steadicam Merlin and the Canon XH A1

Noel Evans

Noel Evans

Mod V3 New and Improved
Staff member
There were a few considerations when working this out. Namely lens length and that the camera mount is well forward.

Heres the setup:

Front weights: 1 mid + 1 finish
Lower weights: 5 mid + 1 finish
Arc Size: (max)13.5" 34.3 cm
Mt. Hole: I
Stage Mark: -1 (see related Gplatz note below)
Z turns: -4
G-Platz (see note below)

G-Platz - the cam needs it otherwise theres too much bounce. Problem is that the only available contact point is along the lens, as noted the tripod mount is well forward. If you set your stage perfectly to -1 a gplatz can make enough contact with the small space between the focus and zoom rings without actually contacting them. That said your gplazt needs to be kept high to make contact. Remember the gplatz is only suppossed to kiss the contact NOT be screwed out hard against it making it hard to mount the dovetail to the stage. That said you could probably just mount the cam at 0 on the stage but then you would have to trim back toward the rear of the stage. I found -1 keeps your not to far left of centre.

Ill have a little footage using the merlin and A1 up in a bit on my other ongoing thread in awhile.
 
Excellent stuff! Thankyou. :thumbsup:

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of that se up? (preferably from the side)

Regarding the G-platz.. How far out does it need to be? - Also, which G-platz hole do you recomend? - If it's "not very far" and the back hole, then woudl it be possible to use the screw upside down, so that the head is below the arc and the thinner part of the screw presses up on the camera? Or is the screw too short for this?


Also, I presume these settings are for the bare camera? With which battery (model #)?

- Mikko
 
mikkowilson said:
Excellent stuff! Thankyou. :thumbsup:

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of that se up? (preferably from the side)
Click to expand...

Still set up, but time is passing today so on tomorrows to do list.

mikkowilson said:
Regarding the G-platz.. How far out does it need to be? - Also, which G-platz hole do you recomend? - If it's "not very far" and the back hole, then woudl it be possible to use the screw upside down, so that the head is below the arc and the thinner part of the screw presses up on the camera? Or is the screw too short for this?
Click to expand...

Gplatz needs to be fairly well screwed out. Looking from the underside there is about 3mm of thread still coming through the hole.

The back hole is really the only option based on camera placement.

Upside down the screw is too short.

mikkowilson said:
Also, I presume these settings are for the bare camera? With which battery (model #)?

- Mikko
Click to expand...

These settings are for bare camera with tape mounted. I have two batteries but the one I used (thought it probably the most used) was the Battery that comes standard which is the 950g.

Hope that helps. Im also considering a small rubber knob to stick on top of the gplatz - concerned it will have too much play still. But would give me cleaner contact. The gplatz is fine on its own however.

Cheers.
 
How are these settings working out for you ncje? Have you been using them any more and/or found anything that might need improving?

- Mikko
 
Thanks ncje, your ongoing use of this camera and the information you post here has me inching ever so closely for the bank card and the BH Photo website!
 
Yes sorry guys I have been lax in this area. Mikko just give me a couple of days, I really want to do some more testing first.
 
Pictures of A1 mounted to Merlin - Large Pics

Pictures of A1 mounted to Merlin - Large Pics

Mikko a little further testing tonight has satisfied me that my settings are on the money. The drop test for one is perfect. No tilt roll etc, just falls perfectly down at the recommended speed.

Heres some pictures (digital still cam playing up a little grrrr can see clearly.

Full length pic - not a recommend thing to do... but as you can see its balanced.
IMG_0978.JPG


G-platz position
IMG_0980.JPG


Stage position
IMG_0983.JPG
 
Excellent, thankyou! :)

..man those photos are big!


It's perfectly safe to stand your rig up like that - as long as you don't bump the table!


Would you mind submitting your settings to the online Merlin Cookbook here? :dankk2:


- Mikko
 
This looks really good. Do you think it could handle a brevis35 attached to the A1 with a 50mm nikon? The brevis is really light.
 
Lol Mikko, I do it all the time - just dont want to feel bad for someone elses mishap if they do it unbalanced. You can get a great pan doing this - proven!

Cookbook settings submitted. Though I entered wrong thing for Vertical c.g. distance. Perhaps Frank can get someone to just fix it?

Oh damn... AF is on in that pic - busted :S Seriously folks I only flicked it on during the Merlin test. See my clips for proof :P

rawfa said:
This looks really good. Do you think it could handle a brevis35 attached to the A1 with a 50mm nikon? The brevis is really light.
Click to expand...

Not a chance Im afraid.
 
Last edited:
ncje said:
You can get a great pan doing this - proven!
Click to expand...

Yes. :thumbsup:
Sometimes we even do that with the big rigs. Just shoot a shot with the sled on the balancing stand and use the gimble as a zero friction head. It's not what are are there to do, but sometimes it's just the fastest way.

- Mikko
 
ncje, thanks so much - it will help me greatly because I will acces to a merlin soon. I wanted to put my A1 on the flyer but I wanted to try out the merlin to see if it would be a more compact solution.
 
for mikko or ncje.

is it hard to put the merlin back into travel mode? mines seems a little stuck

thanks

phally
 
Check to make sure that the safty clip isn't closed, then it should fold.
The "click" to fold/unfold a new Merlin is purposly a little stiff.

- Mikko
 
not to jump off topic: but is the lower spar suppose to be that stiff the first time? or just needs to be broken in?

because the merlin and the A1 right now and is urging me to put the two together but don't want to break the merlin's spar in closing it.

if it is off topic i apologize

phally
 
If the saftly latch is open, and there's nothing jammed, then there is no need to worry about breakint anything when folding the Merlin.

It has to be that stiff, or it would fold by itself in flight!

- Mikko
 
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