The DJI RS 4 is a three-axis stabilizer that mechanically tilts, pans, and rolls the mounted digital camera to maintain it shifting easily and stage. You may as well set the gimbal to comply with your hand actions in order that it pans and tilts easily between topics. Stabilisers (or gimbals) come is a variety of sizes (and costs). The DJI RS 4 suits into the professional part of the gimbal vary (slightly than the smartphone gimbal part).
The DJI RS4 was launched in April 2024 alongside its costlier and higher-specced sibling – the DJI RS4 Professional. For extra skilled gimbal buy suggestions try information to the greatest gimbals for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.
The significantly costlier DJI RS4 Professional is designed to slot in with DJI’s skilled movie-making ecosystem, so it features a 2nd-generation LiDAR focusing system and car mount. The RS 4 Professional additionally helps a wider vary {of professional} digital camera and lens mixtures because of its 4.5 Kg payload, whereas the cheaper RS 4 helps mirrorless digital camera and lens mixtures as much as a weight of 3kg.
Each variations of the RS 4 profit from developed {hardware} and software program, reminiscent of Teflon-coated axis arms (extra on that later) and a 4th-Gen RS Stabilization Algorithm. The remainder of this overview will focus solely on the RS 4 package, testing the Combo package that comes with extra equipment such because the Focus Professional Motor, Briefcase Deal with, and Carrying Case. In the event you’re within the DJI RS 4 Professional model you possibly can learn its 5 star overview right here.
DJI RS 4: Specs
| Weight: | 1.4 kg (3.0 lbs) |
| Dimensions: | 370×191×189 mm |
| Payload: | 3 kg (6.6 lbs) |
| Tilting Angle: | -112° to +214° |
| Rolling Angle: | -95° to +240° |
| Panning Angle: | 360° |
| Battery Life: | As much as 12 hours |
| Show: | 1.8″ OLED full-color touchscreen |
DJI RS 4: Design & Dealing with
I’ve examined 15 completely different gimbals for Digital Digicam World within the final two years. One subject that I’ve encountered with varied gimbals is a barely tilted horizon, even once you double-tap the set off to set the gimbal to its default place. The DJI RS 4 has a programmable dial on the entrance. You should utilize the 1.8” OLED touchscreen to customise the dial to carry out quite a lot of strikes, reminiscent of working the rolling entry to counteract any horizontal tilt. Happily, the RS 4 Professional didn’t require any horizontal tweaks, but it surely’s a welcome characteristic to have this programmable dial.
One of many greatest challenges gimbal customers face is getting the digital camera balanced on the gimbal’s roll, tilt and pan axis arms. If the digital camera (and lens) isn’t balanced then the gimbal’s motors should work tougher (draining energy extra rapidly and shortening capturing time). An unbalanced digital camera rig can even trigger a gimbal’s arms to vibrate, and in worst-case eventualities, the gimbal will energy down to stop injury to its motors. The RS 4’s aluminum alloy axis arms have clean Teflon-coating, making it simpler so that you can slide them into an optimum balanced place. The lean arm advantages from an extra fine-tuning knob that makes it simpler to slip the arm backwards and forwards in tiny increments till good stability is attained.
One other welcome design contact is the choice to Auto Calibrate the digital camera when you suppose it’s balanced. You possibly can set off this operation from the 1.8” OLED touchscreen on the pink of the RS 4. This causes the digital camera to verify every motor and axis arm in flip to make sure optimum efficiency. We did encounter a difficulty with retaining the RS 4 balanced on a protracted shoot which we’ll cowl within the Efficiency part.
When tapping the file button on a mirrorless digital camera this may put stress on the axis arms of a gimbal and potential unbalance it. Happily you possibly can join the RS 4 through Bluetooth to a supported digital camera and set off a recording by tapping the gimbal’s bodily file button. On our take a look at shoot we related the RS 4 to our Sony A7 MkIII through the gimbal’s provided brief USB-C to USB-C cable and triggered the recording through that bodily connection.
I additionally favored the truth that I may change the gimbal’s mode between Pan Comply with, Pan Tilt Comply with and FPV through a bodily mode swap (which is simpler than swiping between modes on the OLED touchscreen.) This swap was tougher to entry once I’d hooked up the provided sling deal with to the gimbal, however that helpful accent enabled me to shoot low-angle clips with ease after which swing the gimbal up excessive for a crane shot.
The Combo package that I examined additionally provides a Focus Professional Motor which you can connect with your digital camera’s handbook lens and alter focus through the gimbal. It additionally incorporates a Ronin Picture Transmitter which allows you to management the gimbal motion through a cell phone utilizing the Drive Cell characteristic within the DJI Ronin App.
DJI RS 4: Efficiency
Above video: see the DJI RS 4 in use
To check the DJI RS 4 I used it to movie a day lengthy convention. This concerned capturing highlights from the principle convention room adopted by recording actions in 8 separate workshops that have been working parallel with one another. I additionally needed to squeeze in some vox pop interviews with convention attendees! I used to be capturing with a Sony A7 Mk III mirrorless digital camera with a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III G2 lens . I additionally used a Rode Wi-fi Professional mic system. The RS4 has an prolonged tilt axis in contrast with the RS 3, which gave loads of area for me to mount the Rode receiver on the digital camera’s shoe mount with out the receiver hitting the roll axis motor once I carried out a tilt. This additional area is a welcome design enchancment.
Historically I’d have used a tripod to movie a busy convention occasion, however with actions scattered throughout a big location, I used to be glad to have a lighter and easier-to-maneuver stabilizer. Plus a tripod would have obstructed the actions of the numerous convention attendees. The digital camera stayed on the gimbal for a lot of the day so I used to be able to file something at any time. Once I did must detach the Alpha 7 to alter its battery, the RS4’s fast launch plate made it a doddle to take action. I may then re-attach the digital camera through the quick-release plate, realizing that it was nonetheless balanced on the RS 4. Because of the RS 4 I used to be capable of file tripod-steady interviews with delegates in addition to capturing cinematic pans, tilts and monitoring photographs of the attractive convention location (see supporting video).
I did encounter one subject with the RS 4’s efficiency. On the gimbal’s LCD display screen a useful digital camera icon signifies stability standing. After balancing the digital camera on the gimbal initially of the day (8-30am), the digital camera icon was inexperienced. Because the shoot progressed I observed that the balancing icon would flip orange and finally pink, indicating that the digital camera was now not balanced for optimum efficiency. I due to this fact needed to re-balance the digital camera. I observed that solely the roll-axis was unbalanced. It had slowly slid from its authentic balanced place regardless of being locked. It took me some time to diagnose the reason for this subject. Once you energy down the gimbal the entire rig rotates right into a closed and locked place. The hooked up digital camera additionally rotates with a clunk and I feel this repetitive clunking precipitated the roll entry to slowly slide and turn into unbalanced throughout the day. My digital camera and lens set-up was just one.4kg however this weight would have been momentarily elevated by the digital camera’s momentum every time the gimbal’s arms rotated into the closed/off place, the ensuing transient hammering motion including stress on the roll arm’s locking mechanism. A number of opening and shutting actions could have precipitated the arm to shift in tiny increments, resulting in a stability subject over a protracted time frame. As soon as I recognized that this as a difficulty it was a fast and straightforward matter to re-balance the roll axis and stick with it capturing.
I loved utilizing the RS 4 to seize vox pops and carry out tracks, tilts, cranes and pans all through the length of the convention. Whereas filming between 0830 and 1700 the rig did get heavier throughout the day – or I received extra drained! Nonetheless regardless of the lengthy day the battery had 15% energy left in it so I used to be very I impressed with the RS 4’s efficiency and I received all of the footage that the shopper required.
DJI RS 4: Verdict
The RS 4 enabled me to sort out a protracted shoot with out worrying concerning the gimbal’s battery efficiency, so I captured all of the property that my shopper required. In addition to enabling traditional digital camera strikes reminiscent of tilts, pans, tracks and cranes I used to be additionally capable of shoot tripod-steady interviews with out the burden of lugging a tripod round. The mixed weight of the gimbal and payload was just below 3kg, so the complete rig was gentle sufficient to hold round and use all day. The slight sliding of the locked roll arm over a protracted time frame was my solely criticism and this was straightforward to rectify, but it surely does lose the RS 4 half a star.
| Options | Contact delicate OLED display screen plus bodily mode buttons and dial for tactile management | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | Auto locking and unlocking on axes with simpler to stability teflon coating. | ★★★★☆ |
| Efficiency | Battery life permits lengthy shoot, although balanced slipped over time. | ★★★☆☆ |
| Worth | Costly when in comparison with equally specced gimbals | ★★★☆☆ |
Ought to I purchase the DJI RS 4?:
✅ Purchase it…
- You want to shoot for lengthy durations
- You have got a big or heavy payload
- You need a neater balancing expertise
🚫 Do not buy it…
- You have got a payload a lot lighter than 3kg
- You’re on a price range
Options
For a lighter-weight stabilization resolution, see our guides to the greatest gimbals for smartphones, and the greatest gimbals for GoPros