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Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders
Canon XH G1S / G1 (with SDI), Canon XH A1S / A1 (without SDI).

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Old May 5th, 2008, 11:57 AM   #1
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A1 with Steadicam Merlin

I just bought a steadicam merlin, trying to using it with A1. Was not able to balance the A1 with battery. Appreciate if any one can share their settings/setup/photos.

Thanks
Bhanu Neti is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 5th, 2008, 01:19 PM   #2
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Try the 4.98 lbs. setting for the Canon XH-A1 here:
http://www.merlincookbook.com/user.php
A lot of people have found these settings useful.

Also, there are a lot of postings on this subject in the camera support section of the forum:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=119
Jack Walker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 6th, 2008, 09:31 AM   #3
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Thanks Jack. It was very helpful.
I tried the 4.98 lbs settings from cookbook , it is better now, but still there is slight oscillation to side ways. Tried adjusting the trims but did not work.
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Old May 6th, 2008, 11:03 AM   #4
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Here is another thread that may be helpful with settings for the Merlin and the XH-A1:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=90447

Once you've got it working the best you can, post a specific question about what's happening in the Steadicam/Stabilizer forum. You should get very good answers on what may be wrong and what to change (or whether it's just a matter of practice).
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Old May 7th, 2008, 01:27 PM   #5
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I used the one from the cookbook for mine, but it didn't work that well. I honestly just messed around with it until I got it right. The major parts of the cookbook are right though, like the number of weights and the location of the plate, etc. Mess around with the gimbal though. That may help you out a bit.
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Old May 7th, 2008, 03:26 PM   #6
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It is also imperative to watch the video and follow the steps precisely to get a feel for setting up the Merlin.
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Old May 8th, 2008, 06:34 AM   #7
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I was wondering how far you guys were able to go in terms of max weight.
I am planning to buy one for my A1 but I would like to use it with my Canon Light+ battery, and the G2 lav receiver on top.

I now that this is put in a weight close to the max or a bit higher of 6 pounds.

Any one that can tell me if this is able to handle with the merlin?
Any good results?
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Old May 8th, 2008, 11:30 AM   #8
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Hi Jose,

I think if you wanted to get up around the 6 pound mark, then I'd suggest looking at getting the arm and vest attachment, as I believe it's then capable of supporting up to 7.5lbs. I'm using the Merlin with my A1, 970 battery, and a Red Eye wide angle lens that's putting it at approximately 5.3 pounds. Even though it's working okay, I sure wouldn't want to add any more weight to it, as I don't think the gimbal would last too long, and neither would my arm.

The Merlin's a great little unit, but it's rated at 5 pounds max for a good reason.
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