Balancing & Mounting The Camera - Steadicam Merlin Setup And Operation Manual

6. Balancing and Mounting the Camera
Before your camera is mounted, inspect both trim rollers
Unfold the Merlin into the Shooting Mode.
Fore-and-Aft Trim Roller
Look at the blue
Stage
. Notice that it is pre-adjusted at the factory to be closer
to the front than the back of the Stage. (There should be about
one inch (25mm) of threaded rod showing in front.)
Note the two arrows forward of the Roller. They indicate that
when you need the front of the Merlin to tilt up, push the roller
up. It may take several energetic turns to make a difference, as
this is a very fine adjustment. When you need the front of the
Merlin to tilt down, pull the roller down.
Look at the smaller blue
the Stage. It is pre-adjusted to the center of its travel, with
about an equal amount of threaded rod showing on either side.
Note the two arrows to the left of the Roller. They indicate that
when you need the left (or monitor) side of the camera to go
upward, push this roller up, and vice versa.
Observe the Bubble Level
to-Side Trim Roller will be used to help balance the Merlin to
stay level.
Trim Rollers
Try giving both
one hand, and use the thumb of your 'support' hand on the
down. The action of the Trim Rollers is best seen from underneath. Observe how they alter the
balance of the system by moving the Gimbal carrier fore-and-aft or side-to-side relative to the
camera.
Trim Rollers
Now return the
Mounting your camera
By now your camera should be attached in the correct location on the
Dovetail Plate. Your Merlin should have the correct weights aboard and
be adjusted to have the correct
Cookbook settings or according to our Balancing-From-Scratch instructions.
Here goes:
Stage
Hold the Merlin
hand. Hook the bent portion of the
of the Merlin Stage as you practiced earlier.
Hold the Dovetail Locking Lever
allow the Dovetail Plate to drop down onto the stage.
Swing the Locking Lever
alongside the
Side-to-Side Trim Roller underneath
at the back of the Stage. The
a couple of quick, energetic turns. Hold the
roughly to their preset positions.
Arc Size for your camera – either per the
with one hand and the camera with the other
Dovetail Plate over the monitor side
in the forward position to carefully
straight out to the side.
Side-
Upper Spar
Grip to push either Trim Roller up or
Camera
still with
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