VIDEO: Learn How To Correct Common Gimbal Mistakes!
1. Which gimbal is more stable: a MOZA Air2, a Ronin S, or a Crane?
All three gimbals use motors with encoders, have their own app, and use a stability algorithm. In comparison to the previous generation of gimbals which used algorithms like Simple BGC, the stable algorithms offered by today’s gimbals are user friendly and can be trusted to perform the job reliably. However, don't forget to bring a spare set of batteries. Once and awhile we all forget to charge the batteries.
All three gimbals offer stability as long as you’re not hand holding the gimbal due to the rise and fall of the human body. When hand holding a gimbal there are two main factors that will affect the stability of camera movement during filming. One is the mass of combined camera and gimbal. The other factor is the operator’s physical strength and muscle control. Our best advice is not to load the gimbal down with gear, use two points of contact to hold the gimbal such as stabilizer support or foldable tripod. The most stable gimbal is the one that the filmmaker feels comfortable supporting.
2. Did you press that “reset” button and your gimbal is still vibrating?
No worries! Understanding how a gimbal works will help you find and eliminate the vibrations.
The motors of a gimbal are constantly switching phase to control the rotation of each axis. Oscillation spikes are motor inertia that happens due to incorrect settings or more likely overcompensation by the system due to imbalance of the gimbal. To rid yourself of oscillations we recommend mounting your gimbal to a stand then check the balance of the gimbal. After that, open the MOZA App and use auto calibration (Check). Auto calibration will move the gimbal arms to determine the optimum setting for that camera setup. Once auto calibration is finished, pick up the gimbal and test the gimbal’s performance. If the gimbal drifts or doesn't hold the horizon, you will need to calibrate the Gyro and Accelerometer. Please see our channel for videos on calibration.
3. Is the roll motor blocking my camera monitor a deal breaker?
From our experience, the visual obstruction of the roll motor is only going to affect you negatively if are trying to pull focus using the built in camera monitor. Depending on how you are holding and using the gimbal, the roll motor might not be in a position to obstruct the built in camera monitor.
Recently, new gimbals have arrived that offer roll motor free obstructions such as the MOZA Air2. By shortening the yaw arm, the roll motor is placed below the camera. Doing so gives the user a clear line of sight to the camera’s monitor. With the MOZA Air2, following the action is uninterrupted.
