Steadicam Merlin and D90 - recipes anyone?

Matthew Bennett

Matthew Bennett

Well-known member
Hi to all the d90 + steadicam merlin users...

been trying for days to properly fly my d90.... so difficult to get the correct bottom heavy balance right...

Any recipes anyone? Any help, snapshots of the setup, any advice would be very helpful! Thanks!!!
 
I can't comment with the merlin, but I've been trying a Glidecam 2000 and have found myself to be utterly incapable of pulling focus with it.

I had hoped that just a light touch to the lens.... but anything causes the camera to rotate in fairly bizarre ways as I apply even the slightest torque to focus the lens. The only thing way I've been moderately successful with pulling focus on it is if I put presure with the side of my hand against the top plate of the glidecam while focusing- and then its just sort of like I turned off the glidecam for a moment and it still looks pretty poor in the footage.

Balancing it was pretty easy and I was surprised how well I could fly it (having spent only a couple hours balancing and using any type of steadicam system)... but without the ability to pull focus low DOF is not a blessing.
 
Matthew, I ordered a merlin last Thursday, I should receive it by Wednesday, If I found the right recipe Ill let you know, if you happen to balance it by then let me know your settings.
 
Any photos of your setup, Thebes?

My main problem is the weight listing for the camera is a pound and a bit... but without batteries, etc... and then a smalish 28mm on top of that. I don't have a scale to weigh the whole thing, I always feel like I'm a bit too bottom heavy...
Have you weighed your d90?
 
I received my merlin yesterday, not an easy task to balance but I think I'm almost there, I never used a merlin before, I need some practice, here a quick test that I made:

http://www.vimeo.com/2104816
 
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WHoo! That steadicam footage is great, Rolly,

PLEASE take a quick snapshot of the setup/balance whatever from as many angles as you can!! I will erect a large statue of you in downtown Toronto if you do...
 
Matthew Bennett said:
WHoo! That steadicam footage is great, Rolly,

PLEASE take a quick snapshot of the setup/balance whatever from as many angles as you can!! I will erect a large statue of you in downtown Toronto if you do...
Click to expand...


I will do it for you Matthew, I'm at work right now, Halloween with the kids after supper, so I'll do it around 9pm.
 
Ok, first I used the letter N on the dovetail plate, the rest is shown on the pictures, the Gimbal is lowered 2 turns down from the top using the guide ring. 1 finish weight in the foward position, 2 mid weight and 1 finish weight at the lower position, Those settings are made with a Tamron lens 17-50mm 2.8

I just tried a quick test with a 50mm 1.4... its another ball game :beer:

2989914877_2cd90fd2b5.jpg


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2990767910_3640ef3c64.jpg


2989914739_1350db658c.jpg
 
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Amazing! Thank you!

The kit lens, right? Yeah, I guess everytime we swap lenses its a whole different weight and balance..
 
Matthew Bennett said:
Amazing! Thank you!

The kit lens, right? Yeah, I guess everytime we swap lenses its a whole different weight and balance..
Click to expand...

No its not the kit lens, its a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8, weight 15.3 oz (434g) 3.2" length, the kit lens weight 0.93 lb (420g) 3.5" length, not a big difference, you may just need to adjust horizontal and vertical trim to achieve the right balance with the kit lens.
 
Rolly, thank you for posting those pictures & information. :thumbsup:


buildyo said:
I wonder if the Merlin works well with one hand constantly at the focus ring.
Click to expand...

Nope. You can't touch the camera on a Steadicam or you will seriously disrupt balance and the shot.

Remote (electronic) Follow-Focus is the only way to control focus on a Steadicam.

- Mikko
 
buildyo said:
I wonder if the Merlin works well with one hand constantly at the focus ring.
Click to expand...

I have tried with my D90 and Glidecam 2000... even if I can sort of float holding my fingers on the focus (or iris) ring the little bit of drag and torque required to actually turn the ring induce bizarre rotations that look gawd aweful.

The best I could do was sort of hold a bit of my hand against the camera platfrom without wobbling it wildly- this was like instantly turning off the flying feeling and looks pretty jarring because of that transition.


Has anyone tried to make their own wireless follow focus with hobby RC servos? I have this Vex robotics kit and was thinking something might be possible on a small budget.
 
Thebes,


I was thinking about rc servos since i couldnt afford a bartech etc... closest i came was a foveas rff unit. it works pretty good. continually rotating wheel throws you at first, but then settable memories makes up for it. eg, position a, actors mark b. action, hit button on remote.

http://www.foveas.com/

havent needed to try it with the d90 yet. happy to answer any questions after you take a look.

got that while waiting for red rock solution... which is "still coming" :)

i'm shooting a d90 short next two weeks.

i have a shot of a waiter's tray which is going to be dollied, panned, zoomed (with 50-300) and focus pulled on the same shot. Might be time to dust it off and do a test.. :) One less bod running around with a whip... (so much fun to watch someone crab with the dolly though)
 
I don't think that the total weight will be a problem but it might be impossible to balance since most of the weight will be at the front. You could try to find an extension plate an mount the camera further back.
 
Putting a 80-200 2.8 lens on anything but a tripod will most likely look horrible. The slightest movement/shake/wobble at 200mm looks so dramatic since you are so zoomed into your picture. The more "depth of field" you get with lower apertures the harder it will be to focus, even with a follow focus that is off the camera and remote. Your talent/object will have to be very still or they will move in and out of focus. The 24mm and the 50mm manual lenses would most likely work with a Stedicam the best, but I would love to try them a bit more open at f11 or so, to reduce the depth of field a bit and have less need for constant focus pulling. Just my 2cents.
 
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