Steadicam Merlin 2 Setup And Operation Manual
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Steadicam Merlin 2 Setup And Operation Manual

Camera stabilization system for lightweight camcorders
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Setup and Operation Manual
LIT-812000

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  • Page 1 Setup and Operation Manual LIT-812000...
  • Page 2 90 Oser Avenue Hauppauge, NY 11788 631-273-2500 Fax 631-273-2557 Toll Free 800-645-2522 www.tiffen.com Tiffen/Steadicam 818-843-4600 www.steadicam.com Cookbook & Merlin 2 help: www.merlin2cookbook.com merlintechsupport@Steadicam.com US Patents 4,946,272, 5,098,182 and 5,229,798 Other US & Foreign Patents applied for. Steadicam and Merlin are registered trademarks of The Tiffen Company.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Basic Set-up Table of Contents Part One — Setup 1. Overview 3 – 5 2. A Tour of the Merlin 2 6 – 8 3. Getting Started 9 – 10 4. Pre-Setting Balance 11 – 15 5. Installing Dovetail Plate 16 –...
  • Page 4 I hope that you will really enjoy owning and using the Steadicam Merlin 2, and I look forward to seeing some of the results – in sample reels, documentaries, commercials, home movies and feature films! Good luck and have fun.

  • Page 5: Part One - Setup

    2® Steadicam Merlin 2® is a camera stabilization system for lightweight Basic Set-up camcorders based on the professional Steadicam technology used worldwide in professional film and television production. Features • Ultra-light: by itself weighs just 1.4 lbs (0.64 kg) • Ultra-compact •...

  • Page 6: Overview

    Watching the video for each section will show you the basic principles and operations of the Merlin 2 and give you a feel for how to perform them. Then the manual will take you step-by-step through the same operations with your Merlin 2 and camcorder. We recommend that you...
  • Page 7 Requirements for setup Set aside an hour or so for your first session with the Merlin 2. Set up a comfortable work chair and table in front of your TV and near a bright light. Put the following items within easy reach: •...

  • Page 8: A Tour Of The Merlin

    , the small surface you use to aim the Merlin 2. Since your “gripping hand” does all the work in supporting the Merlin 2, your “guiding” hand can retain the extremely light touch necessary to aim the camera without transmitting the shakes.
  • Page 9 Caliper Release Ring prohibits inadvertent folding with heavy cameras. Upper Locking Knob Lower Locking Knob and the release the upper and lower spars to expand or contract at the Caliper Hinge, and then lock them tightly to prevent vibration when shooting Basic Set-up Caliper Adjusting Knob raises and lowers the lower spar to adjust the size of the...
  • Page 10 Tiffen for a replacement. The Parts You should have: Steadicam Merlin 2® : “The Art of Steadicam Merlin 2” Nine threaded stainless-steel weights: One Start and two Finish weights Six Mid weights Plastic Bag, containing: Mounting Screw...

  • Page 11: Getting Started

    Merlin 2 is unfolded into Flying Mode. The Steadicam Merlin 2 is now in Flying Mode. When a camera is properly mounted on the Stage, you will be able to hold the unit by the Grip and the camera will “float” in balance above it.
  • Page 12 Getting Started Grip . The Grip supports and positions the Merlin 2. The Grip should always be held with the rubber grip side facing forward in contact with your fingers. If it’s held backward, movement of the Gimbal will be impeded and under some circumstances the Gimbal could be damaged.

  • Page 13: Pre-Setting Balance

    4. Pre-Setting Balance When your camera is mounted onto the Merlin 2, the entire unit must be set-up and balanced so that the combined center-of-gravity (camera plus Merlin 2), ends up just below the center of the fulcrum (the Gimbal), and precisely adjusted to be slightly bottom-heavy. Let’s take a moment to understand this.
  • Page 14 Mid weight in front to be moved down onto the lower spar. The idea is to add as little weight as possible to balance your camera and so preserve the essential lightness of the Merlin 2...
  • Page 15 2. Adjusting the Caliper Hinge The second method of balance – for a finer adjustment of bottom-heaviness – involves expanding and contracting the angle of the Merlin 2’s lower spar. This adjustment raises or lowers the weights relative to the camera.
  • Page 16 Lay the Merlin 2 on its side on the table. Using a tape Caliper measure, open or close the as needed to set the suggested distance from the lower weight to the top of the Stage. Now hold the Merlin 2 vertical and lock both Locking “Z”...

  • Page 17: Installing Dovetail Plate

    This adjustment fine-tunes the location of the center of mass to the optimum point just below the pivot point of the Gimbal. We call this the ‘Z’ axis, or vertical balance. WARNING: The Guide can be difficult to rotate if screwed Basic Set-up all the way in.
  • Page 18 Accessories have a big influence on the center of balance, so leave them off for now. Eventually you may want to balance the Merlin 2 with your preferred combination of accessories in place, including a wide-angle adaptor, but to get started, the Cookbook settings are for a fairly stripped down camera.
  • Page 19 Attaching the camera to the Dovetail Plate Because the center-of-gravity of each type of camera is different, their positioning on the Stage will vary. Gross positioning of the camera above the Gimbal is accomplished by the proper choice of mounting hole. (Fine positioning is accomplished with the fore-and-aft and side-to-side trim knobs.) Basic Set-up Consult your settings from the Online Cookbook to find the correct mounting hole on the...
  • Page 20 Dovetail Plate Balancing from Scratch III: Find your camera’s c.g. If you did not find your camera in the online cookbook, here’s how to find and mark your camera’s center of balance, and locate the correct hole on the Dovetail Plate. (This is a good thing to know in any event.) Be sure the camera’s monitor screen is folded out in the viewing position.

  • Page 21: Balancing And Mounting The Camera

    Note the two arrows forward of the Roller. They indicate that when you need the front of the Merlin 2 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 2 to tilt down, pull the roller down.
  • Page 22 Even on heavy camcorders, the mounting structures are often less than rigid, and we have tried not to make the Merlin 2 too massive, so if you’re moving violently or running and your hand is shaking there may be some relative motion between the front of the camera and the Merlin 2 stage.
  • Page 23 If you have more than three or four weights attached to the Lower Spar, the ‘click-stop’ catch that keeps the Merlin 2 in the Flying Mode, may not be strong enough to restrain the weight when held out sideways and the hinge may open. With heavier cameras, get in the habit of locking and unlocking the Caliper Hinge Release when you unfold and fold the Merlin 2.

  • Page 24: Horizontal And Vertical Trim

    7. Horizontal and Vertical Trim Horizontal trim Trim You have preset vertical balance and camera position on the Stage, but your Merlin 2 is still unlikely to be in perfect balance. Let’s see how unbalanced it is, and in what direction. Grip...
  • Page 25 Severe top-heaviness is unlikely if you followed the formula for “weights added vs. weight of camera.” But the cure is the same: add more weight below. Remember that the Merlin 2 is only designed to support cameras weighing five pounds (2.25kg)) or less, and you may need to remove wide-angle adapters, or heavy batteries.
  • Page 26 Again either ‘cure’ will require re-trimming fore- and-aft. Drop test A Merlin 2 that’s in correct top-to-bottom balance can be moved rapidly back and forth laterally and it will essentially stay upright! It is technically bottom-heavy, but only slightly! Hold out the lower spar sideways and let it go, If it falls slowly, if it takes a full second (say “Go…one-thousand-and-one”) until it passes through...
  • Page 27 If the camera tilts toward the monitor (to the left), push up the several quick turns to return to level. If it tilts right, pull down on the Roller. In each case, hold the Merlin 2 level and steady. Then, let it go to test your trim. Drop Test Perform the to check the degree of bottom-heaviness.

  • Page 28: Part Two - Operating

    If you have performed all set up adjustments in a single session, you may want to take a break and continue when you are fresh and rested! Hand Positions As soon as you are ready, watch Section 8 of the DVD: Trim Review Part II –...
  • Page 29 This is the fun part! The Merlin 2 is not just a stabilizer, it’s a uniquely elegant way to hold a camera at the center of balance, with the full freedom of your extended arms, and none of the awkward jerks and lurches of handheld shooting.
  • Page 30 Also angle unless you bump the stage or upper spar. remember to stop the pan – the Merlin 2 obeys This is the hand that ‘Flies’...

  • Page 31: Body Positions

    Either your “grip” or your standard, everyday, meat & potatoes shot and it’s how you’ll operate Merlin 2 90% of the your “guide” hand will now cross in front of your body. Practice on both sides. Be sure not to bump time, yourself with the lower spar.
  • Page 32 But it’s the same finger down. It’s a very common Steadicam shooting position on the Guide. It is exactly like Forward mode, used in thousands of feature films and lets...
  • Page 33 Boom up when you step off the curb because your subject will appear to be rising in frame. The Merlin 2 is an inert object Combine booming and tilting: raise the camera and tilting rapidly is difficult. Booming is easy...

  • Page 34: Extreme Trimming

    Side-to-side trim should be checked every few more stable than ordinary hand-held minutes to confirm that the Merlin 2 is hanging shooting. approximately level (check the bubble). The balance required is so fine that it can never be set Extreme Trimming for Extreme permanently.

  • Page 35: Stairs

    If you’re following someone up the stairs (in This is an advanced Forward Mode), trim the Merlin 2 so the camera technique, so don’t try it tilts slightly up and then use the boom range of in earnest until you have your arms to maintain headroom –...
  • Page 36 Shoulder Modes Docking and Carrying The Merlin 2 can also rest on your shoulder and Merlin 2 can be quickly set-down between shots still act as a brace for conventional hand-held as follows: shooting: Stow the Gimbal underneath your Stage and set...

  • Page 37: Vehicle Shots

    1.5 “g’s” of force on the Gimbal in order the guide works best. Support the Merlin 2 with to avoid damage to either the Merlin 2 or your one hand, pan and tilt with the other and let the camera.

  • Page 38: Moves And Results

    – even bad ideas. Since framing is, at times, the least volatile There is no substitute for element, due to the inertia of the Merlin 2, one’s planning and rehearsing, or attention can cycle between headroom, level at least trying to think a bit (look at the bubble!) navigating (watch out for ahead.
  • Page 39 Pass the Merlin 2 close to people’s faces and they probably won’t shy away as they might if • Scout the terrain without the Steadicam rig you came at them with a camera covering your if possible before you shoot, so you aren’t...
  • Page 40 The only distance that looks promising. You have way to help the Merlin 2 in wind is to shield the now automatically established a “pan rate” camera by using your body or someone else’s, which the Merlin 2 will continue on its own or by staying in the lee of buildings etc.
  • Page 41 Steadicam Merlin 2 is the with the relative emphasis you select. most compact and versatile way for the pros to get the smooth traveling shots they’re used to.
  • Page 42 Don’t just grab your tungsten/half daylight. This will yield a “film” Merlin 2 and race through a house. If you want look with the outdoors appearing bluish and the to sell your house, or help a friend sell a house, interior lighting not excessively warm.

  • Page 43: Accessories

    If accessories bring the weight of the camera 2 stage so your fore- over five pounds you will exceed the recommended and-aft trim will be capacity of the Merlin 2 and risk stress to the Gimbal retained. and the Caliper Hinge. The Obie Light (optional), otherwise known DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.

  • Page 44: Troubleshooting

    2. Possible dirt in Gimbal bearings—unscrew TROUBLE OPERATING the Guide Ring fully to remove, and blow If things don’t feel right, if your Merlin 2 doesn’t dry the Gimbal with “Dust-off” dry gas. Troubleshooting seem to behave like the ones in the DVD, check Reinstall.

  • Page 45: Glossary

    Stage: Drop Time: platform for mounting the camera, defines pendular ‘period” of includes micrometer trim adjustments. Merlin 2 spar. Held out horizontally and let go, should ideally pass through vertical in about one Telephoto: Long focal-length (or magnified), full second.
  • Page 46 Notes...
  • Page 48 Designed in the USA, manufactured in Taiwan by: The Tiffen Company 90 Oser Avenue Hauppauge, NY 11788 631-273-2500 Fax 631-273-2557 Toll Free 800-645-2522 Tiffen/Steadicam 818-843-4600 www.steadicam.com Cookbook & Merlin help: www.merlin2cookbook.com merlintechsupport@Steadicam.com Inventor: Garrett Brown US Patents 4,946,272, 5,098,182 and 5,229,798 Other US &...

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