Tiffen Steadicam AXIS - Arm and Vest Settings

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Move the arm to the middle of its
boom range and let it rise or fall.
Never completely let go of the
sled.
Ideally, each section of the arm
come to rest slightly above
horizontal, by about 5º to 10º.
Adjust the lift knob on each arm
section until both sections of
the arm are neutral just above
horizontal.
Remember they are only
adjustable in that sweet spot just
above horizontal.
With the arm lift adjusted, stand
up straight and hold the system
slightly to your side, standing
close to the sled without bumping
the monitor or battery.
Feel if the system is balanced on
your body, or whether you have to
leanonewayoranothertooat
the rig.
WARNING: Keep your ngers and toes out of the arm sections when the arm is loaded! Lifting or docking the
rig could potentially squish your tender digits.
With the sled on board, we adjust the lifting strength of the arm. Start with the forearm (nearest the sled)
and then adjust the upper arm. The goal is to have each arm section move together as you boom up and
down. The ideal neutral point is just above horizontal, though you may wish to set the arm a little high or low
to help achieve each shot, with very little penalty in performance.
IMPORTANT: The LIFT adjustment knobs can only be turned when the arm segments are slightly above
horizontal. They cannot be turned when the arm is unloaded, i.e., when not lifting the sled, nor if the arm
sections are boomed too far up or down. Do not force the lift knobs. At the right angle, they turn easily.
LESS LIFT MORE LIFT
Arm and vest settings