User Manual

6
Using the
Free Spirit
Camera Stabilizer
(continued)
Achieving balance with your camera
on the Free Spirit Camera Stabilizer
You’ve got all of the control that you could want for front to back and
left to right adjustments to be able to really finetune the center of
gravity of your Free Spirit/camera setup—both by moving the camera
quick-release plate on the top of the unit in fine increments and by
adjusting the amount and position of the counterweights on the base.
Before you begin the finetuning/balancing process, make sure that
your camera is set exactly how you need it for shooting: remove the
lens cap, install the battery, attach the appropriate lens, and flip out the
camera LCD screen if you will be using it. You don’t want to make all
of your tweaks and adjustments and then have to change something
and start from the beginning to tweak it again.
Horizontal Balance
The goal in achieving correct horizontal balance is that the camera
should remain level during operation, unless you are intentionally
applying a pan, tilt or roll type of hand pressure to the Free Spirit unit.
In other words, if the Free Spirit is horizontally balanced correctly, then
the camera should remain level, and the center post should remain
vertical. The Free Spirit should always return to this level and vertical
position after you release any pan, tilt, or roll pressure on the center
shaft of the unit. To achieve horizontal balance you will need to make
sure your camera’s center of gravity is aligned properly with the center
of the Free Spirit unit.
1. First assess and adjust the position of attachment of your
camera on the quick release plate. Depending on what lenses or
accessories you have attached to your camera you may need to
shift the attachment point away from the center of plate.
2. Once the quick release plate and camera are attached to the Free
Spirit, adjust camera position from front to back by turning the
front-to-back adjustment knob on the left side of the mounting
plate (21). Once you have reached a good front to back
equilibrium, you can lock down the position using the red lever
knob on the right side of the mounting plate.
3. Make finetuning adjustments of camera position from left to right
by turning the left-to-right adjustment knob on the right side of the
mounting plate (22).
4. After adjusting side-to-side balance, you may need to go back
and readjust front-to-back balance to obtain a fine balance of the
overall setup. You can use either your naked eye or a bubble level
to judge for correct horizontal balance.
NOTE:
When checking
horizontal balance,
you should make
sure that you lift the
Free Spirit from a flat
and level surface,
such as a table, and
allow it to hang freely
as you hold it. If it is
balanced properly on
its horizontal axis, it will
be level and upright,
with the center shaft
in a perfect vertical
position. If it tilts to the
front, then you need
to shift the center of
gravity backwards. If
it is tilting to the back,
then you need to shift
the center of gravity
forwards. If the unit
leans to the right, you
will need to adjust
the plate and camera
to the left using the
left-to-right adjustment
knob on the mounting
plate. If the unit leans
to the left, you will need
to adjust the plate and
camera to the right
using the left-to-right
adjustment knob on the
mounting plate.
USER’S GUIDE