The Powervision S1 Smartphone Gimbal Competition - chat thread

lindsay

lindsay

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As has previously been announced, the folks at Powervision provided us with a sample of their S1 Smartphone Gimbal, which I did a short review of HERE
The sample device, all nicely repacked, is now to be offered as the prize in a new competition for TP members:

The theme.
Anything you like that is emphatically not NSFW!

The rules & T&C's
  1. Video files must be hosted elsewhere than on TP, with a link provided for viewing
  2. Video duration needs to be a minimum of 1 minute and maximum of 3 minutes with no disqualification if it happens to go upto 25% over for artistic reasons(!)
  3. Video must be taken on a smartphone; entries must specify which phone was used.
  4. Any topic is allowed, except NSFW, so no porno shorties thanks
  5. Competition entries to be submitted between 00:01 30/07/2022 and 23:59 07/09/2022
  6. Open to anyone who has been a member of TP since the day before the competition has been announced (29/07/2022)
  7. All rights for display, reproduction and use of entered videos remain the property of the entrant but by entering a limited licence is granted to tpmedia Ltd for display of the video on the Talk Photography website
  8. Any member of TP can enter, but since the prize will be posted to the winner, any international postage and customs duties and taxes will be the responsibility of the winner.
  9. Judging will be by the Admins of TP collectively
  10. By entering each participant warrants that any entry and other materials and information provided by entrant are original and do not violate or infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity, moral rights or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity, and do not violate any rules or regulations.
The competition itself.
Produce a video shortie according to the above rules, using a smartphone, and post a link to it in the Entries thread HERE.
(use this thread for any discussions)

Add a brief description about the equipment used and the software used for post-processing, with as much or as little detail of PP workflow as you wish to share.

The prizes,
The Powervision S1 smartphone gimbal will be sent to the winner by RMSD, however if the winner is outside the UK, they will be responsible for covering any additional postage and local tax/duties for delivery to the destination.
We also ask that the winner produce their own review of the S1 after trying it out, and send it to TP Media Ltd for inclusion on the site as a review.
 
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I hope people are working on some entries for this competition, I realise it's not still photography which is our prediminant interest here, but I tend to consider smartphone video as a precursor to more serious video using DSLR/Mirrorless cameras, which is a capability most of us have but few use. Looking forward to judging some interesting shorties.
 
I'm hoping to put together something for this competition. Just trying to dream up a few ideas at the moment.

This does mean I might have to learn how to use my phone a bit better though :)
 
Still no entries :(.
 
I suppose it’s significant that there isn’t a video section in the Photo Sharing section — “Photo”, does that even include “Video”.
 
Fuji Dave said:
I hope to do my one this week, god knows what it will be like but it will be fun.
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Looking at the other entrants so far, I would say you stand a fair chance of winning ;)
 
Thanks for entering Dave. I do hope there will be competrition, but if not...as Richard says.
@sphexx the jury is out on whether we need a video section in Sharing; kind of chicken and egg, if there were going to be video posts, it might be worth creating one, but no point in an empty forum. This competition was my idea for testing the water on expanding, or encouraging, a broadening of site scope into video more than we currently have,.
 
lindsay said:
Thanks for entering Dave. I do hope there will be competrition, but if not...as Richard says.
@sphexx the jury is out on whether we need a video section in Sharing; kind of chicken and egg, if there were going to be video posts, it might be worth creating one, but no point in an empty forum. This competition was my idea for testing the water on expanding, or encouraging, a broadening of site scope into video more than we currently have,.
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The only thing that's stopped me from entering (And no I'm not moaning!) was that it was restricted to 'phone only' video. I have a very old iPhone with a dodgy camera, and no fancy equipment (such as the prize on offer) to make a decent video. I've got a DSLR that can make video, and a drone - and I'd have happily put a short video together using either of those in order to attempt to win a prize that would give me decent phone video as well in future, but with it restricted to phone only, it's one I won't be participating in through lack of suitable equipment to make something reasonable. I know you can argue 'you don't need fancy equipment' - but as my hands shake at the best of times, with no image stabilisation, no phone holders for tripods, no snazzy things like the prize on offer, I'd end up with a right awful video :p But I am looking forward to seeing more entries!:)
 
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Chris, thanks for explaining your predicament. I specifically restricted it to smartphone videos as the prize is only usable with a smartphone; and fwiw, we have not set any particular judging criteria, hence the reason for saying we want to know the details of camera and post-processing used, so that we are able to level the playing field - if the phone was all singing all dancing and the editing slick and continuity perfect, that's one extreme level of winningness (if you like), but equally a creditable effort with old kit and limited editing but an interesting topic and filming approach is a winner from a different perspective. Which is the ultimate winner is really difficult to decide, hence it will not just be one persons decision. So please reconsider and give it your best shot with what you have; but if not, thanks anyway for engaging.
 
cymruchris said:
The only thing that's stopped me from entering (And no I'm not moaning!) was that it was restricted to 'phone only' video. I have a very old iPhone with a dodgy camera, and no fancy equipment (such as the prize on offer) to make a decent video. I've got a DSLR that can make video, and a drone - and I'd have happily put a short video together using either of those in order to attempt to win a prize that would give me decent phone video as well in future, but with it restricted to phone only, it's one I won't be participating in through lack of suitable equipment to make something reasonable. I know you can argue 'you don't need fancy equipment' - but as my hands shake at the best of times, with no image stabilisation, no phone holders for tripods, no snazzy things like the prize on offer, I'd end up with a right awful video :p But I am looking forward to seeing more entries!:)
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Sadly my hands get shaky so yesterday I just sat down in front of the band, held my phone but made sure my elbows were pressed tight to my knees.
 
lindsay said:
Chris, thanks for explaining your predicament. I specifically restricted it to smartphone videos as the prize is only usable with a smartphone; and fwiw, we have not set any particular judging criteria, hence the reason for saying we want to know the details of camera and post-processing used, so that we are able to level the playing field - if the phone was all singing all dancing and the editing slick and continuity perfect, that's one extreme level of winningness (if you like), but equally a creditable effort with old kit and limited editing but an interesting topic and filming approach is a winner from a different perspective. Which is the ultimate winner is really difficult to decide, hence it will not just be one persons decision. So please reconsider and give it your best shot with what you have; but if not, thanks anyway for engaging.
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Totally with you on that, but it could be a reason why you're seeing fewer entries. I know it's easy to make suggestions, give feedback etc. once the rules are decided, as happened on a certain stills photography competition recently run, and don't want to go down that path of over-analysing everything, whinging and generally being a numpty :D, but to be fair that was a very 'open' competition, as there weren't any restrictions on what equipment was used, and it garnered quite a few entries.

But yes, to 'win a phone video stabiliser thingy' did interest me, as currently I can only record handheld shaky videos with it, however the field of entries might be a little wider if DSLR's/drones/gopros (Or any device capable of recording video) were allowed, taking the technical ability of the equipment into account when deciding a winner as you say is certainly a decent approach. Some phones have all the whizzes and bangs built in, and some members will already have things to help with stabilising/tripod holders, with 98 megapixel cameras with 4 lenses (and mine doesn't have any of that).

The thing is I guess, as a personal thing - I wouldn't want to put up a shaky handheld phone video, when I've got the kit to make a slightly better technically decent video sat at home here. (Not that I might be able to do so anyway, as I'm not a videographer - I would likely still produce rubbish!!! but I'd be more inclined to have a go)

I did initially try some experimental footage in the garden using my phone, but it was all over the place in terms of shakiness and presentation.

I'm wishing all entrants the best of luck! Like you, I was hoping to have seen a few more posts, but there's still time - and well done to @Fuji Dave for popping the first entry on the board! (I'm sure there'll be a few more by the deadline as well)
 
...and failing this, I do want to try to expand our coverage of video on this site if the interest is there, because we all have cameras that can do very high quality video and probably most of us don't use those capabilities (I know I don't at present). So I'm hoping an opportunity will present itself to do more in the way of challenges (with or without prizes depending on any offers we get from sponsors) in this genre and not just stills, although still photography will always be our raison d'être and principal focus.
 
cymruchris said:
I did initially try some experimental footage in the garden using my phone, but it was all over the place in terms of shakiness and presentation.
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I've read all your post on this, I can see your point on some things, but for £5 (or less) you could pick up a phone holder screw on an arca swiss plate and it will fit your tripod giving you nice smooth footage which could be used with shaky footage, there are dozens of quality horror films out there that make great use of shaky footage, its just telling your story in a way where shaky footage adds to it.
You mention you have a drone, i bet you get some great shots with it, I dont have a drone so all i can do is carry a stepladder or put my camera on a long pole to get that bit higher than normal shots, I can put my GoPro on a gimbal attach a 3m pole and walk through a dense forrest getting aerial shots a highly skilled drone operator would struggle to get without crashing into a tree, you can only work with the equipment you have.
The way i see it the more that enter then theres more chance of future film making competitions (with a prize or not) its just a bit of fun and makes you think

I have a weeks holiday comming up where i had planned to go out and try to make an entry for this, now i've just noticed the comp closes the week before!! So I've now got this Wednesday as my only chance to have a day shooting something, then a few days to edit before the closing date.
 
ScottT said:
I've read all your post on this, I can see your point on some things, but for £5 (or less) you could pick up a phone holder screw on an arca swiss plate and it will fit your tripod giving you nice smooth footage which could be used with shaky footage, there are dozens of quality horror films out there that make great use of shaky footage, its just telling your story in a way where shaky footage adds to it.
You mention you have a drone, i bet you get some great shots with it, I dont have a drone so all i can do is carry a stepladder or put my camera on a long pole to get that bit higher than normal shots, I can put my GoPro on a gimbal attach a 3m pole and walk through a dense forrest getting aerial shots a highly skilled drone operator would struggle to get without crashing into a tree, you can only work with the equipment you have.
The way i see it the more that enter then theres more chance of future film making competitions (with a prize or not) its just a bit of fun and makes you think

I have a weeks holiday comming up where i had planned to go out and try to make an entry for this, now i've just noticed the comp closes the week before!! So I've now got this Wednesday as my only chance to have a day shooting something, then a few days to edit before the closing date.
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My drone shots are pretty dire at the moment while I'm learning how to control it :) You make some very valid points though (have to say I actively avoid watching horror films - so you'd never catch me making one! - but that aside I'm with you :) ) In a sense yes, we make the best of what we have, but in the context of what I have, the best wouldn't be very good, and really wouldn't want to embarrass myself! :cool: but I do hope you manage to get something together before the deadline - along with a few others. A go-pro on a gimbal with a 3m pole sounds like it would bring some interesting footage, as you say it would go places a drone wouldn't, which could add an extra dimension to a future video competition if it were open to all types of devices, to see what the collective group of TP members could come up with. I'd certainly be intrugued to see what you came up with using that set-up!
 
Given the comments above, I will definitely try to put together a video challenge with no kit restrictions. Even if it only attracted a small number of entrants, I see this as a sprat to catch a mackerel, to whet appetites.
 
cymruchris said:
have to say I actively avoid watching horror films - so you'd never catch me making one!
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Take your wife/girlfriend/daughter or female friend to the woods, fasten you phone to your tripod bungy/duck tape anything to keep it steady and film them walking around a few paths, then film the same shots from a slight different angle but shaky hand held and hiding in the bushes as though someone is watching/stalking them, edit the clips together then darken or convert to B/W add creepy horror music and some footstep sound effects and you have a short film to enter ;).

cymruchris said:
A go-pro on a gimbal with a 3m pole sounds like it would bring some interesting footage, as you say it would go places a drone wouldn't.............................. I'd certainly be intrugued to see what you came up with using that set-up!
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I had gone out with the intention of filming some Squirrel's while waiting for them to show up i was shooting some B-roll, what i was trying to do with the GoPro on a 3m pole was to try and get a squirrel POV by running the camera along a high branch, i thought it might work well inbetween clips of Squirrel's in the trees, it looks ok perhaps a bit more practise but in the right direction, sadly no Squirrel's could be found, but i'll try again and might be able to use that footage in a possible future competition.
 
I went out today and gave it a go, I've posted a link to my video on the other thread.

Filmed on a Note 9 at either 3840x2160 or 1920x1080 at anything between 23.9fps and 120fps, why? Ive no idea other than my phone has changed the settings between clips as I was filming, I only noticed when I got home and starting looking at the clips.
Edited mostly with NCH Videopad with some additional work done with DaVinci Resolve.
I've used Videopad for a while and i'm comfortable with it, at the moment trying to learn Resolve so limited editing skills using it, once i get on top of it i'll probably use it for everything.
 
ScottT said:
I went out today and gave it a go, I've posted a link to my video on the other thread.

Filmed on a Note 9 at either 3840x2160 or 1920x1080 at anything between 23.9fps and 120fps, why? Ive no idea other than my phone has changed the settings between clips as I was filming, I only noticed when I got home and starting looking at the clips.
Edited mostly with NCH Videopad with some additional work done with DaVinci Resolve.
I've used Videopad for a while and i'm comfortable with it, at the moment trying to learn Resolve so limited editing skills using it, once i get on top of it i'll probably use it for everything.
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Scott I really do hope that you win, just watched your video and totally love it. Beautifully made and like the music to it as well.
 
Doesn't look like I'm going to get the chance to enter this. My own fault for not being a bit more organised.
I do have some footage which I recorded in June which I could re-edit for an entry, but while it may fit within the rules as I read them I'm not sure if it's entirely in the spirit of the competition.
 
Just finished and posted mine. Link in the other thread.

Shot in the rain on 4th September on a Google Pixel 4a, all handheld (no tripod or gimbal).

Edited in Da Vinci Resolve which I've never used before and proved quite interesting, learning even the simple techniques.

There are a couple of sequences I would change but overall it'll do :)
 
T_J_G said:
Can we use older videos that conform to the entry requirements?
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To be fair, I didn't actually say in the T&C's that the video must be shot during the submission period, so I guess that would be ok, if not entirely in the spirit of the thing. Will you be editing it now though, or was it done pre-competition?
 
lindsay said:
To be fair, I didn't actually say in the T&C's that the video must be shot during the submission period, so I guess that would be ok, if not entirely in the spirit of the thing. Will you be editing it now though, or was it done pre-competition?
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Already edited. In that case I'll sit this one out, as you say if I'm the only one who does it, it seems a little unfair.
 
That's very decent of you Tim.
I will put together a new video challenge in the not too distant future which you will hopefully feel able to participate in.
 
Cloudforest said:
Just finished and posted mine. Link in the other thread.
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I like this one Pete, In the village that I'm on the outskirts of we have the Severn Valley Park created from Highley and Alverley colliery's and where I lived before we had the Baggeridge Country Park again from a colliery ( My dad used to take me on dog walks around there when a lot of the equipment was still there). Great to see the land being restored and used if not a little sad that some of this very emotive history is being grassed over ! Scott's is also very nice and for me it would be a hard choice !
 
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Well I managed to get out for a couple of hours yesterday and get some fresh footage. Didn't get too far from home though so not my original idea I had.
When I first decided that I wanted to try video with my phone (Pixel 6 Pro) I was put off with the price of ND filters and the rather precarious way they clip on phones so I improvised.

£3 case and £3 filter ring from ebay held together with a liberal amount of Sugru allows me to use 67mm variable ND that I had for my Sony. Only goes to ND32 so could do with something stronger.

PXL_20220906_184749978 by barrysprout, on Flickr


My video HERE
 
ScottT said:
Are we allowed to enter twice?
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Ha ha! The rules don’t say you can’t but I think it would be against the spirit.
 
As Richard said @ScottT - but you can post the spare in this chat thread if you like
 
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