Steadicam - Pilot Shipping + Merlin gimble

[mikkowilson]

The Steadicam Pilot (announced at NAB) is just beginning to ship.
It takes a little time to get production up to full speed, but it should be avilable in stock in around a month or so.

I get a lot of people asking me if the Merlin metal gimble will be available to purchase seperatly. The word from the horses mouth is that YES the Metal Merlin gimble will be available for seperate purchase shortly. Right now Steadicam is still filling orders for the Arm & Vest kit (that includes the metal gimbal), once those orders have been filled, then the metal gimbal will be available seperatly for around $160.

All the versions of the Pilot & Merlin & arm & vest & gimble, etc.. should all be fully shipping and in-stock (all pre-orders filled) with vendors by the end of the year.

- Mikko

[LuckyStudio 13]

Mikko, really appreciate your input on this. I texted Mikko yesterday and requesting the steadicam Pilot info.

THANK YOU SO MUCH ! Enjoy the show !! :)

[myCharlie]

Mikko, I am starting to look into buying a steadicam of some sort to be used with the Sony XDCAM EX that I just placed an order for. For this size of camera, what kind of steadicam would you recommend? I'm completely new to this kind of equipment and I don't even know where to start. It seems that there are quite a lot of parts to put together to have a complete functional system. What are the parts that I need to have a fully functional system when shopping for one?

Any help is much appreciated.

[mikkowilson]

if you buy any of the Steadicam "systems", then you will have everythign you need to fly except for the camera and batteries.

How much does the EX1 weigh, and what aother accessories are you planning on loading onto it?
Also, why type of shootign will you be dooing?
And, what's your budget? (want to spend, and could spend)


- Mikko

[myCharlie]

My budget for the steadicam is propably around $2,000. Most of my projects will be events and perhaps a short feature film in the future.

[mikkowilson]

Hmm, if the EX1 is light enough for the Merlin (as I *think* it will be) then a Merlin with the Arm & Vest is probabaly the best bet for you.


- Mikko

[myCharlie]

How much does the Arm and Vest cost an addition to the cost of the Merlin itself?

[mikkowilson]

MSRP is just under $2k .. so you can probabaly get the whole kit for somewhere around $2500.

- Mikko

[sethcamm]

mikko
I was looking at the merlin arm and vest for my panasonic hvx200 , i was also looking at the glidecam smoothshooter ,
if you get a chance to answer
which one would you recommend...
thanks-

[mikkowilson]

Merlin w/ Arm & Vest by far. It's a fantastic two section tools-free Iso-elastic arm, whereas the Smooth Shooter has an ok single section, tools-required non-iso arm. The single section affects operability - you can't get the lens up to eye height with the SS, not a problem with the Merlin. And the iso elasticy of the Merlin arm is a huge difference in feel. And the need for tools & taking the sled off the SS arm makes it a lot of work to adjust.

Merlin vest is lighter, and it has a proper socket block adjustment for the arm connection, so you can always stand up stragith with it - the SS is missing this adjustment, which is a critical feature for proper opeterating, and operator comfort/safty. (Standing incorrectly due to a poorly fitting vest can cause serious back trouble with time.)

Merlin Sled also works much better handheld if you so choose, and is MUCH easier and faster to adjust (especially final trim) then the Glidecam 4000.

There's only a few hundred bucks in it, at that point, it's WELL worth the difference to get the fully featured system over the "low cost alternative" ... and if you want a Glidecam X-10, their dual arm-section version of the SS, it will actually cost you more than the Steadicam anyway. What the Steadicam costs extra in quality and furetures, they have managed to reduce with intelligent design over the kock-off units.

- Mikko

[sethcamm]

Merlin w/ Arm & Vest by far. It's a fantastic two section tools-free Iso-elastic arm, whereas the Smooth Shooter has an ok single section, tools-required non-iso arm. The single section affects operability - you can't get the lens up to eye height with the SS, not a problem with the Merlin. And the iso elasticy of the Merlin arm is a huge difference in feel. And the need for tools & taking the sled off the SS arm makes it a lot of work to adjust.

Merlin vest is lighter, and it has a proper socket block adjustment for the arm connection, so you can always stand up stragith with it - the SS is missing this adjustment, which is a critical feature for proper opeterating, and operator comfort/safty. (Standing incorrectly due to a poorly fitting vest can cause serious back trouble with time.)

Merlin Sled also works much better handheld if you so choose, and is MUCH easier and faster to adjust (especially final trim) then the Glidecam 4000.

There's only a few hundred bucks in it, at that point, it's WELL worth the difference to get the fully featured system over the "low cost alternative" ... and if you want a Glidecam X-10, their dual arm-section version of the SS, it will actually cost you more than the Steadicam anyway. What the Steadicam costs extra in quality and furetures, they have managed to reduce with intelligent design over the kock-off units.

- Mikko


thanks a bunch
-seth

[Jockomo]

Mikko,

First off thanks for all of the online info you have put up all over the web on the steadicam. Very helpful stuff.

Upon the annoucement of the Pilot I was sold, however now I am considering putting out a little more and just going ahead and getting a flyer, which would allow me to work with full size cameras like the 500.

Other than the additional weight capacity of the Flyer, can you tell me what other differences I would find between the flyer and the pilot?

I'll be mounting an HVX200 on whichever I choose, often with a mattebox. I am even looking at the lightweight teleprompter from prompterpeople. But while the prompter technically is within the weight limit of the pilot, I am concerned that it might just be too much.

[mikkowilson]

Generally you are best off getting a rig with some extra weight capacity on it. Buying a rig that is immediately maxed out can come up short too fast sometimes, it's always good to allow yourself space to grow.

I'd also recommend attending a workshop (preferably before you buy) if you are serious about Steadicam. They have Flyer specific workshops (that also pertain very much to the Pilot, as well as all other rigs in a broader sense). Check out www.thesteadicamworkshops.com (http://www.thesteadicamworkshops.com) for more info on those.

- Mikko

[robstar1]

It sounds like you'll be upgrading rather quickly if you're already adding things like teleprompters; by the time you add a wireless focus system and a video transmitter (and you eventually will) you'll be much better off starting with something like the Flyer that will give you some headroom.

I speak from experience. I started with a Flyer, outgrew it within two months, upgraded to a Clipper 2, outgrew it within seven months and moved up to the Clipper 24. That's right, I bought three new rigs from Tiffen within nine months which I think was a record for them. Even now, I wish I had the extra $20k to have went direct to the Ultra 2. Buy for growth whatever you do.

Also, I would highly recommend one of the Flyer workshops as well. It's almost a necessity and definitely gets you started. I'm assisting Peter Abraham with a Flyer workshop here in Las Vegas January 12-13th. and I think there are a few spots open still.

All the best!

Robert Starling, SOC
Steadicam Owner Operator
Las Vegas

[Jockomo]

Hey Robert and Mikko,

Thanks for the replies. Robert, I guess it's safe to say that once you got started you were hooked huh? hehe

I've definitely settled on getting a flyer and Peter is giving a workshop in Atlanta in March, so I think I'll catch that one since it will be closest.

I've been concerned about being able to control focus, thinking that I would start out with a wired focus control for remote focus and zoom:

http://varizoom.com/products/controls/vzrockpzfi.html


Will the cable affect the steadicam very much? I should be loaded down pretty well and I don't expect to be doing really crazy stuff with the rig. I am also thinking that my depth of field will be pretty deep and I mostly plan to stay wide, but it might be nice to tweak the framing if I can't physically move around in a spot.

[mikkowilson]

A small cable will work fine on a heavier rig. This probabaly wouldn't work very well on the Merlin (for example), but it'll be just fine with the Flyer once you figure out the best way to route the cable.

- Mikko

[mikeshu]

Bringing back an old thread from the dead, does anybody have recommendations on how to route a varizoom iris and focus control on the pilot? I have a DVX with shotgun mic and camera light attached so I have decent weight and inertia, but I'm afraid the thick cable of the varizoom will be very difficult to get working with the pilot.

Any help would be great. Thanks!