The side-side adjustment roller, which indeed is under the stage of the Merlin is actually well placed... when you are holding (flying) the rig you just reach up with yout thumb and you can trim side-side.. even mid shot (I have no clue why you'd want to..)

It's not $1200 for handheld.. it's $1200 for dolly, jib, technocrane.. that's not bad if you ask me!
(thoguh the list is only $850 ..not sure what else is in that $1200..)

- Mikko

Building on Charles' comment... I don't own a Merlin, but might it be worth it? Yes.

I am editing my big project of the year, a drum corps yearbook. I am right in the heart of the parade footage. I walked 2 parades and shot the whole thing with my VX2100 on another stabilizer. This is footage that you just don't see. Stabilized footage of the drum corps marching, playing, and the crowd reactions. I have a couple great shots of the drumline playing while the crowd slips by, marching "in" the block, a low shot in the block (invert the camera, fix in post), and more.

Then again, the alumni association only managed to sell about 60 DVDs last year at $20 :( But, I am building a reel :D

Merlin with a monitor?
 

Hi guys

Many thanks for your input. Charles is right that the JR needs constant retrimming so if the Merlin avoids this then great. That said, I find the JR monitor pretty much essential - the flipout monitor just never seems to be in the right place!
I wonder if any of you guys with an "in" at Steadicam know whether they may make an optional monitor to go on the lower spar (like the Satchler Artemis?). I guess the weight including batteries would be about right for a heavier cam?
Anyhow, the JR's great at the moment for the occasional flying shots I do
(even if it needs retrimming).

..right about now i'm kicking myself for not getting the size of the threads used for the weights.. I have a hunch that they may be 1/4" ..in which case you could put a super light monitor on the front thread. (with maybe a little battery box on the lower thread. This is all speculation.

- Mikko

I am sure I will check it out... as I posted in another thread my $3000 unit has trouble flying a DVX... =o)


ash =o)

George:

Your post reminded me of one of the few live TV events I worked on doing Steadicam, the World Cup back in '94. At the pre-game show they had a big drum corps doing their thing and I got adventurous and tried to get in the middle of it. Next thing you know, I'm about to be mowed down by a line of sousaphones bearing down on me and my assistant, who is scrambling to get the triax cable out from underfoot...then one of the guys doing the acrobatic stuff jumps in front of the camera and screams "GET OFF THE FIELD!" right into my lens. Live, to 1 billion people worldwide (and yes, they had a live mike on top of my camera).

"The side-side adjustment roller, which indeed is under the stage of the Merlin is actually well placed..."

No kidding. I would never have guessed that from the pictures.

It has been almost 6 months since the Merlin has been announced and still no word of it being in stock anywhere yet.

The date keeps getting pushed back....

Anyone with the inside scoop?[I have emailed Frank Rush--but no reply yet].

I would be curious as to what the hold up is. I keep emailing and get told "early next month" --Doesn't matter what month that is, it is always the answer.

I never did like the steadicam Jr., but I LOVE the merlin. It may seem a little pricey, but hey, patents don't come cheap, not to mention manufacturing the damn thing! If you've got the cash, I think it well worth it if you do a lot of shooting.

Dan
www.DVcameraRigs.com

Thought I would pass on the reply I got today from Frank Rush which said only "Shipments begin this month".

I was at Tiffen for a demo on Monday and spent a bit of time with the Merlin as I hadn't layed hands on it for long at NAB. It confirms my early impressions that it is MUCH more rigid and stable than the JR, feels very good in the hands and held trim for as long as I was winging it around. The elegance of the adjustable angled lower spar combined with the design of the counterweight adds up to a much more logical setup for heavier cameras than adding endless weights onto a fixed-post setup as many of the competition have it.

And to confirm Sheila's note: Frank did indicate a shipping date of sometime this month. Garrett has made a new instructional DVD for the unit which will be included.

Has anyone heard any updates on this yet?

What's the deal? My buddy who pre-ordered one is on a shoot in Africa so I cant ask where he ordered it from or the status... I want to play with one of these.




ash =o)

Just pestered Frank Rush again and he says...

"Hi John

We will definitely begin shipment this month to existing orders we now have.

Frank"