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DJI Ronin-M
  • Dji Ronin-M gets a price $1399

    Even though I haven't used this product, for the price and features I think it will be great. I used the original Ronin before on a rental shoot and by biggest problem with it was the weight and size. This one seems to have lose weight and shrunk in size with the same features. I certainly will be getting this at some point. This certainly puts the stabilizer gimbal market at a interesting point.

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  • Wish I had the scratch right now, but they already drained my wallet with the P3. I love how easily the handles can be reconfigured on this unit, glad I waited before picking one up... this will be the one when I can afford to add it to the kit.

  • One thing I do not get.

    Why this guys placed battery in the place it is. As it shifts center of mass and also add good stress to the top motor.

  • I think to allow the top handle bars to be detacted for use on cranes, drones, ect ....

  • I think to allow the top handle bars to be detacted for use on cranes, drones, ect ....

    Well, may be. But battery still must be not on this place. At least it must be detachable to place it properly.

  • The problem I see with some of the shots in this film is that they seem to have gained very fluid camera movement at the expense of poor focus control. If DJI developed a compact follow focus servo and added a focus adjustment lever or rocker to the 2nd operator radio it would be an awesome package for nailing continuous takes.

    It seems most wireless FF systems to date have a combination of noise, weight or pricing issues that make them somewhat impractical for layered use with these types of gimbals. Perhaps DJI can change that by taking their control system one step further.

  • @Tron

    Presence of wireless follow focus in the time where almost every modern lens have good build in motor and aperture control seems odd.

  • Yes but few companies are making it easy to control their electronic lenses wirelessly

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev I haven't tried to pull focus with the Panasonic WiFi app and GH4, I just assume it would hunt too much based on past experiences with the GH2 and GH3 touch focus. In my experience mechanical pulls with a manual lens (or AF lens set to manual) still tend to be more precise than AF algos unless you shoot Canon with support for USB remotes or use dual pixel AF. I'm not a fan of Canon's video image so it's not an option for me.

    It would be great to see Panasonic deliver the ability to focus on preset distance markers... just touch and go by tapping on a distance icon that you set and save in the app. I'd think this could be accomplished without any focus hunting during the move. Now that gimbals are becoming more affordable and commonplace it would make sense to add something like this. Unfortunately mfrs and marketing depts seem to have their own priorities when it comes to promoting "usability" in the feature list of a new camera.

  • That new Aputure wireless follow focus for Canon lenses would work pretty well for a low budget setup. If we get more options like that for other electronic lenses, that'd be a lot nicer than having to invest money in heavy, expensive FIZ motor setups.

    Anyone think the stabilization in that short film "Lifted" looks kind of bad? Is it just my eyes or is it wobbling unnaturally?

    The price would be great if the thing actually works but it's not a good sign when their own marketing video fails to impress.

  • In my experience mechanical pulls with a manual lens (or AF lens set to manual) still tend to be more precise than AF algos unless you shoot Canon with support for USB remotes or use dual pixel AF. I'm not a fan of Canon's video image so it's not an option for me.

    AF has nothing to do with it. Only lens construction means something. Modern lenses with stepper motors are best.

    Yep, for now some software limits exist, but they are software.

  • Wow much lower than I thought it would be when they said under $2000. Came TV have serious competition at this price.

  • This is a CAME killer, for sure. And with a max payload of 8lbs, it should be able to carry even the heaviest DSLR + lens combos.

    I'm sure glad I didn't buy a CAME-7800 a few months ago.

  • This is a CAME killer, for sure. And with a max payload of 8lbs, it should be able to carry even the heaviest DSLR + lens combos. I'm sure glad I didn't buy a CAME-7800 a few months ago.

    Yah me too, puts it right into competition with the cheapest gimbals. But who knows, maybe CAME will adjust their prices accordingly say maybe in the ~<$750 point or something to compete or stay afloat.

  • This is a CAME killer, for sure

    From design standpoint it is made even worse than cheapest Chinese gimbals, not talking about CAME :-)

  • From design standpoint it is made even worse than cheapest Chinese gimbals, not talking about CAME :-)

    This gimbals looks exactly like the original Ronin. When I used the ronin, beside it's weight and size it work just fine. Balancing was easy, nothing about it's design was a problem to me. Like someone said above, they probably put that battery there cuz it may allow you to switch from hand gimbal to your quadcopter or car rig for stabilization or what ever you wanna use it with. If it was putting extra stress on the top motor we would have being hearing lots of dissatisfied customers by now. I am no design expert, but nothing on the design of the ronin made my use with it difficult beside it's weight and size.

  • If it was putting extra stress on the top motor we would have being hearing lots of dissatisfied customers by now. I am no design expert, but nothing on the design of the ronin made my use with it difficult beside it's weight and size.

    No one cares now :-)

    And yes, DJI is company specializing at aerial things (for crane use putting battery on gimbal at all is idiotic solution from mechanical standpoint, battery must be on the other end). This is why design is such.

    I really wish we will see good Chinese designs in coming months.

  • On my DIY chinese gimbal I moved the battery and controller to above all motors. It allowed much better tuning because my motors and frame are weak. My frame/Motor is only good for 2.5lbs of camera gear. Moving the battery and controller made a huge difference.

    On the Ronin the motors and frame are much stronger and the battery position might actually might help offset frame adjustments when using long or heavy lenses.

    I do agree though the overall battery position would be inefficient position below yaw motor. And the Chinese will copy any design, good or bad.

  • I really wish we will see good Chinese designs in coming months.

    Classic :-)

  • Even though DJI strongly "whitewash" much of their image - they are Chinese (well global really now, but at the core Chinese). I could write a whole article on how some of the inauthenticity of their marketing actually damages their image (watch the Phantom 3 livestream where the "party guests" are "drinking" in Singapore for starters - actually that whole thing is pretty rough).

    That being said - perhaps the balanced inertial Mass on Yaw actually helps stabilized left to right movement and the bearings are good enough to handle the weight (never heard of a failed ronin Yaw motor) - Maybe a battery relocation kit wih a dummy smartbattery terminal might be an awesome idea for the ronin M and aerial.

  • For what it's worth, I'm really liking my Ronin M. For the price of a good zoom lens, it's the gimbal to get right now. It struggled a bit in high winds out on a boat deck, but other than that one time it's performed perfectly.

  • There sure are a lot of mixed reviews on Amazon and BHPhotoVideo about this model.