Gimbal or Steadicam / Beholder DS1 vs. Merlin 2
# Gimbal or Steadicam / Beholder DS1 vs. Merlin 2
## Battery and Weight
Gimbal or steadicam? Which is better? Gimbal needs batteries. Each of these battery sets lasts about 1 hour of operation. Panasonic NCR18650B are probably the best ones. It is extra stuff to carry around but on Steadicam you have these extra weights which you take everywhere too. Also, you need a charger. I use Nitecore D4 which charges individual cells or Imax B6 which is mostly for bigger battery packs and fast balance charging.
## Balance and Adjustment
Both gimbal and steadicam need balance and adjustments. And since this gimbal has the possibility of toolless adjustments, both are the same level of annoying. Both get balance screwed up when changing lenses.
## Maintaining Balance
This is why I have these step-up rings to replace ND filter in dark situations and maintain the same balance. I’ve added these labels to know which axis is which when adjusting the gimbal. I’m using this Arca Swiss clamp to grip the Metabones SpeedBooster leg quickly so I don’t have to adjust the pitch motor each time I put on my camera. That’s what I’ve been successfully using on Steadicam too. Both weigh about the same for my standard setup.
## Supported Weight and Accuracy
Gimbal has lower supported weight. This one has about 1.8kg and there are issues with certain longer lenses because of the roll motor. Steadicam Merlin has no issues even with 4kg cameras. Gimbal has greater accuracy.
## Camera Movement
While Steadicam has a more fluid natural look with smooth moves, gimbal has the possibility of adjusting focus with less impact on camera shake. When on Steadicam, each camera touch is visible in the footage. On gimbal, you can route some cables like monitor and power to the camera with no impact on its performance if those cables are flexible enough.
## Control and Cost
Gimbal can be remotely controlled. Gimbal costs way more and has a shorter lifespan. On each move, cables inside twist and eventually will break, while Steadicam will still work after like 20 years.
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