Micro Gimbal for GH4, BMPCC, A7s - $699 USD

Kraut69 said:
There is also a 1/4-20 female thread on the back side of the handle, level with the on-off switch, above where your hand grips the handle, so more possibilities.
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Into that, when you screw a handle grip that has a 1/4"-20 post, you get significantly better stability as well as off-loading some weight to your other free hand. I found this to be true on the 2-axis Big Balance Gibbon:

 
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focuspulling said:
Into that, when you screw a handle grip that has a 1/4"-20 post, you get significantly better stability as well as off-loading some weight to your other free hand. I found this to be true on the 2-axis Big Balance Gibbon:

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Whatever that gimbal is, it's not very good. At the minimum for handheld gimbal work, you really NEED 3 axis.
 
Here is some more footage I shot this week with the Nebula. I was on a stills shoot but decided to pull out the N4000. There is only one clip post stabilized in this set of shots.
Gh4 w/ 7-17 all mode 1 (follow mode). One MUST keep in mind that the pan axis is nowhere near balanced and still this gimbal performs quite nicely after a PID tune. So if you are able to get a package mounted that does allow for the pan axis adjustment to balance better than the package I was flying, this gimbal is quite good.
http://vimeo.com/114075465
 
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dustylense, your post quickly caught my eye! The video title is "The Lane-Samples", whereas my name is Lance Samples! I thought I was unknowingly famous for a quick second there.
 
dustylense said:
Here is some more footage I shot this week with the Nebula. I was on a stills shoot but decided to pull out the N4000. There is only one clip post stabilized in this set of shots.
Gh4 w/ 7-17 all mode 1 (follow mode). One MUST keep in mind that the pan axis is nowhere near balanced and still this gimbal performs quite nicely after a PID tune. So if you are able to get a package mounted that does allow for the pan axis adjustment to balance better than the package I was flying, this gimbal is quite good.
http://vimeo.com/114075465
Click to expand...

Thanks for the updates and posts dustylense. Very cool to see that this thing looks pretty good. I'd be interested in seeing what it looks like with software stabilization added. Looks like the gimbal will get it 90% there....wonder if anyone will notice the other 10% being done in software? (ps...just mindlessly wondering, not a request) Thanks again for sharing! :)
 
HHL said:
Thanks for the updates and posts dustylense. Very cool to see that this thing looks pretty good. I'd be interested in seeing what it looks like with software stabilization added. Looks like the gimbal will get it 90% there....wonder if anyone will notice the other 10% being done in software? (ps...just mindlessly wondering, not a request) Thanks again for sharing! :)
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Well I got into the PID's again today and did some more tuning. My first rating for the gimbal was an 8/10. Then my second was a 7/10 because of the pan adjustability. After some more use and additional tuning, tweaking and so fourth, I'm bringing my overall rating back up to an 8.5/10. The minus marks are mostly due to the design of the gimbal. Things like how the screws are accessed and some other minor features. But in performance is really is a nice solid gimbal. Keep in mind I own three gimbals (N4000, Ronin, and Defy G5). My Ronin is for bigger and heavier packages and is just a great gimbal. But now if I'm gonna fly my Gh4 (my most used camera as of late) I will pick the N4000 hands down. If you look at that last video at the 1:22 mark, I started that move about 2 inches from the wall. At the 0:27 mark I'm about 4 inches from the wall on the start of that move.

All in all with further adjustments in the PID's I'm completely happy with the gimbal. And I continue to isolate in the software what I want this gimbal to do. Working on profiles for the pan acceleration. And with todays high end compact video cameras (Gh4, A7s, BMPCC, NX1 and many more) the range of shots with this device and endless. For a version 1 of this particular product, I'm really impressed. There is room to grow. Keep in mind that this gimbal will live under my front passenger seat in my car. That is how compact the unit is when stored.

After seeing the performance after a good tune, I would not hesitate looking into their bigger gimbals. Hopefully the N4000 sells well and they are able to grow and make a V2 of this gimbal.
 
dustylense said:
Well I got into the PID's again today and did some more tuning. My first rating for the gimbal was an 8/10. Then my second was a 7/10 because of the pan adjustability. After some more use and additional tuning, tweaking and so fourth, I'm bringing my overall rating back up to an 8.5/10. The minus marks are mostly due to the design of the gimbal. Things like how the screws are accessed and some other minor features. But in performance is really is a nice solid gimbal. Keep in mind I own three gimbals (N4000, Ronin, and Defy G5). My Ronin is for bigger and heavier packages and is just a great gimbal. But now if I'm gonna fly my Gh4 (my most used camera as of late) I will pick the N4000 hands down. If you look at that last video at the 1:22 mark, I started that move about 2 inches from the wall. At the 0:27 mark I'm about 4 inches from the wall on the start of that move.

All in all with further adjustments in the PID's I'm completely happy with the gimbal. And I continue to isolate in the software what I want this gimbal to do. Working on profiles for the pan acceleration. And with todays high end compact video cameras (Gh4, A7s, BMPCC, NX1 and many more) the range of shots with this device and endless. For a version 1 of this particular product, I'm really impressed. There is room to grow. Keep in mind that this gimbal will live under my front passenger seat in my car. That is how compact the unit is when stored.

After seeing the performance after a good tune, I would not hesitate looking into their bigger gimbals. Hopefully the N4000 sells well and they are able to grow and make a V2 of this gimbal.
Click to expand...

@dustylense


I sincerely appreciate your early acquisition and reviews of this "n4000." Thank you.


I expect I'll order this tomorrow (based on form factor), but I have a few questions I'd like to throw at you.
They claim battery life is 120 minutes ("reference"). Sound right?


My real agenda is that this (in an ideal world) would replace a slider or mini-jib. Do fake slider shots or fake jib moves work with this unit?



The walking shots you've produced -- did you do a steadicam walk with cushioned sneakers -- or were you just normally walkiing?


I'd use this with a GH4 and Olympus 12mm f/2. In theory that's under the weight limit. Was the Panasonic 12mm focal length enough to make this gizmo work, or did it only start to work well with your Panasonic 7mm?



Finally, I'm experienced with stabilizers (so I understand that it's all about balancing), but I'm new to gimbals. Are there any online learning resources you recommend for the related gimbal software.


Again, thank you.
 
Andrew Gupta said:
@dustylense


I sincerely appreciate your early acquisition and reviews of this "n4000." Thank you.


I expect I'll order this tomorrow (based on form factor), but I have a few questions I'd like to throw at you.
They claim battery life is 120 minutes ("reference"). Sound right?


My real agenda is that this (in an ideal world) would replace a slider or mini-jib. Do fake slider shots or fake jib moves work with this unit?



The walking shots you've produced -- did you do a steadicam walk with cushioned sneakers -- or were you just normally walkiing?


I'd use this with a GH4 and Olympus 12mm f/2. In theory that's under the weight limit. Was the Panasonic 12mm focal length enough to make this gizmo work, or did it only start to work well with your Panasonic 7mm?



Finally, I'm experienced with stabilizers (so I understand that it's all about balancing), but I'm new to gimbals. Are there any online learning resources you recommend for the related gimbal software.


Again, thank you.
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Battery life will depend on what you mount and how you tune the power of the motors. I can't say what I'm getting in battery life because I turn off the gimbal between shots.

For the walking shots I'm doing the ninja step the best I can. The trick with this gimbal is that it's one hand operated, so keeping that arm steady, level, and straight is the key. The gimbal with camera is light so this operation will depend on the user

I have the gimbal set up to fly the Gh4 w/12-35. The 7-14 is nearly the same weight so all I have to do is correct the tilt axis and the motors will do the trick. takes all of 1 minute for lens change to shooting again. I can even zoom the 12-35 to about 25 and still get great results without balance change. Your Oly 12mm should work just fine. I'm thinking of getting the Rokinon 12mm 2.0 for this gimbal. Also the Rokinon 12mm 2.0 for use on the A7s in aps-c mode.

I too plan to use the gimbal for simulated free floating slider simulations and jib shots more than the tracking steadicam look. The device is so small that these moves are very capable.


Here is a video that is really long but the guy seems to know what he is talking about to help you understand what all the software adjustments do. It's real long but real thorough. There are chapter markers to help you with what questions you have:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANs_o6T6OB4
 
@dustylense

Thanks to your superb reviews and videos, I just purchased the Nebula 4000 today for use with my GH4 and A7s. How soon after your order did you receive it? I am In NJ. Thanks.
 
dustylense said:
Battery life will depend on what you mount and how you tune the power of the motors. I can't say what I'm getting in battery life because I turn off the gimbal between shots.

For the walking shots I'm doing the ninja step the best I can. The trick with this gimbal is that it's one hand operated, so keeping that arm steady, level, and straight is the key. The gimbal with camera is light so this operation will depend on the user

I have the gimbal set up to fly the Gh4 w/12-35. The 7-14 is nearly the same weight so all I have to do is correct the tilt axis and the motors will do the trick. takes all of 1 minute for lens change to shooting again. I can even zoom the 12-35 to about 25 and still get great results without balance change. Your Oly 12mm should work just fine. I'm thinking of getting the Rokinon 12mm 2.0 for this gimbal. Also the Rokinon 12mm 2.0 for use on the A7s in aps-c mode.

I too plan to use the gimbal for simulated free floating slider simulations and jib shots more than the tracking steadicam look. The device is so small that these moves are very capable.


Here is a video that is really long but the guy seems to know what he is talking about to help you understand what all the software adjustments do. It's real long but real thorough. There are chapter markers to help you with what questions you have:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANs_o6T6OB4
Click to expand...


Thank you.
 
The size of this thing is making me really envious. I can really se myself using a Nebula 4000 at the end of a monopod and swinging it around as a human-based crane that weights just 2Kg and is carried around in a small bag. Set up for an a7s, does it have the flexibility of motion to allow for that kind of use?
 
Samuel H said:
The size of this thing is making me really envious. I can really se myself using a Nebula 4000 at the end of a monopod and swinging it around as a human-based crane that weights just 2Kg and is carried around in a small bag. Set up for an a7s, does it have the flexibility of motion to allow for that kind of use?
Click to expand...
I'll be able to report on the gimbal mounting the a7s soon as today I have a small lens coming to mount the camera.
 
Looking forward to your a7s test dustylense. What lens are you mounting on it as I am looking to get a lens for my camera too?
 
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