WHAT IS A DRONE CAMERA WITH A GIMBAL (In the Entertainment industry. What is a Drone Camera with a Gimbal?)

3 Axis Gimbal on a Drone / Photo Credit: My Drone Lab

WHAT IS A DRONE CAMERA WITH A GIMBAL (In the Entertainment industry. What is a Drone Camera with a Gimbal?)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

What is a Drone Camera with a Gimbal?

When it comes to shooting videos or taking pictures with your drone, there’s no doing so without a gimbal. Even if you manage to strap a drone GoPro or other camera to your quadcopter, the result will still be super-shaky, otherwise-not-great footage.

If still unclear as to why a gimbal is so gosh-darn important when using a drone to film, well, anything, let’s take a closer look at why this drone accessory is necessary:

Stability

Arguably the main purpose of a drone gimbal is to provide the attached camera with optimal stability. It doesn’t matter if the camera is pitching forward, right, left...the gimbal ensures smooth, stable footage. It also doesn’t matter if you don’t know much about flying a quadcopter or are flying in adverse weather conditions--a quality gimbal will keep the camera stable.

Real-Time Footage

The latest gimbals on the market today do more than keep your GoPro or other camera stable-- they also allow for things such as real-time HD video. First Person View (FPV) is increasingly popular among drone enthusiasts, so a built-in video module that’s compatible with hardware such as the DJI Lightbridge is pretty darn cool.

Rotation Control

Another feature included on many of today’s drones, such as the DJI Osmo, is three-axis rotation control. This again makes it easier to capture the footage you want.

Multiple Control Modes

Many of today’s gimbals worth their proverbial salt offer multiple control modes, such as orientation-locked, back to mid-point, and non-orientation-locked. It may sound complicated, but it’s essentially another way of controlling the camera and obtaining the shots you want.

A quality gimbal is imperative to drone filming. Whether you use a drone for professional reasons or not, make sure the ones you’re reviewing for purchase feature outstanding gimbal options.

A gimbal is a support system that allows an object to remain horizontal regardless of the motion around it. Gimbals were widely used in waterborne vessels to keep instruments, equipment, and even drink holders upright with respect to the horizon regardless of the motion of the boat.

If you are hoping to use your drone for photography, you may want to consider buying a gimbal. A gimbal is a support system that allows an object to remain horizontal regardless of the motion around it. Gimbals were widely used in waterborne vessels to keep instruments, equipment, and even drink holders upright with respect to the horizon regardless of the motion of the boat. Drone gimbals keep a camera in the same position regardless of the motion of the drone.

Similar to how you would use gimbal technology to ensure that you don’t spill your cup of coffee on the rough seas, a gimbal can keep your aerial camera in a specific position regardless of the movement of the drone around it. To fully understand how a gimbal works, you must first understand the three axes of aerial movement specific to an airplane.

A gimbal is designed to keep your camera at the same angle regardless of the movement of the drone by automatically compensating using calibrated and often remotely controlled electric motors.

HOW TO FIND A GIMBAL FOR YOUR DRONE

They sound extremely high -tech but the good news is that you don’t need to know how a gimbal works in order to use it. But before you start shopping for a gimbal, you do need to know if your drone supports a gimbal. Most of the big manufacturers, such as DJI and Parrot, either have integrated gimbals or an exclusive line of gimbals that you can buy direct or through authorized retailers.

The benefit to purchasing a camera gimbal through your drone manufacturer is that you will get support for your device as well as a slew of easy to find documentation on how to use and maintain your gimbal. Not to mention, the gimbal is designed specifically for your drone and therefore should work without any major issues. One glaring issue, however, is that your choices can end up being somewhat limited. Here are some websites where you can find alternative options:

Helipal.com: This is a one stop shop for all things drone related. Search for camera gimbals and in the product descriptions you will typically find comments on what drones the gimbal will mount to. Helipal is great for shoppers outside of the U.S.

ReadymadeRC.com: This is a great family owned business based out of Ohio. If you can’t find what you need on ReadymadeRC.com, you may be out of luck. Their exhaustive list of products makes it a great option for U.S. and Canadian customers.

Photography Store: Online photo supply stores, such as B&H or Adorama, are great outlets for finding a broad selection of camera accessories and equipment. If you have another camera website you typically frequent, search for “drone camera gimbal” on the sight, and see what you come up with.

Amazon.com: You can find almost anything on Amazon. Search for camera gimbals available through several different companies. This is a great way to price shop, read customer reviews, and even find some support documentation all before you buy.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT GIMBAL

As you continue to research the right gimbal for your drone, you will find that not unlike shopping for the right drone, gimbals also come in many shapes, sizes, and combinations of features. Gimbals designed for specific drones will offer high end features that you may not be able to find from gimbals that are a little more universal. Major features include:

Number of axes: Gimbals for drones are either 2-axis or 3-axis. 2-axis gimbals do not compensate for yaw, which means that there will be slightly more bump in your images. 3-axis compensates for yaw, but this feature comes at a cost (naturally). If you are spending the money on a gimbal, you should go for the 3-axis.

Remote control: One of the benefits to buying a gimbal built specifically for your drone is integration into the flight controller. For example, some gimbals built for the DJI Phantom 2 can patch into the drone so that the camera’s tilt angle can be adjusted remotely.

Camera support: Gimbals are designed with specific cameras in mind. There are some gimbals that come with support for multiple compact camera types. Primarily, you will find that gimbals are designed with support for the GoPro camera because of its wide use in action sports and aerial photography and videography. Make sure the gimbal you select supports your camera.

Pre-Calibration: Calibrating a gimbal can be somewhat tedious for beginners. A gimbal that comes pre-calibrated and ready to simply plug and play is the fastest and easiest way to get up and running. Gimbals made specifically for your drone should almost always come pre-calibrated. Calibrating isn’t difficult, but it is one more step you have to take before getting airborne.

Once you have chosen the gimbal for you, installation should be a cinch. Zenmuse is a popular line of Gimbals by DJI that offer supreme technology and ease of use all bundled into one. Before you rip open the package, your best place to start is with the instruction manual or user guide. You can also find several assembly and installation instructions on YouTube.

WARNING

Gimbals with three axes are generally heavier than their 2‐axis counterparts. A heavier gimbal means shorter flight times. Be sure to prepare to cut your flight shorter than normal when using a heavier 3‐axis gimbal.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Steadicam, Tiffen, "3-Axis Handheld GoPro Gimbals". Gimbalreview.com. Gimbal Review, Dietsch, Roy (2013). Airborne Gimbal Camera – Interface Guide, Mark LaFay, Dummies, A Wiley Brand, Abshier House, Drone Fly,

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3 Axis Gimbal on a Drone / Photo Credit: My Drone Lab