Manual focus and the Steadicam Merlin...

[nouou]

I was reading this thread
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=110650&highlight=steadicam+merlin

and the OP mentions that you can't manually focus if you're using the Steadicam Merlin. Did he mean that it's just very difficult, or physically impossible?

Also, would having both the Merlin and a dolly be an overkill? Is the Merlin enough?

 

[CharlieG]

Merlins and Steadicams are all about BALANCE and the way they "Float"
by disturbing that floating you mess the entire principle of the way Steadicams work.
So if you touch anything on the camera like focusing you throw the balance off ..
They make a wireless remote focusing just for that

 

[nouou]

If I were to keep my subject in the DOF by keeping my same distance, that'd work right?

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

If I were to keep my subject in the DOF by keeping my same distance, that'd work right?

Yep! That's the idea!

 

[nouou]

Thanks