---

Arm & Vest System for Steadicam Merlin

Click here for info at Tiffen.com: Merlin Arm/Vest Page!

Click here for an early review by Steadicam operator Charles Papert!

---

Tiffen's Low Cost Steadicams

Tiffen/Steadicam offers multiple options in the low-cost stabilizer market.

The Steadicam Pilot (above left) is a low cost ($3,995) Steadicam for cameras weighing up to about 10lbs. It features: A double section silky smooth Iso-Elastic arm with an amazing 28" boom range - which is equal to or more than any other arm on the Market except for Steadicam's own higher end arms. The arm uses the same technology as the highly regard Flyer and G-series Steadicam arms.

A telescoping carbon fiber sled that is internally wired for 12v power and Composite video.

A tools free micro adjustable X-Y camera stage with removable camera plate.

The Steadicam Pilot is available initially with a choice of a 3.5" color 4:3 LCD monitor and a 12v AA battery back, or a 5.8" 16:9/4:3 color LCD and V-mount/Anton Bauer battery mounts.

The sled base is highly adjustable for quick and easy balancing by moving the monitor, battery, and entire base. PLUS the base also accepts standard Steadicam Merlin counterweights to be screwed on in various locations as necessary to quickly add stabilizing mass.

The Pilot comes with a super light weight low profile vest with standard features for fast adjust ability of fit, a fully adjustable "socket-block" to trim the arm to fly level and the option to mount the arm on either side of the operator.

The sled and arm both break down into components for light and compact transportation. You can fit the whole system into a backpack. When you don't need the capacity and features of the Steadicam Flyer, the Steadicam Pilot is the perfect rig for most 1/3" cameras.

The Steadicam Merlin can now carry more weight thanks to an optional upgrade of an all-metal gimble that allows the Merlin to carry cameras weighing up to 7lbs. (this would get tiring quickly, so...)

The same arm and vest from the Steadicam Pilot system, are available as a kit with the metal Merlin Gimble and additional Merlin counterweights, as the "Merlin Arm & Vest" system (above right-$1,995) which allows the operator to shoot with a 7lb camera payload on the Merlin for (quite literally) hours! It's so light and comfortable that the camera will run out of tape before the operator tires..

The same arm as the Pilot provides for that huge 28" boom range - that can be increased by simply flying the Merlin off the arm into "handheld mode" mid shot (I tried this today myself, takes a bit of practice but very doable). The arm breaks down into 2 pieces for fast transportation with the folded Merlin and the packed lightweight vest.

- Mikko Wilson - www.mikkowilson.com

The Steadicam Pilot. With 5.8" 16:9 monitor & professional (V-mount/AB) Battery mount. (Includes all you need, including the dock - but not the stand itself (as many people already have a stand) - $3995

The Steadicam "Co-Pilot". With 3.5" 4:3 monitor and 12v AA battery pack. Includes the same other gear as the Pilot. - $3750

*special thanks to Mikko Wilson

DiGiulio died at his home after a long struggle with congestive heart failure, his wife, Louise, said.

Awarded a lifetime-achievement Academy Award two years ago, DiGiulio also received three technical awards and a medal of commendation from the academy.

In the 1970s, as head of Cinema Products Corp., DiGiulio directed the creation of the Steadicam, a mounting system that provides stable images while allowing operators to move freely. The system is a staple on movie sets today.

Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown and Cinema Products' engineering staff received an Oscar for the system in 1978.

After graduating from Columbia University, DiGiulio went to work for IBM in 1950, then went to Mitchell Camera Corp., where he worked on advancements in film technology.

At Mitchell, DiGiulio developed a reflex-viewing system for movie cameras that earned him his first technical honor at the Oscars in 1969. He received technical awards for other camera and film advancements in 1993 and 1999

Complete the Steadicam JR/VX-1000 Info Tour--all written by John Brune

copyright 2009 steadicamjr@yahoo.com