Advice is to Unsubscribe some of those gear revview youtubers. My feeds are bombarded with these 2 gimbals today. And some of the titles makes you really think you need it. like take your video to next level. This is game changer, etc. But later I clam down and think I can't make the those videos with my current gimbal? Then I finally get over it. I do not need to buy it.
What you said makes absolutely sense. I already have a gimbal and was looking to get another one, when I haven’t even used the one I have now. Mostly because I’m nervous about using it in public when I travel. I need to get over that fear, but nevertheless, it hasn’t been used to this date. Appreciate your thoughts.
This video is so refreshing, straight up to the truth, not trying to aim for sponsorships and making people waste their money on unnecessary gear like the rest of youtubers. 👏🏻
your totally right on everthing! in my case i work in 3 steps: - step1 : gear between 0$ to 100$, buy it. - step 2 : gear between 100$ to 300$, how often i'm gonna use this bad boy. - step 3 : gear 300$ and up, do i really need it. if yes, sleep on it for an year. if it still yes, buy it. 😀 Great video as usual!
senseless video honestly.. everything in every industry has "updated" products almost yearly. Cars, cameras, gear, lights, etc etc buy what you need at the time and use it.. If a newer model comes out that has featured YOU NEED then get it.
Most important thing you said, in my opinion, WATCH REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE THAT DO SAME LINE OF WORK THAT YOU DO RU-vid is fill up of people that are only influencers that tell you about best of best gear ⚙ but you never seen them working or making any money on same line of work that you do, appreciate your videos Heather wish you all the success 🙏
Out of all the gimbals I have the original weebill s is by far the best for my specific needs. Every weekend I have a wedding/ quinceanera that requires holding a gimbal for 10-30 minutes at a time and every bit of weight I can shave off matters and the weebill s hits the right power to weight ratio.
I too film weddings and quinceaneras in Bakersfield CA and I use two weebil S, one with a panasonic s5II and 50mm f1.8 while the ther weebil s with a pnasonic s5 and tokina 11-16mm f2.8. To me they are a must piece of equipment.
Thanks for this discussion! I'm a woodworker on RU-vid, so mainly I have stationary camera setups in the shop. I'm gearing up (pun intended) to go off site to a farm to get some barn wood. I just did a side-by-side comparison between my new Sony camera with active steady shot and my iPhone 7 while walking around my yard holding both. The footage from the iPhone was a lot smoother! To my surprise (and dismay). Cell phone cameras have amazing stabilization!
I think the biggest inclusion to some of the newly released gimbals are the Raven Eye which allows active tracking and pre programming a complex camera movement. For anyone that films alone, this is an invaluable feature. It's like having an invisible camera man.
Exactly. And you don't have to get up and adjust the camera position, you can just do it from your phone app. Same with focus. Great for one person. Makes setting up a lot quicker.
After the temptation to perform gimbal acrobatics fades, a walk-n-talk, a smooth push in or out, or a dolly-like left or right, is all a run and gun filmmaker needs a gimbal for. Ronin S or SC, does plenty good with that. Your advice as usual is great. Thank you for your work.
@@FellowFilmmaker First of all, wonderful videos. I bought a used RS3 from a small online store for 300 euros; upon receipt, I noticed it had a broken tilt lock. The guy offered to give me 150 euros or return it. I knew it was under warranty and even told the seller. They said it was my choice. I took the 150 euros and DJI fixed it for free. But I'm somewhat leaning toward selling it (in my market it's sitting at about 400 euros). There's a Miller Air tripod for 300 that would honestly force me to just be better.
Oh my god, the trading skills for gear part is so true! Lately I also realised that my learning needs are waaaay different than other people and building up skills and practice has no substitute whatsoever. You gotta put the time in. That was a bitter pill to swallow, since I am very alone in my learning process because I tend to suffer from the "not good enough" problem. I don't finish projects because I think they're not good enough and I had to force myself to start doing stuff even if the gear was lacking! Theory actually comes natural for me....it's the practise time that I need to consistently put in. Pre pandemic I started learning by doing...and then the opportunities disappeared....
I’m the same too. Can’t seem to get myself going. Shooting anything is not enough for me. Shoot random people, birds and shit is boring. I like actual subjects and production or something that makes it worth recording.
I’m so glad I found this video. Yeah, I’ve got a gimbal I don’t ever use. I’m the perfect gimbal marketing target, a semi-pro RU-vidr that always shoots handheld walk and talk videos, but less is more. I prefer shooting with my iPhone to avoid attracting attention and skip the gimbal and pro-cameras because it just gets in the way of creating spontaneous content. Anyway, subscribing because you seem down to earth and honest. Digging it.
Well I'm glad you found the channel too :D I certainly understand the light setup to not attract attention, I feel that way as well at times. Hope you enjoy the channel! :D Glad to have you
Love having my RS2 and see no need to upgrade to the new one. I even back tracked from my EOS R Line of hybrids and went with the older gen Canon Cinema on the used market as it better fit my purpose for commercial/corporate work. Personally love all the new gear that gets released because I’m able to get last gen gear at a bargain price since so many people trying to dump their basically new gear for the newest gear. The push for raw has made available so many great 10bit/8bit cinema options available that pay themselves off with one job. 😁
I have so many things to say! 1. You are my all time favorite tech RU-vidr for saying/making this. 2. I also have a Ronin S on my shelf that is collecting dust. It went off balance in two events I was shooting and I never trusted it again. 3. Your lighting is amazing. 4. I can’t believe this was shot on an iPhone. It looks great! 5. Can you please make a video showing how you installed and use that bar on the ceiling (where you hung the light from)?!
So glad you enjoy the videos I create! :D And I might make one on just that since folks keep asking about it! It's a Varipole btw, and I did show it off a lil bit in my recent studio tour, if you want to see it a bit better
@Fellow Filmmaker I've never heard so much foolishness in my life. 1st of all, you clearly dont know what gear to buy from what not to buy. I've had the ronin s from release and still have it. I made my money back on it after 1 event coverage shoot. If you're complaining about how long it takes to balance then dont even think about touching a steadicam. I went from taking 10 minutes to balancing to less than 3 mins, dont know why you cant get the hang of it after using it a few times. AND, i'm getting the rs3 pro only because I know it has features that I know I need and will use. You buy stuff to sit on the shelf and collect dust so you can sell it back at 75% loss like, really??? I wish you'd consider buying the Rs3 pro so i can buy it off you for 50% off lol
Haha you're funny :P Everyone is in a different situation and has a different view of profitability, so it's hard to say we all will share the same thoughts and values, yeah? Happy to hear you enjoy your purchases and make really good ones each time :D
I just sold my Ronin S gimbal, having not used it for work since October. It's so easy to get into the mindset of "this hardware will change everything", but that's rarely the case.
So refreshing to come cross someone not wearing make-up, false everything, loud & revealing outfits etc. Thank you. I will attempt to watch your other videos, from my off-grid homestead in the forest, in Canada.
I’ve also got the original Ronin and don’t use it too often, but it definitely comes in handy at times. I was able to try the new ones and while they’re absolutely great, there’s no reason for someone like me to upgrade. I guess it all just depends on individual workflow?
This is my new favorite film-making channel! So happy I discovered your channel, been binging it in these last few days and it's helped me get creative again for my RU-vid videos! Keep up the great work!
This is so true! I keep buying gear thinking it will make this and that easier to accomplish but what I need to do is practice over and over again with the gear I have to get good results. I have yet to use my gimbal on a job. Great videos BTW.
I feel we all need to remind ourselves this, whenever we think a piece of gear will be the ultimate answer. I mean, sometimes it can be, but not always :D
I migrated from Hong Kong to Australia to start a new life more than 3 years ago. So I hold back buying anything because my finance is far less stable than the good old days. And all of a sudden, I find myself still using equipment that is at least 4 years old. Turns out, that doesn't really affect my shooting much, except that fact that some of the clients who knows a little bit of photo video gear would have some judgement on that. The most important thing is make full use of your gears instead of having the latest technologies. And worse still, whenever I try to share this kind of opinion, there would be someone who think they have to have the latest and most advanced gear. Very good sharing.
I brought the Ronin-S second hand from someone on craiglist, loved it and used it a bunch. Even rented out a bunch of times. When I sold it, it paid for itself after 2 years.
In 2021 I paid peanuts for a counterweight stabilizer to learn on. It took a couple hundred hours to shooting to get the balance right. Then more to get my technique down. I now refuse to re-balance it for another camera or lens combo. It's like a magic wand when it's balanced correctly. I get the appeal of the little electric gimbals. Aren't they just as finicky to balance, and the lack of repair, glad you got out while the thing still operated well. Cheers excellent and helpful video 👍
Great advices! Sometimes it's dificult to resist, there's a lotsssss of reviews telling "the old one is bad and the new one is so awesome". FOMO is the enemy. I'm still using Weebill-S and so far works for me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Cheers
It's too easy to get caught up in wanting the latest and greatest, and the thing that always reigns me in is when I go back to basics -- what type of work am I interested in doing, and what do I need to do it? I bought a small guidecam a few years ago. Played with it a couple of times, but never did use it on a paid job. Found that using a simple monopod with IBIS worked more than good enough for what I needed, and was much easier to set up and use. Have thought many times over the last few years about getting a 2-channel wireless mic set, but haven't yet run into a situation where I actually NEEDED it. Just spent over $600 on filters because 2 of my more recent jobs would have been much better if I had an easier filter set to work with. Love the idea of the Revoring to switch filters from one lens to another with different thread sizes.
Ur absolutely right .. 2 years back i bought the dji ronin sc bcus i was fascinated by gimbles and was using phone gimbles at that time and shooting a lot with my phone. .. then few months ago when i upgraded my cameras and was thinking o should get a new gimble which will be more suited fr my new camera. Then i thought .. as a remote video editor & youtuber, jow many times i actually used by old gimble .. the answer was only a few times and its still almost new. Because i don’t shoot weddings and the type of videos i mainly make i hardly needed gimbles. And so i didn’t purchased one and now i know i did the right decision as i hardly use gimble. And buying a used product is a very clever thing to do
I agree. I get fantastic results using Gyroflow in standalone or integrated on Resolve. The only caveat is that the camera must record gyro data and shutter speeds set to 1/200 second. For me, gimbals are great for professionals who do a great deal of video and have good endurance with good upper body strength.
I agree with everything you said. I’m on my 3rd gimbal and 2nd phone gimbal. They are both sitting on a shelf. 😂. You would think I have learned my lesson but I fight the urge to buy a OneWheel several times a year! Looks like fun but I really don’t need it and I know I won’t ride it in traffic around town. Still though..The Urge!!😂
Yes!!! I do the same with the onewheel. Looks fun, can convince myself I'll use it for filming, but know inside I'll have it sit a whole lot. Not to mention I need the exercise, haha :D
I just bought a Sony ZV-E10 and had been informed about a rolling shutter issue, but apparently this thing can't be used for any kind of moving video without a gimbal, so now I feel obligated to spend more on a gimbal to make the camera usable. How ridiculous that Sony would put out a camera with such a fundamental flaw. And so many RU-vid videos saying what a great camera it is for the price.
i bought the 1st zhiyun crane gimbal made for $300, which they stopped selling in 2016. I have since owned 3 gimbals and used much higher end gimbals. My original was just as, if not more smooth than these larger and more expensive gimbals. We def dont need to waste money on all these new toys every year!
i use only Neewer brand products (lights, diffusers, tripods,slider, stands, etc) 😅 i motorize the slider with a cheap arduino, a stepper and some youtube tutorial, mount with a cheap Weebill S in an old Nikon D5500 for shoot products in vertical videos for social media, some precise and smooth shots can only be obtained by having the right equipment.
I also bought the Ronin S and sure it’s a pain in the backside to set up. I found it a nightmare to use, I got so frustrated with it. Then I spent a solid week using it nonstop. After that I love it, and no will not be changing it. I found it awesome for panoramic photography, which was something I had not even considered when buying it. But yes I agree there is so much kit coming out it’s difficult to pick what is going to be game changing and what’s just going to be extra weight in the bags!
Good point about game changing vs. shelfers I think that is why it's so important to ask questions when it comes to gear to determine how much it'll improve things or just sit around
Ah, great discussion topic... but the only reason you can take your position is b/c you've been there, done that. In only a year or two, I've bought "what I needed" then rebought what I "really needed" through about 3 cycles. 🤣 This is true for lights, stands, cameras, lenses, gear, cabinets (now the Husky). I blame it all on RU-vid experts (yourself excluded, of course!) and, I admit, each cycle brought me better practicality, service, and performance. I think it is called experience. So now my rig is part you, part Caleb and Dunna, and part me. And I'm enjoying this costly journey- and appreciate the part you've graciously participated. BTW, the Husky with top cabinet is great but the 8 bright aluminum handles are really eye-catching distracting. So I took 2" matte gray Gaffers tape and (lovingly) covered each handle. Amazing difference. The Husky now acts more like the storage furniture it ought to be rather than the star of my studio. Wow! It holds a lot- thanks again for the tip and I promise I won't be reselling it. 😁
I'm happy I found this video! I am in the market for a gimbal and I did not realize how expensive they are. This video made me assess if I truly need it or find other ways to shoot w/o going broke. Gracias!
I use my gimbal 3-5 days a week and it’s an essential part of my kit. It’s eliminated my slider completely and I’ve sold almost all my extra gear I don’t use. We’ve all been there - spending $ on gear we don’t need or use. It’s just part of it. Needs change over time. Your equipment will too.
Ronin S sucked so bad: Certain gear is worth looking into though. The lidar that DJI has out is pretty dope. I don’t have AF lenses and I’m able to have it track me and focus with anamorphic glass. But I also have a tilta float that has been sitting and taking up a ton of space for months. In theory a lot of stuff is great. But sometimes the stuff is so complicated that it slows you in your workflow. I hear you & appreciate this info. I have so much stuff and I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Composition, lighting, set design and well planed scenes is the real important aspect here
As someone who bought the rs2 this year, I wished I could have invested that money in a new lens or lighting. Thank you for giving my inner monologue another outside voice.
I’ve bought my share of stuff that I later regretted. Now I pick out a piece of gear and then walk away for two days. When I come back to it I then have a clearer head. It saves me a lot of money and frustration. Good video. Good advice.
Loved this video, is exactly what i need, a cable to earth, i've been looking for a RS3 pro, but probably i really don't need one, or i can get the older version used for a cheap price. when you bought a lens you know is going to be forever, but this piece of tech like gimbals or drones or cameras are a different case.
Thoughtful and needed video. Can you make a video on all the stands, mounts and clips you use for different lights. It'll be very useful to know the names of them and how one can use them 😊
Finally...thank you for addressing the weight issue of a gimbal. I just got the Ronin rsc and with all the bells and whistles, I can’t hold it for longer than 1 min. I’m also finding that I’m taking less shots because of this issue and I feel like my creativity is hindered. I feel so much freeer going handheld. I’m in a bit of funk about this. But thank you for this video!
*Looks over to gear shelf at dust covered gimbal.... yup lol, haven't touched it in years. Unless you're constantly doing action tracking shots with a ton of B-roll, 95% of the time, IBIS, Warp Stabilize or a steady hand will get what you need. RU-vid makes new gear seem SO crucial... the way channels PUMP UP gimbals and drones every month, but you're right. Better to master what you have before sprinkling more and more gear on the pile.
Very true. A gimbal does have it's place, I have no doubt there, in fact I likely will own one again someday when I need it. But for sure it can feel like a big need when gear gets hyped up.
especially photography and videography channels.. I distrust 99% of them.. If you need anything, buy it from a place you can get a really generous return policy.. ( avoid adorama.. )
@@kerokero3082 yikes guy. Coming in swinging. If you do a lot of work that requires prolonged moving shots, get a gimbal. Glad you like it. I didn't. I was quite clear, for my work, it's redundant. For most narrative filmmaking, a handheld shot can be smoothed out enough by other means to not need a gimbal for most scenarios. My Panasonic s1h has rock solid ibis and for what I need has made my gimbal obsolete. You're entitled to your own opinion on this. Just communicate like a grown up eh?
Ive been making money out of hybrid content for 8 years now with a Nikon D750 - Ive never owned a gimbal and never shot 4K. Problem is if you watch influencers youll feel inadequate
Many years ago I bought a jib arm and a slider - both used, but I hardly used them. Then I bought a new gimbal (Black Friday special), but I didn't really use it until I found the right camera - a used Sony A7SII. Now I use it on almost every shoot to record B-roll. It's not the fanciest gimbal but paired with right camera made all the difference.
Thank you, I don't need a gimbal. I shoot most of my works with a drone mini 3 pro and a osmo pocket 1. Even my entry Sony zve10 I don't use very often. It's not the gear, is the storytelling.
Totally agree. Buying the latest piece of equipment doesn’t make you better. Buy what you need for the type of work you do and build on your skills. Otherwise you’re going to drive yourself crazy and become miserable worrying about the newest gear. Personally I hate gimbals. They can sometimes be limiting creatively and after a while all the projects look the same and boring. That being said my two major clients prefer gimbals and use them all the time. So in my case it makes sense. Saw the new releases and said to myself I’m good will stick with the RS2.
Yeah, it depends on what you shoot and how often you're doing that type of work. So like you said, it makes sense for you, but also might not mean you need the newest ones either well put
I agree with you, to my knowledge gimbals are great at shooting details, now I'm not saying they are not practical, but for some reason shooting over time with a gimbal makes you super exhausted, plus if you are filming for long hours, it's going to kill you, I only use it for shooting details that are all, so for that being said 99% of the time I use my Manfrotto monopod which I founded super useless.
Thank you Heather, you are 100% right, some Gear that I have, I don't really need it, or I use it once or twice a year, I do Videos just for fun, so not making Money and spend money on Gear hurts.. great video, excelent!!! 👍🏼
I've tried the Ronin M, Ronin S, RS2, Letus Jr, a few of the random japanese ones and none of them produced footage anywhere close to as good as my 8 year old Movi M5. Freefly created the gimbal as we know it and everyone else just copied them. The M10 was $10k-$15k when it came out and I've seen them sell for as little as $300 on eBay. Even being 8 year old tech it's an insane value at the prices they're selling for.
Very honest review of everything. I also have a Ronin S - I have never used it. But I will not sell it before I have used it in some production :) Basically people can use what ever they have. Are you making money filming or is it a hobby etc. The more you make the more you can buy, but dont think that gear will help you sell your work. Eighter you have skills or you dont. Your income will tell you that.
Focusing on growing the skills is really important. Sometimes that's just doing more to grow and sometimes it's a piece of gear. Have to have some wisdom in it :D
This is actually the reasons that I buy DJI since there product development/lauches are usually 2 years apart where as a company like Zhiyun feels like they release a new gimbal every couple of months.
I agree with you on the DJI products. I was just watching a RU-vid video on their new DJI microphones that come with lightning and usb c adapters. I’m hoping they are worth it for $329 dollars. I wonder which mic did she use her and what phone brand and model.
Great point is also that if new generation of whatever is released it doesn't mean predecessors stop working immidiately. Ronin S is doing great for me for years and I'm probably not looking forward to replace it until it dies where update to new RF15-35 from my previous lens was a big deal to me. Some things matter more some not at all. Don't worry if new gear is released!
Very good advice! As you said, sometimes we try convincing ourselves that we need of something that we don't need really. And it is good hearing that. We need to hear it from someone on the outside to open our eyes. Thanks ;)
Totally agree with not just buying everything. For me, I have held off on a gimbal, but I keep coming back to I really need it for specific types of work I do where my handheld rig doesn't do enough or in the case of a camera with no ibis. Not wanting to spend a ton, I caught a good sale and got one that can hold my heavy gear for close to $300, so that's a no brainer for me. But yea, all the time I am seeing people trying to pull a gear flex yet they don't seem to really know how to use it.
Truth ... so much truth. I've spent maybe about $5k on gimbals since 2015 or so. Sold most of them. None of them paid for themselves. There are only a few pieces of gear that have been really valuable to me and actually paid for themselves because I use them on every job. A tripod, a couple cameras, a couple of mics, and a light kit are things I use on every job. There are maybe 2-3 jobs a year that I use a gimbal or any of the other gear I have that aren't cameras, tripods, mics, or lights.
@@FellowFilmmaker yeah it’s funny now that I have newer Sony cams that can be stabilized with catalyst in post I am more likely to just shoot hand held and do that instead of busting out a gimbal these days.
yup. I have an old feiutech v2 gimbal for wedding videos. I guess it is used at every wedding but not nearly as much as I thought it would be. Best investments for me is grip gear which never goes out of style.
You were born smart. You're just thinking about what you're saying and not so much what you're doing. I can't talk, think, and do things at the same time, either. Great info, btw, and totally agree with you. I skipped the gimbal and got a steadycam harness for about $500. I used it once in 3 years while shooting a short horror film. Not something I regret, but not something I use much. I think I've used my slider, more.
Good advise. I am the person that buys the product second hand from you. Just bought a xt3 for video. Real cheap 4k 60fps 10bit. Super cheap. Less is more. There is always a second hand bargain if you keep your eyes open. You lose less money when you sell on then.
I've used the Ronin S for a few years now and it's been great. But I've completely ignored every subsequent gimbal release in the last couple years because the original Ronin S still works perfectly
I feel ya, I never felt a need to upgrade mine when I had it. Just realized I didn't use it much for what I was doing. When I get back into something that needs it, well I guess I'll buy a used older model of whatever is out :D
My exact sentiment. I've owned and used two other Zhiyun gimbals with decent success, but I ended up buying a Ronin-s second hand and sold the others. Since then, I've had no interest, or use for any other gimbal. I have almost all of the accessories for the ronin and it can do everything I need with just a little imagination. I also don't think i've purchased any gear new, except lights and lenses; That and I recognized what gear I actually need and use and don't require the most cutting edge/new gear.
@@FellowFilmmaker Absolutely. Your point about actually needing and using the gear is 100% correct. I use the Ronin a lot for paid gigs so the investment has been worth it. But none of the features on the newer gimbals would impact or improve my workflow (I suppose the lighter weight would save my back and shoulders a bit...)
You're so right, I think our main weakness is to believe these equipments will automatically increase our creative skill or the video we see on what this thing does, will automatically fall on us. But main thing I learnt from this video was not forgetting that this is business and whatever you invest in needs to bring in money. Thank you so much😎😎😎
such a fresh and honest opinion! thanks for sharing it! i bought the ronin sc 2 years ago and i've used it twice! im going to sell it ! thanks for this video was super helpful
Funny you should say that.. recently had a job and when we were about to start, I realised my gimbal wasn’t turning on, it was just dead. So i swore I would never go on a job without a backup gimbal and immediately ordered another one. Ever since then, I’m really up for filming handheld, because the 50fps from that fateful shoot without stabilisation turned out nicely and even had some interesting angles which wouldn’t have happened had I been on that gimbal
This hit home 😅 Ronin S sits on my shelf most of the year because I can usually handhold. BUT I will be using it for a shoot for tomorrow for it’s yearly appearance
I’m starting to think that I’m better off with using a lightweight tripod or monopod with legs than using a gimbal. I’m finding the DJI RS3 is much harder to control. I can also create motion effects in Final Cut Pro X.
A gimbal is a tool, like a slider is a tool, like a crane is a tool. You need to buy things because you need them not because they are getting out. If your type of filming doesn't involve following moving subject to get steady shots, you don't need a gimbal.
I sold my gimbal for a monopod and a slider. A much better option for what I want. That's also why I decided to buy vintage contact Zeiss for video. Those lenses are appreciating vs most modern lenses
I've bought a lot of stuff doing the same mistake so I totally understand. I never sold any of my stuff, as I feel the pain when I know I paid over 1500 for a nikon 990 with just 1 gig of memory and todays price is probably not even 5 dollars. I have 2 nikon 990s sitting on my "history shelf", never to be used again. I stumbled upon your video as I was shopping to buy a good gimbal today and bought a gimbal last week and wanted something better, and was thinking of buying a goood one. Your video has definitely given me some good medicine for my brains.
Wow what a fresh and honest Video! Keep it real and and keep it coming. I have been following Mckinnon since he had less than 500k Subscribers and still prefer his old Videos out of his Living Room over the new fancy stuff. Keep it up - keep it real. You just earned a new Subscriber ;-)
Thank you! So glad you watched, enjoyed, and subscribed! I remember when Peter would do stuff out of the bedroom, haha, it was a bit more chill then for sure. :D Thanks for the comment! It was great to read :) Welcome again
I have the Ronin S, I didn’t know anything about Gimbals when I bought it last July. If I knew what I know now back then, I would have bought the Ronin RSC 2.
