The touchscreen responsiveness was on point, even with gloves. I did some shooting with the Ronin 4D when the temperature was in the 20-degree Fahrenheit range and didn’t see any ghosting issues or sluggish behavior. Video Quality Here, things are different. There’s the option of a 6K or 8K full-frame sensor. My preference is the 6K one for a few reasons; better low light performance, smaller, more manageable file sizes, and cost. DJI High-Bright Remote Monitor with Ronin 4D handgrips. A Stunning Display of Technological Craftsmanship Copy the 33-point LUT file with suffix “.CUBE” to the root directory of the storage medium, and then mount the medium to the main body. Handheld weight includes the Ronin 4D Flex gimbal connector module, X9-6K Gimbal Camera, X9 Counterweight (106 g), and DL 24mm lens.

Measured with a fully charged TB50 battery in a 26° C (78° F) environment with the gimbal balanced, equipment in a level and stationary state, the Z-Axis disabled, and continuously recording in RAW. Operating time will be reduced when Ronin 4D is in motion or the Z-Axis is enabled. Make sure the SSD is running within an appropriate temperature range. It is recommended to use it in a cool and well-ventilated environment and to use a metal frame with adequate heat dissipation performance to fix the SSD. Overheating can reduce the write performance of the SSD. For recommended operating temperature of the SSD, please consult the manufacturer. DJI, the global leader in civilian drones andcreative cameratechnology, today launches a comprehensive cinematography system that heralds the next generation of film production. DJI Ronin 4D combines the all-new full-frame Zenmuse X9 gimbal camera, a 4-axis stabilization system, a LiDAR focusing system, and an unrivaled video transmission and control system in a single unit. Designed and built to the exacting standards of professional filmmakers, DJI Ronin 4D makes high-end productions more efficient, makes spectacular camera moves possible in the most convenient way, and enables creative professionals to tell their stories with an entirely new visual language. I know this camera isn’t going to be for everyone and isn’t designed to be, but I think it means something when I say that I wish everyone could try it out at some point because they will enjoy it for what it manages to accomplish. Before using the USB-C SSD to record, make sure you have formatted it on DJI Ronin 4D. If the SSD is already storing many files written by other devices, the write performance may decrease significantly as affected by wear leveling and garbage collection algorithms of the SSD.

So the DJI Ronin 4D is a unique camera, but how good is its image quality? This is where DJI has taken another big leap forward. Complementing the imaging system is a brand-new, full-frame Zenmuse X9 gimbal camera – available in 8K and 6K versions – that allows cinematographers to capture footage in full cinematic quality. In addition to the commonly used H.264 codec, both X9-8K and X9-6K can internally record Apple ProRes and ProRes RAW, leaving more latitude for editing in post. Zenmuse X9-6K supports up to 6K/60fps and 4K/120fps, and Zenmuse X9-8K up to 8K/75fps, giving creators multiple options for capturing cinema-quality footage.

Combine all of these elements and you’ve got a recipe for some potentially exceptional video quality, albeit at the cost of massive amounts of disk space and the need for a fair amount of processing power. There aren’t many editing machines out there that can handle multiple streams of 8K ProRes. On the storage front, to give you an idea, a minute of ProRes HQ video in 8K is going to require about 25GB-30GB of disk space. Expensive bargain The monitor is a 5.5-inch, 1,920 by 1,080-pixel touchscreen display with 1,000 nits of brightness. It’s a perfect size for a gimbal where a big, rotatable screen is always helpful for monitoring but there needs to be a balance with how much weight it adds and just how much room it takes up. The picture quality looked good from my experience and it had the clarity to be able to discern subject sharpness by eyeballing it. What does that mean? On a typical handheld DJI stabilizer (other brands are available), the system counter-balances the camera's pan, tilt and roll movements with electronically-controlled motors. But something that isn’t properly accounted for in this set-up is the up-and-down motion that’s created by the operator when they walk, jog or run.

The headline feature of the Ronin 4D is exactly what the '4D' refers to, and that's the stabilization of the Z-axis. Or more specifically, what DJI refers to as “the industry’s first active-vertical 4-axis stabilization system”. Like Ronin 2 and Inspire 2, DJI Ronin 4D uses the TB50 Intelligent Battery, which offers up to 2.5 hours of shooting time. Even in extreme weather conditions, the TB50 battery is still reliable with the help of auto-heating technology.

On the top, there's also a 1,500-nit, 7-inch monitor that has a built-in gyro sensor, which turns the monitor into a motion controller if you fancy controlling the camera with movement. And to hoover up all of your footage, there's a 1TB SSD drive inside alongside a CFexpress Type-B slot. Of course, we'll have to see if the Ronin 4D lives up to its grand promises (we're in the process of testing one now) and it won't suit everyone. Many filmmakers will be perfectly happy with the quality produced by cameras from the likes of Red, Arri, Sony and Canon, and have been able to live without 4-axis active stabilization until now. DJI Revolutionizes Filmmaking With World’s First 4-Axis Cinema Camera Ronin 4D Puts DJI’s Unparalleled Technology Expertise at the Service of Today’s Filmmakers The mount lets you attach some of your preferred lenses of choice (it's compatible with ones for DJI's DL Mount, Leica's M Mount and Sony's E-Mount), and there's the ability to record in Apple’s ProRes codec internally, including ProRes RAW. This gives filmmakers far more scope for image manipulation in post-production than other DJI cameras. What was once only available to productions with five, six or seven-figure budgets, is now accessible to budding filmmakers and low-budget productions.DJI Ronin 4D has been designed with an innovative industry-first active Z-axis to eliminate vertical camera shake effectively. This technology allows the operator to shoot while walking, running, or moving around dynamically, with no need to practice pacing or rely on external equipment. Videos taken in complex spaces like stairways or uneven ground are smooth without any trace of the operator’s footsteps. DJI Ronin 4D even captures wide sliding shots easily, without the need for a dolly.

The grips that attach to the body are well designed and feel good in the hand. There are various buttons and controls that allow you to operate the key settings at your fingertips. One grip comes with a wheel that you operate with your thumb. It’s beautifully designed and weighted and is great for manually controlling focus, but can also be customized. Measured with video transmission control system operating in Control mode in an unobstructed environment free of interference with FCC compliance. Use the provided USB-A to USB-C data cable to connect the USB-C port above the storage card slot of the main body with a computer. Then, Launch DJI Assistant 2 (Ronin Series).

A Stunning Display of Technological Craftsmanship

DJI didn't stop there when bringing new tech to the Ronin 4D either. The camera system also has new O3 Pro transmission tech, which can push a 1080/60p video feed to remote monitors that are up to 20,000 feet away. This means a focus puller can tweak the focus without needing to run around next to the camera operator. DJI Ronin 4D offers three focusing modes to suit the needs of every creator: manual focus, autofocus, and DJI’s unique Automated Manual Focus (AMF). In manual focus, DJI Ronin 4D provides LiDAR Waveform, an assistive tool that allows cinematographers to locate focus points and pull focus with extreme precision. Autofocus keeps a sharp focus on the subject in more dynamic and unpredictable situations like documentary filmmaking. Automated Manual Focus combines the best of both modes to automatically rotate the focus wheel while following the focus point, allowing the operator to intervene manually at any time for an intuitive experience.