I just received my Merlin the other day and am thinking about using it for some specific shots at my wedding this weekend. I have noticed in my test footage around the house and neighborhood that while the footage is as smooth as silk there is a slight drift to it in the frame due to inertia, turning, lifting, etc. Most probably wouldn't notice, my wife didn't. Personally, I loved it. The slight movement gives one the sense of floating or flying. Anyone else think that a minute amount of drift is ok?

I just received my Merlin the other day and am thinking about using it for some specific shots at my wedding this weekend. I have noticed in my test footage around the house and neighborhood that while the footage is as smooth as silk there is a slight drift to it in the frame due to inertia, turning, lifting, etc. Most probably wouldn't notice, my wife didn't. Personally, I loved it. The slight movement gives one the sense of floating or flying. Anyone else think that a minute amount of drift is ok?

It's a mater of physics, so just practicing enough to know how to handle the merlin, I use to to do tilting shots from say the sky to the couple and just have to dance with it to make sure it doesn't sway,drift etc..just keep practicing, plan each move so you know how to handle the rig and from experience know how its going to behave.

Brett - mastering one of these devices takes a lot of practice. I too was impressed with my merlin footage when I first took it out of the box. After a while though you develop a more critical eye and notice all the little wobble's and drifts. Watch some of the better work on this site and you'll see a good example of what it should look like. I had a bridal photo shoot on a windy beach recently and tried to use the Merlin. That was an experience!

Art

Sorry to hijack the thread but just a very quick inquiry. I have a Glidecam 200pro and am thinking about investing in a Merlin and am a little unclear on that. I will be using it with A1 and am wondering if its worth it. I am in no means a professional videographer and am currently doing this to learn the style of shooting and taking creative shots so for now its mainly a hobby.

Thank you.

Don't know quite what to say. It works well with the A1. Probably the best way to get a steadicam look with the camera if that's what you want. I use mine every now and then and am glad I bought it. Is that what you want to know?

Karim,

I'm a Merlin evangelist. While my old Glidecam v-8 with vest gave me more variety and ease with my smooth shots, the Merlin is soooooo much smaller, lighter, and compact, and that's my priority - travel light!

I use the DVX100b, and I'm sure it would be great with a camera the size of the A1.

jones

I'm not able to answer any questions, but I finally took the plunge (in my wallet) and won an eBay auction for the Merlin and I couldn't be more excited to use it!!!

I'm a bit intimidated by how many people say how much practice is needed to produce excellent footage with it. Can anyone recommend any links or tutorials on how to use it? I will be using a Canon XHA1 on it.

Chris
I found that all the tutorials were a waste of time. The best way to learn is to get out and use it.

I'm not able to answer any questions, but I finally took the plunge (in my wallet) and won an eBay auction for the Merlin and I couldn't be more excited to use it!!!

I'm a bit intimidated by how many people say how much practice is needed to produce excellent footage with it. Can anyone recommend any links or tutorials on how to use it? I will be using a Canon XHA1 on it.

Did you get the DVD with it? that should be more then sufficient. To make you feel better here is my 2nd day test 2 days with the Steadicam Merlin on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/1413559) this is straight out of box using it, no practising in between.

So another words you can get alright results but what everyone means about practising is to be able to do very smooth moves and also different type of moves like spinning around, crane down with a pan..etc.. once you get a good feel of how it works then you can start experimenting but that all comes from practice.

Tips:

get a glass of water and run around with it and make sure nothing splashes out to help you take some softer steps so no harsh jitter comes through. I am fairly flat footed so I still get a bit of occasional jitter when I am not concentrating enough to make sure I am gliding. So I need to do this often.

Make sure you use the G-Platz screw for the A1.

Did you get the DVD with it? that should be more then sufficient. To make you feel better here is my 2nd day test 2 days with the Steadicam Merlin on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/1413559) this is straight out of box using it, no practising in between.

So another words you can get alright results but what everyone means about practising is to be able to do very smooth moves and also different type of moves like spinning around, crane down with a pan..etc.. once you get a good feel of how it works then you can start experimenting but that all comes from practice.

Tips:

get a glass of water and run around with it and make sure nothing splashes out to help you take some softer steps so no harsh jitter comes through. I am fairly flat footed so I still get a bit of occasional jitter when I am not concentrating enough to make sure I am gliding. So I need to do this often.

Make sure you use the G-Platz screw for the A1.

Nice work. Also, can you share the name of the song...it was really nice and set a nice mood even though this was merely a test shot.

Thank you for your responses guys, I have decided to buy the Merlin as well and am fishing for a deal at the moment.

i just got a merlin form santa
played with it for about 5 hours now it feels like my arm is going to drop off
totally worth the pain though

Glad to see you guys are moving into the Merlin.

Don't be too intimidated by the learning curve--it's definitely there but a lot depends on your expectations and how critical you are about the results. If you are expecting to duplicate a dolly on track, plan on spending a lot of time practicing and watching the results. If you just want to take out the footsteps and don't mind a bit of horizon roll, you may be delighted right out of the box.

For many people, getting the hang of balancing the rig (and keeping it in trim) is formidable. While the "cookbook" concept is fine to get you started, I highly recommend not relying on someone else's settings each time you need to rebalance your camera if you add accessories or switch cameras. Learning to balance from scratch is an important skill that will ultimately make you a better operator, as you will come to understand the effects that redistributing masses has on the feel of the rig.

There are a lot of good tips on the training DVD; I do not recommend taking the "guy's approach" and ignoring the directions with this piece of gear. Starting with bad habits will inhibit your ability to get great shots. The simplest thing to know about the Merlin (and all Steadicams) is that the least amount of influence on the gimbal is key; keep your touch light as possible. An often neglected tip is to preset the balance for a given shot. If you will be pointing down from a balcony, adjust the fore-aft so that the rig hangs with the proper attitude for the shot rather than having to hold it there. Many of us who do Steadicam for a living tend to tweak the rig all day long, not only for a given shot but even between takes to place it in the exact sweet spot.

When practicing, don't just zip around like a maniac, try to pick a specific target or goal and focus on getting there as beautifully as possible. Running with the rig is fun but actually quite easy compared to walking very slowly, so do more of the latter to learn the subtleties required to pull off a truly steady shot. Play around with using your boom hand to land the lens at the ideal height for a given shot; you have more vertical range available to you with the handheld Merlin than any $100K+ full-size rig, so why not use it?

It's even a good idea to simply stand in place and practice panning and tilting (you can do this off the stand)! Get the feel of starting and stopping a move without kickback or affecting the other axes. Diagonal moves that combine pan and tilt are the hardest. Fast tilts are tough too (stopping on a dime).

Design actual shots for yourself, again, not just walking around the house pointing at things. Even without a subject to follow, you can create a point-of-view shot where you need to hit specific frames. Record your takes and track your progress. Be your own worst critic! The Merlin is capable of shots that can rival those we make with the big rigs, and with today's little cameras having such great image quality, it's a formidable package.

Above all, have fun!

Thanks Charles for all the reminders/tips. It's so true about learning to balance from scratch, when I first started I used cookbook settings but then when things went bad I didn't know how to balance the thing and just got frustrated, so its worth the pain to go through learning how to actually do it all and give you a better understanding and makes shooting so much easier to know what to do for specific shots.

I am excited about this product and really am glad this thread was here!

I'm amazed at how great it can be out of the box, and that is what I need.

What a lifesaver it will be. I'm so tired of running around with tripods, monopods. Those have their place, but the Merlin will be perfect for so much:

the cake cutting, following the bride and groom, even getting the shot of the bride coming down the aisle. THE GETTING READY STUFF! Outdoor photo shoots! Introductions! Creative first dance shots...

Only concern I have is the camera I have (FX1000) is almost 5lbs, and with a light and battery it will be very close. It might not work well in this case.

I can't afford it currently, as I just ordered my second new cam, but as soon as I can I am ordering!

so ive just been out and about in my garden, running around like a madman with the merlin.
I just wanted to try running with it but thank u for the excellent tips from everyone above, i will slow down

one problem though i noticed when i reviewed my footage that there are little bumps visible, shakes almost, obviously when my feet hit the ground. I also noticed in the training dvd he added a screw to stop any unwanted vibration, can anyone care to comment or is this just more practice needed with my stability of the merlin. i realise its gonna take along time to perfect but these judders were a litter disconcerting

luke

Luke:

Definitely check that everything is tight on the rig, that the camera is securely tied down and if appropriate use the G-platz screw to prevent vibration. There's always the possibility that you are creating the judder as well but this sounds more like loose bits to me.

One gent who has done amazing things with a Merlin is Nick Tsamandanis from down under; you can see a reel of his wedding work with the rig here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlblLOLj8IQ&feature=channel_page). He's since moved up to a Pilot but I recall that at least the first few shots on this if not all of it was still handheld on a Merlin. My favorite is the one with the couple approaching the car--watch how he uses the driver crossing to the car as a pivot to bring him around to the couple again. This shot is every bit as good as what I would expect from a big-rig practitioner on a network series, and it was unrehearsed and spontaneous to boot! Perhaps if Nick is in the neighborhood he can share some tips with you guys (I'm the first to admit that I haven't spent enough time with the Merlin to have gotten it down the way he has; it's a similar skill to operating the full size rig but has plenty of its own nuance).

Hi, Charles, again thanks for the kind words. Luke, the G-Platz screw must have good contact with the bottom of the camera or you will get vibration in the shot. This is critical. I have applied a layer of masking tape around the screw and the bottom of the camera to make better contact. I concur with Charles that you would be better off without the cook book, you will ultimately get better shots if you can get your head around how a Steadicam behaves with different settings, loads etc.. Most newbies suffer from over controlling the gimbal, must always keep that feather light touch, which is easier said than done. Practice really is the key; there is a great learning curve - not something you can master over a weekend. Charles all the shots were done hand held on the showreel clip - the vest wasn't available then. For anyone who’s interested check out my profile on you tube for more stuff I’ve done with the Merlin. Here are some of the last shots I did with the arm & vest just before I sold it: Steadicam Merlin Arm & Vest Footage. on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/611738) . I enjoyed using it at weddings because of its compact size and quick to set up!

if i am running with the merlin do i need to increase shutter speed. Its uually at 25, it goes up to 8000 or somthing stupid on my sony v1 , im guessing if i shoot 25p ill have motion jitter. i am currently shooting at 1080 50i

also nick how can i use the g screw if it does not reach the camera . i am using the sony hvr v1 e and its sits near the back of the dove plate. i have put the screw in but its below the focus dial and obviously does not reach high enough to provide stability

would love your feedback as im a bit concerned

cheers luke

Hi Luke, jitter in the picture is the result of vibration, perhaps just move the camera forward a bit so you have some contact with the screw and then trim to re balance. Experiment with it.

Nick, very impressive Merlin work. I'm most impressed with your vertical stability on that opening shot. That was a really long shot and to keep the Merlin from moving up or down over the course of that shot was really impressive. Very nice.

Luke, I had the same problem you mention with the Canon A1. With the camera centered on the plate properly, the screw hit the focus or zoom ring (can't remember which). So I had to move the camera forward and then adjust the balancing to account for the new position. I still sometimes get vibration in the shot but usually only if I'm moving quickly and I'm not walking softly enough.

Nick, quick question. How beneficial was the arm/vest combo for the Merlin?

Hi Travis, the arm totally eliminates footsteps from the picture. For long takes you can't do without it , with the metal gimbal maxed I sometimes shot straight for 2 hours. Try doing that hand held...

Thanks, Nick. I shoot handheld at weddings and quite often it's for 1-3 hours straight. It kills my wrist and back. I have a hard time holding the handle with both hands and operating the gimbal .. so I tend to hold the handle with my right hand and operate the gimbal with my left, trying not to touch anything BUT the gimbal with that hand.

I've thought about getting the arm/vest, but I wasn't sure if that made operating the gimbal more difficult, since on the Merlin you have a very small surface you can touch (unlike a larger rig like a Pilot or Flyer). I also wasn't sure if it made it more difficult to be flexible in your shooting style. For example, I often shoot with the Merlin attached and then fold it up so I can get a static shot from a floor perspective, or something like that. That seems more difficult with an arm/vest. What did you think?

It makes operating easier because the Merlin becomes weightless. I often did static shots from a floor perspective (lower spar just above the ground) with the arm/vest, easy to do, then boom up and start walking around and boom up more to shoot over peoples heads - awesome footage! Thats one shot I really miss doing now with the Pilot -( One of the coolest shots I did with the Merlin/arm was on stage with a band playing then I stepped off the stage and walked into the dance crowd-the step-off was invisible thanks to the arm. Looked magic! The arm helped me take my shots to a new level.

Cool. What made you decide to upgrade to the Pilot? Also, anything you didn't like about using the Merlin arm/vest?

It makes operating easier because the Merlin becomes weightless. I often did static shots from a floor perspective (lower spar just above the ground) with the arm/vest, easy to do, then boom up and start walking around and boom up more to shoot over peoples heads - awesome footage! Thats one shot I really miss doing now with the Pilot -( One of the coolest shots I did with the Merlin/arm was on stage with a band playing then I stepped off the stage and walked into the dance crowd-the step-off was invisible thanks to the arm. Looked magic! The arm helped me take my shots to a new level.

Nick is it even worth getting the Arm/Vest when the Pilot you can now pick up for not a huge price difference, the Merlin vest is around AU$4k + $1K Merlin? The Merlin is designed for Hand-held so I would say if going to Arm and Vest Steadicam then the Pilot is a better option since that's what its designed for? I know it makes things easier with the vest but I wonder if its a Smart investment when the Pilot is so much better and purpose built for the vest.

Travis, the reasons I upgraded to the Pilot are that I realised the skills that I had developed with the Merlin were not quite transferable to a "normal" rig. Since I am planning on aquiring one of these: Steadicam Clipper 312 and 324 - Tiffen (http://www.steadicam.com/videoclipper312324.htm) in 09 I figured I was wasting my "practice" time at weddings with the Merlin. Had I no plan to work in the Steadicam industry I would have kept the Merlin rig for sure. The other reason was that the clients that I sometimes work with require a video transmitter so they can watch as I'm shooting and log time code - can't power the transmitter from a Merlin.
Peter I suppose it depends on the individual's needs and budget, having said that, comparing my footage between the Merlin and Pilot I can't tell the difference.

having said that, comparing my footage between the Merlin and Pilot I can't tell the difference.

But you are super skilled with the Merlin :P Hand held I can no way get stuff you've gotten atm. I would say there is certain moves you can't do with the Merlin that you can with Pilot. ie shot of top tree circling around then panning/craning down to a person standing underneath and then following them around. So I have no doubt in stability it matches but as far as variety of moves the Merlin is limited compared to the Pilot.

I hear you Peter. I've tried to duplicate a number of full-rig shots and found it impossible. The Merlin is great for less 'tricky' steadicam shots, and it really excels in terms of flexibility in unscripted run and gun situations. But it's definitely not capable of replacing a full-rig system.

I think this is mostly due to the contact area for controlling the Merlin. The surface is very small and requires you to place all force and pressure with just your fingertips (you can't really bring your arm strength into it). That surface area is also cramped and tight, since you have a handle with your other hand in there taking up space. I find I try to operate the unit by holding the handle with only the top part of my fist, so I can leave more space to operate the gimbal.

Nick, thanks for the answers. I wish you the best. You've definitely developed some skill with the Merlin, so I'm sure you'll do great with a full rig. Good luck!

But you are super skilled with the Merlin :P Hand held I can no way get stuff you've gotten atm. I would say there is certain moves you can't do with the Merlin that you can with Pilot. ie shot of top tree circling around then panning/craning down to a person standing underneath and then following them around. So I have no doubt in stability it matches but as far as variety of moves the Merlin is limited compared to the Pilot.

Agreed, but for what it is I think it does a great job.

so do u guys crank up the shutter speed if u are moving quickly, shooting 50i, i dont think the pic was blured because of this and not vibration although there was some there

cheers for the feedback dude

Luke, no you don't need a faster than normal shutter speed for running shots.