Steadicam Volt User manual

LIT-817001, Rev B
Steadicam®Volt™User Guide

Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Components
Volt operating
7 Let’s get started!
8 Choosing sides
9 Balance
11 Power on
15 Operating
19 Settings
Volt Installation
25 Types of installations
29 Installation of Volt complete kit
35 Installation of Volt onto bare gimbals
43 Flip Button
45 Motor belts
Gimbal upgrades
51 Archer/Archer2 gimbal upgrade
53 Archer/Archer2 gimbal balancing
55 Ultra2, Shadow, Clipper gimbal upgrade
59 PRO CineLive, PRO CineHD gimbal upgrade
63 U2, Shadow, Clipper, PRO gimbal balancing
Troubleshooting
67 Troubleshooting checklist
68 Frequently asked questions
73 Electronics
75 Contact Tiffen
TIP: This table of contents is hyperlinked to navigate you through the respective sections. Page references
throughout the manual are also linked to the appropriate page. To return to the table of contents, just click
on the page number at the bottom of any page. Easy.

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1
The Steadicam®Volt™
Working with the sled’s inertia and neutral balance, the Volt generates an “articial bottom-heaviness” to
keep the horizon level and headroom stable. With Volt, the operator can concentrate on precise framing,
timing, navigating, and other more interesting aspects of operating.
The strength of the roll and tilt assistance may be individually ne-tuned to suit the operator’s
preferences, and easily adjusted for different shots. The assistance can feel like operating a sled with a
very long drop time – easy to tilt or roll – to full gyro-simulation, with the sled locked hard to the horizon
in roll, or tilt, or both.
Because the sled is always balanced neutrally top-to-bottom, all pendular effects from acceleration and
deceleration are eliminated. Plus, there is no re-balancing needed when switching to low mode!
Trunnion motor
and belt
The Volt also allows behaviors that were impossible
before. Like “friction mode” which emulates a uid
head with tilt hold and a xed horizon, bringing
you new control options for each and every shot.
In use, the Volt is completely transparent to the
operator, and it feels exactly like regular Steadicam
operating – with perfect horizons. The operator is
always in full and direct control of framing, and can
easily override the Volt’s assistance.
This user guide is organized to get you up and
running quickly; with components and operating
up rst, then how-to install the popular complete
M-2 Volt gimbal kit onto a sled. Further back, we
show step-by-step installation of Volt components
onto any gimbal, and nally, the factory upgrade
steps for older gimbals, should you be so inclined.
Welcome to the future of professional Steadicam
operating!
Introduction

2
Trunnion pulley
Handle pulley
Trunnion motor
and belt
Pan encoder
Pan encoder ring inside
Steadicam®Volt™shown on M-2™gimbal
Main power/control input
& encoder jack
Handle motor
and belt
Mode LED (green)
Gimbal button
Power LED (blue)
Trunnion screw access
Invert button access
Components
Gimbal clamp lever
1.5” post
1.75” post
1.58” post
M-2™gimbal post spacers Thumb button