{"id":47652,"date":"2019-06-30T03:25:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-30T07:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=47652"},"modified":"2026-04-17T02:03:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T06:03:07","slug":"review-ronin-s-gimbal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/review-ronin-s-gimbal\/","title":{"rendered":"review: Ronin S gimbal"},"content":{"rendered":"

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review: Ronin-S gimbal<\/h1>\n

When shooting video, there quickly follows a desire to make it look as cinematic as possible – smooth video that doesn’t shake. I truly despise shaky-cam.\u00a0Gimbals that allow fluid motion were once outside the realm of what we could easily afford … but it is now very much an accessible option for all of us. And right now, I regard the Ronin-S gimbal<\/a>\u00a0(B&H<\/a><\/em> \/ Amazon<\/a><\/em>) as the most attractive option out there. But first, a story how I got to the Ronin S:<\/p>\n

A number of years back I rented the Freefly Movi M5, and loved it, but it was complex to set up, and still pricey. \u00a0Around the time when the DJI Ronin hit the market, I settled for the American made Defy G2X gimbal<\/a>\u00a0instead because the Defy didn’t need a separate stand like the Ronin did. I eventually sold that, and bought a smaller Ikan gimbal on which I used a Fuji X-T20. The Ikan Beholder was okay. But too small and not as steady as the larger gimbals. \u00a0And then, as my good fortune would have it, right when the DJI Ronin-S was announced, I dropped my Fuji X-T20 and rendered it unrepairable. An opportunity to upgrade forced onto me!<\/p>\n

The Ronin-S was exactly what I needed in a gimbal. Easy to set up, and use. Adaptable with many user options, all accessed via the phone app.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, I needed a gimbal that is powerful enough that I could adjust the zoom on the camera, without creating problems with the balancing of the camera on the gimbal. With small gimbals, you would have to balance the gimbal more or less at the focal length you would use it, for if the lens extended (or retracted), the gimbal’s motor would start working too hard, and you’d get judder. Not so with the Ronin-S. I use the Sony A7 iii camera<\/a>\u00a0(B&H<\/a><\/em> \/ Amazon<\/a><\/em>),\u00a0on it with the Sony 16-35mm f\/2.8 GM<\/a>\u00a0(B&H<\/a><\/em> \/ Amazon<\/a><\/em>). I balance the camera and lens at a middle focal length (24mm), and zoom the lens as I need to during a shoot, with no concern whether the Ronin-S can handle the change in balance as the lens extends or retracts in length.<\/p>\n

While I love this gimbal, there is one considerable negative for me – the quick release plate for the camera isn’t the standard Manfrotto plate, but a proprietary quick release plate that doesn’t fit the monopod and tripod you may have.<\/p>\n

Other than that, I really like everything about the gimbal. Even the weight, which I feel adds some stability to the setup.<\/p>\n

I have been using the camera for a few months now, and have taken it on various trips with me, and to shoot professional events, as well as shoot video as well. Below are several video clips, and some compilation clips of work I have done with the gimbal.<\/p>\n

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