Merlin Steadicam at DVinfo.net

Brett Weathersby · December 17th, 2008, 11:30 PM

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?

Peter Szilveszter · December 18th, 2008, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brett Weathersby

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.

Art Varga · December 18th, 2008, 07:59 AM

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

Karim Amanali · December 18th, 2008, 08:05 AM

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.

Richard Gooderick · December 18th, 2008, 11:12 AM

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?

Chris P. Jones · December 22nd, 2008, 01:51 PM

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

Chris Estrella · December 22nd, 2008, 03:51 PM

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.

Richard Gooderick · December 22nd, 2008, 04:50 PM

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

Peter Szilveszter · December 22nd, 2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Estrella

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 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.

Arif Syed · December 22nd, 2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Szilveszter

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 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.

Karim Amanali · December 23rd, 2008, 02:39 PM

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

Luke Oliver · December 26th, 2008, 01:28 PM

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

Charles Papert · December 26th, 2008, 02:01 PM

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!

Peter Szilveszter · December 26th, 2008, 04:49 PM

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.

Jeff Harper · December 27th, 2008, 06:45 AM

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!

December 17th, 2008, 11:30 PM	#1
Brett Weathersby New Boot Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Oxford, MS Posts: 18	Merlin Steadicam 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?

December 18th, 2008, 11:12 AM	#5
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	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? __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

December 22nd, 2008, 01:51 PM	#6
Chris P. Jones Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Waco, Texas Posts: 89	love my Merlin 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 __________________ Mason Jar Blog Education for the Event Filmmaker

December 22nd, 2008, 04:50 PM	#8
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	Chris I found that all the tutorials were a waste of time. The best way to learn is to get out and use it. __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

December 26th, 2008, 01:28 PM	#12
Luke Oliver Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Guernsey , Channel Islands Posts: 242	re 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

December 18th, 2008, 07:59 AM	#3
Art Varga Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 552	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

December 18th, 2008, 08:05 AM	#4
Karim Amanali Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 69	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.

December 22nd, 2008, 03:51 PM	#7
Chris Estrella Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Richmond, Canada Posts: 117	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.

December 23rd, 2008, 02:39 PM	#11
Karim Amanali Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 69	Thank you for your responses guys, I have decided to buy the Merlin as well and am fishing for a deal at the moment.

December 26th, 2008, 02:01 PM	#13
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	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! __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

December 26th, 2008, 04:49 PM	#14
Peter Szilveszter Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Yeppoon, Queensland Posts: 332	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. __________________ www.livinglens.com.au \| www.livinglens.com.au/blog

December 27th, 2008, 06:45 AM	#15
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	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!