Getting Started

What’s this camera rig all about then?

The car camera rig carbon fibre rig is simply a tool that allows you to attach your camera to a vehicle and get a dynamic still image that makes the vehicle look as though it is traveling at speed. In actual fact the vehicle is only moving very slowly and in most cases a person is actually pushing or pulling it over a very short distance like 1 or 2 meters, the engine isnt even running!

So how does it make the image look like its moving?

With the camera and rig attached to the vehicle the trickery comes by setting your camera to take a long exposure as the vehicle is moving, while the camera is moving at the same speed and pace that the vehicle is moving it will remain sharp and in focus but the background will be blurred as it is moving in relation to the camera giving the dynamic effect of motion. We call this a Rigshot.

Ok Great, what do i need to get so i can make these rigshots?

There are a number of factors that will determine which rig is right for you, and even at the point of selecting the best rig for your requirement you can upgrade it at any time, ultimately the rig length will control the ratio of how much vehicle to background you get in your image.

Your camera and lens will be a large factor in which rig to choose, if you have a DX format camera, it will produce a magnification of the focal length of the lens by a factor of 1.5x or 1.6x. If you have an FX format camera the sensor size is almost the same size as 35mm film which means that the focal length of a lens used will be virtually the same with no multiplication. In other words on a DX camera you need to use a wider angle lens to get the same image real estate as an Fx camera, or use a longer rig for the same focal length. You need to be aware that the wider the lens the more distorted the vehicle will be and ideally we want the least amount of distortion as possible.

So…. If we use a 6m rig as an acceptable base with a 20mm focal length on an FX camera this has very small acceptable amount of distortion and a nice balance of vehicle size and landscape real estate, enough for the image to be able to tell a story of where it has come from and where it is going to… Anything we alter from here will give you an indication of what variable of item of kit you need to use.

change lens to 35mm > tighter crop, less distortion.

change lens to 10mm > wider crop, more distortion.

change camera to DX > tighter crop, similar – less distortion.

change rig length to 4.5m > tighter crop, same distortion.

change rig length to 7.5m and change lens to 35mm > slightly tighter crop, no distortion.

change rig length to 4.5m and change lens to 18mm and change camera to DX > slightly tighter crop, more distortion.

We have a favourite saying at Car Camera Rig, and that is that doing rigshots is not as clear cut as being black and white but instead is shades of grey inbetween. if you change one thing you need to change something else to counter act it, that is where the fun and creativity begins in an infinate amount of outcomes.

More blur > Longer exposure, move the vehicle further, move it faster.

Less blur > Shorter exposure, move the vehicle shorter, move it slower.

Blown out image due to long exposure > Use an ND filter, shorter exposure.

image still blown out > use a higher ND filter, alter exposure to suit.

A general rule to folow… The slower the vehicle moves and the longer the exposure the sharper the vehicle will be.

Ok so i looked at my camera and lens and i know which rig i should start with, how much will it cost me?

Select your rig from the menu below.