Digicam stabilization has come a great distance in recent times, however if you need genuinely clean video, there’s no substitute for a precision gimbal. DJI’s new RS4 Mini is burly sufficient to stabilize full-frame mirrorless cameras however comparatively compact sufficient that you just received’t want a devoted case simply to hold it round. We spent two weeks placing this $369 gimbal setup to the take a look at.
Stan Horaczek
Execs
- 30 p.c lighter than the bigger mannequin
- Strong battery lifetime of as much as 13 hours
- Quick recharge in a pinch
- Quiet
- Simpler to navigate than some higher-end fashions
- Auto-lock is useful
Cons
- Setup nonetheless takes some follow
- I want it was black
- The abundance of locking mechanisms can get complicated
The decision: At this worth level, that is seemingly the perfect wager for many fans and aspiring execs. It presents a stable mixture of options with out the added complexity of higher-end fashions. It has just a few quirks widespread with DJI gimbals, however total, it’s sturdy, silent, and dependable.
How we examined the DJI SR4 Mini Gimbal
I’ve used nearly each era of the RS-series gimbals, and I set this one up similar to I might another mannequin. I spent a number of hours working it with a Canon R5 Mark II, in addition to an iPhone 16 Professional Max (utilizing the optionally available smartphone mounting equipment).
Throughout our two-week evaluation interval, I examined the built-in monitoring modes, re-balanced it with varied cameras, and shot a number of hours of various topics, from strolling round a farmer’s market to capturing CrossFit athletes figuring out. I’m not an incredible filmmaker, however I shoot stable B-roll, in order that’s the vast majority of my testing course of.
The setup
That is my least favourite a part of utilizing any gimbal, and the setup course of right here continues to be a bit quirky. The app gives useful movies on tips on how to get issues up and operating, however the gimbal must be related to the app as a way to view them. That wouldn’t be a problem if the gimbal didn’t need to be turned off whilst you’re balancing it. Annoying however actually not a deal breaker.
It was roughly quarter-hour from taking it out of the field that I used to be utilizing the gimbal with setup 95 p.c full. The steel body has a Teflon coating for defense, which does appear very powerful however can even give some resistance with regards to transferring the arms round. These are small complaints, although, and as soon as all the things is balanced, the RS4 Mini stored all the things balanced like a champ.
The options
As soon as all the things is about up, operation is pretty easy, although you must get the cling of it. The colour touchscreen makes navigating menus easy sufficient. The sturdy joystick and scroll wheel supply exact management over actions and digital camera capabilities. The deal with is a superb measurement with sufficient mass to make it really feel sturdy. The gadget comes with an extender deal with that opens up right into a desk tripod, and I discover the entire rig a lot simpler to maneuver with it hooked up.
The RS4 Mini weighs 2 kilos and may deal with a rig as much as 4.4 kilos (or 2 kg), which permits it to deal with a full-frame mirrorless digital camera with a lens. The heaviest rig I attempted mounting was a Canon R5 Mark II with an RF 50mm f/1.2 lens. In whole, that gear weighs roughly 52 ounces, and the RS4 Mini dealt with it with no drawback.
I did discover that the battery drops significantly sooner when a heavy digital camera is onboard, however that’s true with each gimbal. The motors should work tougher to stabilize in order that they burn via energy extra rapidly. I didn’t do a steady use take a look at, however DJI guarantees as much as 13 hours out of a single cost. In the true world, I’d anticipate about 10. That stated, the battery does supply a fast cost, which might get you as much as 5 hours of operation after simply half-hour on the twine.
The USB charging port can connect with an influence financial institution as properly, however that makes the rig a lot tougher to deal with. Simply cost it up earlier than you exit taking pictures. That is significantly related as a result of the battery not detaches from the RS4 Mini prefer it did with the earlier mannequin, so you may’t swap within the discipline.
Is the RS4 Mini Combo value it?
For $459, you will get a combo model of the RS4 Mini, which features a briefcase-style deal with for the gimbal in addition to DJI’s precision Clever Monitoring Module. The deal with is little greater than a bracket, nevertheless it does make carrying the digital camera at a low angle far more manageable.
The Monitoring Module attaches through a magnetic port to the aspect of the gimbal and permits the gadget to trace a topic throughout extra complicated strikes. The module is an easier model of the DJI Raveneye system, which works with extra superior gimbals. With the module hooked up, the gimbal can “ActiveTrack” a topic and obtain instructions through gesture from as much as 10 meters (33 toes) away. It maintains the topic’s place within the body, so it’s nice if you wish to make content material by yourself with out operating forwards and backwards to the digital camera always.
When you’re going to make use of the monitoring, then the Combo is value shopping for for the Monitoring Module. It actually unlocks the total performance of the gimbal. That stated, the module is simply $69 by itself, so that you’re not getting that a lot of a financial savings by shopping for the combo, so it’s a toss-up primarily based on what you anticipate to shoot.
The conclusion
After two weeks with the RS4 Mini gimbal, I didn’t discover a lot to complain about. As with all stabilizer, it freaked out or went to sleep each on occasion for no considerable purpose. However these cases are only a few and much between. When you plan to make use of it primarily with a cellphone, you’re seemingly higher off getting one thing smaller and simpler, like the brand new $149 Osmo 7P smartphone gimbal, which additionally has an embedded telescoping rod/tripod and Multifunctional Module with monitoring/gesture management/LED fill gentle which you could flip for entrance or selfie digital camera. The RS4 could also be overkill for you, and the Osmo 7P, which we’ve additionally used, is a three-axis possibility with wonderful automated monitoring, in addition to a responsive joystick.
However, when you’re attempting to take video content material significantly with a devoted digital camera, it is a nice steadiness of options and price. It’s dependable, responsive, and easy with out depriving you of crucial options. The RS4 Mini is the perfect gimbal for many fans proper now.
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