Is the iFlight G40 gimbal still the lightest option for 500gm mirrorless DSLRs ?

• does not fit G7..

https://www.reddit.com/r/PanasonicG7/comments/4kwcn3/just_in_case_you_were_wondering_the_g7_does_not/

I am looking to see if I can go with a light gimbal with RX100 m4 on a stripped 3DR Solo or Typhoon G for a modular and cheaper option to P4Pro :-)

The helix by far makes the most sense physically/ergonomically, but the self tuning and mobile integration available from DJI makes in-field software adjustments too easy to pass up.

FS5 and Helix JR

Feiyu G100 and GW100

This page is realiable? some gimbals look like Came/Eagle Eye.

https://www.supamods.com/product/3-axis-gimbal-32-bit-joystick-upgraded-motors/

DitoGear VibraFreek Arm

After calling them twice a day every other day for a week (note I was told repeatedly that they would call me back, yet I had to do the calling), it was finally established that yes, I wanted a refund. I progressed one step every two calls, and it seems that hanging up and being put on hold are a natural part of their process.

As luck would have it, not even the accountant was authorized to issue a refund, which began yet another quest for the elusive "Manager". When I finally did get a call (rather than making one), it was the manager who offered me 50% reduced price and immediate shipment of my gimbal. Too little too late, I took full refund.

Called back. The accountant is "at lunch"

I ordered an AllSteady 5 Pro (the pre-assembled, completely set up one), back in mid February. Let's just say I'm appalled at their customer service considering they're an American company out of California. It took several weeks to arrive (ok, I figured they assemble them custom-order??), and it was broken out of the box . . . didn't work.

It's brand new, so rather than risk voiding warranty by fixing it myself, I called TurboAce customer service. To their credit, when you get through to tech support, they're helpful and professional. Their tech walked me through various troubleshooting sequences, and we eventually figured out that one of the sensors came unsoldered. I re-soldered the sensor and called back the next day. The tech again was very helpful but the AllSteady was still malfunctioning and the tech simply couldn't diagnose the problem over the phone. They would e-mail me a shipping label so I could sent it back for repairs.

I waited several days for an email before calling back. They thought they had sent it. They hadn't. I finally got a shipping label emailed to me the next day, at which point I repacked the gimbal and mailed it back to TurboAce.

That was in February. It is now April. I still don't have a gimbal. I emailed twice to confirm safe arrival of the gimbal back at Turbo Ace, with no reply. I called, and after a long time on hold, confirmed that they received the gimbal.

I called again last week to inquire about when I might expect the gimbal back. I was put on hold for 15 minutes, and then they hung up without even so much as a goodbye.

I'm calling them again on Monday, and if the gimbal is not already shipped and on its way back to me, I'm demanding a full refund, and I'm requesting another shipping label so I can send back the SmallHD AC7 that I also purchased from them (which did not include any option for powering it via the gimbal, by the way). At this point, I'm almost willing to pay for return shipment of the AC7, just to be done with this whole debacle.

If you want a good gimbal, I would say drop the cash and get a Ronin. While the TurboAce and other cheaper gimbals ARE technically the same processor, same sensors, similar motors, etc . . . the build quality is a bigger factor than I initially realized. Having the sensors, wires, etc. encased inside the frame is a BIG DEAL.

I'm sure now that the sensor problem on my gimbal is a simple design issue. If it hadn't broken on shipment, it would've broken eventually, just by design.

Almost every single one of these "budget" gimbals are really just pre-assembled DIY parts. And there's nothing wrong with that if you're willing to maintain a gimbal. But do yourself a favor and build it yourself so you know how to fix it. And I'd highly suggest buying a bunch of spare parts for repair, because if it breaks, it's up to you to fix it. And these will break, they all have design flaws that make them fragile . . . unless you're ok with your gimbal being gone for a month and a half for repairs.

I'd like to reiterate that the actual techs at TurboAce are very capable, and very helpful. But something there is either deeply disorganized, or the other people there just don't get it. I've been out $2,500 USD for a month and a half with nothing to show for it, and that's not ok. I'm not one to yell or get pushy on the phone, at least not until the very last straw, and I've been cordial in all my interactions. In my opinion, I shouldn't have to be pushy to get good customer service.

Anyhow, I know this is a long post, but there's my 2 cents on this matter. If by some miracle, the Turbo Ace is already on its way to me, I'll do a quick tech-only review before I send it back. But consider this my review of everything except the gimbal itself. I for one am caving and getting a Ronin.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev , Is it reliable that gimbal?, the price is tempting.