Tiffen PILOT-VLB Manuale Utente

4

5

Balance

First, find your camera’s center of gravity. Try balancing it on something round like 
a pencil both fore and aft and side to side. Then, attach the center of the camera 
mounting plate 1/4” to 1/2” forward of the camera’s fore and aft c. g., and centered 
over your camera’s side to side c.g.

The sled hangs by the docking ring 
on the forked portion of the docking 
bracket. To balance the sled, spin the 
docking bracket towards you and slip 
the gimbal handle over the stud.  

Be sure the stand is secure and won’t 
tip over; use sandbags for safety.

We need to balance the sled in all 
three axes: top to bottom, side to 
side, and fore and aft. In general, we 
want the sled to hang upright and not 
be very “bottom-heavy.”

Note: SteadiStand™ (p/n 601-7910) 
is available as an optional accessory.

First, adjust your bottom heaviness by 
moving the gimbal on the post. 

Grossly adjust the fore aft balance by 
moving the lower spar as shown in the 
three photos below.

Dynamic balance is a term we use for a 
sled that stays level (main post vertical) 
as it is panned, i.e., it pans flat.

You have several possible adjustments, 
including moving the spar as shown 
(left), adding weights, and sliding the 
monitor or battery independently to 
achieve dynamic balance.

Download and read “The Dynamic 
Balance Primer” on www.steadicam.com 
for more information on this complex 
subject. What’s great is the Pilot

™

 

has many options to help you achieve 
dynamic balance.

This is how a typical set-up should 

look, with the gimbal fairly close to the 

camera.

Tighten the four knobs securely.

The camera is now positioned so its 
center of gravity is slightly behind the 
centerline of the main posts. (See the blue 
tape in the photo below.) This is ideal for 
achieving good dynamic balance.

Slide the main post until everything is in 
balance, then move the gimbal towards 
the camera about one half inch and 
tighten the clamp. Let go of the sled and 
let it rotate through vertical. It should 
take about three seconds. Raise the 
gimbal to decrease the drop time; lower it 
to make the drop time longer.

Adjusting the fore and aft balance.

Adjusting the side to side 

balance.

Note: We typically trim
or alter this fine balance
to help us aim the camera
— for instance to hold
headroom.

Fine-tune the fore aft and side to side 
balance with the knobs on the stage.

Secure the camera to the mounting plate 
with the screws provided. Use either two 
screws or one screw and an anti-rotation 
pin. 

Place the camera onto the sled.