Electronic Gimbal for 5D3: Best for $1,000 price range?

cayenne

CR Pro
Mar 28, 2012
2,866
795
Hi all,

Ok, this topic actually started off with me looking into the DJI Osmo Mobile electronic gimble for my iPhone 6S plus.

I then started thinking, "Hey, it has been a long time since I even thought about a nice gimbal system for my full frame DSLR"....

In the past, I'd tried early on with the simple "dumb" gimbal type things you just try to balance and I never got one to work.

Then we had the very $$$$$ ones that worked great, but were rather large and again...pricey...I think one was the Ronin?

Anyway...so, just started looking on YouTube and found a few reviews for a few that look actually VERY amazingly good for about the $1K price range.

I've seen a few like:
Zhiyun-Tech Crane.
Came TV
Ikan EC1

And starting to look into these.

I was wondering if to start me off to just looking at the best bang for the buck ones, I might ask ya'll what you're recommendations might be?

I have my 5D3, and currently I have it mounted to the RRS L-Plate system that works with arca swiss mounts.
I'd ideally like to get a gimbal what would work with that QR type system.

Anyway, it appears a LOT of progress on stabilization devices for DSLR's have vastly improved and become more reasonable price-wise since I first looked into it years ago when my 5D3 was new.

Y'all have steered me in great directions in the past and I hope ya'll can give me some suggestions on what to look at for this.

Thank you,

Cayenne
 
Mar 25, 2011
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1,835
this one is just a little over your price point, but its also in a higher class that the $800 ones.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1262179-REG/came_tv_came_argo_argo_3_axis_handheld_gimbal.html

The DJI is popular at 1K

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1338984-REG/dji_ronin_m_3_axis_gimbal_stabilizer.html

I'd look hard at both these, check multiple reviews, and see if they fit your needs. Do you want to transmit wireless video, for example.
 
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Nov 1, 2012
1,549
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I recently bought used Came-TV to use with my 5D4, and I just had my first shoot-day with it.

Can't compare to others since that's the only one I've used. Couple comments:

-Balancing (while using stand) was fairly simple. First round took some time, then it got faster
-The balance (/plate) drifted some so it needed to rebalance at times, but we kept fumbling with the camera so that moved the plates
-Having 5D4 wireless options was life saver. I tethered the screen and controls to my phone. I first had it attached to the handle, but it got much better when I handed the phone to my assistant. He'd control the camera fully from the screen, including focusing. Also many times when it was impossible for me to see the screen of the camera, the assistant would hold the phone to my eye-level so I knew how to position the gimbal.
-Weight was there, but it wasn't too bad. Most times I could hold it fairly long, some positions holding it super high were more difficult and had to rest hands.

I assume those are more or less same as any other similar price range gimbal.
 
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cayenne

CR Pro
Mar 28, 2012
2,866
795
Thank you all for the input!!

The more I looked at them, I found I was looking at gimbals that were for cameras much smaller and lighter than my 5D3...the original ones I looked at were for mirrorless cams, Sony's...etc.

As of this moment, the DJI Ronin - M is looking to be the leading candidate for me....

The price is up there a bit and I've got a few things to buy ahead of it...but at this point, that is looking to be the best quality one.

C
 
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