The good news is you have delirium

A while back, I blogged about the Steadicam Merlin, and how I was having some difficulty getting it to balance properly.

As advised, I bought an extra middle weight, but I didn’t find it to make any difference. I gave up on it. At least for the short term. I’m convinced it can be done, and I will try to crack the code again in the new year.

One person I know who has unlocked the mystery is Dan (aka jerkmony), a fellow shooter I’m friends with on Twitter. Check out his Flickr profile for pictures of how he balanced his Merlin. Maybe if he comes to Windsor, he could balance mine. I think I see a side business for him.

As you know, I was in Orlando last week for WEVA Expo ‘08. While the seminars are certainly the focus of the Expo, and the reason we all go, there is also a terrific trade show going on at the same time.

Vendors from all the big companies are there, including Panasonic, Sony, Canon, JVC and more. There was a guy there from Steadicam (a division of Tiffen) who was demonstrating the Merlin.

I had to talk to this guy.

I told him that I tried adjusting (aka “trimming”) the instrument for quite some time, but couldn’t quite get it. He told me that the only way I could balance the HVX200 would be with one additional middle weight (there are three weight classes: starter, middle, finish).

Even though the Merlin “Cookbook” says you can balance the camera if you trim properly, he was convinced it could only be done by adding another middle weight.

Well, I spent $800 on this thing, I’m not backing out now over one weight.

I thought it would cost around $20 (everything in video production is way overpriced), but I was relieved (and shocked!!) to discover B & H sells them for only $5.95.

So I’ve already ordered it. In fact, it should arrive sometime tomorrow.

Once I’ve got it balanced, I plan to post some test footage.

So my Steadicam Merlin arrived yesterday from B & H, and I was very eager to get it out of the box. Here are my first impressions.

As you can see in the photos (taken with my iPhone so they’re not super crisp, sorry), the Merlin comes in a very nice, foam padded case, which would have been just fine on its own, but it also comes with a travel bag. The travel bag is also padded with foam inside and has small handle straps as well as a shoulder strap. One could certainly remove the foam from the travel bag and use it for other gear, or maybe use it to horde some food from a wedding reception, your call.

I read the manual and watched the instructional DVD, and as I played with all the different knobs and sliders, I started to understand how to adjust it for my needs.

I mounted my camera, the HVX200A, and I’d love to tell you that it just balanced perfectly, but that just didn’t happen. I kept fiddling with it until I was really close, only to realize I had yet to insert my battery.

Ugh!

That’s a fairly hefty accessory that greatly changes the weight distribution of the camera, especially since the HVX200A comes with a large battery. 

I kept plugging away for a while but it just wasn’t in the cards last night, so I packed it up and figured I’d try again the next day.

I also thought I’d try removing some things to lighten the load.

When I make my second attempt tonight, I’m going to remove the lens hood, the XLR caps, even the screws for the mic holder, and I’ll only use one P2 card instead of two. I will keep my UV filter on because I never take it off, as it protects my precious Leica lens.

I will write another post detailing the efforts of my second attempt.

Note that the Merlin can work great with the HVX200A, but this camera is definitely at the limits of the stabilizer, and if you NEED to attach other accessories (lights, mics. lenses), you’ll have to go with a different product.

The Merlin is also something that takes time to master. Remember that setting the proper balance for a flat, level shot is only the beginning. If you plan to film while going up or down stairs, you’ll need the camera tilted up or down, which requires adjusting, referred to in the manual as “trimming.” So you’ll need to learn how to trim on the run.

The Merlin retails for $799 US and can be upgraded with the arm and vest package for an additional $1749.

Using a tripod is essential for most shoots. It’s the only way to get silky smooth, shake-free footage.

But if you never take your camera off your tripod, you are missing out on some of the coolest, most memorable, jaw-dropping shots. Film/video is more interesting to watch when there is motion, and it’s even better when the camera is moving, as opposed to just the subject.

Using a dolly or a crane can get you some very cool shots with motion, but sometimes those setups are just too big or take too much time to set up for your shoot.

For tight spaces or quick run-and-gun shooting, there is nothing like the freedom of having the camera in your hands.

Ah, but what about the shakiness?

In order to capture these handheld shots in a smooth manner, you need some sort of stabilizer, and the best one that I’ve found is the Merlin from Steadicam. I just ordered mine on Sunday, so it should arrive sometime this week.

Here is a clip that shows the type of shots you can pull off with the Merlin.