360 Camera Techniques

How to shoot a dolly zoom without a dolly or slider (360 camera technique)

How to do a dolly zoom without a dolly or slider, using a 360 camera

Here’s a tutorial on how to do the dolly zoom effect without a dolly or slider, using a 360 camera.

Dolly zoom, aka Vertigo effect, is the effect used by Alfred Hitchcock in his movie Vertigo. Here is an explanation of what it is, and how it works:

As you can see, the effect is usually shot with a dolly or slider. However, it’s possible to do the dolly zoom effect anytime, anywhere with a stabilized 360 camera. How? That’s because a stabilized 360 camera can have such incredible stabilization that it looks like it is on a dolly. Here is a tutorial by Kandao, shot on the Qoocam:

To summarize, here are the steps:

1. Start far from your subject and move near, or start near and move far.

2. In post processing, use keyframing to zoom into the distant shot and/or zoom out of the close shot, keeping the subject around the same size in both shots.

This works with any stabilized 360 camera.  It works well with 360 cameras that have excellent stabilization, and excellent detail.  Try it out!

About the author

Mic Ty

Add Comment

Click here to post a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.