USER REVI EW | BENRO REDDOG R 1 G IMBAL
BENRO REDDOG R1 GIMBAL The app-based Benro RedDog motorised gimbal has been designed for DSLR type camera packages PRICE £350/$399
WORDS & PICTURES KI NGSLEY SI NGLETON
RIGHT Small, mirrorless
o moviemaker’s kit is complete without a
up, but a series of Benro’s videos online explains everything. Each axis is unlocked by a knurled locking knob, then you slide an arm to achieve equilibrium. The only thing that would improve it would be incorporating a geared mechanism to take some of the randomness out of pushing and pulling the arms, but overall balancing was quick and easy. You then connect the Benro RedDog app to the R1, update the firmware and calibrate it, then you’re off. There are three main stabilising modes, which are cycled through with a downward dab of the on/off button, and each is identified by a change in colour of the main LED. Horizontal Follow (red) keeps the camera horizontal, but gives you control of aiming. Locked Down (blue) keeps you pointing in a single direction. Universal Follow (pink) is the most free of the three, smoothing camera movement in whatever direction you’re aiming. Smoothness can be tweaked using the app, so you can set pan and tilt between Weak and Strong boundaries, Strong making movement a bit more ‘whippy’. Ultimately, test footage was smooth, and any juddery movements were either human error or just required slight recalibration. Horizontal and vertical adjustment can also be set to dampen your own movements, or make the gimbal more responsive. As well as set-up and calibration, the app lets you trigger stills or video, aim the camera and zoom the lens, assuming you’ve connected to the gimbal via a USB lead. The rate of zoom can also be set. There’s a Motion Time-lapse mode that lets you set the number of shots, interval, and the path of the camera throughout the time-lapse,
cameras are easy to balance and use
gimbal. The market has options to suit all camera sizes and budgets; increasingly popular are motorised versions with extra features, such as Benro’s RedDog R1. For instance, via a dedicated app, the R1 allows motion control effects and remote camera control. It’s not the first gimbal to do this, but it’s reasonably priced and works well. The R1 will take a payload of up to 1.8kg or 3.97lb, but we found using a Nikon D850 with a 20mm f/1.8 lens a bit unwieldy. It’s OK with most mirrorless cameras. The instructions aren’t clear when it comes to setting
from +/-60º vertically to 0-150º horizontally, as well its starting position. To do it, you plot points on a graph. This worked really well, and power can be supplied from gimbal to camera for longer working, though only on Sony models. One issue I found was I could only control the camera along an anti-clockwise horizontal axis; there didn’t seem to be an option to send it the other way, but Benro claims this should be added in a firmware update. The rubberised handle gives a good grip, and all the main controls can be accessed by forefinger or thumb, so it can be used one-handed. The R1 also has a Swivel function, switching its orientation from 0 to 90º for low angle work where the camera hangs under the unit. To do it you unlock and turn a joint above the controls; this took some getting used to, because the natural thing is to hold the rubberised grip and twist – but this will unscrew the battery compartment. The R1 also comes with a mini tripod, for static shooting and calibration. Because of the position of the roll axis motor behind the camera, it could block the screen a little, but the camera would have to be sitting quite far back. Using cameras with fully articulating screens removes the issue, but the position of the screen needs to be set before balancing.
BELOW The Benro RedDog R1 is ideal for Sony A series cameras
“THE INSTRUCTIONS AREN’T CLEAR WHEN IT COMES TO SETTING UP”
62 DEF I N I T ION | JULY 20 1 9
Powered by FlippingBook