glidecam smooth shooter.

reem12

reem12

Veteran
can anyone tell me how well the glidecam 4000 smooth shooter works compared to the merlin for the canon a1,in terms of performance?
 
reem all I can say is the Merlin is excellent on the A1. Ask Jade hes now got my Merlin.
 
i've had fantastic experiences with the smooth shooter and 4000, and from the footage i've seen to compare to, works just as well. Depends on the operator because both are capable of the same footage.
 
Adjusting and balancing the cam on the SS4000 is tricky and takes time, but when finally done the SS delivers excellent results.
I guess it is like with a lot of "prosumer" gear, it works in most situations, "pro" gear tents to work in all situations...
 
put it this way, the Merlin is in no doubt the better system. Easier to balance, easier on your wrists and achieves excellent results.
But with an experienced operator the glidecam smooth shooter can perform just as well. I.e. Put on any merlin footage and ill match it with the glidecam smooth shooter and 4000 pro :).

but hey, if its in your budget, get the merlin! The great thing about the glidecam is the added weight. CAn put a good 11 pounds of gear on it and it still flies like peter pan.
 
I hear good things about the Merlin and I am sure it works fine. I use the Smooth Shooter Vest and Glidecam 4000. It arrived the day before I used it on my first job. It was daunting to figure it all out but now it is a piece of cake. If you go for that one, I would recommend the balancing tool that mounts to a heavy light stand. It allows very easy balancing. Also consult the manufacturer as to balancing help. There is a lot of misinformation as how to balance the device.

I don't know if there is a vest for the Merlin but I could not hand hold 5-7 lbs for very long without some kind of support. Plus, what would you do if you need to hook up a monitor, batteries, accessories..I have all this on my Glidecam and all you do is re-balance when you add something. The monitor is extremely handy.
 
PaPa said:
put it this way, the Merlin is in no doubt the better system. Easier to balance, easier on your wrists and achieves excellent results.
But with an experienced operator the glidecam smooth shooter can perform just as well. I.e. Put on any merlin footage and ill match it with the glidecam smooth shooter and 4000 pro :).

but hey, if its in your budget, get the merlin! The great thing about the glidecam is the added weight. CAn put a good 11 pounds of gear on it and it still flies like peter pan.
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I'm also thinking about getting the Merlin with the vest/arm. The only thing I was really concerned about is if a 35mm adapter will work or not. I've heard it's pretty difficult to control focus. Have you used a 35mm adapter on either? I'd need to be able to mount a monitor to.
 
reem12 said:
confused now.papa could i get away with using the smooth shoot 4000 on awedding?
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sure, why not? Although with either system, i would suggest you spend a few months learning how to use them, to acquire somewhat of a decent skill before throwing yourself into a wedding like that. Be it the merlin or the glidecam, you need to practice.



"I'm also thinking about getting the Merlin with the vest/arm. The only thing I was really concerned about is if a 35mm adapter will work or not. I've heard it's pretty difficult to control focus. Have you used a 35mm adapter on either? I'd need to be able to mount a monitor to."

The ONLY kind of shots that are possible to do with an adapter on a glidecam, without a remote follow focus, are similar to what you would do on a dolly, tracking shots, where your subject to camera distance remains the same. OR with a wide angle lens, stopped down to F 4, keeping the focus at infinity, and not trying to frame anything that is within 10 feet of the camera to keep focus. i.e. everything at around 10 feet to infinity will remain in focus, but forget about dynamic shots where you go from close up to wide.
 
Sorry guy, I did not mention any "online videos" in my post. I believe there are however tutorial videos on the manufacturer's site. I know I did get a tutorial video which was very helpful, when I bought my kit.
 
Noel Evans said:
reem all I can say is the Merlin is excellent on the A1. Ask Jade hes now got my Merlin.
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I would love to chime in here, unfortunately my A1 has been in the shop undergoing repair for the past two weeks and I have not been able to try it with the Merlin at all. Won't be able to for another month at least :(. Looking forward to it as soon as I get it back though.
 
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