My Steadicam Merlin/GH2/Voigtlander "recipe"

Thanks for sharing your settings. I am using the same quick release. It seems the two mid weights are the key here. I am flying with a Panasonic 14-140mm I will put up my recipe when I have fine tuned it. Still have a lot to learn!

Martin
 
drewski310 said:
It's hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like it uses the Glidecam style of mount adjustment, where you loosen the thumbscrews and move the mount to make fine adjustments.
Click to expand...

As a Glidecam Pro owner I agree that adjusting is a PITA. That Wondlan, however, looks like it has something better... more like the Glidecam HD. It looks like a pretty solid unit!

**Edit**
Just watched this unboxing vid and it does, indeed have a superior adjustment mechanism to the Glidecam Pro.
 
Last edited:
Hello good people,
I have the same setup as you folks, the merlin, voighlander 25, gh2 - i've had the merlin for a week now - and am going crazy trying to balance it. I've used the recipe suggested here. (front weight 1 finish, lower weights, 2 fin, 2 mid, at 9 3/4 arc) I have the camera on the n hole, also at -3 on base, i 've raised the gimbal up and down in every configuration and - even though i get the bubble centered - when i try and fly - even walking very smoothly down a hallway - it's swinging like pendulum big time. I can't get the the spar to fall in that magic zone of 1 - 1 thousand - it falls too fast - which i know is a sign of being too bottom heavy. Any ideas? Most appreciated. Thanks.
 
Hey Kevin,
I rarely use my Merlin these days, but some ideas off the top of my head:
- reduce the arc distance to something shorter than 9 3/4" and retest the "one one-thousand" timing
- take off a finish weight at the end of the arm and retest

A combination of these things will help to reduce the bottom-heavy imbalance of your Merlin. You can also try adding more weight to your camera on top (portable light, external mic, etc.) Good luck!

Drew
 
Thanks Drew,
Decreasing the arc helped. And it also improved the drop time - its the damn pendelum effect side to side when i try to fly it even ever so gently walking. I see that effect in a lot of stuff actually. I do think i will be returning it for another steadicam - black bird or the wondlan ares - maybe glidecam hd 2000.
 
I had a Glidecam...sold it to buy the Merlin, which for me was much easier to balance. But in my experience, the handheld stabilizers can be a lesson in frustration, especially with lighter cameras. Before you sell the Merlin, try using their worksheet that really helps in creating different setups.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top