User Manual
16
and set the GIMBAL TUBE in the correct position on the CENTER POST. This procedure can be done
while the SLED is still attached to the DYNAMIC BALANCE AND DOCKING BRACKET, but it is a
lot safer and easier to do this with the SLED on the ground. If you have an assistant helping you then
adjusting the GIMBAL position while the SLED is on the BRACKET becomes a lot easier.
THE SLED ARC TEST: Another way of checking your SLED to see if its vertical balance is correct
is to perform a sled arc test. To do this first make sure that your SLED is correctly connected to the
DYNAMIC BALANCE end of the DYNAMIC BALANCE AND DOCKING BRACKET. To do the
SLED ARC TEST simply grab hold of the back battery end of the SLED's BASE PLATFORM and
pull the BASE up and back until the SLED'S CENTRAL SUPPORT POST is now horizontal. Now
carefully let go of the BASE PLATFORM and count how many seconds it takes for the SLED to
then swing back to VERTICAL. If the SLED is vertically balanced properly then it should take
about THREE SECONDS for this to happen. Count your seconds with the words "one thousand
one, one thousand two" etc. for accuracy. Adjust the GIMBAL POSITION until it takes only three
seconds for the sled's center post to swing in an arc from horizontal to vertical. NOTE: Be careful
when doing the ARC TEST for you do not want your camera or sled to bang into the "C" STAND.
If all is proper the SLED should now be balanced correctly on its VERTICAL AXIS.
USING THE EXTENSION POST
The Glidecam GOLD SLED comes with an EXTENSION POST that allows you to expand or contract the
overall length of the SLED's CENTRAL SUPPORT POST. Changing the length of the CENTRAL
SUPPORT POST effectively changes the CENTER OF GRAVITY of the SLED. When the EXTENSION
POST is in an extended position it expands the mass of the SLED. When the EXTENSION POST is in a
contracted position it contracts the mass of the SLED. If your SLED is still TOP HEAVY even with the
GIMBAL positioned high on the CENTER POST, then extending the EXTENSION POST could work
towards bringing the correct amount of bottom heaviness to the SLED. If your SLED is still too
BOTTOM HEAVY even though the GIMBAL is positioned lower than you would like on the CENTER
POST, then contracting the EXTENSION POST could work towards bringing the correct amount of
bottom heaviness to the SLED.
It should be understood that expanding the mass of the SLED by extending the EXTENSION POST
allows you to reduce the amount of COUNTERWEIGHT required to correctly set the VERTICAL
BALANCE on your SLED, thereby making the whole SLED lighter, or allowing you to use less weight to
counterbalance a heavy camera. Therefore, you MIGHT need to extend the EXTENSION POST to its
fully expanded position if you have a very heavy CAMERA, such as any CAMERA above the
weight of 35 pounds. You might also want to extend the EXTENSION POST given you find it more
comfortable to operate your SLED with less overall weight on it. This could come about because you
wish to lighten the load for prolonged use of the SLED.