2010Gimbal forum
EFP gimbal losing balance after whip-pans and regaining it
16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A gimbal that loses balance during whip-pans and regains it afterward is typically caused by improper gimbal centering rather than bearing wear.
- EFP gimbals manufactured before 2007 use shims placed on either side of the yoke to center the gimbal, while later models use adjustment methods described in the Ultra 2 manual.
- Gimbal centering can be performed using a modified flat-head screwdriver with the tip split down the middle to create two contact points for bearing adjustment.
- If a lens points in one direction at proper balance but points downward when rotated 180 degrees, the gimbal is not centered properly.
Depends on
- The shim-based centering method applies specifically to EFP gimbals and early Pilot models, not to all Steadicam gimbal designs.
- One user's solution involved fabricating a custom adjustment tool, suggesting standard tools may not be readily available.