Steadcam Merlin + T2i = ?
 

Anyone attempted to successfully do this yet? I have... sorta...it feels too light with the kit (18-55) lens. It works but it's slightly bottom heavy causing it to wobble (very little) when starting and stopping. Definitely can't run with it though.

I just picked up a Merlin and a T2i, I've got a Canon 10-22mm that should work nicely... I think I'm going to give it a shot tonight... I'll let you know what happens.

I tried the T2i with Canon 10-22 on a Steadicam Jr. Couldn't get it to balance, felt too top-heavy, not a good shape for the Steadicam Jr. I decided to sell it and find another solution if possible - not sure Merlin will be much different, but curious about your results...

a buddy of mine had a merlin and while he didn't fly a DSLR on it, (FX1) he always had issues with weight. Just seemed like the merlin was meant for palmcorders. If that lens isn't too heavy, you might be ok but my T2i weighs a lot with the 50mm f1.4 and if I put my 24-70 on it, it's more than the fx1.

I can balance the steadicam merlin with my XHA1 flawlessly, but for my t2i with kit lens or the 50mm 1.8...... no go. Too light. I'm thinking of finding ways to add more weight like a zoom h4n. I'll try to post some results with the kit and the 50mm.

The problem is going to be with the 550D/T2i being too light & not too heavy. Both the 5DII & 7D fly OK on a Merlin but do weigh a couple of hundred grams more. You need a certain mass to help damp down movement.

Ok so my theory's blown!
I got the battery grip for mine and that with two batteries might add enough...thoughts?

I'm on the same boat with getting a battery grip for weight. Wonder if those grips on ebay any good. I read that the generic batteries are just as good as the canon brand ones though.

So I think I got a good recipe for the Merlin and the T2i w/ Canon 10-22mm. Here it is:

Mounting hole: M
Stage Position: -2
Caliper: -.5 or approx 11 1/2 inches
Spar weight: 1 finish weight
Bottom weight: 1 starter, 1 mid, and 1 finish weight.

The camera with lens weights in at exactly 2 lbs 0.4 ounces with battery and card. It is really light, but not too light to fly and there really isn't any reason to add more weight to make it solid. I think it's an ideal weight! The other nice thing about this recipe is that if you remove the battery door (it comes off easily for use with battery grip) before mounting you can change batteries without having to remove the stageplate to change the battery! Pretty convenient! I'm really digging the setup!

Tony, have you found any generic BG-E8s on eBay? The cloned BG-E5 grip I had for my T1i doesn't work on the T2i.

Is there a better stabilizer to use with Canon 17-55mm IS lens? It's pretty bulky. I might also be using a Tokina 11-16mm in the near future.

do u find any good setup with the t2i and the 18-55?
it's my first post here, and i'm a newbie for everything related to camera... but i learn quite quickly...

i try to make a good setup with merlin and t2i but still invane... the camera is pretty fixed, but when u start and stop moving it gives movement L+R

tnx
ale

Here's the recipe I used with the kit lens for good results:

Front 1 finish weight
Bottom 2 finish weights, 1 middle weight
Arc 9 3/8"
stage +4
Mounting hole M

to change it up, I picked up a Blackbird. Balances perfectly with the battery grip/2 batteries and the Tokina 11-16 and a 577 QR plate. Camera/grip/lens/QR plate weighs 3.5lbs.

Could you post some video to show how well it works on the fly?

Others as well with Merlin or other stabilizers??

tnx Daniel!

i'll try it later

We've been using the T2i on the Merlin for months now, and it works PERFECTLY with the bone-stock camera and kit lens. In fact, I find the T2i almost perfect for the Merlin...and we've gotten some awesome footage with it.

I'll post a balancing recipe tomorrow from work, but I can guarantee you it works.

A couple of brief points: first, there are a LOT of adjustment points on the Merlin...not only the weights at the end of the spar/boom...but weight in the middle...plus stage mounting hole...plus (this one gets overlooked a lot) the positioning of the threaded mount above the gimbal makes a big difference. Finally, the open/closed angle of the spar/boom. So many ways to achieve balance!

The other point is that I've found many people don't understand what "perfect balance" for a Merlin is. I've come across several people using one that have it WAY too bottom-heavy. It seems some people think that the "ideal" balance is one where if you pull the spar to the side (tilting the camera) it immediately rights itself like a buoy.

When balanced perfectly, you should be able to rotate the spar and camera 90 degrees to the side...and it should very slowly drift back upright, taking at least 2 seconds or more.

Stay tuned for a recipe!
Scott

So, let's see some footage!

T2i Steadicam Merlin Recipe
 

Okay, here's the recipe I've come up with so far for the T2i (with kit lens at widest setting) and Steadicam Merlin:

• Stage Mounting Hole = M

• Weights (End of Spar or Lower Weights) = 1 full-size weight, 1 rounded end cap weight (1 "Start," 1 "Finish")

• Weights (Middle of Spar or Front Weights) = 1 rounded end cap weight (1 "Finish")

• "Z" (the threaded collar just above the gimbal) = -6 (that's 6 full, 360-degree counter-clockwise turns from the point where the collar is fully screwed into/against the stage)

• Stage Mark (left) = -2.25 (actually just a hair farther back than -2.25 --- I can see the whole width of the -2.25 hash mark)

• Arc Size (+/- hash mark adjustment in middle of spar) = This is a somewhat difficult measurement to specify; Steadicam uses the "distance from lower weight to the top of the stage" but this is obviously touh to measure.

So (Arc Size continued!), looking at the hash marks, if the first mark on the "minus" end of the scale = 0, and the last mark on the "plus" side of the scale = 100, I have the indicator mark positioned right *between* the 25 and 50 marks. (Make sense? There are 5 hash marks, so I'm referring to them as 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100.)

-----end of T2i recipe-----

This should give you darn close to a ideal balance (though if I remember it's still just a *tiny* bit bottom-heavy). And this is also with NO lens cap hanging off the camera and NO hardware in the hot shoe of any kind---just the bone-stock camera and kit lens in the *widest* setting.

EXAMPLE FOOTAGE

Our latest production (a 5-minute fundraising video for the local healthcare foundation) was shot entirely with two T2i's and a mix of tripod and Steadicam Merlin footage (the video opens with a Steadicam shot, and you'll see several more obvious Steadicam shots throughout the video).

The Steadicam footage (with the T2i) really made this video shine and gave it that extra high-end "kick" that everyone notices (but isn't sure exactly what they're noticing, LOL).


Scott

PS - I'm not crazy about the embedded Vimeo interface above, because you can't see how much of the video has buffered (and wait for smooth playback). So if you want the native Vimeo interface, go to...

http://vimeo.com/highrock/videos

And click the "Antietam Healthcare Foundation" video. :-)

Looks great! We've done several videos similar to this and it makes me want to go back and reshoot them with the T2i. :)

What did you do for audio? I'm getting to the point where I want to remove mics from my shots, but haven't worked out yet if I want to start trying to boom everything or hide the wireless mics. I prefer the audio from my wireless lapels, but haven't learned the tricks to hiding them yet.

Hi Bryan---for business/corporate videos like this one, we typically just ignore audio for B-roll shots, since 95% of the time the soundtrack will be music anid narration (so need to worry about capturing quality ambient sound, background audio, etc)

Otherwise, we've been using a Zoom H4 (not the H4n, but the original H4 which works great for our needs) in conjunction with Sennheiser wireless lavs and a boom-mounted Sennheiser ME-80 short shotgun (and syncing audio in post).

For these kinds of shoots the T2i is an awesome camera. We have no need for a 7D or 5D!

Scott

Yeah, I meant for the interviews. I didn't see any mics (maybe I missed them), just wondering what you used.

hi guys

thanks to your info i find that setting the merlin with the reflex is not so easy but is possible
i had a problem with the mounting hole, used N instead of M, that give to me that L+R problem
now i find the right set, and from what i understand, there are more than one, relating the different relationship between them!!

so now i learn how to use it... how to start and stop without have that "pendulum" effect.... is possible, not easy again and need time, but possible!!

i'll post here some video when i'll be good enough.... but for the guys that already have done them, please post

I know it's not a Merlin but thought it would give another perspective as the exact same questions, issues, solutions all work for the Blackbird.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/stabiliz...blackbird.html

As the description says, this was literally my 1st day ever using a stabilizer. Now that I've had it a week, I'm much more dialed in. (the balance hasn't changed, just my knowledge of how to use it!)

Hi Allessandro (and others)...

When a Steadicam (regardless of size) is well-balanced, it should not "pendulum" at all when you move. In fact, one of my standard "balance tests" is to hold the Merlin (with camera) in front of me...then violently shake it from side to side once or twice and stop it suddenly.

If well-balanced, it won't budge---no swaying, no pendulum motion. It just sits there upright. If you try this and find the whole thing sways after stopping suddenly, you need to work on getting it better balanced.

I've also found that with the Merlin, it helps to work on your "glide step," that is, learning how to walk by placing your heel down first and *rolling* along the outside edge of your foot toward your toe. Basically this helps eliminate the "bobbing-up-and-down" motion that comes from walking normally...and even a perfectly-balanced Merlin can't get ride of this bobbing. (Of course you can minimize it to an extent through using your arms like a vest and boom...but that's harder to do than just learning to walk smoothly!)

Hope this helps!
Scott

Not sure about the Merlin, so I apologize if this is a bit off-topic, but I've excellent luck with the T2i with a Sigma 10-20mm on a Glidecam HD-1000. The lens makes the camera a bit front-heavy, but I find that having 3 weight-plates on the back and 2 on the front, it'll balance out nicely. What I hate, however, is having to rebalance the thing every single time I remove and reattach the camera. I suppose this comes with the territory, however. And yes, I agree with the above. There should be no pendulum effect when properly balance on any steady device of this type.

With tons of respect for the BIG Steadicam artists around the world...I think a well-balanced Merlin (or Glidecam, though I'm not familiar with those) is a joy and wonder.

Like anything, it takes some practice...but with the Merlin/T2i combo, you can get some VERY good Steadicam shots, easily on par (IMO) with film cameras on $20,000 rigs (and you don't need a spotter!)

Of course the achilles heel of the handheld stabilization units is the lack of vertical stabilization...but with some practice, you can eliminate most vertical movement, and even do things that a full-size Steadicam operator would be hard-pressed to do (like boom/crane shots from street-level to overhead...all in one take...all while moving).

What's interesting to me is how it seems like Steadicam shots are almost the norm now for dramatic television series---it seems like 75% of shows are shot entirely with Steadicams. But equivalent use of handheld stabilization systems hasn't caught on with the non-Hollywood, lower-budget DV producers. It seems rigs like the Merlin are almost considered a gimmick by rank-and-file DV folks.

Scott

I think people are put off by the learning curve and honestly, I need to work out more to build up the length of time I can shoot with the Blackbird and T2i. No regrets as it's going to be a wonderful tool eventually.

Out of all the footage I've shot just learning the ropes (about an hour total footage over the week or so I've owned it) , I'd say 5% is useable at this point. Most would be discouraged and give up. That may be the reason for it's so-called "gimmick" status as a pure handheld. It really requires time and effort to learn...much more than any other facet of camera work I've dealt with so far.

Fun thing though is being able to critique TV and movies now that I know what I'm supposed to be striving for. Amazing how much mediocre steadicam & boom style shots make the final cut. And until I started using the tools, I never would have noticed!

Hi Scott

well i did that test too, and it's not like a pendulum effect, but after that violent move or shake it remain fix... but not perfectly, i mean a little oscillatiom really small is still there.... i think this is normal... or not?

tnx again for the patience

@Alessandro...

Yes, a *very* small amount of movement might happen after the "shake test," but it should only be slight. (Or none!) :-)

The other thing about the Merlin is that it was designed to be controlled by your fingertips on the collar just above the gimbal...I've found this takes a very light touch---just enough to "guide" the Merlin, but not enough to cause it to move where you don't want it to.

Scott

hi Scott (and all)

yeah the small amount.... and i notice that you have to use fingertips on gimbal in the easy touch... even when u are stop and start walking, there is a slight movement of the merlin, and from what i'm trying now, u have to counterpart this movement with the left hand fingertips.... the same when u stop (but opposite of course)

ok here is the point i was looking for.... do u have any tips on this?

4. When I start moving, the camera tilts down and when I stop it tilts up. How do I prevent this? (Is it related to my horizon going off when I go around a corner?)

Good question. First understand that if the Merlin is neutrally balanced at the gimbal, what you describe would not happen. However we have found that neutral balance creates many other problems -- it is way too touchy. If a mosquito landed on your lens, it would theoretically tilt straight down! So we employ an invaluable compromise––we balance for slight bottom heaviness, which allows Merlin to be trimmed to hang level (or at any angle you choose). The downside is a slight tendency to be a slow pendulum when you start, stop or go around a corner. You will learn to counter this tendency with an equally slight, opposite pressure from your fingers. If this tendency is extreme, your Merlin is too bottom-heavy. See the manual to check ‘drop-time’ and re-adjust so it takes at least one full second.
from here

http://www.tiffen.com/steadiFAQs.html

personally i notice that is the same with a small L+R starting and stopping moving....

Edit...sorry, wrong thread.

Yes, I've noticed this too, the slight tilt up/down on starting/stopping. One thing that I've found which helps a lot (and is sort of obvious) is to ease-in and ease-out smoothly on starts and stops. I've also come to realize that I won't use the beginning/end of any Steadicam shots...just the smooth stuff inbetween! :-)

I think another big thing to work on (I'm still working on it!) is to develop a "6th sense" about where the Steadicam naturally wants to go (e.g. how it will naturally react to the forces on it), and try to use that motion in a shot. This can sometimes minimize the amount of finger control you need at the gimbal.

For example, sometimes you'll be tracking a subject, and the Steadicam will begin to drift around (rotate) slightly. If this happens, I will often just go with it...and reposition myself—like begin tracking around the subject. This results in a smoother shot than if I had tried to stop the rotation wth my fingers.

It's definitely a never-ending learning process! :-)

Scott

Took me an hour to balance the T2i with the battery grip on Merlin. I have to use the battery grip as the plate blocked the battery door. Steadicam works better with the additional weight.=)

totally different
 

I'm the opposite of most people. I found my merlin really hard to use on the fx1 and hv20. However, on the 550d+18-55 it has been a dream. Its a great weight to give you a solid image but also not wear your arm out. I feel like its the first time i've had a viable "steadicam" solution i could use in production.

We tend to use steadicams only when other gripping solutions fall through, especially in forward tracking shots.

Its all pretty quick, but the "zooming into the face" effect on pretty much everyone in the entire series is done on the merlin. In the first video specifically the zoom in on the main girl and the "chasing the girl between two containers" shots (all quite quick) were done on the 550/merlin.

YouTube - Interactive zombie movie adventure - DELIVER ME TO HELL - REAL ZOMBIES ATTACK


If you balanced it but are still having push/pull problems, I reckon you need to change your weights/arm height and rebalance. When its properly in balanced in both top/bottom and front/back its a whole different world.

Cheers!

T2i, battery grip and the Merlin.
 

Taky.

I have the exact same situation, can you give me your settings, since I am new to Merlin, I am having a bear of a time trying to balance it. I have the battery handle that has the sliding drawer with 2 batteries.

Thanks in advance.

Gerry G

Oh I don't have the same setup anymore. I installed a Tokina 11-16mm lens. The extra weight surprising balance the merlin very well. I have merlin for a few years with different config. This is the best setup ever.

If you have the same setup, let me know =)

T2i, battery grip and the Merlin.
 

Taky. thanks anyways.

Anyone.

If you have this set up can you please share your settings?

Thanks

GG

I'm trying right now to mount my T2i to the steadicam merlin.

The problem I'm having is that I can't use the included locating pin to attach to the t2i because there's no hole for the locating pin on the bottom of the T2i body or on the bottom of the generic battery grip I'm using. This is causing the camera to move around the mounting plate even though the mounting screw is in pretty tight.

What has everyone else been doing?