If you are reading this, it means you really care about the video documentation quality you obtain on your surveillance assignments. Maybe your video is shaky or you have a difficult time panning your video camera without it appearing glitchy. Private investigators are cinematographers but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to provide steady documentation for your clients. Shaky or unclear video makes it difficult to determine movement in the case of insurance investigations. Any unclear video might make it difficult to identify individuals in the video.

I have seen some atrocious investigator surveillance videos in my time.  And the worst part is the investigators did nothing to improve their situation to obtain steadier documentation. When the video is horribly shaky clients will not pay for that video.   I have found even when subcontracting for other investigative companies that have added clauses in their contracts that they will not pay investigators if their surveillance video is shaky.

So it is important to have steady video as much as possible because it affects everyone. It affects the client and it will affect you (future work and pay).

While you should always be striving to get steady clear video documentation, every private investigator needs to come to the realization that as a surveillance investigator, steady video documentation will not always be possible even with a tripod or with a monopod.   There are just too many things that can prevent it from happening despite our best intentions.

This doesn’t mean that video footage can look like the investigators is in the middle of an earthquake when videotaping (unless they really are).  There is no point in videotaping someone if you can’t identify who they are or how they are moving (insurance claim surveillance).

Reasons For Shaky Video Documentation by a Private Investigator

Moments Notice Video Documentation

Private Investigators have shaky video because sometimes they need to obtain video at a moment’s notice through a rear window while hunching down (or something to the effect).

Driving While Obtaining Video Documentation

Sometimes investigators will start rolling video through a side window while driving (not recommended). The only way to document something might be in passing in order to maintain the integrity of the surveillance investigation.

Breathing Heavy While Video Taping

An investigator may have run to their vehicle to secure video covertly and their breathing causes the camera to move up and down.

No Stabilizing Device Used

Some investigators out of ignorance, resistance, or laziness will not use a tripod or a monopod to stabilize their video camera which results in producing shaky video.

Steady Camera Surveillance Tips for Private Investigators

There are many reasons that will make it difficult to keep your video steady but I am going to provide some practical tips for surveillance investigators to secure steady video documentation for the majority of the situations you will face as a surveillance investigator.

Have Image Stabilization on Your Video Camera

Image stabilization on a video camera helps reduce video shake.  Most video cameras have an image stabilization option.   Make sure this option is enabled on your camera at all times if possible.

The camera that I recommend currently is the Canon HF R800 which is the newest version of my current camera.  It’s an affordable video camera with image stabilization and several different options that surveillance investigators like.

Avoid Free Hand Video Recording

Try to avoid video recording with the video camera being held in your hand.  There are too many variables when holding a video camera in your hand even if you stabilize your arm.  Camera shake can come from fatigue in your arm or from simply breathing. When breathing your body moves slightly up and down with each breath. And while you don’t notice it at that moment, when you review that same video in court on a large television, it will be incredibly noticeable.

Use a Tripod for Shooting Steady Video on Surveillance

This is the standard answer to having steady video documentation for surveillance assignments.  There should always be a tripod in your vehicle at all times. And while you need to have one in your car at all times, I know a tripod is not always practical for every surveillance assignment or every situation.  

For me, I use a tripod for situations where I know I will not be moving for an extended period of time. Sometimes is a soccer game or moments where my subject is going to be in the same general location for an extended period of time.  This allows for extended steady video even if the subject is at a distance.

You can use a tripod to follow the subject’s movements until it looks as though they are getting ready to leave or when it seems as though it doesn’t make sense to use it in a specific situation.

Generally speaking, the tripod is the best way to get steady video documentation regardless of the type of tripod, and there are many out there.

If you wish to get a really smooth panning tripod it will likely cost a bit more.  But I don’t think that is needed personally. With practice, any inexpensive tripod can provide steady video documentation.  

Good Surveillance Investigators Use a Monopod for Shooting Steady Video 

I use a monopod for the first few years of my career.  However, when I started using a monopod my video quality improved, and obtaining steady video became easier. 

A monopod provides the freedom of flexibility and movement (as if the camera was in your hand) but offers stability similar to that of a tripod.  

You will need to experiment with it in your vehicle to see how you will use it in different situations.  In many situations, I simply wedge the monopod on the side of my seat and it will stay steady.  Sometimes I stand it up on the passenger seat.  Other times I use it from the back seat position.  It has been instrumental in giving me the ability to videotape with a steady hand. 

For me personally, unless I am on foot and away from my vehicle, my camera always stays on my monopod.  The type of monopod I have is inexpensive and can be found here on Amazon.

Use Bean Bags for Steady Video Documentation

While I have had bean bags to steady my camera I rarely found the opportunity to use them.  And before I began using them, I used shirts or whatever I had in my car to prop my camera on.

But having a couple of square bean bags may be useful in some situations to place your camera on.

A bean bag can work in your vehicle and it can work outside of your vehicle in different situations.  

Outside of your vehicle, you can place your bean bag on any surface and then place your camera on the bean bag.  The bean bag enables your camera to sit and be adjusted to different angles/positions.

If you don’t have a bean bag of some sort you can use a balled-up shirt or towel.  Anything that is soft you can adjust the camera aim.

You can get bean bags on Amazon.

Adjust the Tension of Your Tripod for Steady Panning

All tripods have a panning feature.  Some panning features are better than others.  One way to make sure panning is smooth for you is to play with the tension of the tripod panning motion. If it is too loose, panning might be too jerky.  And the same goes for tightening the tension too much. Play with it and find a happy medium regardless of the tripod that you are using.

The Manfrotto Action Tripod (what I have) doesn’t have the best panning feature but I make due just fine by playing with the tension.  

Avoid Resting the Camera or Monopod Against Your Body

We will find ourselves in various positions inside and outside our vehicle when trying to document someone’s activities.  We will always try and get steady video any way we can (Hopefully by using some of the tactics shared already).

With that being said, if you rest the monopod or your arm against your body you will get an up and down movement when videotaping.  This might not be something you see when you are in the moment of videotaping, but when you review your documentation later the up and down movement will be much more obvious to you as I mention with hands-free video recording.

Turn Off Your Vehicle When Obtaining Video 

When your vehicle is running your vehicle will vibrate. The amount of vibration will vary with every vehicle. If you have an electric vehicle this might not be an issue for you at all.  But the majority of people still have non-electric vehicles.

With that being said, much like the up and down movement that you won’t notice when breathing, the vibration of your vehicle can cause a small camera shake.  It may even make it more difficult for your camera to focus when videotaping something from a great distance while leaving the vehicle running.

So if possible, turn off your vehicle before you begin videotaping.

Pan Back When you are Zoomed in Too Far

Sometimes when we are zoomed in on a subject we might find our camera shaking and even the slightest camera movement will seem dramatic.

If for some reason this happens, pan back a little and the shake will not appear as dramatic.  

I have written more surveillance tips for new investigators here if you are interested.