Tiffen Steadicam Merlin 2 Specifications download pdf (Page 18)

5. Installing the Dovetail Plate

Before mounting your camera, let’s preview docking the Dovetail Plate

on the stage.

Hook the folded metal edge of the Dovetail

Plate over the left side of the Stage (toward

your camera’s fold-out monitor), and the long

at surface will be toward the front.

The three-position Dovetail Locking Lever

goes to the other side.

Hold the Locking Lever straight forward and

lower the Dovetail Plate gently onto the Stage.

Prepare your camera

Accessories have a big inuence on the center of balance, so leave them off for now. Eventually you

may want to balance the Merlin 2 with your preferred combination of accessories in place, including a

wide-angle adaptor, but to get started, the Cookbook settings are for a fairly stripped down camera.

Make sure the tape, disc or memory card is installed in your camera. Tuck your lens cap away so it

stays put while you’re shooting, and remove the shoulder strap or anything else that might dangle.

We recommend that you put a narrow strip of thick Gaffer’s Tape (fancy duct tape!) running fore

and aft at either side of the threaded insert (mounting hole) on the underside of the camera.

Since camcorder mounting surfaces can be small, irregular and often somewhat weak, this increases the

friction between camera and Dovetail Plate and improves the tightness of the t.

Swing the Locking Lever straight out away from the Stage. Notice

that the plate is held on loosely, but can still be slid fore and aft.

LOOK CLOSELY at how the shape of the Lever allows the Plate

to drop past it when the lever is forward, and to be held against the

Stage when the lever is swung toward the rear.

Swing the Locking Lever to the rear to tighten the Dovetail Plate

in position. Note that the Stage Position markings can show you

the correct position, and help you return to it when the camera has

been removed from the Merlin 2.

Refer to your list of Cookbook settings for your camera and note

the suggested Stage Position here:

Note: If your camera weighs more than four pounds (1.8kg), we recommend that you

plan on using the lightest, rather than the heaviest batteries you own, and cameras

approaching 5 lbs (2.2kg) may be overweight for Merlin

2 with a wide-angle adapter.

Remember that once the Caliper Hinge is fully open, each object added to the camera

will require additional counterweight below.

Dovetail Plate

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Tiffen Steadicam Merlin 2 Specifications Page 18