Zero Gravity Rig Operating Instructions
Contents
1. Disengage the safety lock to operate or adjust the ZG Rig 3 Vertical Adjustment allows you to adjust the center of gravity depending on the size of your camera There are two key parts Adjustment Knob Position Lock Lever The position lock lever should always be full tightened DOWN when you are operating the ZG Rig with a camera Failure to operate the ZG Rig with the lock lever fully ADJUST gt tightened will cause severe damage he adjustment knob raises or lowers the l camera platform but the position lock lever OPERATE must be loose UP to make the adjustment Do not force the knob and make sure the lever is loose when adjusting VariZoom ZG Rig Assembly Diagram Plastic Washer EE Steel Washer Roller Bearing Steel Washer Tighten Knob Remove Thumbscrew Q Last but not least attach counterweight to rear plate2. VariZoom Zero Gravity Rig Operating Instructions Welcome to our new top of the line shoulder support system for cameras up to 15 Ibs the ZG Rig In addition to its totally unique vertical balancing mechanism this system Is designed to be configurable to virtually any body type or camera setup so there are some adjustments and operational parameters to discover before you begin using the equipment The Rig requires minor assembly see assembly diagram It should approximately resemble the picture at the right Included are 3 part shoulder rig support pod belt camera plate accessory mount removable counterweight Read the instructions to ensure that you don t damage the system or camera 1A The first and most important element to understand is the Tilt Mechanism Look at the safety lock A and notice how it slides laterally when the red thumbscrew is loose When the tilt arm w Zero Gravity label is perpendicular to the horizontal Support member w VariZoom label the safety lock will slide into the slot of the tilt arm Once the red thumbscrew is tightened the safety lock prohibits the tilting action of the ZG Rig The safety lock allows you to set the ZG Rig down without the system inadvertently tilting and flopping over which could cause damage to your camera Always engage the safety lock before setting the ZG Rig down Conversely while operating the ZG Rig the safety lock should be diseng
3. aged so you can tilt freely 1A2 Always keep the tensioner knob A2 tightened close to the max only tiny adjustments are needed The tilt mechanism should never have any play wobble or damage may result 1B The position lock lever B for the vertical balancing mechanism is essentially a stainless steel clamping lever It is VERY IMPORTANT that this lever is tightened while operating the ZG Rig and loosened while adjusting the vertical balance If the position lock lever is loose while operating the ZG Rig there will be excess play in the tilt mechanism that can cause unwanted shaking and even result in damage to the ZG Rig If the position lock lever is tight while you attempt to adjust the vertical balance you may cause irreparable damage Loose lever up Tight lever down Basic rule of thumb if it feels wrong check your locks and tensioner knob before proceeding 1C The vertical adjustment knob C will allow you to raise or lower the camera platform precisely but the position lock lever B and safety lock A must be disengaged before you make this adjustment otherwise DAMAGE MAY OCCUR WARNING FOR OPERATION THE LOCK LEVER B MUST BE FULLY TIGHTENED AND TENSIONER KNOB A2 MUST BE TIGHT ENOUGH TO REMOVE ANY SIDE TO SIDE WOBBLE PLAY IN THE TILT MECHANISM OR SEVERE DAMAGE MAY RESULT 2 MOUNTING THE CAMERA Make sure the safety lock is engaged on the tilt mechanism Attach the support belt to your waist h
4. er unused bearing hole with plastic cap 6 OPERATION Overall operating the ZG Rig is pretty intuitive Because there are so many different ways to configure the Rig it s mostly up to the user to determine good shooting habits One thing to keep in mind is that the spring loaded support pod can be used with one or two sections locked In other words if you need less spring action e g for a lighter camera leave one of the sections locked or if you want no spring action leave both locked You may even decide that you need to hold the entire unit up high for an extended period such as shooting over a crowd and in this case fully extending the pod sections and locking them in place could be your best move For most shooting however you will probably use a single configuration so spend some time figuring out the most comfortable and functional setup for your needs 7 STORAGE TRANSPORT We recommend folding the unit and storing it in the supplied carrying bag to keep it clean and protected Sample configurations Common setup w optional V lock plate in place of weight j i ma Low left swept setup w external monitor on accessory mount TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS When using a heavier camera setup over 8lbs try to keep the camera closer to the tilt arm make sure the tensioner knob is adequately tightened and experiment with the position of the support pod socket f you have any questions or problems wit
5. h the ZG Rig after reading the instructions please contact VariZoom directly 512 219 7722 WARNINGS 1 DO NOT OPERATE THE ZG RIG WITH ANY OF THE LOCKING JOINTS LOOSE AS DAMAGE OR INJURY COULD RESULT 2 ALWAYS STORE AND HANDLE THE SPRING LOADED SUPPORT POD IN A FULLY LOCKED STATE KNOB TIGHTENED THOROUGHLY ONLY LOOSEN THE KNOBS WHEN THE SUPPORT POD IS MOUNTED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE ZG RIG 3 DO NOT RUN WHILE OPERATING THE UNIT 4 EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF THE POD SOCKET fig H DO NOT LOOSEN THE LOCKING SCREW MORE THAN TURN AS THE TIP OF THE SCREW ALSO ACTS AS A SAFETY STOP AND IF YOU BACK THE SCREW OUT TOO FAR THE POD SOCKET COULD SLIP OFF THE END OF THE SUPPORT BAR ZG RIG QUICK START AND KEY POINTS GUIDE The ZG Rig is a precision instrument that requires proper care to maintain its mechanisms 1 Tensioner Knob must always be tightened close to the max to prevent unwanted play in tilt mechanism N The tension adjustment is only effective in a very small turning range and the whole mechanism must be clamped together tightly to work properly and prevent damage Failure to operate the ZG Rig with the tensioner knob tightened will result in severe damage 2 Safety Lock prevents the ZG Rig from flopping over when you set it down With the tilt mechanism at a right angle you can loosen the red knob and slide the safety lock into the slot on the tilt mechanism
6. hange angle of insertion from socket to change the relative height and angle standard custom angle to right angle straight up and or reverse tightening lever of the Rig as well as the relative loading of the G adjust position of camera mount closer further and also adjust the angle of spring pod the shoulder arch relative to body centerline I ADVANCED shift the tilting pivot point in or out depending on l preference further out gives more tilt range and distance to camera J serrated clutch allows locking incremental adjustment while closer in brings camera closer and reduces tilt range to shift of angle at which stainless rod intersects horizontal support pivot point simply remove protective plastic cap and SAVE IT from member to allow greater freedom in positioning and bring unused hole revealing a radial bearing remove tensioner knob with camera extremely close in some configurations l external bearing washer assembly then remove entire tilt assembly it ADVANCED clutch can be separated and inverted so it is press fit tightly so it will take effort finally insert tilt assembly axle mounts to the top instead of bottom creating a 3 25 through alternate bearing pressing firmly until large black washer is downward shift of the entire forward assembly for lower flush then thread tensioner knob assembly back through tightening camera mount firmly finally move safety lock mechanism to the corresponding spot and cov
7. olster in front Mount your camera to the camera plate tightening the screw thoroughly Slide the plate into the receiver and secure the plate locking lever Insert the brass tip of the support pod into the socket at the end of the curved bar Angle the pod roughly 30 downward and raise the entire assembly over your shoulder carefully inserting the lower end of the support pod through the plastic D ring and into the holster Unlock the support pod knobs to engage spring action 3 ACCESSORIES If you wish to use the accessory mount D for attaching lights monitors mics etc go ahead and attach it and mount the accessories before proceeding with adjustments or balancing This mount allows you to keep accessories off your camera and aids in balancing the weight of the Rig Four 4 20 holes are provided and the mount rotates to allow fine positioning 4 BALANCING Once it s fully loaded you can focus on adjusting and balancing the unit Think of the balancing as an X Y Z affair Start by adjusting the position of the camera plate so it is balanced front to back Then adjust the position of the camera platform left right by loosening the knob directly below and moving the platform until it feels relatively balanced and doesn t lean to one side You can also affect the side to side balance by adjusting the counterweight position E at the rear of the shoulder arch These are the familiar X Y adjustments Now comes
8. the Y adjustment that is unique to the ZG Rig the vertical balance adjustment As mentioned previously you must disengage the safety lock A and position lock lever B in order to adjust the vertical balance Loosen the tensioner knob to the minimum setting the loosest point where the knob is still slightly tight against the washer bearing set and there is no wobble in the tilt mechanism Test the vertical balance of the camera as is by tilting it straight up or as close as possible and see if it has a tendency to drift up or down If it drifts down you need to raise the camera platform by turning the vertical adjustment knob C counter clockwise left If it drifts up you need to lower the camera platform by turning the vertical adjustment knob clockwise right Once the vertical balance is set tighten the position lock lever B and set the tensioner knob to your preferred level of resistance You should be able to tilt effortlessly and the tilt mechanism should hold any angle unaided 5 ADJUSTMENT If you haven t already done so now would be a good time to fine tune the ergonomic adjustments of the Rig There are several points of adjustment that should enable you to wear the Rig with comfort and stability The photos on the following page highlight some of these adjustment points The most commonly used adjustments H adjust the in out position of support pod F slide up down pivot side to side ALSO c
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