In what could be called a new paradigm or class of camera, DJI the drone maker has launched a couple of cinema full-frame cameras geared to professional productions that merge their Ronin gimbal products with their Drone pro Zenmuse cameras to create a massively appealing system for pros and enthusiasts that want no compromise stabilization with enough image quality to be able to use them in professional productions for TV and film.  The pricing at just over 11.5k for the 8k version and 7.2k for the 6k version is small potatoes for movie and TV studios but might put off some buyers. 

It is of note that a fully working system bundle is assembled at that price which is much better than other options. It includes the Gimbal, camera and body, 1TB SSD M.2 card, battery, touch screen and cabling. In cinema systems like RED and ARRI this is just the brain or camera body with everything else being added on top as ancillary costs. The frame rates on these cameras are limited to 120fps as the highest at 4k and 75fps at 8k.  They might not be huge but the quality and stabilization should make them quite useful. 

DJI Ronin 4D Frame Rate Specs:

Introducing the DJI Ronin 4D 6K and 8K Cinema Gimbal Cameras:

It is clear that DJI has thrown all the engineering know-how on these cameras and has thought on everything to satisfy even the more demanding users. The kind of performance and stabilization offered here were unthinkable just a year ago for this pricing and the aggressiveness should preocupate RED, ARRI and Sony to name a few. 

You get a fully wireless monitoring system and also a manual focus lens motor system assisted by AI Autofocus using a live LiDAR scanner that according to early reviews works so well that you could do away with most focus puller required shots and rely only on the main camera operator.  As a version one it is quite impressive what they have achieved.

But Slow Motion?

Well here is the bad news, at 120fps maximum frame rates at 4k it is competitive with other cameras from Sony and Panasonic but will not really create a compelling option for slow motion enthusiasts. We would have been better served by a 240fps 4k and 480fps 1080p setting even if it was limited to a few seconds at a time. Slow motion with this type of stabilization would be a sight to behold.

These cameras are clearly geared for serious shooters and will not be ones you want to pull out and shoot in a moment’s notice, they require a series of checks before you can be sure everything is working. For professionals however, these will be able to replace most DSLRs and EVIL ILC Cameras for productions especially when used in vehicles or heavy motion shots. 

They FINALLY Made a PERFECT CAMERA [DJi RONIN 4D] by Corridor Crew:

DJI has just sent the camera world a message that the same old form factor is now boring and not going to cut it anymore, by delivering a camera and ecosystem of a variety of accessories on day one, it shows how serious they are at creating a new market.

The only thing that we question is, when are they going to introduce a $3k or lower version that has reduced features for less professional settings. We do have the DJI OSMO but that is hardly a video quality powerhouse, more of a GoPro 10 alternative. If they can get a new camera for under $3k that has  a good 240fps mode or better, we would be pretty happy. The Chinese are very advanced in planning and delivering new technologies in the camera space, Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Blackmagic, ARRI and RED should be very worried about the added competition. We hope to have slow motion samples to share soon at 120fps -HSC