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DO YOU REALLY NEED A GIMBAL? DJI RS2 Gimbal vs IBIS [All Sony Stabilization Modes Compared]
In the era of ever-advancing camera technology, the debate about the necessity of a gimbal has become more prominent than ever before. With the rise of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) in cameras like Sony’s, the question arises: do you really need a gimbal? In this blog, we will dive into the world of stabilizers, focusing on the DJI RS2 Gimbal and IBIS in Sony cameras. We will analyze and compare all the stabilization modes offered by Sony, pitting them against the powerful capabilities of the DJI RS2 Gimbal. So, if you’re a content creator or a photography enthusiast pondering over whether to invest in a gimbal, join us as we explore the pros and cons of each option.
DO YOU REALLY NEED A GIMBAL? DJI RS2 Gimbal vs IBIS [All Sony Stabilization Modes Compared]
Introduction
I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. You know, there’s a reason why from about December to about the end of February, all my videos are inside and that’s because I live in Canada. And in Canada, it’s pretty cold during those times. But for this particular video, I kinda need some space to be able to move around and do the proper tests. Look at me mom, I’m a YouTuber. But why the heck am I putting on all these layers? Why are we going outside today? Well, a little while ago, there was kind of this insurgence of people talking about gimbals. “Do I need a gimbal? Do I need a gimbal if I have IBIS?” all of those kinds of questions coming flooding in left and right, and for a while it was quiet. And then, DJI decided to release a couple of new gimbals, and now again, I’m getting all these questions. “Do I need a gimbal? Do I need a gimbal if I have IBIS?” So today, and the reason that I’m getting all bundled up, is because we’re gonna be taking the Ronin RS2, And we’re gonna be heading outside to compare it to all those different kinds of stabilization and see what you really need. Let’s go because I am sweating now.
Testing the Different Stabilization Modes
Okay, so here’s the deal. I wanna do three different tests at four different levels of stabilization, a walking test, your running test, just kind of stable shot. And the four different levels of stabilization are going to be standard, which is just like the regular IBIS inside of the a7S III, the active one, Catalyst Browse, which we’ll also get to see what it looks like with stabilization off, and then we’re going to use the gimbal. But I need to find somewhere to do this where they’ll actually be able to see whether things are stabilized and not just a giant, white emptiness, okay.
Making Predictions
Get a load of this guy. It’s cold outside, sure, but it’s not that cold outside. And here’s the thing, I can already tell you what’s gonna happen, or at least I think I have a pretty good idea. So I think what we’ll do, we’ll turn this into a bit of a game. I’m gonna give my predictions of what I think is gonna happen with the test footage that he gets, and what I want you to do is pause the video now, head down to the comments section and make your own predictions as well. Remember, we’ve got three different categories And then we’ve got four different levels of stabilization. So head down, make your predictions and we’ll see if they match up with what happens. I think the gimbal is gonna crush on walking and running, I don’t think that IBIS is any kind of a replacement for a gimbal, But I am very excited to see how the active and Catalyst Browse hold up to those situations. If the regular IBIS is anything like previous Sony cameras, it doesn’t really do a whole lot in those kinds of situations. But hopefully active will do a little bit more and hopefully Catalyst Browse Will even take it one more step further because we have more control to crop in more and kind of fine tune it. And then as far as the standing still shots, I think all of them are going to be just fine. I don’t think it’s necessary to use a gimbal If you’re just doing a fairly steady shot, pun intended, but it doesn’t hurt, necessarily. All right, so those are my predictions, hopefully you already left a comment letting me know what your predictions are. Let’s get back to this goofball and let him do his thing.
Test Results
There we go, a bunch of trees, that should do the trick. All right, so I’m gonna shoot all the gimbal ones first because I’m already set up and ready to go on the gimbal. So it’s the a7S III in a SmallRig Cage with the G Master 16-35 F2.8, And we’re gonna shoot the tests at 24 millimeters. All right, camera is off the gimbal, we’ve got all our gimbal shots so now we’re gonna shoot with the different levels of stabilization just in-camera. So first we’re gonna start with just the standard IBIS. And now we’re gonna move on to the active stabilization that you’ll find in the ZV1, a7C and a7S III. And lastly, I’m gonna shoot with stabilization off so we can see what it looks like with no stabilization, as well as using Catalyst Browse to stabilize in-post.
Okay, so I just got the footage back from doofus here, and we’ve got to put a couple of clips through Catalyst Browse to get our stabilized footage. If you’ve never used Catalyst Browse before, here’s kind of how it works. Basically, you’re gonna find your clip and you’re gonna hit Stabilize clip. It’s gonna analyze it. And off the bat, it starts in auto stabilization, so it tries to decide how much cropping it needs, to make it as stable as possible. I find that usually Catalyst Browse goes a little bit overboard on it, so we can usually back it off just a little bit. Then when you’re done, you can export it and change the name so that you know which one is the stabilized version. And then we can pull that in and check it out.
Okay, so having a look at this footage here for the walking and running tests, The gimbal is by far the best option. The normal standard IBIS is not much better than having IBIS off altogether. Active stabilization is actually quite impressive in this case, even in the running one. It’s a little bit jerky, but there aren’t any kind of weird artifacts Or anything like that, so I’m really impressed there. And then Catalyst Browse is actually kind of a surprise for me, but not in a good way. Every time I take a step, we get this crazy motion blur, which, since you have to turn off in-body image stabilization, to get Catalyst Browse to work, Kind of makes sense, ’cause we’re not stabilizing any of those footsteps. So then you get the motion blur and as much as Catalyst Browse can smooth it all out, you’re still seeing every step in the form of motion blur. And I know some people are gonna say, “Well, if you just crank up your shutter speed, then that might help with that.” But I mean, that’s a compromise that I don’t know that I would be willing to make in every situation. Changing the shutter speed, changes the way that things look, changing the shutter speed changes the exposure. I mean, it is there as an option, potentially, but I am kind of disappointed in how it turned out with Catalyst Browse.
Now we did have a little bit of a problem with the standing still shots. He only shot these tests at 24 millimeters. And we’re gonna shoot the tests at 24 millimeters. And when you’re shooting that wide, it’s not gonna be very obvious, all these little differences between handheld and gimbal and stabilized and not, it gets more evident as you shoot more zoomed in. But the bigger problem is that this guy thought it would be a good idea To take those standing still test shots of a wobbling branch. So it’s tough to know whether he’s wobbling or the branch is wobbling. It’s, I’m gonna have to get him to get some new stuff.
Hello. Hey, that footage that you got me, it’s not gonna work. Can you grab me standing still at 24 and at 70 millimeters so that we can compare? And do it of something that’s standing still, no wobbling branches. You’re so needy, you know that? Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Fine. Okay, he said it’d be over right away. (bell dings) Okay, so now that we have enough footage to actually make this happen, looking…
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a gimbal?
A gimbal is a device used to stabilize cameras or other equipment to capture smooth and steady shots even during movement.
2. Do I really need a gimbal?
Whether you need a gimbal or not depends on your specific needs and the type of footage you want to capture. A gimbal is recommended for professional videographers or enthusiasts who want cinematic, professional-looking shots with minimal camera shake.
3. What are the advantages of using a gimbal?
Using a gimbal provides several advantages:
- Enhanced stability: Gimbals offer superior stability compared to handheld shooting, resulting in smoother footage.
- Cinematic movements: Gimbals enable you to create various cinematic movements like panning, tilting, and tracking shots.
- Professional-quality results: Gimbals allow you to achieve highly professional-looking shots that impress your audience.
4. What is DJI RS2 Gimbal?
DJI RS2 is a state-of-the-art gimbal produced by DJI, a leading manufacturer of camera stabilization systems. It is designed to provide top-tier performance and stability for professional videography and filmmaking.
5. What is IBIS?
IBIS stands for In-Body Image Stabilization. It is a technology integrated into some cameras, such as Sony models, which helps reduce camera shake and stabilize footage.
6. How does DJI RS2 Gimbal compare to IBIS in Sony cameras?
The DJI RS2 Gimbal and IBIS in Sony cameras are both effective stabilization methods but serve different purposes. While the gimbal provides mechanical stabilization on the device, IBIS is an in-camera stabilization feature. The choice between the two depends on your specific needs and shooting style.
7. Can I use both DJI RS2 Gimbal and IBIS together?
Yes, you can use both the DJI RS2 Gimbal and IBIS together, which can further enhance the stability and smoothness of your footage. This combination is especially useful for achieving incredibly steady shots, particularly in more challenging shooting scenarios.
I hope you find useful my article DO YOU REALLY NEED A GIMBAL? DJI RS2 Gimbal vs IBIS [All Sony Stabilization Modes Compared], I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.
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