A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 at DVinfo.net

Luc Spencer · January 10th, 2016, 05:19 AM

Happy 2016 everyone!

Last year about this time I bought a Wondlan Carbon Fiber Magic stabilizer. NEVER BUY IT. It's cheap but it will ruin shots and destroy lives.

Luckily I found someone who will buy it off me. The question is... what to replace it with? I know our beloved Noa here has the Team Rebel Design MS1. Since I don't have the very light Olympus 12mm lens, that is not an option for me. I will be using the 7-14mm lens which is heavier than the GH4 itself.

Which means I would need to buy the DS1, the $700 version that supports that amount of weight. I still think it's worth the money, but I'm worried about customer support and warranty issues.

Same concerns regarding the new Nebula 4200. To which we add the squeaking it makes. And that both hands are required to operate it, whereas the DS1 is one-handed.

I'm not looking for something PERFECT here (stabilization-wise), just something that can film at an angle and very close to the ground (the equivalent of turning the Glidecam upside-down). And something that doesn't go crazy if there's a light breeze outside. Oh and definitely under $1000. Any ideas are welcome, thank you!

Edit: I'm most inclined to go for the DS1. if any of you have the slightest experience / interaction with that company and think they're alright, please let me know.

Noa Put · January 10th, 2016, 11:34 AM

I worry about support as well, my experience with these companies is that communication is often a problem as English is not their native language and they always seem to suggest one solution "send it back to us" and that sending back is ofcourse on your own cost. That's why I bought the cheapest and smallest, the ms1, I could find.

About the Nebula 4000, if you buy it from CMR who doesn't make the Nebula but is a dealer then you don't need to worry about support, they offer the best support ever.

Vishal Jadhav · January 11th, 2016, 02:00 AM

Luc,

I use the GH4 extensively now, looking at the stabilizers in the market i wanted a thing that would take the GH4 and yes had weight capacity to handle anything similar or a bit heavier in future. Hence i bought the Team Rebel Design DS1 as it takes 1.7 kg or 3.3 lbs as weight capacity. have been using it for a few weeks now and it does a good job , my work involves shooting in jungles hence there are interesting instances happening. In a city it should do amazing work.
Yes they do have a communication issue but you can follow their channel on Youtube and they are more than eager to put up videos which will help you .
i am not at all disappointed with this product.

best

Noa Put · January 11th, 2016, 03:53 AM

I recently did read about a ds1 user complaining that it was too heavy for him to handhold for longer periods, especially in combination with bigger and heavier dslr's/lenses. I use my ms1 with my gh4 and the 9-18mm lens or the 12mm from olympus, both tiny very light lenses but with excellent image quality, in terms of weight it's about the lightest setup you can get.

Luc Spencer · January 11th, 2016, 05:33 AM

Well my Wondlan weighs 1.2kg + 2 weights of 200g each, so a total of 1.6kg just for the rig itself.

The DS1 weighs 1.09kg. So that's half a kg lighter which is a lot.

thank you Vishal, I might just end up ordering the DS1. do you get an extra battery for it or do you need to buy that separately?

Vishal Jadhav · January 11th, 2016, 07:44 AM

They have been giving it with a extra set of batteries , the 18650 which is the battery in it is not that difficult to get, i ordered extra set of another brand along with a battery charger.

January 10th, 2016, 05:19 AM	#1
Luc Spencer Major Player Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Romania Posts: 201	A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 Happy 2016 everyone! Last year about this time I bought a Wondlan Carbon Fiber Magic stabilizer. NEVER BUY IT. It's cheap but it will ruin shots and destroy lives. Luckily I found someone who will buy it off me. The question is... what to replace it with? I know our beloved Noa here has the Team Rebel Design MS1. Since I don't have the very light Olympus 12mm lens, that is not an option for me. I will be using the 7-14mm lens which is heavier than the GH4 itself. Which means I would need to buy the DS1, the $700 version that supports that amount of weight. I still think it's worth the money, but I'm worried about customer support and warranty issues. Same concerns regarding the new Nebula 4200. To which we add the squeaking it makes. And that both hands are required to operate it, whereas the DS1 is one-handed. I'm not looking for something PERFECT here (stabilization-wise), just something that can film at an angle and very close to the ground (the equivalent of turning the Glidecam upside-down). And something that doesn't go crazy if there's a light breeze outside. Oh and definitely under $1000. Any ideas are welcome, thank you! Edit: I'm most inclined to go for the DS1. if any of you have the slightest experience / interaction with that company and think they're alright, please let me know.

January 10th, 2016, 11:34 AM	#2
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 I worry about support as well, my experience with these companies is that communication is often a problem as English is not their native language and they always seem to suggest one solution "send it back to us" and that sending back is ofcourse on your own cost. That's why I bought the cheapest and smallest, the ms1, I could find. About the Nebula 4000, if you buy it from CMR who doesn't make the Nebula but is a dealer then you don't need to worry about support, they offer the best support ever.

January 11th, 2016, 02:00 AM	#3
Vishal Jadhav Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pune, Mah , India Posts: 445	Re: A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 Luc, I use the GH4 extensively now, looking at the stabilizers in the market i wanted a thing that would take the GH4 and yes had weight capacity to handle anything similar or a bit heavier in future. Hence i bought the Team Rebel Design DS1 as it takes 1.7 kg or 3.3 lbs as weight capacity. have been using it for a few weeks now and it does a good job , my work involves shooting in jungles hence there are interesting instances happening. In a city it should do amazing work. Yes they do have a communication issue but you can follow their channel on Youtube and they are more than eager to put up videos which will help you . i am not at all disappointed with this product. best __________________ vishal jadhav www.indianwilderness.com

January 11th, 2016, 03:53 AM	#4
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 I recently did read about a ds1 user complaining that it was too heavy for him to handhold for longer periods, especially in combination with bigger and heavier dslr's/lenses. I use my ms1 with my gh4 and the 9-18mm lens or the 12mm from olympus, both tiny very light lenses but with excellent image quality, in terms of weight it's about the lightest setup you can get.

January 11th, 2016, 05:33 AM	#5
Luc Spencer Major Player Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Romania Posts: 201	Re: A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 Well my Wondlan weighs 1.2kg + 2 weights of 200g each, so a total of 1.6kg just for the rig itself. The DS1 weighs 1.09kg. So that's half a kg lighter which is a lot. thank you Vishal, I might just end up ordering the DS1. do you get an extra battery for it or do you need to buy that separately?

January 11th, 2016, 07:44 AM	#6
Vishal Jadhav Major Player Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pune, Mah , India Posts: 445	Re: A stabilizer for a heavier GH4 They have been giving it with a extra set of batteries , the 18650 which is the battery in it is not that difficult to get, i ordered extra set of another brand along with a battery charger. __________________ vishal jadhav www.indianwilderness.com