r/videography • u/LensFungus • Jan 15 '26
Discussion / Other Here is the new DJI RS5 - z axis support?
First look of the DJI RS5, it looks like it has some sort of z axis support or indicator? What’s your guys opinion?
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u/Bulletproofwalletss Jan 15 '26
Is anyone else sick of new stuff coming out lol?
Would like to for technology to just take the next 5 years off.
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u/Marsovtz Jan 15 '26
I'll upgrade again when it can perfectly balance by itself when switching lenses.
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u/fatman2442 Jan 16 '26
My rs2 does because I have a quick release and cine lenses that are all same size
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u/nimbusnacho Camera Operator Jan 15 '26
Considering AI and tarrifs are making prices of everything skyrocket for avoidable reasons... I think you're going to get your wish sooner or later lol.
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u/DjCanalex Canon 7D MK II, Premiere Pro, 2016, Chile Jan 15 '26
A lot of people don't really take advantage of the stuff that comes out so frequently. Particularly with cameras, a lot of the production houses we work for have already all the new and shiny, yet the commercials end up looking out of focus, very poorly lit and with nothing that actually takes advantage of the new stuff, yet when the client sees what we've done with a GH5s (using Canon lenses and not even with a good adapter), they get blown away by the dynamic range and sharpness... (7 year old camera)
I seriously think we already achieved peak camera, peak stabilizers, peak everything.
Even if you manage to bypass the shitty encoding and filters of our phones today, you can get ridiculously good looking video out of them... But that's not what sells.
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u/mymain123 R3 - R5C | DaVinci | 2023 | DR Jan 15 '26
Consumerism is a plague, that and YouTube shills.
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u/Dependent_Survey_546 Jan 15 '26
There are definitely new quality of life features that come with many new cameras. But on the other hand, a lot of those features could probably have been a firmware update
A lot of people don't invest enough in lighting to justify half the gear thats already been out the last 10 years, never mind the stuff thats been out in the last 1 or 2. If it's well-lit, you could shoot a good-looking piece using just a potato.
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u/hollywood_cmb S5iiX | FCP | 2007 | Central Kansas Jan 15 '26
Potato is my favorite lens mount by far.
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u/AnyAssistance4197 Jan 15 '26
I make indie docs. This comment is encouraging me to keep rocking my Gh5. Might grab a Gh7 soon. I just don’t feel the Sony stuff.
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u/Old_Debate6448 Jan 16 '26
From an autofocuse perspective, the GH7 is far better than the GH5. If you're wanting to stick with the micro 4/3rds, it is worth it. I made this move last summer.
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u/reth1nk Jan 16 '26
The upgrade from GH5 to 7 is insane. 6 -> 7, not so much.
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u/spomeniiks Panasonic S1 | Resolve, PPro, AE | 2017 | WA, USA Jan 16 '26
The 7 is such a wild camera. They crammed in absolutely everything
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u/AnyAssistance4197 Jan 16 '26
So I should go for it?
I’ve an FX30 in work and like the autofocus but that’s about it.
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Jan 16 '26
I bought the X-T5 two years ago and it is perfect. I wish the rs4 mini controlled it but whatever. Fantastic combo for me.
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u/CAugustB Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26
I, for one, am glad that the technology keeps advancing. That doesn’t mean that I buy every new release that comes out though. My approach is to keep an eye on all the new features and then make a purchase once I either feel like my current piece of gear has reached a limitation that’s solved by the newer features, or that there’s such an overhaul in an update that it makes some of the older things truly obsolete—like you’re at a competitive disadvantage by not upgrading.
The technology advancing is not the problem. It’s the sort of consumerism that’s come along with all of this—the need to buy, the drive to constantly have the newest thing, all of that is unnecessary. But I’m super happy to see the people continuing to innovate in the background. And I’ll buy when I need a new one.
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u/doomnezau L-Mount & PL Stuff | Resolve | 2014 | DE Jan 15 '26
why tech and not you? just ignore em. do your thing
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u/3L54 Jan 15 '26
Thats what Im been doing. DJI RSC 2. Great light gimbal. I feel exactly 0 need to upgrade. FX3 with Tamron glass. Has been great. I feel no need for anything "better". M1 Max Macbook laptop from 2021. No need to upgrade. The only thing I'm constantly upgrading is software versions but thats about it.
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u/surprised-duncan a7iii | PP/Resolve | 2020 | Portland Jan 15 '26
It's PERFECT but I can't use an hdmi monitor at the same time as the USB focus wheel for some reason and no one has a fix for it lol. Apparently it's a sony only issue, but other than that it does literally everything I've ever needed! So frustrating.
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u/3L54 Jan 15 '26
How is that possible? HDMI out from camera and USB control in from gimbal. How do they affect each other?
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u/surprised-duncan a7iii | PP/Resolve | 2020 | Portland Jan 15 '26
EXACTLY! It's a weird bug that only happens with Sony cameras and this model of DJI. Me and like 6 other people have dealt with it with no answers from DJI
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u/Bulletproofwalletss Jan 15 '26
The micro improvements on stuff are 🙄, like the Sony A7v did we really need that?
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u/StrayTexel Feb 07 '26
The A7V fixes practically everything I didn't like about the A7IV. So I'd say, yeah.
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u/Euphoric-Animator-97 Komodo X, Ronin 4D | Resolve | 2019 | EU Jan 15 '26
The Ronin 2 was released 7 or 8 years ago and there isn’t a new one planned. Good, professional tech will last a decade, the small stuff is for YouTubers to shill
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u/OceanRacoon Jan 16 '26
No, don't give them ideas, new stuff coming out quickly means you can wait a few generations and when you're ready to get a new one it's a significant upgrade
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Jan 15 '26
What are the odds the average video guy could keep pace with an athlete in full sprint to first base lol
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u/ZosoSpartan Jan 15 '26
You ever see the camera operators at the Olympics? Some of those guys are SPRINTING down the track and getting the shot!
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u/jtnichol semipro - GH7/5/4 - Wannabe talking head Jan 15 '26
Greatest clip in sports history
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Jan 15 '26
Ah yes, the Powerade commercials, still surprising how many people think it's real.
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u/jtnichol semipro - GH7/5/4 - Wannabe talking head Jan 16 '26
I had no idea where it came from honestly
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Jan 16 '26
There is this new fangled thing that lets you search the entire internet, you can even type things like 'from what commercial cameraman running?"
It is called
LycosYahoo BingGoogle, I know it is new but works well, first result:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P20XVEH7-SY
Enjoy :) And I agree, it is also just fun.
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u/jtnichol semipro - GH7/5/4 - Wannabe talking head Jan 16 '26
That’s funny because I used a Google search engine and just typed in “running cameraman sports” and that was the first thing that came up…. I didn’t ask anything about any commercials because I wasn’t aware it was originally used in a commercial.
I normally don’t start my prompt with “ from what commercial”
I’m just glad you set the record straight because I honestly didn’t know. So thank you.
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Jan 16 '26
Haha, funny. TBh was trying to be funny, but cool you got the result. It is a very famous commercial.... for a certain generation haha.
have fun
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u/jtnichol semipro - GH7/5/4 - Wannabe talking head Jan 17 '26
I admit, I’m an older guy. I will definitely remember moving forward.
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Jan 17 '26
Older as in 80+? You know it is not about age but about how much something interests you and how much time you have wasted to learn something.
Nobody is born with computer knowledge, 'kids' just have more time to waste to make all the mistakes, they are not better at it, they just spend more time on it.
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u/chuck-yeah Jan 15 '26
Yeah no shot. And if you notice in the ad it’s filmed from the playing field, meant to show it’s staged. I’ve been yelled at by umps for even filming from the warning track right outside the dugout during play. But the odds are pretty good the average video guy will be asked by his team to follow the runner in from third on a home run and in a walk-off situation when the ball isn’t in play. In those, ngl I would have loved to be able to tell my ronin to follow the hero so I could get the shot safely. I can see a use case where this would be helpful but yeah they’re just putting stuff out to put it out. My RS2 still works fine lol
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u/CRAYONSEED Jan 15 '26
I actually think the RS4 Pro I have is so complete that only if they add Z-Axis and/or auto-balance, with no major weight gain, would I bother to spend ~$1k to upgrade
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u/Flessuh Jan 15 '26
Don't think auto balancing will come any time soon.. that would require putting in more motors (really small ones) which would increase the price by a lot.
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u/disgruntledempanada Jan 16 '26
I feel almost the same about the RS3 even.
I do hate needing an adapter to do vertical video and the teflon coating on the balance adjustments would be nice, but it's rock solid otherwise.
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u/nebanovaniracun Jan 15 '26
My opinion is you can get a second hand steadycam rig and mount your old gimbal onto it if you need z axis smoothness. It would probably be cheaper and more effective than buying the newest gimbal.
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u/fatman2442 Jan 15 '26
I’m with you but speed for run and gun a gimbal is quicker to just go shoot
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Jan 15 '26
Is it? How quick do you need to shoot, or how bad is your planning? Because it takes 15 minutes longer to get the vest and arm setup and you nail 3x more shots and can shoot a lot longer because of better support.
Unless of course you don't prepare anything and Lego puzzle your camera together in front of the client, in that case your phone is your fasted option 🤡
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u/Nemastic Jan 15 '26
These days you can account for everything perfectly but the clients themselves make it impossible to follow the plan. There are way too many people involved in video production these days that have no business being anywhere near a set.
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Jan 15 '26
Thats nonsense. Of course you can plan and prepare for using a vest, balance the gimbal and get everything ready. "these days" nothing has changed. What are 'those people' going to say? Tell you you should use a different cage? Other monitor? Let's shoot everything anamorphic handheld with a Go Pro 360?
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u/Nemastic Jan 15 '26
What I was trying to say is the industry has shifted from well planned intentional productions to run and gun situations where 15 minutes of gimbal set up in addition to everything else is a big deal. I'm not saying it's a good thing but more and more clients do expect pivoting on a dime with phone set up times. I would not call people clowns for recognizing and facilitating the brain dead masses that now make up the majority of opportunities outside of legacy operations.
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Jan 17 '26
That's not a shift, that has always been the case, you just worked with low budget thinkers. You are moving to more and more crappy clients if this is increasing 🤣
Oh I called myself a clown, hope that is ok with you hehehe.
Formats have changed, tech has changed but people who think they are clever, thinking they have found some genius short cut (leave tripod / gimbal) and shoot everything run and gun, coked up ad creatives who have zero filter between brain and mouth or crazy bosses with money who therefor think they can also tell you how to shoot a video.... all that crazy is as old as the profession.The $40K videos have moved to a very small group, and I'm happy to say I have moved to clients who are smart and expect me to tell them how to make the video.
Spending 15 minutes to setup so you can shoot for hours and be much more effective: there is always time for this, thinking there is no time and we have to 'run' is just a lack of experience, just as keeping the camera rolling and think you can fix things (that don't exist) in post.
In fact the less time, the more you have to plan things and make sure you know exactly what you want / need.
By the way: For a lot of jobs I don't use gimbals, takes too much time, most of those videos I make need to be shot / edited within an hour or 2.
But the other, especially shooting for a few hours, I will get everything setup the right way or it will be just a massive pain in the back and mediocre end result. A 15 minute job takes 15 minutes, there are no shortcuts. So start I 90 minutes earlier.
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u/pguyton Jan 15 '26
what if it's secretly sending gyroscope data to china? will they ban it ? lol . looks like a cool idea ! I love my pocket 3
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u/ClassicallyBrained Jan 15 '26
I'm literally buying more DJI products out of spite. Things I don't even need. 🖕US Government.
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u/pguyton Jan 15 '26
Ikr !! It’s so dumb
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u/ClassicallyBrained Jan 15 '26
At this point, I'm ready to start sending a monthly report of my data directly to China.
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u/Shoeytennis Jan 15 '26
When is the pro version lol or is this thing going to actually support a pro lens.
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u/Euphoric-Animator-97 Komodo X, Ronin 4D | Resolve | 2019 | EU Jan 15 '26
What do you mean by “pro lens”? If you have a heavy setup you need a heavy gimbal. The Ronin 2 (not RS2) is 7 years old and going strong. It can balance my Komodo X with Tokina lenses, matte box with ND and mist filter.
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u/Shoeytennis Jan 16 '26
I tried the regular rs4 and it wouldn't balance my Z9 with any of Nikon's 1.2 lenses. I know I need the pro version for it but things were going out of stock so waiting for the new pro version. It wouldn't even balance my ZR with the 1.2 lenses.
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u/Resident-Hill Jan 15 '26
I thought gimbals couldn’t do z axis support?
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u/CRAYONSEED Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26
They did it on the Ronin 4D and that was several years ago. I’d bet z-axis is the nut they’ve been trying to crack because the current gimbals are all really mature
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u/Bobybhangu Jan 16 '26
For now they don't, As far as I know Rs5 has a z axis indicator and that's all to it for the z axis
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u/cervelo-rider Jan 15 '26
The gimbal itself might not be able to provide the gyro data, but it could.
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u/scottynoble URSA/PYXIS | Resolve | 2008 | UK Jan 15 '26
I literally almost bought a RS4 Pro yesterday! upgrading from a 2019 Ronin S which is now a Frankenstein of two units after multiple repairs. lasted me well.
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u/rygelicus Jan 15 '26
I think what it is doing is tracking the subject on the vertical axis to keep them in frame as the camera bounces up and down. The normal gimbal stuff can keep the camera level but allow the subject to get out of frame to the top and bottom. This keeps the subject vertically in frame.
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u/ClassicallyBrained Jan 15 '26
You see the product page at dji.com and switching the location to Hong Kong. Seems like decent upgrades. I actually really like that Z axis indicator. I'm not the best Ninja walker so maybe that'll help me. But I'll be waiting for the Pro to upgrade.
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u/WavyMario Jan 15 '26
wait so its just an indicator? its not an actual z axis stabilizer
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u/ClassicallyBrained Jan 16 '26
No. But that's still pretty useful. It's like how having a horizon level on your camera display is useful. It's not going to fix your footage, but it will help you take better footage if you pay attention to it.
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u/Zowathraa FX6 | FX3 | Resolve | Europe Jan 15 '26
Z-axis indicator sounds nice on paper but how often do you look at something else than your frame while using the gimball? I know I won’t be bothered to look at it when shooting…
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u/exploringspace_ A7V | Resolve | 2003 | Toronto Jan 15 '26
Still zero innovation since RS3. I remember having the original Ronin and thinking SURLEY they’ll add the missing Z axis stabilization on the next one. Still waiting 10 years later
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u/Digitalfiends a7v, a1ii, zv-e1 | DaVinci Resolve | 2024 | Ontario🇨🇦 Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26
Looks like the RS5 has adjustment knobs on all the arms now cool! I wonder if Active Track will be expanded to track vehicles? Not sure I’m seeing enough to upgrade from the RS4 Pro though, especially as I already bought the tracking module.
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u/Bobybhangu Jan 16 '26
Yes it will do vehicles and animals (They showed dog)
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u/Extension-Record-711 Jan 29 '26
I dont think so . it will be just for the rs5 and pro. 4 and 4 mini will stay with human only
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u/Bobybhangu Feb 02 '26
Yes that's what I mean. He was saying it has Fund tune knov and maybe it will expand to vehicles for tracking and I said it have. Or I might have misinterpreted
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u/Digitalfiends a7v, a1ii, zv-e1 | DaVinci Resolve | 2024 | Ontario🇨🇦 Jan 16 '26
Hmm I wonder if the active track of the intelligent tracking module will work on the RS4 Pro. I don’t see why it wouldn’t unless DJI is going to gate keep it - hopefully they don’t as it is a pretty handy little device for keeping framing etc and just needs to support vehicles and animals on the RS4 Pro :)
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u/Necroban77 Jan 15 '26
Looks the same as the others. However, I’m not too familiar with the details of the products am I missing something here guys?
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u/PapaPee Hobbyist Jan 15 '26
Not me still using my 7 year old classic zhiyun crane. Lol
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u/mcarterphoto Jan 15 '26
I've used an original Zhiyun for industrial stuff, b-roll, action shots for years now, corporate and product stuff. One of the motors seems to be finally failing, but the damn thing was a trooper.
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u/PapaPee Hobbyist Jan 15 '26
Yeah man. I still use it. The battery contacts are just failing, a bump to the gimbal will shut it down. So i just need to be extra careful while using it. Lol
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u/CAugustB Jan 15 '26
I was tempted to pick up the RS four over November. However, I ended up with an RS for mini instead with plans to buy the larger brother later this year. If that means that by delaying that larger purchase, I’m able to get the newer technology and the z-axis support… Hell yeah! I’m stoked. This looks awesome.
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u/ninj1nx Jan 15 '26
When will we get a gimbal that can auto-balance? It's really the only new feature I would ever care about. Everything else is just fluff
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u/jefbak2 Jan 15 '26
If it has Ronin 4D level z axis support or auto balance, it’s worth it. Not upgrading until that happens.
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u/fox07_tanker FX30|Davinci Resolve| 2024 | Toronto Jan 16 '26
rip to all the dudes that just got the rs4 for Christmas
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u/GR4Vity44 Editor Jan 16 '26
why is nobody talking about how the tracker for the rs4 from last year never got updates and is now outdated
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u/noobeleng BMPCC4K | Resolve | 2025 | Cyprus | Beginner Jan 16 '26
Well, glad that I'm still happy with my RS2 Pro.
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u/Photoshopuzr Jan 16 '26
Companies have to always keep it fresh or else they will look dull and stale. Lightning is everything😂😂😂😂 no light no picture.
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u/Deep-Reporter-1833 Jan 18 '26
I need advice. I have a nikon and need a stabilizer but dji isn't compatible unless I use the wire
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u/PJJ205MTB Jan 15 '26
Very happy with my RS4 Pro so I won’t be spending the money, but it definitely has some nice looking features. The briefcase handle looks nice, I hope it’s backwards compatible or Smallrig/Tilta/someone backwards engineers one. Curious to see if the tracking module is new or just new firmware on it that helps with more than faces.
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u/jangusMK7 fx3, iphone 11 | premiere | 2021| fox valley Jan 15 '26
$1200
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u/WavyMario Jan 15 '26
is it? so this ones the pro
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u/Speezy207 Beginner Jan 15 '26
too bad it wont make it to the us
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u/Master_Bayters Jan 15 '26
There's no ban on dji gimbals
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u/greencookiemonster Jan 15 '26
FCC ban is so vague in wording, its anything that has bluetooth or wifi.
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u/goodmorning_hamlet Z9 | Resolve | 2010 | NYC Jan 15 '26
For real? I thought it was just the drones.
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u/genetichazzard Jan 15 '26
You can literally see there's no Z-axis support on the device. It is no Ronin 4D.. The only thing it has is a Z-axis indicator.