7D on the fence about buying the steadicam merlin w/ arm and vest

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dajavudesigns

Well-known member
on the fence about buying the steadicam merlin w/ arm and vest

ive read a bunch of reviews and gathered that this has the quickest setup time but you cant point it up or down like a glidecam

am i better off buying a glidecam 2000 hd with an adapter and the steadicam arm?

thoughts?
 
What do you mean up or down? Like running it in flipped mode? (Camera near the ground).

I will tell you this, I spent a lot of time comparing features on a lot of these, and I've settled and have been using the Blackbird Stabilizer for about 6 months now. I love it. I use it with a 7D and the part that hangs with the split apart weights works SO WELL when panning on the unit.

Granted, this system does not have an arm/vest solution, but I wouldn't want an arm with it. The 7D isn't too heavy. You *can* run the blackbird upside down, but you do have to hunch down a bit and it is definitely NOT as easy as the glidecam system.

If I were going with a vest and arm, I'd not go with either the Merlin or the Blackbird, as I'd want the bigger systems like the Pilot.

Maybe rent each of the ones you are thinking of to really see what you like.

Also, pertaining to the Blackbird, it is SO easy to setup. Which is important if you change lenses a lot. That was the problem I had with the Merlin. You really need to get the weight balanced properly below so when you spin the rig you don't get sway. With the blackbird, I get very little sway, especially after using the 15 inch bottom rod and also using the handle extender.
 
the one i see on bhphoto has an attachment with wheels, do you have that with yours? how close can you get that to look like a dolly shot?
 
do you have a youtube channel where i can check out your footage, ive seen enough steadicam merlin footage to know thats what im shooting for
 
bought the merlin after reading a bunch of peoples side by side comparisons and watching a bunch of footage, the merlin footage is just plain better
 
Really? I came to the opposite conclusion as you did. For simple steady shots, they worked the same, but for anything where you need to rotate left or right with regards to your hand staying still, the Merlin swayed A LOT more. Since the weight is all centralized in the center, this is what causes that problem. That's why the weight bar is spread apart at the bottom.

Further, since the weight on the Merlin is on a swing arm, if you need to adjust the drop time on the Blackbird, it's VERY easy as you just drop the weight lower with a simple setting. This is TREMENDOUSLY helpful.

The only thing the Merlin absolutely accels at is portability as it can be made smaller, but everyone who has used my Blackbird where I shoot is amazed by it.

Anyways, too late now, but much of this was shoot with the Blackbird:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMrwNz24j_g
 
I HAD the merlin, and now I have the Blackbird and it is head and shoulders easier to balance and use with the 7d/5d.
 
Depends on what your main use will be but here's my setup:

Glidecam HD 4000 + Steadicam arm / Vest + Glidecam arm adaptor from Berkey Systems + Manfrotto Quick release (crucial!) + Lilliput LCD (mounted on the sled w/battery)

I sometimes fly my XH-A1S so if you only fly lighter cameras then you don't need the larger sled but I also have stage plates to weigh down the rig properly when I fly my 5d/t2i w/Sigma 10-20mm.

The glidecam hd series is amazing in terms of being able to really tweak the settings properly as well as tilt up/down (which the merlin isn't great for) and on top of that I should mention I also concealed the hdmi to mini-hdmi cable in the center post....you can't do that (or even mount a external lcd) on a merlin.

Best of both world IMO....but again if you don't shoot alot just have a go with any of the glidecam HD series you won't be disappointed. =)

- V
 
yeah at the end of the day the blackbird footage i saw was pretty good but even the footage from the company just wasnt as smooth as the merlin footage thats everywhere

thats what it came down to for me

and it was between the merlin and a glidecam for me at a point, did a lot of homework on those comparisons and pros and cons to, merlin seems like its going to fit my needs best

will def chime in with my thoughts after a few weeks of working with it
 
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I AGREE
 
Have to disagree there, the Blackbird is an improvement in my opinion. Especially the sliding weight bar. I had the opportunity to use both and would buy the blackbird in a heartbeat again over the Merlin. The other thing I liked was using the handle extender and a manfrotto quick release plate so I could add a little more weight to the system. Of course those who have had the opportunity to use both know what I am talking about! :).
 
I agree.

I owned both and after using both, kept the Blackbird.

"The Steadicam Name" doesn't mean as much on these small rigs as they do the large ones, imo.
 
mcgeedigital said:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. If the video does not play, wait a minute or try again later.
I AGREE
Click to expand...

Is the pitch and roll in this video user error or the best you can get with these small stabilizers. I wanted one but not sure it is worth all the setup hassle if even good shooters get that movement in the shots.
 
kgimedia said:
Is the pitch and roll in this video user error or the best you can get with these small stabilizers. I wanted one but not sure it is worth all the setup hassle if even good shooters get that movement in the shots.
Click to expand...


DEFINITELY user error. Like all stabilizers, they take practice and getting to understand the feel of the system. I've used mine enough to know that this is avoidable.

That said, it really depends on the camera too. If you have a flip out LCD on any of the smaller ones, and it is windy, it can act as a sail as you move around. This is why I loaded mine with more weight at the top and bottom and it really helped.

I also REALLY like the drag screw on the handle. Once you've used the drag screw, you find that you can adjust the handle resistance ever so slightly to improve the performance even more, to your likings.

I absolutely agree, compared to the larger rigs with the vests, they work superior, especially with all the extra weight which helps, but at the lower end, you've got to test them yourself to see. We have 3 blackbirds now because we are so happy with using them.
 
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