jonpais

The difference between whose footage and yours? The YouTube video shot with a Tokina 11-16mm? What camera and lens combination were you using? The Sony A7s MkII and Nikkor 24mm f/2 AIS? Which lens adaptor were you using? I don't know which Zacuto quick release plate you were using, but without it, your camera/lens combination is just about the same weight as my GH4 with 12-35mm. What precisely was wrong with your stabilizer? Do you have any footage you can share? I'm also curious - you said you ordered this around a week ago, so you can't have had the stabilizer for more than a couple of days, and you've already sent it back? Very strange!

In reply to my email this morning about maximum payloads and batteries, customer service at Zhiyun had this to say, Hello, Thanks for supporting Zhiyun.For Crane gimbal, its standard working voltage is 8.4 V, equal with two 18650 Li-ion batteries. There is no requirement about the max payload needs max voltage. The the payload, 1200g is a understatement, it can support much heavier weight in fact, just needs to balance the camera well, I had try more than 1200g, but i don't sure 1500g is supported or not, in normal time, we don't suggest to use. -- Any question, please do not hesitate to contact us. Best regards, Rose

If you can look at that table and tell me that it says you must have a 12v battery if your payload is 1200 grams, then I guess I have to go back to primary school. The fellow who posted this YouTube video shooting the Crane with a GH4 and Tokina lens (1,288 grams) used the supplied batteries and says it works fine for him and the batteries last a long time.

I could possibly test my GH4 with a Speed Booster and Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, which comes to 1,288 grams, and isn't front heavy at all, but that would't answer your question about a combination weighing in at around 1500 grams. Not sure how useful that would be anyhow, since I shake like the devil and even if I posted the results, they'd probably look horrible. The other lenses in my collection, such as the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4, would be very front heavy, as are most fast APS and full-frame lenses mounted on a mirrorless camera, and since they greatly exceed the weight limit, I wouldn't be willing to experiment with them, since I can't afford to keep replacing my gimbal. I wonder why Ivanka hasn't responded to your request to see some samples? I could pose for a picture with an Alexa mounted on the stabilizer and post it on Instagram - it wouldn't mean anything at all. No footage on YouTube, either, so color me skeptical. Someone already beat me to it. Looks fine to me.

I'm not understanding the manual the same way you do. If it has the meaning you say, according to the manual, battery run-time and operating temperature make no sense. I believe the manual is just specifying the minimum and maximum parameters. User Manual Zhiyun Crane.pdf

What's wrong with the supplied batteries? Are the included batteries I've been using bad or something? Strange fortune cookie language in that Instagram post by Ivanka, "Every gimbal of Zhiyun has more unexpected good thing."

Over at Newsshooter, Matthew Allard's test showed that the gimbal worked at 1200 grams, but he could hear the motors working harder when the camera angle was extreme. Other reviews I've seen online have tried camera/lens combinations that exceeded the recommended load, and advised against it. In a pinch, I guess you could try it, as long as the gimbal and camera are kept primarily in an upright position? Interesting table you put together there. Perhaps Zhiyun will come out with a stabilizer situated between the Shining and the Crane...

Good question. I've used the 35-100 on a pistol grip stabilizer and experienced bad jitters, while the 12-35 F/2.8 works well. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the stabilizer itself, it is steady as a rock. I am going to try turning off OIS and shooting again next week. I don't think the firmware updates solved the issue at all. Too bad, because the 35-100 F/2.8 is a beautiful, compact zoom.

I have to agree with many users that have switched to Sony from Panasonic, that Sony is truly innovating at an alarming rate, but they often bring products to market that don't seem finished.

The sensor is only part of the story - the processor is another. It's simply not true that u4/3 sensor tech has stood still while APS sensors have made huge strides. Panasonic is going to be a leader in sensor technology, with its patents for organic sensors, PDAF, 8K, a light-field sensor and other innovations. The GH5 will probably have the same sensor as the GX85, but an improved processor. But this thread is about the GX85, not the aging GH4 or upcoming GH5. And Panasonic's GX85 rangefinder has IBIS, which is lacking in their closest rival's camera, the Sony A6300. It also has a fully articulating touch screen, another feature Sony has inexplicably left out. And the GX85 doesn't have any issues with overheating, which the Sony cameras famously suffer from. And then there are those who aren't overly fond of Sony's colors, or confusing menus. So, they have got some things right, I just don't think I'd purchase it as my primary camera. It is not a replacement for the GH4.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. By the way, although I just balance my camera on the gimbal while holding it in my hand, I believe it was Matthew Allard who shows how he just stood the gimbal on a table, balanced, then attached the battery handle. Absolutely no need for a tripod to balance.

Ted Forbes has made what must be the most balanced review I've seen of the GX85 yet, and the reason why I will wait and see what the GH5 has to offer. We don't know for sure what improvements the GH5 will bring, but it will definitely have a LOG profile, microphone and headphone inputs and a fully articulating screen, all lacking on the GX85. It is also rumored to have a better processor that will make the most of the very same sensor used in the GX85. And without a doubt it will incorporate the IBIS found on the GX85. For sure, the built-in microphone will be superior on the GH5 (a few reviewers have called the microphone in the GX85 the worst they've ever encountered). Will the GH5 have phase-detect focus points? Nobody knows for sure - but automatic focusing with the GX85 will probably be just as frustrating as it is with the GH4 (though one reviewer shows that when walking around, the GX85 nails focus quicker than the GH4). The thing is, with the GH4 mounted on a pistol grip stabilizer, I don't think there would be much difference between the two. Ted Forbes claims that even with face detection enabled, the GX85 had difficulty tracking subjects, the same experience I'm having with the GH4. Low light performance has never been the strong suit of the GH4, but the GX85 is no low-light king either. Several readers are charmed by the small form factor of the GX85 (and I confess to a love of the rangefinder form factor myself), but I have a suspicion that the larger body of the GH4 would be easier to handle. Ted Forbes prefers the handling of the G7 SLR styled body to the GX85. Finally, although the 12-32mm kit lens supplied with the GX85 may be sharp, I would never consider it for anything but casual use - I've got one on my GM1, and it is far too slow and lacks a manual focus ring.

But it was shot with no noise reduction in camera or in post. That's to be expected in a small sensor camera... Andrew must have been intentionally going for a grainy look if he turned NR all the way down in camera without using any noise reduction like Neat Video. Anyway, only a creative genius would shoot at ISO 12,800 on the GH2! [Edit] No question the GH4 isn't a low-light beast. In fact, when I first started using it, I thought even at ISO 100, the noise was horrible. Then I realized I'd been underexposing slightly. The camera really doesn't respond well to underexposure. Since then, I've been more careful about exposure, and as long as I shoot at ISO 400 or less, noise really isn't a problem at all. And now, there are so many choices of fast glass, I don't see it as an issue. If I was shooting primarily in low light situations, I wouldn't even bother with micro four-thirds - I'd get an APS or full frame sensor camera.

I won't shoot my GH4 beyond ISO 800 because of noise (actually, I seldom shoot above ISO 400), but I'm not still not convinced that the GX80 performs significantly better in low light.

I'm not talking about anything 'radical': if you could get the look you wanted in-camera, be it an Alexis or a lowly GH4, Resolve and all the other NLEs would be out of business, as well as FilmConvert and other plug-ins. Professional colorists would be out of work. I'm not seeing all the ugly artifacts you talk about in the many outstanding examples of footage shot with the GH4 with FilmConvert and other LUTs applied. Apologies for derailing the topic. Let's get back to discussing the GX80!

I agree it's kinda sexy . I was hoping the sleeker rangefinder profile you're talking about would translate into significant weight reduction, allowing me to shoot with Sigma glass and a Speed Booster, but it's still too heavy for my gimbal.

But... I don't think you can get a look shooting Standard. If you want a look, you need to do some color grading. Anyhow, I often don't know exactly what type of palette I want until I've finished shooting and looking at them on the computer. In my case, I'll sometimes shoot a subject over a period of weeks or even months, and then decide what mood I want not go for. So shooting Natural gives me greater flexibility. I've read over and over again that 4:2:0 8-bit is limiting, but I've seen so many hundreds or thousands of videos that prove that in skilled hands, that is not the case at all.

The much longer battery life, microphone and headphone jack and swivel LCD screen on the GH4 are more important to me, since I don't shoot 30 minute clips. Also, the GH4 takes a 1:1 crop of the sensor when shooting 4K, while the GX80 crops in slightly more, increasing the likelihood of aliasing and moire. I will wait for the GH5. Until it arrives, I'm using a pistol grip stabilizer for most of my shots now.

http://www.newsshooter.com/2016/08/06/field-test-zhiyun-crane-three-axis-one-handed-gimbal-for-mirrorless-cameras/ Here's a review of the Zhiyun Crane over at Newsshooter that pretty much confirms what I suspected: there probably isn't another pistol grip stabilizer on the market that can compete with it for price/performance. Matthew Allard also tried shooting with a camera/lens/adapter combo that reached precisely 1200 grams and, while it still worked, exceeding this limit probably isn't a very good idea. He says that the handle can also accept higher capacity batteries that will extend usability to 7 hours, something which I wasn't aware of, though I've been shooting casually with mine for a couple weeks now and haven't had to recharge them yet. He also says that anyone familiar with gimbals shouldn't have any trouble balancing their camera provided the weight limit isn't exceeded, but I would go so far as to say that any idiot could balance their camera with this gimbal in a matter of minutes. Several reviewers have already said they prefer using this over the Ronin M, and Mr. Allard even prefers it to the DJI Osmo. While I haven't used the Osmo, I don't think there is a single shot in any of the otherwise outstanding DJI Film School videos that couldn't have been pulled off with Zhiyun Crane and a Sony A7R or other mirrorless camera, with fewer problems focusing and post-production headaches. In Cinema 5D's tests, the Osmo had a very limited usable ISO range, while the A7 cameras can shoot in extremely low light. Furthermore, the Osmo is very loud, while the motors on the Zhiyun are completely silent. And finally, you could purchase 6 or 7 Zhiyun Cranes for the price of one Zenmuse X5R, including lens and proprietary SSD.

I think I figured it out: just enable face detection and continuous focus! It's been so long since I used AF, I'd forgotten how to change the settings in the camera. I did some tests this morning, but haven't had a chance to look at them on the computer. [edit] I just looked at the files on the computer and was reminded of why I hate the GH4's autofocus. All my shots kept drifting in and out of focus. I'm going to give it one more try, this time, with face detection and AFS. I hope the GH5 has better auto focus.

It would be so awesome if peaking worked in playback in-camera! Too much to expect, though...

The Zhiyun they are referring to is already available for pre-order here. The price is only around $850, making it one of the least expensive stabilizers by payload I've seen, and, if the build quality is anything at all like the Crane, it'll be a steal. But as much as I'd like to fly my GH4 with adapted lenses, I know I'd never use a two-handed model. As far as pistol grip stabilizers go, I think 1.2Kg is a sensible weight limit: shooting video for any length of time with a heavier camera/lens combo will get tiring real fast.

I was in favor of banning ES much earlier, but was concerned that those who were ripped off would no longer be able to get compensated. I agree with Andy, we can't allow ES to make any more posts that sully the forums with lies and misinformation.

I've been looking at lighting too now that it's becoming more affordable and compact.

Gotcha now. I'm using the Zhiyun Crane and it doesn't really shake at all if you touch the camera lightly. Having another operator sitting in front of a monitor pulling focus would be ideal, but I'm just one person doing this for pure fun. So, are most of you using manual focus or AF when tracking with a stabilizer? And if you are shooting AF with a Panasonic camera, could you share your autofocus settings?