A light but effective steadycam for GH5?

[Adriano Moroni]

Hi, I'd like to buy a sdeadycam for my GH5 because I can't do any good movement with GH5 because the video isn't fluid but a bit jerky. I will use it only in my trips. Can you recommend a very light but effective steadycam for my GH5?
Thanks

[Noa Put]

The zhiyun crane v2

[Adriano Moroni]

I thank you. Is it light, easy to use and above all easy and fast to calibrate? It seems not light. I need easy to use too because I will use it only for walking.

[Noa Put]

You need to consider the min payload of the gimbal, too light and small gimbals will not be able to support the wheight of the gh5.
It is easy to use and fast to balance.

[Adriano Moroni]

Do you know Feiyu A2000 3-Axis? Is seems smaller and good for GH5.

[Noa Put]

no idea, YouTube is your friend, search for reviews.

[Adriano Moroni]

Is there start/stop video on Zhiyun crane v2 handle? I'm noticed there is even a button for the zoom of the lens in some Zhiyun crane models. Why is there it if it doesn't work with GH5? Thanks.

PS: A guy who has a Zhiyun crane v2 told me all electronic stabilizer are very delicate and fragile. He told me that in my movies it will last only a few days and then it will break. uffffff

[John C. Chu]

If I had a Gh5, I'd be seriously looking at the new DJI Ronin-S. It isn't light, but I like the integration with the Gh-5 with focusing knob right on the handle.

[Adriano Moroni]

Opsss, you message has arrived late. I have just purchased online a Zhiyun-Tech Crane Plus. It is the newer model of v2. I hope I will work fine with it.If I have to be sincere I can't think to use Ronin S in my trips. It is too much heavy.

[Adriano Moroni]

Hi, I have just bought a Zhiyun-Tech Crane Plus. I will get it in some days. I will use the gimbal only with the GH5 and Leica 12-60mm. Especially in wide angle lens or with a light tele. Out of curiosity I need to ask some questios because I'm absolutely inexperienced about gimbal. In August I will make my first serious UHD documentary in Africa (but not in the cities). How often do you use the gimbal every day? Yes, I know it might seem like a stupid question. But I would like to know if I can keep the GH5 on the gimbal all day. I need advice from experienced people please. I will not even have a few minutes for rest because I will shoot everything that appears in front of me from morning to night. But could the video annoy those watching the video, when they see all those movements used so often with the gimbal? I have no idea how to use a gimbal. Can you give me some advices please? THANKS for your suggestions.

[George Dean]

As I have stated previously, I currently do not have a gimbal. I have used them in the past, so my experience is limited and you are looking for opinions from those that use gimbals a lot. However, I will mention a few points while waiting for others to reply.

My use of a gimbal was to make camera moves when a dolly, slide, crane or track was inconvenient. It also provided a movement that can go from low to high (crane) while moving/following the subject/s (dolly). There is a definite advantage to a small handheld gimbal over my huge crane and zero-gravity head I have used in the past. But of course you know all this, and that is probably one of the reason you purchased one.

If you are constantly shooting for 10-12 hours, your GH5 batteries and memory card will have to be swapped out, which means removing the camera from the gimbal mounting plate. So leaving it attached the entire day and shooting the entire day will not happen. You may have to swap batteries and cards several times depending on the quality you are recording. You state this is a serious UHD shoot, so I assume you will want to record at the highest quality, limiting the storage space on your cards. So, that means you have an opportunity to take the GH5 off the gimbal and maybe this timing will allow you to shoot some scenes either camera handheld or on a tripod mount, later putting it back on the gimbal.

But if you in fact do keep it gimbal mounted the entire day, you can lock the movement when a scene does not require tracking a subject, or a camera move of some kind. Fortunately you do have time to practice with your gimbal before your trip, so you can get accustom to how you may want to employ it during the shoot. If you did not purchase the duel handle attachment (I think it is about $100 USD), that seems to me to be an item well worth the price to help alleviate the pain from a single point hold. If they have a remote control that mounts on the dual handle that seems to me to also be a valuable addition.

There are shoots I have done in the past that when it got started I wish I had a gimbal. These were high intensity stressful run and gun shoots. If I had a gimbal at the time, I would have had to leave the camera on for at least 3-4 hours at a time, as there just wasn't enough time to dismount/re-mount it once the action started. That is what your shoots sounds like, constant moving and shooting whatever photo moment presents itself and if you get a break, you will probably be shooting B roll. Your arms are going to get an extreme workout.

My interest in this thread is somewhat selfish, as I'm researching for a possible gimbal purchase within the next 6 months for my current GH4, by then a GH5.

[Noa Put]

What Dean said. A gimbal can be a great for mimicking different tools as you can do slider, crane movements as well beside the obvious walking moves but also just hold it still and it will look the same as you put in on a monopod. It won't replace all these tools as dedicated sliders, cranes etc will always give you more precise motion but if you have to travel light a gimbal is as versatile as it gets.

The main disadvantage is lack of control since you are holding the handle of the gimbal and not the camera, making adjustments on the fly on the camerabody like turning dials can be done as the gimbal will allow to touch the camera without it going berserk but you will see some shake in the footage while you do that.

To hold your gimbal incl the gh5 with lens an entire day is another story and I think you won't be able to as it will put a lot of strain on your muscles.

I use the gimbal a lot at weddings, I have a zhiyun but the first version which is a bit lighter and can carry a more limited weight, I have a Panasonic gx80 with a laowa 7,5mm f2 lens on it so that is a light set up and I can use it for longer periods.

[Adriano Moroni]

I already know the gimbal will create problems with my muscles and I don't intend to know this. I asked a different question. For how long time is it possibile to use a gilmbal every day to create a good documentary? Using too much a gimbal can it disturb the vision of the video? I'd like to know more technically how and for how long time you use the gimbal in a day's work. I have no interest if my muscles will give me pain or not. I need to know your experiences with the gimbal in order to learn how to use it in a short time.For example: if you have to work for 10 hours every day, for how long time would you use the gimbal? Thanks for your suggestions.

[Noa Put]

I already know the gimbal will create problems with my muscles and I don't intend to know this. I asked a different question. I have no interest if my muscles will give me pain or not.

You asked this:

But I would like to know if I can keep the GH5 on the gimbal all day. I will not even have a few minutes for rest because I will shoot everything that appears in front of me from morning to night.

And that's why I answered that I think this is not possible but excuse me for trying to give you some advice as I consider myself a experienced gimbal user. I guess you will figure it out for yourself soon enough so you don't have to deal with people anymore who are not giving you the exact answer to your often confusing questions.

[Adriano Moroni]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

You asked this:

And that's why I answered that I think this is not possible but excuse me for trying to give you some advice as I consider myself a experienced gimbal user. I guess you will figure it out for yourself soon enough so you don't have to deal with people anymore who are not giving you the exact answer to your often confusing questions.

ahaha Yes, but at the end of my question I wrote:
"But could the video annoy those watching the video, when they see all those movements used so often with the gimbal? I have no idea how to use a gimbal. Can you give me some advices please? THANKS for your suggestions."

I'm sorry, you are right, my questions are confuse for my bad english. Sorry! But now you answered me with a precise reply. Thanks.