Steadicam Merlin 2 Review/Test

[arthurwoo]

Hi Daniele, yes, it stays balanced! This is what I love about it. Over time you may need to readjust. But once you have it set, it's good to go for a while, at least the same shooting day. One thing that you have to be careful of is wind. The flycam/glidecams are less susceptible to wind. The merlin pretty much gets blown left and right, so that's something to consider depending where you shoot.

[arthurwoo]

Focusing by remote is commonly done on larger projects. Typically for smaller shoots where this option isn't available, it's been recommended to set the aperture at 5.6 or higher in order to keep in focus.

[stevar]

Very well done review. Its out of my price range, but I like to see what's what on these stabilizers.

[Crr]

Thanks for the great review. I have not been able to find any comparisons of the Merliln and the Skylar Mini... I was wondering if you had any experience with the Skylar and how it might compare to the Merlin. Thanks!

[RichVoyages]

That's a pretty quick set up for a shoot. I've been using a Sony HDR PJ60 Video Camera for some quick commercial stuff. After your review I'm thinking more and more about saving up and buying a Merlin 2. Cheers.

[adamlamermusic]

Thanks for the review and sample footage - this helps a lot! I'm guessing this is the raw footage straight from the camera (no stabilizer effects), right?

For anyone watching this now, it's $130 on B&H for the next 8 hours. :)

[andyuxd]

Excellent balanced review, with (at last) some demonstrations showing how good it CAN look with practice. I have had the v1 for 2 years and I love it. It's lightweight, portable and packable and stays balanced. I got the desktop stand which is a great buy to set it up initially because it saves having t hold it. The downside is definitely the cost, but that's why so many people moan about it.. It took me a few hours to balance the 5DMK3 with a Tamron 24-70 and it is rock solid.

[RichVoyages]

Great review Arthur. One question. You mentioned it took you 1 - 2 hours of experimenting per day before you got the steady cam adjusted properly. Once you found the proper settings for your particular camera how long did the set up take?

[arthurwoo]

there's a lock that allows the arc knob to twist - is it set so that you can twist it? refer to the manual to look at the different parts of the unit

[DanieleBuccheri]

Thank you very much Arthur! Actually I use it a lot outside, sometimes near the sea, so the wind could be a problem, but I remember that sometimes also the glidecam was driving me crazy with the wind but aboveall because it never stayed balanced when I was switching the cam. I'm a wedding videographer and I often work a lot, so for me its fundamental to stay light and compact, that's why I want to buy the merlin. It is so hard if there is wind? Also with light wind it creates problem? Thanks!

[arthurwoo]

You can definitely get shots that are pretty much the same on the glidecam. The only reason why I would choose a merlin over those cheaper units is because you can use it longer without tiring out your wrists

[retrieverlife]

How do you maintain focus when using a steadicam? If you use a wide angle, are there f-stops that prove better to maintain focus when on the move with a subject?

[Tejoz]

its been 6 month :) how's the gimbal holding on?

[JamesMatthewGallagher]

Great review. I've been noticing that the Merlin 2 has been on sale recently on Amazon.com for $699. I'm almost ready to take the plunge...

[mentalmetal]

nice video. do you know what was improved with the version 2 over the original model? i don't know if i should look for a cheaper priced merlin (1) on ebay or if there were significant problems with merlin (1) that needed to be addressed and therefor there came merlin 2.

[foxbearCH]

If you think of buying a Steadycam, also look for the Skyler Minicam Version 2012. With 500 Bucks its less expensive, you can put you Camera down anytime due to it's "Tripod" ability, it is easy to set up and the results are amazing. I love my Skyler Minicam and dont regret to have choosen it over the Merlin 2.

[DanieleBuccheri]

Very nice review Arthur thank you! I currently have a glidecam and I want to buy the merlin. When you remove the camera (using a fast plate like manfrotto) you fold the merlin and take away, then later when you put the camera again on the Merlins does it stay balanced, or do you need to balance again? this is my major complain with the glidecam.
Thank you!

[arthurwoo]

thanks for watching. yes, they are having an unbelievable sale right now. definitely would recommend that over any of the other units at that price range.

[coolspot]

Do you think it's so discounted because brushless gimbal devices are going to take over the market soon?

[DtRockstar]

Hi Arthur, do you know what the difference is between the Merlin 1 and Merlin 2? I found a used Merlin 1 for around $300, and was wondering if that would be a better way to go. Thank you very much for your time.