Challenge Accepted
Today DJI released their new 3 axis gimbal mount, the Ronin-SC, which is an updated and more compact version of their Ronin S gimbal, which made its debut last year.
Lighter, Smarter, Better.
The Ronin-SC is all about portability; with its lightweight design and superior stabilization this gimbal allows quick set up for any mirrorless user. The Ronin-SC is compatible with a wide variety of cameras and lenses, which enables users to capture professional high-quality footage with ease.
Our Favorite Features
The Ronin-SC is DJI’s new and improved gimbal, which has a variety of new features to help release your inner filmmaker.
1. Motionlapse
In order to create a motionlapse or time lapse with your Ronin-SC, you can adjust the settings of either interval, clips, or frames per second, both with and without movement. This makes it easy for you to climb up to the top of any mountain and capture epic long exposures of the clouds or water below. In addition to adjusting your gimbal, adding a QuartzLine ND Filter to your camera can help slow your shutter speed and smooth out your image to give it a soft, creamy look. At PolarPro, we carry a wide range of ND filter types to help assist you on your next project.
2. Sport Mode
This setting allows quick, dynamic responsiveness to be able to capture any fast paced active movement. Since the Ronin-SC has great stabilization ability, it can help ease bumpy or bouncing movements. It also has roll 360 capabilities which allows your camera to be turned around 360°, to be sure you don’t miss any angle high or low.
3. ActiveTrack 3.0
ActiveTrack 3.0 gives you the capability to track the subject of your video, and is similar to the technology found in DJI’s drones or Osmo series cameras. For ActiveTrack 3.0 you use your mobile phone’s camera view to send the information to the Ronin-SC by mounting it to the top of your camera’s hotshoe. Then once you open the Ronin app, you can then select the subject you want to follow and track on your camera.
4. Lightweight
Unlike it’s big brother, the Ronin-SC weighs only 2.4 pounds and is perfect for smaller cameras and lenses. This gimbal is ideal for Sony a7 series, Canon EOSR, Nikon Z series, or similar compact mirrorless cameras. The Ronin-SC has a tested payload weight of 2kg or 4.4 pounds, so avoiding a larger camera set up is strongly advised on this gimbal.
PolarPro and Ronin-SC
PolarPro has a Monitor Mount that is the perfect accessory for your new Ronin-SC gimbal. Seen below on the Ronin-S, our monitor mount allows you to quickly connect an external monitor to rapidly change your viewing angles 360° to help get a better perspective of your camera’s point of view. The mount has a fully tool-less design that enables you to install and make adjustments on the fly. It is equipped with three ¼’’-20 threads to help mount any accessory of your choice. Once installed, the PolarPro Monitor Mount allows you to expand your creativity and capture the ideal composition.
What We Think
Although the Ronin-SC has some great new features, there are definitely some drawbacks to this gimbal. If you are a photographer or videographer that prefers a larger lens, this gimbal might not be for you. The weight of your bigger lenses, can make your camera front heavy which, in turn, sets off the balance of the gimbal.
One of the new features of the Ronin-SC is Force Mobile, which allows you to use your phone as a wireless remote control for your gimbal. This may seem like a cool wireless feature, but you can only operate the movement of the gimbal. Since it does not broadcast the image of your camera onto your phone, it doesn’t allow you to see what is actually being filmed. As a result, you have to stay close to your camera from behind in order to ensure you are getting the proper shot.
If you’re used to the app features for the Ronin-S, they might look a little different since the release of this new gimbal. The app has been laid out slightly differently, and the ability to customize your motor settings has been eliminated. According to DJI, they took the strength setting out of the Ronin-SC app in order to reduce the application’s complexity, in consideration with its target market. This may not seem like a huge problem to some novice users, but would require a minor adjustment for you to get used to if you are an owner of their previous model, the Ronin-S.
Final Thoughts
This gimbal is extremely beginner friendly, easy to use, and perfect for one-handed filming. The Ronin-SC would be ideal for vlogging or filming YouTube videos, since you can also film in selfie-mode. In addition, the Ronin-SC is a great gimbal for the photographer/videographer that likes a small, compact setup and is always on the go. The main downside, is that you have to be mindful of the combined weight of your camera and lens. If you use a heavier set up, the Ronin-SC isn’t for you, and you should stick with the original Ronin-S. You can check your camera’s compatibility on the Ronin-SC product page on DJI’s website.
Carly San Filippo
Copywriter | PolarPro