Gear for creators | smart set-up
Generation Z-axis This Smallrig arm turns your three-axis gimbal into a mini Steadicam What? Smallrig Mini Shock Absorber Arm How much? £127/$130
More info? smallrig.com
A three-axis gimbal is great for you need a stabilised fourth axis. Also called the Z-axis, this is why DJI offers its expensive Ronin 4D, which is beloved by Hollywood wannabes. By fitting your DJI Pocket 3 or 4 to the end of Smallrig’s Mini Shock Absorber Arm, you can achieve a similar effect. It’s much cheaper but, of course, comes without motorised control or mounting options for larger cameras. Alongside the arm, there’s a rubber sucker to be fitted to a car, motorcycle or quad. Designed as a compact suspension system, a mini shock absorber uses spring-loaded damping to isolate vibrations before they reach the camera. Mounted to a vehicle, the Pocket 4 creating smooth movement, but to counter up-and-down motion benefits from a two-stage stabilisation system: mechanical damping from the arm, followed by digital and gimbal stabilisation in camera. This union produces footage that feels more cinematic and controlled, even in challenging conditions.
What it is: An inexpensive Z-axis arm to fit DJI Osmo Pocket 3/4 and other action cameras up to 600g/1.3lb Material: Aluminium alloy Mount: 4in vacuum suction cup Shock absorption: Spring with adjustable preload, hydraulic damping, range 32° above horizontal, 48° below Weight: 720g/1.59lb without 100g/0.22lb counterweight
For any pro stills shooter who wants to get the kind of amazing photographs that usually call for a proper car rig and extensive retouching in Photoshop, the Pocket 4 and Smallrig combo are able to work surprisingly well. The kit comes with a mount specifically for DJI’s Pocket cameras. It doesn’t overwhelm the set-up or add excessive weight, making it ideal for
PMM rating: 8/10 Turns the Osmo Pocket 4 into a four-axis gimbal, ideal for quickly mounting to a car on a smooth road – but not much else. version with a larger suction cup that’s electronically operated. But the payload remains the same. creators who want portability without sacrificing quality. Alternatively, you can fit an included adapter to take standard cameras with a 1∕4in-20 threaded tripod socket, such as GoPro and Insta360 cameras. There’s an included counterweight for very light cameras that just screws on. But at the other end of the scale, even the smallest Micro Four Thirds camera with a tiny lens is too heavy. Careful balancing is key to getting the best performance. You move the arm until the camera is held vertically, then lock it off and adjust the tension on the spring to balance it. Add a leash to ensure it doesn’t go bouncing down the road if the kit comes loose. Ultimately, this pairing transforms the Pocket 4 from a brilliant handheld camera into a tool capable of shots that would normally require far larger and more complex set-ups. Smallrig also has a more expensive
Steady shot The Smallrig arm comes in a case with a vacuum sucker to get your DJI Pocket shooting stable images from a moving vehicle
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