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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

dji Ronin (XL) Multi Test-Shoot/Review!

Thanks Ketch.

As I mentioned earlier, the first pic's was my last setup in order to try and get the camera balanced...I have a Freefly carbon mounting kit for a V-mount battery on the side...this was my initial setup- and the one I went back to (like you noticed the tilt function did't work with the battery on the back so I went back to the battery on the side). I did like you said and added back the VIV MB...and just like you said, when I cut the Ronin on, it picks up the slack. Including everything one would need to run this gimbal, I'm weighing in at just under 14 lbs...here's my list:

Red Epic: aprox 5 lbs
Xenon lens: <3 lbs
Red Cage and wires: <1 lb
IDX Battery and v-mount kit: <3 lbs
Heden Lens motor and F:2 receiver: <2 lbs

Here are some pics.

Quick observations/questions.

1) The motors make some loud noises (humming) for a couple seconds...its off and on. I've skimmed the manual, but definitely need to go through it some more as I'm sure I'm missing something. I've downloaded the app, and attached some pics of how my Pan & Tilt reads are going...

2) It's heavy...all the stuff people are saying is true...it would be extremely tough for one guy to hold this all day for a +10 hr shoot...I'm either going to buy an Easyrig or rent one...or switch off to a second person to help when using this

3) I probably need the XL arms...especially given that I'm adding a MB to the front. The side battery mount feels good with the rig, but I'm sure it would be balanced more if I had room in the back to add a battery there.

4) Since we have the same setup, other than than the fact that my MB is rail mounted, I'm interested in knowing what your measurements are for the Epic on the Ronin..

Like I mentioned, with this Xenon lens, there's no way I can do a proper tilt balance. I am noticing that the motors are making a loud humming noise based on certain positions I have the camera in...this has to be user error...I'll go back to reading the manual and doing some research.

Here are some pics of what I have so far...no where near done yet as I've taken it off and shot around the house, but the gimbal has acted a little erratic a couple times...like flipping all the way upside down, which bangs my MB on the top row arm; and the overall footage doesn't look so smooth yet like others...I'm sure I'll get there, but for now, its hard...on the bright side, I don't need to workout my arms today! lol

Cool Rome,

As for your observations/questions:

1) The motors hum when their strength setting is inadequate to the payload, play around with the numbers on the motors of each axis till the humming goes away completely, there should be silent operation, so play with it, but be sure that once you did the best balancing permitted by your set up, you always run the Auto Tune and Calibration first, this should almost always do the trick for you, if not then do as I suggested.

2) Yes carrying over 20LB/25LB of gear in your open extended arms is not easy, you need to have some upper body strength, a work out 3 times per week for Arms and Shoulders would be ideal, and including some lower back routines would be also smart... :)

3) The XL arms Kit is one thing I suggested and strongly wished for one for a reason, now lets hope that DJI gets out sooner then later, but also do keep in mind that with the center of gravity further away form your body, the rig will fill much heavier on your arms, and your hands will also fill this the most, and so will your wrists, so an Easy-Rig like system will be a must to pick up most of the slack.

4) As I said Rome, the humming needs to go away with proper Tuning/Calibrating, done first in Auto mode, and then if need to by you on each individual Axis Motor, you need to play with the settings and your set up to see were you need to be.

Similar set up: Let me try to go a bit further on explaining this point as well as it really makes a HUGE difference balancing a camera set up form an other, even if we have similar set up, meaning we both use the Epic, the Xenon, and the VIV MB, is to see if you and I both use 2 4x4.65 Filters, + one 138mm Round filter, what accessories are we using, what type of Motor for FF, what type of Wirelesses receiver and controller for it, and what about Wireless transmitter for Monitoring, Battery weight and size, even when using both V-Lock batteries and so on.

Each of this items, even at the same weight and size, will change drastically the way balancing occurs and the way the weight gets distributed, deepening on were and how they are mounted on the camera.


Using a hand held stabilization system is surely easier then using a Steady Cam, and balancing is some what easier too, but still has a learning curve, which is easier or harder depending on Gimbal used, since I have used Hand Held stabilization system for years, and have palled around with as many as they came out, including now 6 different Brushless Gimbals, I can say with great confidence that while the Ronin is surely not the easiest and fastest one to set up, it is most absolutely one of the very fastest and easy to set up and operate, yet it is a unique Gimbal given the different modes it allows it's end user to operate with, and this makes that extra special.
 
Ketch,

I'm back on it today! I'll do like you said and increase the individual motors until they are silent. From the initial screenshot of the DJI Assistant App, you can see that all of the motors are typically <10 on the power...one time I got them to 2,0,0 for Pan, Tilt, Roll (hopefully I can reproduce this in the field!). I did notice last night though that the when I tried to do those fancy moves (where you try see how stable the gimbal is by moving all around in an erratic motion) and the motors would "fail" and the gimbal would just stop working and the camera would drop to its side. I'm wondering what this means because the motors were all showing a power usage <10, but maybe that changed the more I moved around.

Quick question. The manual says that the motors should be <10, but is this an absolute value? What I mean is does a value of -10 as bad as +10 power usage for the motor? So the optimal power usage of a motor is >-10 but <+10 with an optimal setting of 0.

Last- YOU ARE CORRECT! I have to get back into the gym. I'm around 6'2, +230, and I feel like $hit trying to move this thing around the house...I can only imagine what would happen on an actual shoot...I'd be yelling "cut" every 60 sec O_o...I'm going on a diet and starting to workout tomorrow lol!! Still, an Easyrig would be optimal...I just wish they weren't so expensive, especially given that there's another piece you might need to attach to the arm of the Easyrig rod to work properly with these gimbals (I remember reading that in another thread on here...and thats almost as much as an Easyrig!).

As for your last point, understood. I have posted a lot of pics of my rig so you basically get a feel of what I have on it (ex-the VIV on some pics). I have some video I took last night but I don't know how good it was based on my initial calibrations. I take your advice and try again today.

Thanks for the words of gimbal wisdom. Can't wait to see your final review and footage. Even though we likely have a couple different items on the configurations (and even choice of wires can make a difference) I'd like to believe that in the grand scheme of things, we have an "apples-to-apples" comparison...even if I'm the granny smith kind and you the Fuji red's! Which I get every time I go to Costco's!...and thanks in advance for not slamming my analogy =)

Will post an update later today.
 
My pleasure always Rome,

wish I could do more, but I have been waiting myself for a replacement unit to continue on and make my final review, so will have to wait a little longer.

Now as far as the absolute value, don't give it too much weight, and consider all current Software as Beta, DJI is doing great job with updates and each one should make it better and better, but as of now there is still a lot to make better, yet it does a great job, just don't read too much in to it, and adjust by eye and hear.

Also the humming of the Motors do NOT necessarily mean that you need to add more power, but it might actually be telling you that you need to take away power instead as the motors are running too strong and the weight needs less and for this the motors are humming, I have had both situations and both did the Humming thing till adjusted and then went away, and returned occasionally depending of Tilt range I forced the Ronin to achieve.
 
Weight is an issue. Depending on what your doing with these rigs will determine if you have the strength or endurance to pull it off. I suspect Ronin owners will at some point wish they owned a Movi for its lower weight. I've owned both at this point. Pick up Gimble and the meter begins running, how long the meter can run is determined by how much weight your operating, and how strong you are. Start working out those arms. :) Just saying.
 
Weight is an issue. Depending on what your doing with these rigs will determine if you have the strength or endurance to pull it off. I suspect Ronin owners will at some point wish they owned a Movi for its lower weight. I've owned both at this point. Pick up Gimble and the meter begins running, how long the meter can run is determined by how much weight your operating, and how strong you are. Start working out those arms. :) Just saying.

To this, no one can not "NOT" agree... :)
 
Thanks guys, I can't get upset when I know what's coming.
 
Hi Mark,

Glad to see is working out for you even with long lenses, and especially so on Water.

We done high speed water shots as well on our short and the beauty of the set up with the Ronin is it's wide flexibility on load and camera set ups, with a variety of lenses including super telephotos.
 
To save Matt Ryan asking, I`ll ask.

Ketch is your review video coming soon?


Well, at this point I'll be honest with you guys... Because it is starting to make me look bad, and I don't like that!!

The reason because I haven't done my Video review as of yet, is do to the fact that partly because most likely of my travels and work, partly because of DJI been absolutely swamped, I have NOT received replacement parts needed for the Proto Ronin I have, and won't do a Video review with a unit that has NONE production parts which do not work as they should.

Doing a Video Review with this unit would be pointless as it is very different in several parts, especially the design and workings of the center Axis, as well as other bits, and while would, could still serve of great purpose, this is NOT the way I work.

I have been awaiting final response from DJI for a while now, and again, not all their fault at all, as I too have been traveling so much and busy Producing and Shooting, but at this point I need to take some of the load off my shoulders as I have been receiving some disturbing emails about not been a GOOD Beta Tester since I have yet to produce a Video of the Shot with Ronin and the looong (ripple "o" placed purposely) promised Video Review...

My most sincere apologies to fellow Reduser for the delay, and again, I promise that as soon as DJI makes good on sending replacement parts or a new working Production unit to me, I'll be sure to immediately do that Video Review with a in depth assembling and balancing of the system with a fully loaded Cine Style production Epic camera.


To explain in further detail... Every time DJI was ready to ship out the Production Unit I could not take delivery because of traveling... And any time I was ready they had ran out of Stock...

So now that I'll be in the Italian Alps for the Autumn projects I hope we can get this taken care of and finally get the Production unit to replace my current Proto, number 3 which I replaced in LA when I left Proto number 1... :)

I'll miss it, but I believe that I too in my small I played an important part i the changes now part of the Production unit, and look forward to give you guys what I promised very soon...

Our Short is also about to go public, and while this was a JOB we did and not just to test the Ronin, the Ronin did played an import an troll in it's pro to version for very any shots, on land and on water.

But it will be the short in the Italian Alps of Aosta to really put the Production Ronin to the TEST, and that is what I'll refer to on the Video Review part.
 
Hi there,

I've ordered the Ronin a time ago and it should arrive within the next week. I was wondering if the quick release system for the handle is compatible with Q=System from Novoflex?

Cheers
 
Hi there,

I've ordered the Ronin a time ago and it should arrive within the next week. I was wondering if the quick release system for the handle is compatible with Q=System from Novoflex?

Cheers

There you go Christian, this is what is available for Arca Swiss, see if it works for you.


For anyone wanting to mount the Ronin with Arca-Swiss gear here's an Arca-Swiss dovetail mount we're in the process of making now. Direct bolt on replacement.

http://photoshipone.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_37&products_id=470

arca-swiss-mount.jpg
 
Thanks Ketch!
I also found out that the ARCA-SWISS Mount is compatible with the Novoflex Q=System
 
Sorry, I have to take this post off ... I don't knew about it..
 
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I dont know about Ketch , but I wil tell you my opinion.

After your friend can give a good laugh on a steadicam thread making a cheap copy of the exo vest that doesnt work and its crap, and having the nerve to copy partly the easyrig patent and the Flowcine Serene arm patent ,and even gave it a name ,(it is catchy) pretending that you never seen this before.
Does your friend knows doing anything else than try copying other peoples ideas, out of crap sheet metal, and try to sell them like his own ideas? Go tell him that the inventor of the Serene Flowcine arm, told you that, and we ll be at IBC to show him some more new tricks to copy.
And tell him that I think its a bargain LOL.Just like Chris Fawcett said about the copy of his exo vest.:devil:
 
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