Known mainly for its drones, the Chinese company DJI has been expanding its scope with offers for filmmakers in recent years. Last year the company unveiled its first new film camera, the Ronin 4D. Today, it announces and launches two new gimbals and a DJI wireless transmission system, all of which borrow some tricks from the Ronin 4D.
The RS 3 can be seen as a successor to the RSC 2 that DJI launched in 2020. It is the smaller of the two newly released gimbals focused on getting up and getting ready to record as quickly as possible. The new shaft locking mechanism is released automatically once the cardan shaft is turned on, allowing you to film sooner. Along with the new quick release mounts, it should save you precious time and eliminate the need to rebalance your arms between shoots.
DJI RS 3 now also includes interchangeable batteries, but no longer has the adjustable grip like its predecessor. Image: DJI The two gimbals now include a 1.8-inch OLED display. Image: DJI
The RS 3 also includes new support for the Bluetooth shutter button, which means you don’t need to connect a control cable to the camera, and you can only activate the wireless recording button. DJI cites “20 percent improved performance over RSC 2,” which makes things more noticeable when shot at low angles, cardan, or shot from a moving vehicle. Like the RSC 2, this gimbal supports SuperSmooth mode, which adds extra stabilization when shot with tighter zoom lenses up to 100mm.
The new gimbal also includes a much larger 1.8-inch OLED touchscreen, which should help you adjust your settings while you don’t need to plug it into the Ronin app. The handle has added a physical slider so that camcorders can switch between pan, pan, and tilt and FPV modes.
The new 12-hour interchangeable battery handle is a slight decrease compared to the 14-hour battery life of the RSC 2. But 12 hours is still a long time and supports fast charging of 18 PD W. I recommend if you can hold the gimbal for so long.
The RS 3 weighs 2.8 pounds (1.3 kg), making it slightly heavier than its predecessor (2.67 pounds or 1.2 kg) and shares the same proven maximum payload of 6.6 free or 3 kg.
But if you think 3kg may be too little for your camera, you should check out the DJI RS 3 Pro. It has a maximum payload capacity of 10 pounds (4.5 kg), identical to that of its predecessor, the RS 2, and should be more than enough. Although the arms of the RS 3 Pro are built with a piece of uncut carbon fiber, the RS 3 Pro is slightly heavier than the RS 2, weighing 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg).
RS 3 Pro can be portable, but it’s much more fun to mount it on a car platform if you have one nearby. Image: DJI
Like the RS 3, the RS 3 Pro shares all the features mentioned above: automated axis lock, Bluetooth shutter control, 1.8-inch OLED touchscreen, and physical mode button on the handle. But there is a big difference, as the RS 3 Pro borrows Ronin 4D’s lidar approach technology. Combined with the enhanced focusing engine, the DJI Lidar Range Finder is capable of converting your manual lenses into autofocus lenses. And DJI’s patented ActiveTrack, now called ActiveTrack Pro, promises to keep features constant and focused on more demanding situations by improving subject detection and tracking.
The DJI Lidar Range Finder (RS) can project 43,200 points away within an indoor area of 14 meters. Image: DJI
The latest product announced at the DJI launch event is the DJI Wireless Video Solution, simply called DJI Transmission. If you’re familiar with DJI’s Ronin 4D camera, it will look similar.
It is a transmission technology that allows remote monitoring and control of your camera, RS 3 Pro or both at the same time.
The O3 Pro transmission allows you to stream video up to 6 km at 1080p at 60 fps with live audio monitoring. The DFS (dynamic frequency selection) band alternates between 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequencies to allow smooth, interference-free transmission channels. Of course, users can also manually select their specific channels in larger sets to avoid clashes between multiple devices.
The system comes with a transmitter located on top of the desired device and a receiver in the form of a 7-inch monitor. The 1500-night bright monitor supports a multi-receiver transmitter and two transition modes.
The high-brightness remote monitor can also act as a stand-alone motion controller. Image: DJI DJI Transmission can run on 10 or more transmitters. Image: DJI
The broadcast mode allows an unlimited number of receivers to monitor production, while the control mode, monitoring and remote control of devices can be done with two receivers.
The new gimbals, DJI RS 3 and RS 3 Pro, will be available today for a starting price of $ 549 and $ 869, respectively. The two gimbals can also be purchased as a combined package that includes a large number of accessories. The RS 3 Combo includes an additional handle, a new focusing motor, a carrying case and more. This option will cost you $ 719.
The RS 3 Pro Combo package also adds an extended quick release board, a phone holder, a new focus engine, a Ronin image transmitter and more for $ 1,099.
DJI Transmission will go on sale in September this year and will retail for $ 2,499. If you would like to purchase the video transmitter or high brightness remote monitor separately, these items will cost $ 1,699 and $ 1,099, respectively.