Tiffen debues new lightweight arm and vest for the Steadicam Merlin at CES.
- Thread starter mikkowilson
- Start date
gco
Veteran
I sincerely hope they chose to be competetive with similar rigs currently on the market. If they lean toward the $4000 direction, I think they will shut out a large part of the potential market and that would be very unfortunate for the little guys. Granted, we'll just have to wait and see how many of us can participate.robstar1 said:
Regarding the vest, thin is good. Can you describe any more of how the back is constructed? , any pics available?
Any idea if they are committed to the velcro closures or are snap clips a possiblity?
many thanks for contributing Robert,
gco
gco said:
Sorry, I don't really follow the other brands on the market or this particular price point market segment for rigs. I started with a Steadicam Flyer and quickly moved up from there. The CES show was in Las Vegas and since I'm here they asked me to demo it a few days as a favor which I was more than happy to do.
As you could see from the photos, it only had velcro fasteners and I don't know what the long term plans are. In some ways the velcro is easier and quicker than buckles depending on how often you need to adjust your fit. Since I was fitting it and the Flyer on other people the velcro was easier. Even with my Steadicam Ultra top of the line vest I adjust my buckles all the time depending on the camera load, shot and how much I ate for lunch! I always had to be mindful that the Flyer buckles didn't clip my nipples (ouch!).
The back was a pretty standard T back like all the other vests in the Steadicam line. Sorry no photos of that.
One thing I learned early on is almost every Steadicam op out there customizes their rigs, not just a little... a LOT! There is a small industry of after market everything and many ops even have custom pieces milled and manufactured for their rigs. The point being is once you get a rig, you can cut, sew, drill, add buckles or whatever you want to suit your preference. In fact, that is the natural evolution of new innovations in the line; someone in their garage or basement tinkering.
If your'e not aware of this site; there is an online collection of some of the best ever Steadicam shots ever done at www.steadishots.org a site put together by Steadicam Operator Afton Grant www.aftongrant.com. Check it out!
Robert Starling
Steadicam Operator Las Vegas
www.LasVegasSteadicam.com
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
Hey Robert, thanks for your comments and elborations. Nice to hear some more details. 
- Mikko
- Mikko
New photos of the new Steadicam arm and vest from CES
New photos of the new Steadicam arm and vest from CES
Here are some more photos from CES of the new Steadicam Merlin arm and vest. Including a rear shot of the vest and a side-by-side comparison to the Flyer.
Robert Starling
Steadicam Operator Las Vegas
www.LasVegasSteadicam.com
New photos of the new Steadicam arm and vest from CES
Here are some more photos from CES of the new Steadicam Merlin arm and vest. Including a rear shot of the vest and a side-by-side comparison to the Flyer.
Robert Starling
Steadicam Operator Las Vegas
www.LasVegasSteadicam.com
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
Very nice! :thumbsup:
That side-by side makes the Flyer look big! :shocked:
- Mikko
That side-by side makes the Flyer look big! :shocked:
- Mikko
Emanuel
Cross-Examiner
Mikko,mikkowilson said:
What about are you talking...about? The brunette or the blondie? I'd prefer the first one...
rogar-Love(DBG): I mean...it would be possible to fly still better without any restrictions of weight! :laugh:- Emanuel
EDIT -- Good rigs. Both. :thumbsup:
Last edited:
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
Charles Papert, S.O.C, has posted a review of the new Merlin Arm & Vest on DVinfo.net
http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/camsupport/merlinvestarm.php
- Miko
http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/camsupport/merlinvestarm.php
- Miko
Ralph Oshiro
Veteran
Wow!robstar1 said:
Bruce Ostrout
New member
#42 Bruce Ostrout vbmenu_register("postmenu_624930", true);
Tourist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Jacksonville Fl
Posts: 1
Hey guys here is a trailer that almost all of the footage I shot with was used while donning the new vest and arm that I field tested for Steadicam 2 weeks ago. Note that this trailer is part of my product which is a quick hit for my customers and is not designed to feature the much longer shots that show the incredibly smooth sustained shots. I also had no test time with the rig I got it in and brought it directly to a 13 hour shoot. Since it is a prototype there were no instructions prepared. I am also self taught and have never taken any steadicam classes nor any normal camera operation classes for that matter.
http://www.firstsightpictures.com/de...hptrailer.html
I am also relatively new only shooting around 60 weddings in the past 2 years, but I am a tool freak and have a ton of camera accessories. Currently my tool of choice is a Glidecam smooth shooter with a custom mount for the Steadicam Merlin. I also have the Glidecam 4000, which is used with the smooth shooter before the Merlin was released but I rarely took it out on wedding shoots because if I did I would have to make two gear runs to get my cameras and the rig.
When I got the Merlin I was blown away by the ease of use compared to the 4000 sled. You can make trim adjustments lighting fast and it is easy to switch to different shooting modes. When I got my 4000 I recall complaining to the awesome Dave Williams that when the camera went off the front axis that I balanced it the camera would start spinning on it's own. He informed me that this was a challenge with dynamic balance that took steadicam many years to master and is only handled well with very expensive rigs.
So when I got the Merlin the most impressive feature to me was the way it handled the dynamic balance problem. Besides the poor trimming system of thumbscrews and crappy industrial washers to counterweight that the 4000 sled has it was also too frustrating to achieve and keep dynamic balance. Moving off axis you have to assert too much control pressure to keep the camera trim. With the Merlin I could trim in an instant assert no control pressure while walking around it 360degrees and it would maintain perfect dynamic balance.
So the with the incredible dynamic balance, trimming and other features coupled with the extreme portability of the Merlin gave me the idea to get an attachment designed so I could mount it to the Smooth shooter and run the Merlin for a full shooting day.
So now with my rig I could also carry all my gear in 1 trip. I could put on the vest with a camera bag in 1 hand, tripod bag in the other and a small camera backpack on each shoulder for a 3 camera shoot. The spring arm and Merlin would collapse and stow in the back of just one of the backpacks. When I'm transporting gear I definitely look like SWAT, but it is the lightest fastest transport, setup and breakdown for run and gun style shoots where you need tools that help you attempt to make a run and gun look like a cinematic style production.
So to make a longer story short…. I got the opportunity to test this prototype and compare it to my current rig and needless to say I was blown away. I really love the smooth shooter but hate the 4K sled, but compared to the new arm the Smooth shooter now feels like it now belongs in the garage with the sled.
I used to think the smooth shooter was effortless to move through the boom range which is from the waist to the upper chest, but the new arm is truly effortless, actually incredible.... I could move the camera from my knees to just above eye level with truly no effort it was actually a bit freaky feeling. Almost like I was guiding the camera with my mind.....
To adjust the spring arms on the smooth shooter you have to have an allen wrench to adjust the springs. With this new arm in less than 1 minute with the rig flying I could switch out a WA on the camera trim it and then very easily adjust the arm with very simple turning of a thumbwheel located on the top of each arm.
The only thing I did not know is there are also fore and aft adjustments at the arm mounting point to further tweak the balance, but it didn't really matter because with the adjustments I was able to figure out and make I was pissing myself with how good it was compared to my current rig.
The vest is also much less bulky making it lighter, less noticeable and it was much easier to travel with. I can see putting this in my baggage taking up only a little more than half the space of my current vest.
So I was able to run the rig for almost the entire shoot. I did not use it for prep, but started at preceremony and wore it through the entire ceremony and post ceremony which was Catholic and the total time running the camera without dismounting was over 2 hours. Much of the ceremony I would also operate at full zoom and still have tripod like shots. Then I traveled to the reception site and did 1 hour of cocktail and photo session and then ran it for majority of the reception through all of the main dances and very long toasts. So I shot about 4 hours of footage on the rig.
Sadly since going full time my only physical activity is on the weekends that I shoot otherwise I sit and edit all week, so in the last 2 years I have gotten very out of shape and have gained over 20 lbs, but at the end of the night I had only a minor fatigue. With my normal rig I would get a very harsh burn in my lower back.
So with the portability, ability to fly and then immediately dismount lock the arm to my chest and shoot handheld style makes this my dream production rig that I would take to every shoot. Needless to say I was seriously considering not sending the rig back Monday morning and telling Steadicam they would have to come take it from my cold dead hands....
Tourist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Jacksonville Fl
Posts: 1
Hey guys here is a trailer that almost all of the footage I shot with was used while donning the new vest and arm that I field tested for Steadicam 2 weeks ago. Note that this trailer is part of my product which is a quick hit for my customers and is not designed to feature the much longer shots that show the incredibly smooth sustained shots. I also had no test time with the rig I got it in and brought it directly to a 13 hour shoot. Since it is a prototype there were no instructions prepared. I am also self taught and have never taken any steadicam classes nor any normal camera operation classes for that matter.
http://www.firstsightpictures.com/de...hptrailer.html
I am also relatively new only shooting around 60 weddings in the past 2 years, but I am a tool freak and have a ton of camera accessories. Currently my tool of choice is a Glidecam smooth shooter with a custom mount for the Steadicam Merlin. I also have the Glidecam 4000, which is used with the smooth shooter before the Merlin was released but I rarely took it out on wedding shoots because if I did I would have to make two gear runs to get my cameras and the rig.
When I got the Merlin I was blown away by the ease of use compared to the 4000 sled. You can make trim adjustments lighting fast and it is easy to switch to different shooting modes. When I got my 4000 I recall complaining to the awesome Dave Williams that when the camera went off the front axis that I balanced it the camera would start spinning on it's own. He informed me that this was a challenge with dynamic balance that took steadicam many years to master and is only handled well with very expensive rigs.
So when I got the Merlin the most impressive feature to me was the way it handled the dynamic balance problem. Besides the poor trimming system of thumbscrews and crappy industrial washers to counterweight that the 4000 sled has it was also too frustrating to achieve and keep dynamic balance. Moving off axis you have to assert too much control pressure to keep the camera trim. With the Merlin I could trim in an instant assert no control pressure while walking around it 360degrees and it would maintain perfect dynamic balance.
So the with the incredible dynamic balance, trimming and other features coupled with the extreme portability of the Merlin gave me the idea to get an attachment designed so I could mount it to the Smooth shooter and run the Merlin for a full shooting day.
So now with my rig I could also carry all my gear in 1 trip. I could put on the vest with a camera bag in 1 hand, tripod bag in the other and a small camera backpack on each shoulder for a 3 camera shoot. The spring arm and Merlin would collapse and stow in the back of just one of the backpacks. When I'm transporting gear I definitely look like SWAT, but it is the lightest fastest transport, setup and breakdown for run and gun style shoots where you need tools that help you attempt to make a run and gun look like a cinematic style production.
So to make a longer story short…. I got the opportunity to test this prototype and compare it to my current rig and needless to say I was blown away. I really love the smooth shooter but hate the 4K sled, but compared to the new arm the Smooth shooter now feels like it now belongs in the garage with the sled.
I used to think the smooth shooter was effortless to move through the boom range which is from the waist to the upper chest, but the new arm is truly effortless, actually incredible.... I could move the camera from my knees to just above eye level with truly no effort it was actually a bit freaky feeling. Almost like I was guiding the camera with my mind.....
To adjust the spring arms on the smooth shooter you have to have an allen wrench to adjust the springs. With this new arm in less than 1 minute with the rig flying I could switch out a WA on the camera trim it and then very easily adjust the arm with very simple turning of a thumbwheel located on the top of each arm.
The only thing I did not know is there are also fore and aft adjustments at the arm mounting point to further tweak the balance, but it didn't really matter because with the adjustments I was able to figure out and make I was pissing myself with how good it was compared to my current rig.
The vest is also much less bulky making it lighter, less noticeable and it was much easier to travel with. I can see putting this in my baggage taking up only a little more than half the space of my current vest.
So I was able to run the rig for almost the entire shoot. I did not use it for prep, but started at preceremony and wore it through the entire ceremony and post ceremony which was Catholic and the total time running the camera without dismounting was over 2 hours. Much of the ceremony I would also operate at full zoom and still have tripod like shots. Then I traveled to the reception site and did 1 hour of cocktail and photo session and then ran it for majority of the reception through all of the main dances and very long toasts. So I shot about 4 hours of footage on the rig.
Sadly since going full time my only physical activity is on the weekends that I shoot otherwise I sit and edit all week, so in the last 2 years I have gotten very out of shape and have gained over 20 lbs, but at the end of the night I had only a minor fatigue. With my normal rig I would get a very harsh burn in my lower back.
So with the portability, ability to fly and then immediately dismount lock the arm to my chest and shoot handheld style makes this my dream production rig that I would take to every shoot. Needless to say I was seriously considering not sending the rig back Monday morning and telling Steadicam they would have to come take it from my cold dead hands....
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
Bruce Ostrout said:
LOL! :grin:
Sounds like you had a blast. Thanks for the in depth review.
I can't wait to try the arm myself, it's going to rock for event coverage like weddings.
- Mikko
Bruce Ostrout
New member
mikkowilson said:
Yes. If I could have had it for 2 more days I would have shot some demo footage of me actually operating it to show how great it is even for a relative novice like myself.
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
for_mlove said:
Possible, but unlikly.
- Mikko
