Best small format mechanical/remote pan tilts heads for handy cams? semi pro jibs

demoboy

demoboy

Well-known member
Any advice for the latest products that are ideal weight for semi pro Sony and Panasonic 4K handicams? Remotes pan tilt heads for small payloads. Also MAYBE compatibility control with iPad
 
I bought this: CamRanger MP-360 Motorized Pan/Tilt Tripod Head.

works on batteries. Comes with a wired controller. I added a cheap chinese remote controller and now it works fine.cam.jpg
 
These days you can now pair something like the Ronin S with a gaming controller (or their more advanced remotes - if you have the money) and get a stabilised remote head that you can control from a phone.

Definitely worth a look-in.
 
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Bassman2003 said:
Yes, slow and slower! :) Reliable unit but kind of limited for certain uses.
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Grug said:
These days you can now pair something like the Ronin S with a gaming controller (or their more advanced remotes - if you have to money) and get a stabilised remote head that you can control from a phone.

Defined worth a look-in.
Click to expand...

So I'm looking at the website. Is the system only compatible with DSLR interfaces? I see a ton DSRL or mirroless cameras supported, but I would like to use Panasonic or Sony high end camcorder like the AX series. I just like Optical Steadyshot built into the Sony cameras. I like how with the ipad it basically tracks your finger movement. I love this protocol very much.

Also, am I understand that their proprietary technology creates its own Wifi Hotspot? I take the latency would be far better than other technologies such as Bluetooth 5.0? I use Filmic Pro from iPhone to iPad using using 5.0 on external areas where there's no Wifi, and my range is only needed at 20ft max.
 
Grug said:
These days you can now pair something like the Ronin S with a gaming controller (or their more advanced remotes - if you have to money) and get a stabilised remote head that you can control from a phone.

Defined worth a look-in.
Click to expand...

I have a Ronin S and the motion control/remote control is incredible, especially considering it’s sub $700. I haven’t tried the game controller interface, because my older XBOX controllers aren’t BT and I’m not going to unpair my newest Elite 2 from the console. But the Force control with your cell phone for just movement is beyond cool. Get a super cheap pan/tilt head and strap your cell phone on it and you have an incredibly smooth remote head for next to nothing.
 
Run&Gun said:
I have a Ronin S and the motion control/remote control is incredible, especially considering it’s sub $700. I haven’t tried the game controller interface, because my older XBOX controllers aren’t BT and I’m not going to unpair my newest Elite 2 from the console. But the Force control with your cell phone for just movement is beyond cool. Get a super cheap pan/tilt head and strap your cell phone on it and you have an incredibly smooth remote head for next to nothing.
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I'm really intrigued about this setup. Do you have any youtube samples or what I would need to acquire your setup? Force control with your cell phone? What's that?
 
demoboy said:
Any advice for the latest products that are ideal weight for semi pro Sony and Panasonic 4K handicams? Remotes pan tilt heads for small payloads. Also MAYBE compatibility control with iPad
Click to expand...

Dynamic Perception has one. Nice app for it, for smartphones, so probably runs on an iPad also, but IDK.

Dana Dolly has one. Probably a real Cadillac though, might be more than you want.

Servo City has one. On the opposite side from Cadillac, so might be less than you want. IDK.

Cinevate has one. But I can't pull up their website right now. Probably Saturday maint. IDK.

There are no doubt many others. Those are just the ones I could come up with off the top of my head.
 
Teddy_Dem said:
I think someone had posted this in another thread a little while ago, but see the video below for some of the control on a Ronin-S from a phone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1TtaTlhj7I
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That's actually rather very cool, but I think that's more for filmmakers. I need traditional pan/tilt remote heads that we would use on ENG cams on high end studio jibs. Of course nowadays things are a lot more simplified for micro setups and I'm very optimistic with the app revolution. I'll be using medium jibs at a height of 15feet max. Does anyone know if you can manual control the Ronin-S from a tablet device in a XYZ grid by finger touch? Kind of like CamRanger, but I think CamRanger is more for photography, not realtime video, and you're limited with cameras. I will have wireless HDMI to our field monitors, but I'm just curious if there are ipad pan/tilts apps for proprietary hardware models.
 
Teddy_Dem said:
I think someone had posted this in another thread a little while ago, but see the video below for some of the control on a Ronin-S from a phone:
Click to expand...

Thanks. I think the Ronin SC might be what I'm looking for. This is the setup I need. Looks like I'll need a CineEye as well.


 
Run&Gun said:
I have a Ronin S and the motion control/remote control is incredible, especially considering it’s sub $700. I haven’t tried the game controller interface, because my older XBOX controllers aren’t BT and I’m not going to unpair my newest Elite 2 from the console. But the Force control with your cell phone for just movement is beyond cool. Get a super cheap pan/tilt head and strap your cell phone on it and you have an incredibly smooth remote head for next to nothing.
Click to expand...

thank you sir! I think I will purchase this setup!

I researched Force Mobile and saw how it works. I like how you have manual control with the virtual job wheel. That's what we'll need!
 
Run&Gun said:
I have a Ronin S and the motion control/remote control is incredible, especially considering it’s sub $700. I haven’t tried the game controller interface, because my older XBOX controllers aren’t BT and I’m not going to unpair my newest Elite 2 from the console. But the Force control with your cell phone for just movement is beyond cool. Get a super cheap pan/tilt head and strap your cell phone on it and you have an incredibly smooth remote head for next to nothing.
Click to expand...

Strapping the phone on a fluid head is a brilliant idea! I’ve got my first shoot coming up where we’re going to attempt to create a (not just “poor”, but) destitute man’s Russian Arm by sticking the Ronin S on the end of a jib. And that would absolutely be the way to operate it.
 
Grug said:
Strapping the phone on a fluid head is a brilliant idea! I’ve got my first shoot coming up where we’re going to attempt to create a (not just “poor”, but) destitute man’s Russian Arm by sticking the Ronin S on the end of a jib. And that would absolutely be the way to operate it.
Click to expand...

Am I understanding that the poster meant one would control the Ronin-S via Force Control with a cheap mobile gimbal? I was somewhat thinking the same because doesn’t Force Control mimic even jagged movements you wouldnt want? I would assume DJI created an algorithm so that it doesn’t do that? I’d imagine the operator would have to be super stiff whenever not forcing intentional movement? I wonder how reliable or comfortable manual XYZ control is when simply touching the phone screen, removing Force control. Looks like one would still need a CineEye in all cases.
 
demoboy said:
Am I understanding that the poster meant one would control the Ronin-S via Force Control with a cheap mobile gimbal? I was somewhat thinking the same because doesn’t Force Control mimic even jagged movements you wouldnt want? I would assume DJI created an algorithm so that it doesn’t do that? I’d imagine the operator would have to be super stiff whenever not forcing intentional movement? I wonder how reliable or comfortable manual XYZ control is when simply touching the phone screen, removing Force control. Looks like one would still need a CineEye in all cases.
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He was saying that mounting the phone to a fluid head will take out any of the little inconsistencies introduced by hand.
 
I've also done this with my Zhiyun Crane from 2016 and the $40 wireless controller. Now I have a Moza Aircross 2 and I know it can do it as well using the phone app, but I haven't tried it yet. I guess any decent gimbal offers this nowadays.
 
demoboy said:
Am I understanding that the poster meant one would control the Ronin-S via Force Control with a cheap mobile gimbal? I was somewhat thinking the same because doesn’t Force Control mimic even jagged movements you wouldnt want? I would assume DJI created an algorithm so that it doesn’t do that? I’d imagine the operator would have to be super stiff whenever not forcing intentional movement? I wonder how reliable or comfortable manual XYZ control is when simply touching the phone screen, removing Force control. Looks like one would still need a CineEye in all cases.
Click to expand...

Grug said:
He was saying that mounting the phone to a fluid head will take out any of the little inconsistencies introduced by hand.
Click to expand...

Yes. By putting it on the tripod head you’re essentially smoothing out the movements and mimicking the movement of a camera on a tripod. And on the flip, if you needed the Ronin/camera to act erratic, you can just hold the phone and shake it/twitch your hand. It’s actually kind of cool that it is that responsive and sensitive. And of course you can adjust the speed and smoothness in the app.
 
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