VariZoom VZPROLITE - Manual (Page 6)

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Positioning the lower sled downward will make the system
more bottom heavy, and it provides you with the capability
of shifting the balance down without moving the gimbal to a
position lower than you find agreeable.
To extend the lower sled, loosen the screw on the knurled
clamp while supporting it from below. Be careful not to
overextend the lower sled, as there are wires inside the
center post (there is a safety catch, but don’t test it). When
you find the right position, tighten the knurled clamp again,
but don’t tighten it excessively – just tighten enough to fix
the lower sled in place. Adjust until you get a 2-3 second
drop time.
Now you can adjust the horizontal balance, which is
accomplished by adjusting the longitudinal and lateral
positions of the camera. First you will have to loosen the
dovetail lock. If the sled tilts forward or backward, you can
adjust the position of the dovetail using the knob at the front
of the stage. If the sled tilts to one side, you can adjust the
stage laterally by using the second knob. Both adjustments
allow for very fine increments, so you will find it is best to
turn the knobs slowly until you hit the “sweet spot” (where
the camera stays totally level). Finish by tightening the
dovetail lock.
You can also fine-tune the horizontal and vertical balance
by adjusting the position of the battery housing. On the
underside of the base of the sled, directly beneath the
battery housing, you will find a thumbscrew. When
loosened, the battery housing will slide down and back.
This will affect both the vertical and horizontal balance.
The next step is to set the “float point”. This is essentially
the ideal point of arm spring tension, the state in which the
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sled rises and falls with slight force. At the end of each arm
section you will find a thumbscrew for adjusting the spring
tension. Clockwise turning increases tension while counter-
clockwise turning decreases tension.
Once it is securely fastened, slide the mounting plate into
the dovetail channel of the stage while making sure the rack
is on the same side as the brass pinion gear. You may
need to push up on the dovetail lock to fully install the plate.
Position the dovetail so that the camera is fairly centered.
When properly installed, the locking release pin should
prevent the plate from sliding out, but you should go ahead
and secure your camera by tightening the dovetail lock.
Plug your video cable from the camera to the video output
on the back of the stage. Set the sled/camera assembly
aside, as final setup must be done with the arm and vest on
your body or using a C-stand. If you have one, you can
mount the sled on the C-stand using the supplied docking
post or optional balancing plate. Exercise caution to make
sure the stand will not tip over.
The Arm
The arm is the link between your body and the sled. The
arm provides vertical support and allows the camera and
sled to float. The ProLite arm is a double-articulated, spring
loaded arm, and it is designed to handle 2 to 12 pounds.
For cameras under 6 pounds, you will have to use the
supplied weight plate. Once you determine the exact weight
of your fully loaded camera, you can decide if you need to
use the weight plate.
If your fully loaded camera is between 6 and 12 pounds, you
can skip section P1 on page 6.