that allows you to stitch easily in post without
people allover the stitchline.
That is why Nodal Ninjas Travel Pole is so essential in my setup.
Okay, now let's talk about the base.
Nodal Ninja allows you to use any kind of base.
You can use a tripod for extra stability when you go high.
You can even use Guy Wire Support System for extra stability when you are doing a day to
night timelapse.
As you all know micro-movement will ruin any 360 timelapse.
As a travel VR documentary filmmaker, I choose mobility instead.
A tripod is hard to move around.
So I use a low profile base like the Manfrotto Virtual reality base, or the Benro Video Hi-Hat.
But at the end, I settle down and purchase the In'duro GIHH100CP Baby Grand Cardon Fiber
Leg.
As you see right here.
It is more expensive than the Manfrotto and the Benro.
But, this thing is built like a tank.
It absorbs shock and vibration from the ground better than the Manfrotto.
And ground shaking is actually very common in VR.
Having the ability to absorb the shake leads to a more stable shot.
It also has a really good grip on the ground.
I beat this thing up onset, and still look brand new.
It is very impressive.
As you also see, I add a 10-pound weight between the base and the Nodal Ninja.
You can get those weights from Manfrotto, and I will put the link down below.
Add leveling solution There is still One thing is missing tho.
Leveling.
As you all know, leveling your 360VR with the horizon is crucial in filming, especially
for 3D stereoscopic 360.
You can add leveling in the base with the Manfrotto Virtual reality base.
But don't ever do that.
Because with the pole and the camera on top as the leverage, that will be very unstable
and easy to tile the camera to the ground.
So, we are adding a quick leveling feature on the top of the pole with Benro Leveling
Base as you see right here.
There is a physical bubbler right here to help you to level your camera very fast onset.
Efficiency is very important on a professional film set.
Your director will hire you again if you can setup your VR camera faster than any of the
other DPs he ever works with.
The Benro Leveling Base is actually pretty expensive.
If you want a cheaper alternative, I will also suggest the Neewer Photography Tripod
Leveler Tri-Wheel Leveling Base.
It also comes with a bubbler.
The benefit of a Tri-Wheel system is precision.
If you ever level a VR camera on an uneven ground - you know what I am talking about.
Pole Attachment A professional VR camera setup usually end
up like this.
For example, the Z Cam V1 Pro will need a V-mount battery, a router, and lots of cables.
So being organize on set with your Nodal Ninja pole is crucial.
If everything can be attached onto your pole and you can carry it where ever your director
want, without the need for an extra hand.
You save the whole production 1 extra PA.
That is some serious amount of saving.
All you need, is this - Bongo Ties.
It cost less than 25 cents.
So for example, here, we have the insta360 Titan farsight transmitter.
BTW, if you are using Titan for livestreaming or a locked on camera shoot.
The Farsight transmitter will run out of battery in less than 2 hours.
Which is annoying.
The whole point of a build-in battery system is to not rely on an external power source.
But the farsight needs it b/c it does not has a replaceable battery and you need to
charge it when it runs out.
More time waste on set.
That is why I have this little YouTube USB bar that I can use a Bango Tie to attach it
on to my Nodal Ninjas.
Plug in the USB into the farsight.
Now we can film all day without worrying about power running out.
You can attach anything literally onto the pole with Bango Ties and they are secured.
So write that tip down.
And I also put the link onto my Amazon idea list down in the description below - so you
can find everything in one place for your convenience.
So what if you want to go really high, like 9 meters high to capture 360VR?
In the next video, we will review Nodal Ninja Pole 2 and Pole 3 - which allow you to go
really hight with your professional camera.
Obviously, you will need a full-body built-in VR camera like the Insta360 Pro 2 or the Titan
- so no battery or router dangling around on the sky.
I will show you how I did this in a danger tropical jungle in the middle of nowhere in
Costa Rica and tips and tricks on using the Nodal Ninjas Pole 2, and even the roto techniques
and stitching technique in Mistika VR to achieve the best end result.
So don't forget to subscribe if you have not.
Share this video to your VR videographers if you are a producer or director.
And give me a thumb up if you find this helpful and want more video like this.
I really hope you learn something today besides getting your Christmas list from Santa.
Again, that list is here in the description below.
And comment below if I am missing anything and you have your Chirtmas List to share.
Sharing is loving and helping others just like you.
So don't be shy.
Make friends and I will see you next time.