ONE SIZE FITS ALL The Panasonic can be rigged up in lots of different ways, making it a useful multi-tool
IT’S A CAMERA, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT
Super 35 crop in ProRes Raw. This is a very good setting for when you need super slow-motion. Drop down to ProRes 422 HQ and you get 6K and 4K full-frame up to 48fps and the 2.39:1 crop at 50-60fps. Any setting faster than 60p gives a Super 35 crop. For the best quality, 6K up to 48fps in ProRes Raw HQ is just stunning. At up to 48fps in ProRes Raw or 6K ProRes 422 HQ, it’s 17:9 full-frame, but in 50-60fps it’s a 2.39:1 crop. If there is any letdown, it’s in audio, which is recorded via built-in microphones – and the DJI’s internal gain circuits aren’t very good. But that’s a minor gripe, especially for a camera that offers so much new tech.
sensors, a built-in accelerometer to measure movement in every direction and a barometer to monitor air pressure changes as the camera moves. These advanced electronics, combined with the large mechanical arm, produce the smoothest stabiliser ever. DJI offers three light lenses that have an f/2.8 maximum aperture, in 24, 35 and 50mm focal lengths. However, you can fit any Sony-mount lens you like, as long as you are prepared for it not to balance properly if it’s too big. The LiDAR rangefinder sits above the optic, and turns any MF lens into autofocus, which you can manually override. LiDAR pumps out 43,000 laser measurements in order to help precise focusing, even in really low light. But it has a range of just 10m, so not ideal for longer lenses. Borrowing from drone technology, the camera also has Active Track. So, when you are handholding the Ronin, the camera moves to keep the subject in frame. You’re not going to
When it comes to genuinely unique design, DJI’s Ronin 4D is the one – a full-frame cinema camera in its own four-axis stabilisation system for Steadicam-like moves incorporating drone anti-collision technology. It turns manual-focus cine primes into full autofocus lenses, thanks to a laser rangefinder system. Plus, it’s able to shift itself to track moving subjects. It has a built-in video transmission system, to control all settings from miles away. There is a choice of lens mounts, including the popular Sony E fit, and the full-frame, dual ISO sensor module can be changed from a 6K version to an 8K. The DJI Ronin 4D comes with the Zenmuse X9-6K camera that supports up to 6K/60fps and 4K/120fps, while the Zenmuse X9-8K goes up to 8K/75fps. The 6K combo is £5659/$6799, while the 8K version is £9499/$11,499, but comes with more accessories including a 1TB SSD drive. Both record internally in H.264, ProRes or ProRes Raw, in D-Log, Rec. 709 or HLG. Where three-axis gimbals control pan, tilt and roll, the Z-axis of vertical motion is not stabilised, so when walking or running, the camera bobs up and down. The DJI has four-axis control, with downward and forward
get that on any other cinema camera. D-Log settings give up to 14 stops of
dynamic range and noise is managed well. The 6K tops out at 60p, while 4K is up to 120p, but is a
RADICAL RONIN The DJI is a very strange beast!
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