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Make sure that everything is tight.
Grasp Central Post near the base and move it from vertical to horizontal.
Hold it there. Be sure that it will not hit the stand when you drop it. Keep your free hand to
catch the central post when it drops.
Count how many seconds it takes to fall to vertical. Try using a stopwatch.
If the drop time is less than 2 seconds, it is too bottom heavy. You need to move the bottom
mass closer to post.
If the drop time is more than 2 seconds, it is top heavy.
A Drop Time of 2-2.5 seconds is preferred.
NOTE:
Recheck the balance by looking at sled. If necessary, use side screws and bottom plate
screws to make required adjustments.
Balancing Review
Proper system balance can only be achieved once your camera is set up with appropriate
accessories ready for shooting. This means batteries, lenses, media cards, LCD
viewfinder/ monitor, quick release plate, on-cam lights, and all the gear you will use for your
recording session.
Remove top plate of stabilizer and line-up your camera so that its center of gravity is as close
to the center of plate as possible (basically hold the camera in your hand until it feels
balanced both left and right as well as forward and backward).
Find hole in the plate that is as close to threaded tripod mount on your camera as possible
(while you are still holding your camera's center of gravity to the center of plate). Attach your
camera (or quick release, if you have one). Tighten it down so it won't accidentally rotate.
Re-attach top plate to the stabilizer. Center it, but don't worry about getting it absolutely
perfect.
Remove most of the weights from Base Platform, but leave one on each side.
Insert the central post as far as it can go and tighten so it won't slide out.
Hold the handle normally and turn stabilizer so that it is horizontal to the ground. Let go of
the stalk while keeping a firm grip on handle and count how long it takes to return to vertical
again. You should be able to count a good, ‘One-one thousand, two-one thousand’, before it
rights itself. With only two little weights it might take considerably longer.
Add one pair of weights at a time and repeat ‘horizontal to vertical’ test, until it falls at the
correct rate. It will probably not be perfect.
