5D II and Steadicam Merlin at DVinfo.net

Vladimir Chaloupka · April 7th, 2009, 09:56 AM

Here's a short tutorial I put together for the infocus video blog on the basic settings of using the 5D Mark II with the Steadicam Merlin:
blog: Merlin Steadicam and the 5D Mark II

Simone Maurice · April 8th, 2009, 08:46 AM

Thanks Vladimir! I found this helpful.

Vladimir Chaloupka · April 8th, 2009, 07:43 PM

Thank you Simone!

Tim Palmer-Benson · January 15th, 2010, 08:41 AM

Have you tried the Merlin with any other lenses? Seems to me you are close to the extreme end of the Merlin's weight capability already with that little fixed lens.

Also with that fixed lens, closed down a bit for max DOF, have you found it a practical rig for flying without stopping all the time for focus adjustments.

Nigel Barker · January 15th, 2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Palmer-Benson

Have you tried the Merlin with any other lenses? Seems to me you are close to the extreme end of the Merlin's weight capability already with that little fixed lens.

You can use the Merlin with a camera of up to 5lb (7.5ld with the arm & vest). The 5DII + 24mm F1.4L only weighs about 1.55Kg (900g + 650g) which is under 4lbs so it's actually fine.

Erik Andersen · January 16th, 2010, 12:45 PM

To get the most out of the merlin, you'll actually want to load up the camera somehow to bring the weight to close to 5 lbs. I used to fly the Canon XH-A1 (stripped a tad) and it was the perfect weight. Under 4 lbs will make it much more difficult to get smooth shots, because of the lesser inertia of the unit. The whole idea of the merlin is to use the momentum to create smooth movements.

As far as the 5D in particular, though, with the LCD being fixed, you'll be in incorrect posture for operating the merlin while viewing the footage. I'd recommend getting an external monitor to solve this problem, and also add a little mass as a bonus.

Kristine Paulsen · April 12th, 2010, 12:16 AM

Hi there,

I just got the Merlin Steadicam and have been having a heck of a time trying to balance it. I'm attempting to balance it with the 5d mark ii, its corresponding vertical battery grip, 2 batteries in it, the requisite memory card, and with a 20-35 f3.5 lens attached (including lens hood).

I'm able to get it fairly close, but it still seems to sway a bit. It's definitely not as rock solid as the videos with the included Merlin DVD.

Please help - I'm oh so very close with this, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I've tried multiple placements with the mounting screw (M seems like it's the best?), multiple screw lengths with the gimbal adjustment, and all sorts of placements with the dovetail plate on the stage as well as the various fine tuning adjustments with the trim rollers.

I have one regular weight plus a half weight on the center portion of the spars and I have a starting weight, 3 regular weights and a finishing weight on the lower spar. I have the spars set to their maximum width.

The sway is not too bad (as I mentioned above) but it's enough to really show up in video footage. I don't want everyone watching my films to feel sea sick.

Any help would be so appreciated. I don't want to have to return this piece of awesome equipment. Thank you in advance,
-Kristine

Luc De Wandel · April 12th, 2010, 01:08 AM

The problem with the 5D + battery grip is that this combination is top heavy. I balanced the camera perfectly on the Merlin, but without the battery grip. As steadycam shots are usually not that long, I don't mind leaving the grip off. The only difference with your setup is that I have two weights instead of three and one finishing weight as counterbalance.

By the way, thanks very much Vladimir, you saved me a lot of time!

Tim Palmer-Benson · April 12th, 2010, 06:45 AM

I am sorry to say that I gave up on balancing this combination and went with the Glidecam HD2000 instead. I was able to mount a Bogen quickrelease plate and get a reasonable balance. The Merlin is all but impossible with this camera and even if you do get it balanced, it is very susceptable to wind.I could never get the combination to "calm down" and stop wandering about. I can do this with an XHA1. In fact I prefer using the Merlin with the XHA1 rather than the Glidecam which tends to be heavier and require more muscle!

Richard Gooderick · April 13th, 2010, 01:27 AM

I have only used my Merlin and 5D together once and they worked fine.
In wind would be a different matter. Don't think that would be a good idea.

April 7th, 2009, 09:56 AM	#1
Vladimir Chaloupka Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 80	5D II and Steadicam Merlin Here's a short tutorial I put together for the infocus video blog on the basic settings of using the 5D Mark II with the Steadicam Merlin: blog: Merlin Steadicam and the 5D Mark II __________________ Vlad http://www.vladfilms.com/

April 8th, 2009, 07:43 PM	#3
Vladimir Chaloupka Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 80	Thank you Simone! __________________ Vlad http://www.vladfilms.com/

January 15th, 2010, 08:41 AM	#4
Tim Palmer-Benson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Morgan, Vermont Posts: 130	Canon 5D Mk11 Steadicam combination Have you tried the Merlin with any other lenses? Seems to me you are close to the extreme end of the Merlin's weight capability already with that little fixed lens. Also with that fixed lens, closed down a bit for max DOF, have you found it a practical rig for flying without stopping all the time for focus adjustments. __________________ Wedding and Events Videography www.video-vermont.com

January 16th, 2010, 12:45 PM	#6
Erik Andersen Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 218	To get the most out of the merlin, you'll actually want to load up the camera somehow to bring the weight to close to 5 lbs. I used to fly the Canon XH-A1 (stripped a tad) and it was the perfect weight. Under 4 lbs will make it much more difficult to get smooth shots, because of the lesser inertia of the unit. The whole idea of the merlin is to use the momentum to create smooth movements. As far as the 5D in particular, though, with the LCD being fixed, you'll be in incorrect posture for operating the merlin while viewing the footage. I'd recommend getting an external monitor to solve this problem, and also add a little mass as a bonus. __________________ Canon 5D Mark II \|\| L-Series Lenses \|\| Steadicam Pilot \|\| Final Cut Studio www.lovestorymedia.com

April 12th, 2010, 12:16 AM	#7
Kristine Paulsen Tourist Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Missoula, MT Posts: 1	Problems balancing the 5dmarkii for the merlin steadicam Hi there, I just got the Merlin Steadicam and have been having a heck of a time trying to balance it. I'm attempting to balance it with the 5d mark ii, its corresponding vertical battery grip, 2 batteries in it, the requisite memory card, and with a 20-35 f3.5 lens attached (including lens hood). I'm able to get it fairly close, but it still seems to sway a bit. It's definitely not as rock solid as the videos with the included Merlin DVD. Please help - I'm oh so very close with this, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I've tried multiple placements with the mounting screw (M seems like it's the best?), multiple screw lengths with the gimbal adjustment, and all sorts of placements with the dovetail plate on the stage as well as the various fine tuning adjustments with the trim rollers. I have one regular weight plus a half weight on the center portion of the spars and I have a starting weight, 3 regular weights and a finishing weight on the lower spar. I have the spars set to their maximum width. The sway is not too bad (as I mentioned above) but it's enough to really show up in video footage. I don't want everyone watching my films to feel sea sick. Any help would be so appreciated. I don't want to have to return this piece of awesome equipment. Thank you in advance, -Kristine

April 8th, 2009, 08:46 AM	#2
Simone Maurice New Boot Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 15	Thanks Vladimir! I found this helpful.

April 12th, 2010, 01:08 AM	#8
Luc De Wandel Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium Posts: 963	The problem with the 5D + battery grip is that this combination is top heavy. I balanced the camera perfectly on the Merlin, but without the battery grip. As steadycam shots are usually not that long, I don't mind leaving the grip off. The only difference with your setup is that I have two weights instead of three and one finishing weight as counterbalance. By the way, thanks very much Vladimir, you saved me a lot of time!

April 12th, 2010, 06:45 AM	#9
Tim Palmer-Benson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Morgan, Vermont Posts: 130	Merlin balancing I am sorry to say that I gave up on balancing this combination and went with the Glidecam HD2000 instead. I was able to mount a Bogen quickrelease plate and get a reasonable balance. The Merlin is all but impossible with this camera and even if you do get it balanced, it is very susceptable to wind.I could never get the combination to "calm down" and stop wandering about. I can do this with an XHA1. In fact I prefer using the Merlin with the XHA1 rather than the Glidecam which tends to be heavier and require more muscle! __________________ Wedding and Events Videography www.video-vermont.com

April 13th, 2010, 01:27 AM	#10
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	I have only used my Merlin and 5D together once and they worked fine. In wind would be a different matter. Don't think that would be a good idea. __________________ http://www.gooderick.com