Steadicam Merlin and D90 - recipes anyone?

It's good to know that I'm not the only one who can't quite get the Merlin to balance perfectly. I also never seem to find a balance between bottom and top heavy that works with the D90. Since they say that it can take months to get the merlin to work right, I was waiting to see if this time would come.
Just like you, I'm thinking that the problem is with the D90's weight but how come, on the DVD, Mr. Garrett balances a smaller, weirdly shaped camera in just a few seconds? As you also said, we didn't see any real shooting with it so are they hiding something?

Is there someone here that ever used the Merlin with a small camera without the pendulum effect?
 
I think it is simple physics

step onto a rowing boat and it wobbles

step onto an ocean liner and it doesnt wobble very much

same with heavy versus light rigs

Garret (a most excellent operator) is the only one in the video with the small camera - we dont see any footage and he doesnt show much acceleration

There are also some little phrases about keeping the drop time quite fast (1 not 3 seconds) that sugest that bottom heavy and learning to fight acceleration may hold the key

The main merlin video actually doesnt show many cuts with accelleration (ie the acceleration is cut out) - running by a skateboarder is not acceleration the speed is constant - high

I think it is a useful tool but you cant do an "ER Oner" with it unless your name is Garret

Have been using in a howling gale on the beach - will be interesting to check the footage in the warm

S
 
I sold mine a month ago, since then I made a DIY steadicam, so far I achieved almost the same result with a low cost, around $65. I will post a test soon on Vimeo.
 
morgan_moore said:
I think it is simple physics

step onto a rowing boat and it wobbles

step onto an ocean liner and it doesnt wobble very much
Click to expand...


Balance ! Balance not weight.

If the Merlin was based on weight you might have a point, but it is based on balance. Within reason the weight is less of a factor than how the system is balanced.


Without wishing to wilfully oversimplify, step on to a rowing boat with the very same force/dynamics that the water exerts on the hull and you have stability.
 
that's true for a real steadicam. the handheld rigs get most their stability from weight and the fact that you isolate the hand from the camera to one point, making it hard or impossible to wobble (quick pans and tilts) the camera with your hand, the main source of shakiness with small cameras. i've never seen a handheld rig that was balanced enough to handle acceleration without wobble.

/matt
 
Of course it is possible to jump onto a rowing boat without wobbling it - just hard

-----

The fig rig - does that isolate the movment of the body in any way at all beyond increasing the distance of the hands to the centrepoint of the lens - I cant see it working in the proper 'ethic' of the steadicam although I can see it as a useful tool for hand holding static shots for reasons of comfort

S
 
Hey Sam still using the same settings as before

Hey Sam still using the same settings as before

Hey Sam.. Really great work.

Do you mind sharing the settings you used for the merlin?
Mounting hole?
Stage Mark?
Weights?

Thanks

I'm having a real hard time getting this thing balanced.


Edit: Never mind..I found it... Helps to check the earlier part of the thread sometimes. Have your settings change though or are they still the same as before?
 
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Im on two + 2 ends (fully open) or three closed ish at the bottom and a little one at the front

Remember the 14mm is heavier than the camera so the balance will chage with the lens

Ive actually tried a little bit of extra weight too - I think that helps

camera on top of bit of lead roof stuff rolled into a sausage, drilled hole in it and bolted onto the 'gezorenplatz' hole

and also tried flashgun on the camera (too much flex)

All these mods must NOT wobble

Still cant get that magic carpet look though - maybe the vest and arm is required - not something I can buy without knowing it will work to a standard that will recoup the cash spent

S
 
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was hoping someone had a magic recipe that worked. i started with the one online at the merlin site and tweaked everything from there, completely changing everything. if nothing else, it killed the wobble, but seems impossible to actually control - making me think i balanced it entirely wrong. see the before/after at http://vimeo.com/4655923 .
 
i haven't used the merlin but several glidecams and hagues, and my experience is that a properly balanced steadicam is *supposed* to be "impossible" to control. balance it like that then practice, after a while it will float the way you want it to. if you can control it intuitively it's not balanced.

/matt
 
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