Glidecam Industries iGlide Setup guide

Set-up and Operations Guide
Glidecam Industries, Inc. 23 Joseph Street, Kingston, MA 02364
Customer Service Line 1-781-585-7900
Manufactured in the U.S.A.
COPYRIGHT 2013 GLIDECAM INDUSTRIES,Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
MANUAL
iGlide
GLIDECAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SECTION # PAGE #
1. Introduction 3
2. Attaching your camera to the Glidecam 5
3. Balancing your Glidecam iGlide 8
4. Handling your Glidecam iGlide 13
5. Operating your Glidecam iGlide 14
6. Shooting Tips 16
7. Improper Techniques 17
8. Other Camera attachment methods 18
9. Professional usage 18
10. Maintenance 18
11. Warnings 19
12. Warranty 19

Congratulations on your purchase of a Glidecam iGlide.
The Glidecam iGlide is a lightweight, aluminum, hand-held camcorder stabilizing sys-
tem designed to allow you to walk, run, go up and down stairs and travel over rugged
terrain without any camera instability or shake. When used correctly the Glidecam
iGlide can move with such uidity and grace as to be virtually indistinguishable from
shots made by professional dollies, cranes and stabilizers. The Glidecam iGlide is
the most versatile and dynamic of all the consumer camcorder stabilizers on the
market. It can shoot straight up and down, or even sideways and still produce stable
images.
Fluid tilts and pans, crane-like booms, dolly-type maneuvers, and the ability to shoot
smooth shots from moving vehicles are all easily accomplished with the Glidecam
iGlide. The offset gimbaled handle-grip and enclosed bearing assembly allows your
hand to move freely in several directions, while the horizontal yoke allows your hand
and arm to move up and down, alleviating the bouncing, pogo-type action often as-
sociated with our competitors’ systems. The upper camera platform moves back and
forth, and side to side to quickly allow the balancing of your camera in relationship
to the counterweights. By varying the length of the central post, the Glidecam iGlide
can support any camcorder weighing from 4-14 ounces.
While the Glidecam iGlide is in essence a very simple device, its simplicity doesn’t
lend ease in answering that often asked question, “how does it work?” To answer this
question completely would require delving into Newtonian Physics. We would have
to explain - center of gravity displacement, inertia, friction and angular motion reduc-
tion etc. However, a quick answer reveals the Glidecam iGlide works by isolating
your hand and arm’s motions from your camera, while your camera is balanced in a
relatively motionless state.
The Glidecam iGlide requires practice and understanding to achieve professional
looking results. We highly recommend that the user read this manual thoroughly
before setting up and operating the Glidecam iGlide. Doing so will save you time,
and will minimize the risk of damage to your camcorder or the Glidecam iGlide. It is
important to perform and follow the Set-up and Operation’s procedures in the proper
sequence to avoid both frustration and a possible accident.
If you have any need for technical assistance, you can call our Technical Support
Line at 1-781-585-7900, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 am and
5:00 pm, Eastern Time.
We’re sure you will nd many years of enjoyment with your Glidecam iGlide once you
have it up and running.
#1 INTRODUCTION
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1
HEAD PLATE
MID PLATE
GIMBAL
CENTRAL POST
TELESCOPING POST
BASE PLATFORM
WEIGHT
BLACK THUMB
NUT
TELESCOPING
CLAMP
HANDLE
YOKE
BOTTOM PLATE
BLACK THUMB
SCREW
CAMERA MOUNTING SCREWS
iGlide
GLIDECAM

#2 ATTACHING YOUR CAMERA TO THE
GLIDECAM iGLIDE
Now it’s time to attach your camera to the
Glidecam iGlide
Roll the camera on a pen to nd the center
of gravity, if needed.
First, nd the threaded insert on the bottom
of your camera.
threaded insert
Remove the HEAD PLATE from the
Glidecam iGlide and with the camera placed
upside down in your lap align the appropriate
hole in the HEAD PLATE with the threaded
insert in the bottom of the camera. As shown
in photo # 5.
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3
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The HEAD PLATE should be in
alignment and square with the bottom of the
your camera.
Rubber or tape can be used as a
gasket if needed.
Find a CAMERA MOUNTING SCREW
and ¼” washer and use these to
attach the HEAD PLATE to your
camera.
Place your camera upside down in your lap
and with the HEAD PLATE in place use a
at head screwdriver to secure the HEAD
PLATE to your camera using the CAMERA
MOUNTING SCREW you’ve just selected.
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5
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The HEAD PLATE should be secured and
square with the camera.
Now connect your camera and the attached
HEAD PLATE to the MID PLATE.
Insert the remaining two BLACK THUMB
SCREWS through the slots in the sides of
the HEAD PLATE.
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#3 BALANCING YOUR GLIDECAM
Before you begin the balancing process
check for the following:
1) Camera is securely attached to HEAD
PLATE.
2) Lens cap has been removed.
3) Camera battery is connected.
4) Flip out LCD is in it’s operating position (if
applicable)
5) Telescoping clamp has been
tightened
6) All 4 BLACK THUMB SCREWS
in place and secure
BALANCING THE HORIZTONAL AXIS
Now that your Glidecam iGlide is assembled
properly, andyourcamerais securelyattached
to the HEAD PLATE, you can now test the
horizontal balance. The objective in obtaining
correct horizontal balance for the iGlide is
to allow the camera to remain level during
operation, given you are not applying either
a pan, tilt, or roll type of hand pressure to the
iGlide. In other words, if iGlide is horizontally
balanced correctly, then the camera will
remain level, and the CENTRAL POST will
remain vertical unless you intentionally
position the iGlide otherwise, and if the
iGlide is horizontally balanced correctly it will
always return to a level and vertical position
after you release any pan, tilt, or roll pressure
on the CENTRAL POST.
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The best way of adjusting the horizontal balance is to move the center of gravity of the cam-
era. This can be accomplished by either repositioning the camera on the HEAD PLATE, or by
adjusting the position of the HEAD PLATE, either front to back or side to side with the camera
on it.
When checking the horizontal balance you want to make sure that your
picking up the IGlide from a at and level surface (i.e. a table) and that you let the iGlide hang
freely as you hold it. If the iGlide is balanced correctly on its horizontal axis, then it will be lev-
el and upright, with the CENTRAL POST in a virtually perfect vertical position, as pictured in
photo #12.
If the iGlide tilts to the front (see photo #13), then you will have to loosen up the BLACK
THUMB SCREWS on the sides of the HEAD PLATE and gently slide the HEAD PLATE back
a bit. If the iGlide still tilts to the front, then move the HEAD PLATE more to the back. If the
iGlide is tilting to the back, then move the HEAD PLATE to the front. Always secure the BLACK
THUMB SCREWS after any adjustments. If you cannot get the front to back axis balanced
with this method then try remounting your camera to a different hole in the HEAD PLATE.
Once you achieve correct horizontal balance for the front to back axis, you can tighten the
BLACK THUMB SCREWS that control the movement of the HEAD PLATE.
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If the iGlide leans to the right, then you will have to loosen up the BLACK
THUMB SCREWS on the bottom of the BOTTOM PLATE and gently
slide the MID PLATE over to the left a bit. If the iGlide leans to the left,
then move the MID PLATE to the right. Always secure and rmly tighten
the BLACK THUMB SCREWS after any adjustment.
After adjusting the side to side balance as mentioned above you might
have to go back and readjust the front to back balance to obtain a ne
balance of the whole system. You can use your eyes to judge for correct
horizontal balance, or you can use a bubble level to ensure that the
iGlide has correct horizontal balance. The Horizontal Balance of the
iGlide becomes less sensitive, as the iGlide becomes increasingly bottom
heavy and conversely, the horizontal balance becomes very sensitive, as
the iGlide progresses towards correct vertical balance.
Also, another way of ne tuning the horizontal balance is to move the
COUNTER WEIGHT DISKS back and forth, or side to side on the BASE
PLATFORM. There are slots on the BASE PLATFORM to help with this
task. Also, replacing the WEIGHT DISKS away from the CENTER POST
on the BASE PLATFORM will increase panning stability. Make sure to
tighten the WEIGHTS down after you move them.
NOTE: The Horizontal Balance of the iGlide becomes less sensitive
as the iGlide becomes increasingly bottom heavy, and conversely, the
horizontal balance becomes very sensitive, as the iGlide progresses
towards correct vertical balance (see next section).
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