2010Cameras (Film/Video/HD) forum
Balancing a Canon 7D with Sigma 10-20mm lens on a Merlin gimbal mounted on a tripod docking station
16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A one-second drop time with the bubble centered may still indicate bottom-heavy equipment that sways during operation.
- Increasing the drop time to two seconds can help stabilize an unbalanced gimbal setup.
- The bubble level indicator on a gimbal may not be perfectly accurate and should not be relied upon as the sole reference for balance.
- A Merlin gimbal exhibiting persistent turning to one side even with a centered bubble may indicate an internal gimbal problem requiring manufacturer repair or replacement rather than user adjustment.
Depends on
- The user reported swaying despite apparently correct bubble and drop time readings, suggesting the problem may not be purely mechanical imbalance.
- The recommendation to contact the manufacturer for repair was based on the assumption the gimbal was not user serviceable, but this may vary by model or year.
- No resolution to the original problem was documented in the thread.