Only thing is, have you ever had your gimbal just randomly die mid-shot? That happened to me last summer in the heat, and I had to finish with handheld... looked like an earthquake hit.
That’s happened to me too, but usually in the cold, not the heat. Ever notice how batteries just tank when it’s freezing out? I started carrying a couple of spares in my jacket pocket, but swapping them on a steep roof is sketchy. Do you trust power banks, or do you just bring extra batteries? I always wonder if there’s a safer way to keep things charged without risking a drop.
Power banks make me nervous up on a roof—too many cables hanging around, and I’m always worried I’ll snag something and send the whole rig sliding. I do the same as you and keep spare batteries in my inside pocket, but yeah, swapping them when you’re balancing on a pitch is no joke. Sometimes I’ll just go with a shoulder mount if I know it’s going to be a long shoot in the cold. Less tech to fail, and honestly, I trust my own balance more than a battery some days.
Shoulder mounts just feel safer when you’re up there, right? I tried a gimbal once on a steep metal roof and nearly yeeted the whole setup off the edge when a cable caught on my boot. Not my proudest moment. Shoulder rigs might not be as buttery smooth, but at least you’re not fighting gravity and a spaghetti mess of wires. Plus, less tech means fewer things to freeze up or glitch when it’s cold. I’ll take a little extra shake over a heart attack any day.
Shoulder rigs definitely win out for me when it comes to being on a roof, especially anything with a steep pitch or slick surface. I’m always thinking about how much control I actually have if something goes sideways—like, what’s the backup plan if you trip or get tangled? With a gimbal, it feels like you’re one bad step away from a viral “roof fail” video. I’ve had my share of close calls, too. Once tried to use a motorized gimbal on a windy day and the thing started acting like a weather vane—camera swinging around and nearly taking me with it.
The tech side is another thing that bugs me. Cold weather’s brutal on batteries and electronics. I’ve had gimbals freeze up or just refuse to calibrate when it drops below freezing, which is basically half the year where I am (Minnesota). Shoulder rigs are way less fussy—just pick it up and go. Sure, you get more shake, but if you’re careful with your steps and brace yourself against something solid (chimney, vent pipe, whatever’s handy), it’s not too bad.
I do wonder though—does anyone actually find gimbals practical for roof work? Maybe if you’re on a low-slope or flat roof, but anything else seems like asking for trouble. Or maybe there’s some trick to cable management I’m missing? I usually end up taping everything down or just going wireless if possible, but even then, there’s always something to snag.
At the end of the day, I’d rather have slightly rougher footage than risk dropping thousands of dollars worth of gear—or myself—off the edge. And honestly, most clients don’t notice a little extra shake in roof inspection videos anyway... they care more about seeing the details than cinematic smoothness.
You nailed it—on a steep roof, I’d rather have a little camera shake than risk my neck (or my insurance deductible). I’ve tried gimbals for exterior shots, but once you’re up there with wind and cold, it’s like wrestling a stubborn raccoon. Shoulder rigs might not win any awards for smoothness, but they’re reliable and don’t need a firmware update every time the temp drops. Clients just want to see if the shingles are curling or if there’s moss—nobody’s expecting a Hollywood tracking shot.