HVX200 Merlin trim settings

Jason Allen

Jason Allen

Well-known member
Well, I just bought a Steadicam Merlin for use with an HMC40 that I'm about to buy.

For grins and giggles, during my lunch break I mounted the Merlin on my HVX200 at work and tried the "Merlin cookbook" settings. I couldn't get the dang thing balanced, and infuriated, I went browsing/searching on here. I couldn't find anyone else who has successfully made the Merlin fly with the HVX200, so I spent 30 minutes and tinkered until I got my own recipe to share with you all.

I'm using an HVX200 with a 2750mAh battery, 2x 32GB P2 cards in the 1 & 2 slots, the stock lens hood/mattebox, an SD card in the SD slot, and no mic, but with the shotgun mic holder still on the handle. The screen is open and tilted forward at a 30 degree angle.

My trim settings are:
-Using hole "C" for mounting the cheese plate
-Using 1 "Finish" weight for the front
-Using 1 "Starter" weight, 6 middle weights, and 1 "Finish" weight for the bottom
-The arc is fully extended at 14"
-The camera cheese plate is sitting at -3.25 on the stage
-The gimbal is set to "Z" of -2

That gets me level and steady with very little trimming required (scooted almost 7/8 of the way to the right side of the L-R trim, at near center on the fore-aft trim).

I used the rig on a Steadicam Flyer arm and vest with ease this afternoon on a shoot, and it was a nice lighterweight alternative to my Flyer's sleigh (monitor + batteries + lots more metal = chiropractor visit! haha) that would be adequately stable for indoor use. (Merlin + HVX200 = WAY too lightweight for outdoor use though... the camera would get thrown off balance by the slightest wind on the Merlin)

I hope this helps some other frustrated DPs and shooters out there!

Regards,
Jason
 
Hi Jason,
Do you have the settings you used for the merlin steadicam with the HMC40?
I've been trying it for ages with no luck and I can't get an answer anywhere.
I'd really appreciate it.

Regards,
Morgan
 
JasonAllen127 said:
My trim settings are:
-Using hole "C" for mounting the cheese plate
-Using 1 "Finish" weight for the front
-Using 1 "Starter" weight, 6 middle weights, and 1 "Finish" weight for the bottom
-The arc is fully extended at 14"
-The camera cheese plate is sitting at -3.25 on the stage
-The gimbal is set to "Z" of -2

That gets me level and steady with very little trimming required (scooted almost 7/8 of the way to the right side of the L-R trim, at near center on the fore-aft trim).
Click to expand...

Jason Allen, I'd like to buy you a pizza. Two pizzas. I spent several hours over a couple of months trying to get my 200A balanced on the Merlin based on the Cookbook settings. Never could get them to work. Called Tiffen about it and they suggested more weight, so I got some large washers to add between the weights. I finally got to the point where it would balance, but it wouldn't stay balanced. It became Galloping Gertie when I'd begin to walk. I finally gave up for a while, intending at some point to call Tiffen again and pursue it until it got solved, but time got away and I just never did.

Now I don't have to. Those settings worked almost exactly as written. I'm now learning how to operate better with the darn thing as opposed to still trying to balance it.

Thank you thank you, Jason. You are, in fact, The Man.
 
Glad that these settings worked for you, texvanwinkle! I'm also glad that I wrote them down on here, b/c I keep losing the damn sticky notes with all of my trim settings + loadouts!

The most important part of that setup is the super heavy weighted bottom end, and the lower "Z" setting. The HVX200 is a big boy to balance on the wee Merlin, so you've gotta watchout for top-heaviness.

No pizza necessary, just pay it forward to anyone else on here who you can help :-)
 
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