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Accessories
15. Accessories
The Tripod Adaptor Plate (included)
screws onto your tripod and accepts the Merlin
2 dovetail plate; so you can switch your camera
instantaneously back and forth between tripod
and Merlin 2. Simply unlock the Dovetail Plate
and remount it onto
the Tripod Adaptor.
Then be sure to return
it back onto the same
mark on the Merlin
2 stage so your fore-
and-aft trim will be
retained.
The Obie Light (optional), otherwise known
in the movie biz as a “basher” or “eye light”, was
invented by the cameraman, Lucien Ballard and
named for actress Merle Oberon. It is highly
useful accessory for Merlin 2 shooting. Since
Steadicam tends to cruise in close proximity
to people, the “Obie” gives you just enough
beautiful illumination to properly expose eyes
and faces without blowing out the true ambient
lighting in the room.
Try it at parties to “ll” people in the middle
of typically lit rooms It is useless outdoor
or in bright environments, but it perfectly
complements the excellent low-light
performance of today’s camcorders. The Merlin
2 Obie Light contains a 3 watt halogen bulb and
is powered by two re-chargeable lithium-ion
AAA batteries (included), and an included AC
charger.
Adding & Subtracting Accessories to
the camera involves some rebalancing and re-
trimming. Don’t worry, it’s easy to do.
Here’s a reminder:
1. Restore rough X-Y balance by adjusting
the side-to-side and fore-and-aft Trim
Rollers. (If you added a wide-angle
adapter to the lens, push the Trim Roller
up. If you added a larger camcorder
battery to the back of the camera, pull the
Trim Roller down. Adding both at the
same time, may compensate for trim, but
you must still correct bottom-heaviness.)
2. Depending on the amount of weight added
(in order of magnitude):
• Screw in the Guide Ring,
• Decrease the Arc Size by adjusting the
Caliper Hinge, or
• Add a small weight to the lower spar.
(the Z-axis adjustment of the Guide is
the easiest and requires no additional
trimming, so try that rst.)
3. Touch up the fore-aft and side-to-side trim
for level and the fore-and-aft trim for your
intended shot.
CAUTION: If accessories bring the weight of the camera
over ve pounds you will exceed the recommended
capacity of the Merlin 2 and risk stress to the Gimbal
and the Caliper Hinge.
DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Optional Accessories
801-7910 Merlin 2
Display Stand
801-7940 Stage
Weight Bracket
801-7900 Merlin 2
Docking Bracket
801-7125 Merlin Camera Controller:
ts standard Merlin and Merlin 2
stabilizers. Enables you to start/stop
recording plus control zoom and
autofocus with no telltale bumps.
Complex sequences can be shot and
edited on the y in real time which is
then ready to hand off to clients.
801-7908 Merlin DSLR Travel Bag
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