Gimbal / Camera savers? Do they work?

The "phantom fix" bracket is Aluminium, no cheap plastic here, but if you want to spend about $28 more, so be it
fix.JPG
 
I originally ordered a $20 one from Amazon. The protector piece was a little too long. I just dropped it off at UPS to return to Amazon. Now another review on the same one is saying what I observed.

So I ordered the killer RC one and it is perfect. It is made better too and the plastic bumper has a nipple on it that is used to hold it to the bracket. The Amazon cheap one was just a very thin plastic sticker. So I would say killer RC all the way. I tried the cheap way out.
Yeah.. I'm an idiot. I went for the Killer RC version. Had to make a decision quickly so I got the tried and true version.
 
To be honest, I'm not sure it will do much of anything. Especially in a big time crash. But hey if it prevents damage transporting or during some less than serious accident I'm for it.
 
Yeah.. I'm an idiot. I went for the Killer RC version. Had to make a decision quickly so I got the tried and true version.

Not an idiot, like you said proven. It's well made like its factory. I put some thread locker only on the 2 Allen bolts.

BTW: already received an email for my refund after UPS logged my return to Amazon. I need to leave a review so someone else does not have the same issue.
 
I'm using both the aluminum gimbal saver as well as a carbon fiber piece that zip ties to the legs. Same as this one Landing Protector Plate Glass Fiber Camera & Gimbal Guard for DJI Phantom 3 L

I also used some fishing line and loosely tied up the anti-drop pins. I totally get that in a serious crash nothing is going to save me, but I figure an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.

I've got less than $30 into both pieces, and it builds ownership pride [emoji3][emoji106].

Mark.
 
After spending over $1000 for the Phantom I bet thats all you can afford, I'm so rich I don't mind wasting money but I didn't feel like getting raped by killer rc !!..........lol
 
After spending over $1000 for the Phantom I bet thats all you can afford, I'm so rich I don't mind wasting money but I didn't feel like getting raped by killer rc !!..........lol

I tend to agree. The Killer RC version was too much for me. I was happy to find a more affordable alternative. I wish someone would buy both and do a side by side comparison of the eBay one and Killer RC's.

Anyone...? [emoji12]

Mark.
 
For me, the only issue could be landing abruptly on a non-level surface with pebbles or small rocks. It could actually hit the protector and tilt the bird. Then again I always hand catch for landing.
 
I am not thinking these really help much, from the pictures I have seen of crashed phantoms it looks like any real crash is going to result in damage. It may help in some minor crashes, but even then not sure what the theory is. The inertia of a sudden drop is the same to the gimbal/camera. It could stop some pokey thing from hitting them, but what are the odds of that? Some I have seen just slide between the skids, so they don't add any extra strength to the skids and I expect them to fall out on impact. The ones that lock the skids may take away from the springiness and actually increase the forces on the gimbal.

Finally it seems like a pretty simple add that DJI could easily incorporate if it had merit. When I did engineering work we looked at the aftermarket stuff for merit and rarely found anything that was just gimmicky for profit; however there seems to be a large customer base that feels the need to customize and or protect products. Look at the stick on screen savers, I have be free of them for over 5 years and enjoy better touch response and a clear screen with no scratches and I keep my keys in my pocket with them!
Depends on which one you are talking about. The aluminium one that goes on the back of gimbal arm helps prevent the camera unit separated from the rest of gimbal unit.

The camera unit is held to the vertical gimbal axis by magnet, nothing more. It doesn't take mich to knock it loose and rip the ribbon cable at the same time and sending your camera from flying away.

Don't take my words for it, test it out yourself by pulling the camera off the vertical axis and see how much force it takes. Do it carefully so you don't rip the cable.

Once you get a feel for how much force, then decide if having a stopper in front to prevent it from popping out all the way makes sense.
 
I'm using both the aluminum gimbal saver as well as a carbon fiber piece that zip ties to the legs. Same as this one Landing Protector Plate Glass Fiber Camera & Gimbal Guard for DJI Phantom 3 L

I also used some fishing line and loosely tied up the anti-drop pins. I totally get that in a serious crash nothing is going to save me, but I figure an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.

I've got less than $30 into both pieces, and it builds ownership pride [emoji3][emoji106].

Mark.
Use zip tie instead of fishing line
 
I tend to agree. The Killer RC version was too much for me. I was happy to find a more affordable alternative. I wish someone would buy both and do a side by side comparison of the eBay one and Killer RC's.

Anyone...? [emoji12]

Mark.

I had both but I sent back the cheaper one from Amazon before taking pictures. Yes, killer RC is more but the fit and quality is way better. The cheaper one had a bigger gap between the saver and the gimbal. It looked like it would not save anything. Also it was bigger and thicker than killer's

This was the one I got and here is another review and photo, not mine, on the issue.

Amazon.com: Ibrahim Salloum's review of Hobby-Ace Gimbal Saver Ribbon Cable Protec...
 
Yea, I would have sent that one back also for sure, while there might be some gap but that one was pushing it, here is the "phantom fix" bracket gap
DSCF4420.JPG

(I know mine looks thin, but I'd rather it break than the gimbal)
 
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I had both but I sent back the cheaper one from Amazon before taking pictures. Yes, killer RC is more but the fit and quality is way better. The cheaper one had a bigger gap between the saver and the gimbal. It looked like it would not save anything. Also it was bigger and thicker than killer's

This was the one I got and here is another review and photo, not mine, on the issue.

Amazon.com: Ibrahim Salloum's review of Hobby-Ace Gimbal Saver Ribbon Cable Protec...

The one from eBay that I referenced above appears to be a duplicate of Killer RC's. I watched Drone Camps review of Killer RC's and the eBay one appears to be very close. I'm not familiar with the Amazon one.

Mark.
 
Use zip tie instead of fishing line

Zip ties are too bulky for my taste. The fishing line is nearly unnoticeable. The knot in the line can be rotated and completely hidden in the cavity of the pin. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Mark.
 
Zip ties are too bulky for my taste. The fishing line is nearly unnoticeable. The knot in the line can be rotated and completely hidden in the cavity of the pin. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Mark.
Do you do multiple loop of fishing line to provide enough "stopping" power to prevent the camera unit from snapping the fishing line and fly off?

I guess depending on how many lbs of fishing line you are using, it could proof to take more force compare to the anti drop pin.
 
I don't tie the drop-pin's just lose on other two mounts in order to help save the Gimbal Mounting Plate, but hey, what-ever floats your boat, I guess anything is better than nothing
 
I don't tie the drop-pin's just lose on other two mounts in order to help save the Gimbal Mounting Plate, but hey, what-ever floats your boat, I guess anything is better than nothing
I am much more concern with the camera unit separated from the drone and flying off and have its own crash.

The gimbal mounting plate is just a flimsy soft aluminium plate that can easily be bend back in shape. And worse case cost $9 to get a new one.

To me, i would much preferred to use the mounting plate as shock force absorber than to have the whole gimbal unit separated and detached from drone and crashed into ground in an accident.
 

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