GEAR MINI TESTS
DJI’s RS 5 stabilises your camera and actively helps you confidently frame, track and shoot in previously awkward situations. As on the RS 4 Mini, the Intelligent Tracking Module turns the gimbal’s upgraded 1.8-inch touchscreen into something far more powerful than a simple control interface. It becomes a live video monitor, displaying what the tracking module sees and by extension what the camera mounted on the gimbal sees. With a single tap, you can select a subject to track and the RS 5 will lock onto it and keep it framed wherever the gimbal goes. For solo filmmakers, it changes what’s realistically achievable. The tracking system is intuitive. Swipe left on the gimbal’s touchscreen to activate the video input, use the camera’s own monitor to frame your subject and initiate tracking with a simple hand gesture or tap. From there, the RS 5 keeps the subject locked in frame even at distances of up to ten metres in relatively low light. Also impressive is how flexible the system is. You are not locked into centre-frame compositions as you can reposition your subject and the gimbal will maintain that framing while the
subject moves. Responsiveness can be adjusted too. Tracking isn’t limited to people any more. Vehicles, pets and even unusual objects can be selected by just drawing a box around them on the screen. And the RS 5 proved surprisingly adept at holding onto non-standard subjects, even when they moved unpredictably. So, when shooting, you don’t need to be glued to the camera screen. You can set the framing, tap the subject and be free to move safely without constantly checking your monitor. You can attend to a second camera on a tripod, for example, when shooting talking heads who may move around
DJI RS 5 COMBO KIT £619/$719 dji.com
There was a time when every different generation of technical device – from smartphones to digital cameras – would offer major leaps forward in technology. But in recent times, they have become small steps. Motorised, three-axis gimbals are in this race of incremental gains. A gimbal from five years ago is still a decent workhorse, while the current DJI RS 4 and RS 4 Pro continue to set the standard for high-end gimbals. Meanwhile, 2025’s pint-sized RS 4 Mini offered new ideas – pioneering hands-free subject tracking, enabled by a clip-on module right next to the camera – but flew under the radar due to a limited payload. Now this technology has come to the RS 5 in a much more advanced way: a pro model which has a higher payload. It does not just improve your workflow, but fundamentally changes production expectations.
READY TO GO The green light means that the Tracking Module is locked and following (right)
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