Steadicam Merlin 2 - Performing the Drop Test

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Cure mild bottom-heaviness by loosening the
Locking Knobs and reducing the Arc Size
with the Caliper Hinge Adjusting Knob.
Cure moderate bottom-heaviness by removing
weight from the Lower Spar.
Again either ‘cure’ will require re-trimming fore-
and-aft.
Drop test
A Merlin 2 that’s in correct top-to-bottom balance can be moved rapidly back and
forth laterally and it will essentially stay upright! It is technically bottom-heavy,
but only slightly!
Hold out the lower spar sideways and let it go, If it falls slowly, if it takes
a full second (say “Go…one-thousand-and-one”) until it passes through
vertical, in Merlin 2 terms that’s the magic!… That’s just where you want it
to be! This is the famous Drop Test and your Merlin 2 is ready to shoot!
This Drop Test is the way Steadicam operators worldwide discuss and calibrate
the elusive quality of slight bottom-heaviness. Some prefer as long as three or
four seconds for their full-sized rigs to fall through vertical.
Experience, however, has shown that the Merlin 2 works best with a Drop Time
of about one full second.
The Merlin 2 Gimbal is like the pivot point on a see-saw
There are three ways to change the balance of a see-saw:
• you can change a weight
• you can move a weight
• you can change the location of the pivot point itself
In Merlin
2®
terms:
• you can add and subtract weights at the Lower Spar
• you can move a weight by expanding or contracting the Caliper Hinge
• you can move the fulcrum laterally by Trimming fore-and-aft or side-to-side
• remember that Guide Ring – you can move the fulcrum up or down by counter-clocking,
or clocking the Guide Ring, which is a super-ne adjustment of bottom heaviness.
Check bottom-heaviness with a careful Drop Test. How long does it take for the spar to fall from
sideways through vertical? Now counter-clock the Guide Ring one full turn, and note that the drop time
is just a little slower.
Trim
NOTE: Typically, if the Merlin 2
is not operating properly, 9 times
out of 10 the solution is to correct
the drop time.
Once your Drop Time is correct, touch up the Side-
to-Side Trim Roller so the Merlin 2 hangs level on its
gimbal.
And nally, adjust the Fore-and-Aft Trim Roller so
the Merlin 2’s tilt angle helps maintain the headroom of
your shot.