DJI Ronin-M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer

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Product Description

The Ronin-M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer from DJI is a camera stabilization system designed to give the operator close to the freedom of unencumbered handheld shooting but without the hand-shake. Suitable for most camera types and configurations up to 8 pounds, the Ronin-M uses brushless motors that work on three axes: one for side-to-side "roll" - keeping the horizon level - one for tilt, and one for pan. The system is computer-controlled and features a tilt range of 105⁰ up / 165⁰ down plus a roll range of ±110⁰. Furthermore, the system boasts a precision of control of ±0.02°, enabling precise camera moves and stability correction against even very fine movements. In addition to handheld shooting, the gimbal can be used in vehicle mounting scenarios and other contexts where vibrations or other abrupt movements would make tripods and rigid camera support systems unsuitable. The Ronin-M supports dual-operator shooting, much like working with a jib that has a motorized pan/tilt head. In this mode, a second operator would use the included transmitter (radio controller) to manually control camera pan and tilt independently of which way the Ronin-M itself moves. The included transmitter/receiver system operates on 2.4 GHz and is proprietary. If you prefer to use a third-party transmitter there is a D-Bus port on the Ronin-M to install your own receiver. As with sled and vest style stabilizers, motorized gimbal systems require balancing before use. Once balanced, you can configure the Ronin-M for your particular camera arrangement using the Assistant Software for compatible iOS and Windows (Desktop) devices with Bluetooth. Because every camera and lens combination has a different mass and weight distribution, there is an ATS (Auto Tune Stability) procedure in which each axis will adjust individually, repeating the process until all three are aligned. A gimbal tuning stand is provided so you won't have to hand-hold the rig during this process.

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Product Details

• Brand: DJI
• Model: Gimbal Stabilizer
• Dimensions: 18.00" h x 12.00" w x 18.00" l,

Features

• Supports Cameras up to 8 Pounds
• Precision of Control: ±0.02°
• Transmitter for Remote Pan/Tilt Control
• Tool-Less Balance Adjustment System
• Bluetooth Wireless Interface for Setup

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
Easy set up with the quick start manual (15min)
By J Boyd
It's only weighs 5 lbs, but can hoist up to an 8 lb camera (most DSLRs, GH4, A7s, BMPCC, & Canon C100). The gimbals are silent when working, so your mics won't pick up any noise. Easy set up with the quick start manual (15min), and balancing took a bit longer to fine tune the floating point (10-20min). It includes a DJI controller similar to the Phantom 2/3 controller for a 2nd shooter to operate the pan/tilt/roll of the camera, while the first operator controls the movement (or shot). I was iOS, so the app worked perfectly for me. While it comes with a handy tuning stand, it has no dedicated case for transport (hello Pelican case). I really enjoy the top handle for shots low to the ground. It comes with one battery that seems to last around 5-6 hours under normal conditions. I also mounted a monitor to the handle, and ran my p-tap power off of the Ronin-M's battery (there's a port under the camera). If you're looking for Canon C100 type of action, make sure to find the arm extensions and an accessory mount (Cinemilled).

Overall, this is a sturdy and solid piece of equipment for any shooter's kit. For the price point, it's a must have for wedding video and lower end DSLR-type video work.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful.
Makes Huge Difference in Video Quality
By Daniel Ka
I'm happy I finally got my Ronin-M. I've been dreaming about buying this thing for a long time. The package arrived safe and on time. Putting all pieces together didn't take me long. Finding the perfect balance of the gimbal took FOOOREEEVVERRR despite all the experience I gained from my Glidecam hd4000 and all the knowledge I received from watching tons of Youtube videos. I spent a lot time testing the Ronin M with different cameras and lenses and each test took a while to be completed. It takes practice practice and practice to master this toy. You just can't take this thing out of the box and use it.
It takes time and practice to sharpen your balancing skills but once you get it, the Ronin M becomes a wonderful tool in your hands. I first tried to use it with my 5dMark3 and 24-104mm. I thought it was too heavy. Switched to my 70d and Sigma 18-35mm. Was still heavy. And balancing it with the 70d was harder because of the auto-focus of the camera. The auto-focus of the 70d creates little vibrations that throw the balance off. The system works fine when you keep the auto-focus off. The image wasn't as smooth as I wanted with the auto-focus on. I went back to the 5dm3 and 24-70mm and I got the perfection I was looking for. Once you get your balance, the next time things get easier. Now I can change lenses and balance the whole thing in 5 minutes.
Some advice: You have to play with different settings of the gimbal (on the DJI assistant app) until you achieve the perfection you want. Some settings I saw on Youtube didn't work with my camera and lens. I had to find my own comfort zone.
Play with the stiffness settings until the Ronin M behave as you want it to do. Adjust and readjust the speed of panning and tilting until the gimbal moves at the speed you want. Take your time and play with it. Forget about what you see on Youtube. Your settings will be unique to your gear.
The Auto-tuning of the assistant app won't help you much. You have to work the settings by yourself. From my experience, the stiffness of panning and tilting is perhaps the most important thing you need to get right. Otherwise, the camera will keep wobbling or drifting left and right.
Don't forget to calibrate the center when you use the Ronin M for the first time. That's something I forgot to do and the results weren't good. The Ronin M kept drifting to the left. Once I calibrated the center, the issue was solved.
Another thing, you need to buy a tall C-stand to hang this stabilizer. The tuning stand that comes with the Ronin is too short. You can't do many things with it, unless you carry a table around. A tall c-stand makes things easier when you're shooting. You can set the Ronin at your eye level and adjust the settings of your camera.
Overall, this is one of the best pieces of equipment I've ever bought. The footage it creates is unbelievably smooth and stable. It makes a huge difference in the quality of my video work. The battery is fantastic. It lasts forever. By the way, I received 2 of them. That was a surprise because I was expecting a package with one battery.
Will I go back to my Glidecam? No way. The Ronin M is helping me create shots that were impossible (or too difficult) to take with my Glidecam. The Ronin M actually combines several tools in one. It's a glidecam, a slider and a jib/crane combined. I was surprised at myself when I shot an entire event without using my slider and my Varizoom jib. I simply got all the shots I wanted with the Ronin M. Good job to DJI!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Great rig for small DSLR cameras!
By mikev
I previously bought the larger version of the Ronin and loved it, it was just incredibly heavy so it burned out my shoulders pretty quickly carrying it around for event filming and corporate shoots. Since I only use DSLR cameras it just made sense to to get this one.
I bought a Pelican 1510 roller case that you can carry on an airplane and it fits perfectly in there. The handle bars completely come apart so this is so compact. I even fit this in the top of my camera backpack on a trip to Haiti. I had to pack the tuning stand (which is also compact) into my tripod case, but that was totally fine because it's small.
I can confidently put a 60D on it with a 20mm lens on it.
I can NOT confidently put my 6D on this with a 35mm f1.4 L series lens on it. It's very difficult to balance perfectly. You think it's balanced, but then the side motor gets really hot and it will shut down. So you re-balance it and then it works fine for a bit, or so you think. After reviewing the shots later the tilt in the shot is bouncy because the camera still wasn't balanced well. You might have better luck, but it hasn't worked great for me. The lighter 60D with a 20mm works just fine, the image quality isn't as great on the 60D though.

I use a SmallHD DP4 monitor on it as well. In the standard mode, or flipping it upside in the overhead mode, this works incredibly. Batteries typically lasted all day even though I wasn't using it for every shot. I'd say 4-5 hours of use.
For the 60D it's also super easy to balance, and easy to use the DJI Assistant app on my iPhone to dial in the response to panning, tilting and rolling.
I keep the tuning stand handy so I can set it down from time to time. You can secure the Ronin-M to the stand with some included Velcro straps, but the one issue is it only came with 2 straps. You need 3. I ordered some off of Amazon - there's a 3 pack. You need one to secure the battery area to the stand at the back, the other 2 straps hold the Yoke arms to the bottom two legs. From there you can carry it around by the top handle to various places during your event shoot, unhook the velcro, pick it up, do some shots, set it back down.
Also the tuning stand is light weight but it's sort of crappy. I put it in my tripod bag and checked it. When it arrived one of the legs had fallen out of the socket as if they didn't put much glue on it - I had to use superglue on it to stick it back in. Just keep some on hand if you plan to travel with this.

If you're planning to shoot a lot on small DSLR cameras, this really is the perfect rig. If you think you'll add a camera/lens combo that is over 8 pounds, I'd get the larger version or another gimbal system.
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