Zenmuse H4-3D (can we get a new Topic mods?)

[britchris1]

I asked this on another forum as well -

Im curious to know how many of you are using the GP4 with the H3-3D on the P2. How does it function for you? I know it needs a counter weight to make it work but is it usable for professional footage?

The reason I ask is that DJI has just announced the H4 3D specifically for the GP4... but if it already works with the H3 then what are DJI doing? just trying to take our money?

Thoughts?

http://download.dji-innovations.com/...muse-h4-3d.pdf

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...use_h4_3d.html

 

[nhoover]

I'm using a Hero4 Silver with a H3-3D and it seems to work fine. I don't consider the footage from a GoPro Hero4 "Professional" by any means though. But it beats the old P2V+ for sure. I do have to use a ND filter to get rid of the jello but only just figured that out. Haven't used a counter weight for the filter but will try it. Don't want to strain the motors.

 

[martybabe]

I use a gopro 4 silver on the H3-3d with no issues at all.Don't need to counter balance and no need to dremmel out the gimbal for the side button

http://youtu.be/OzFSy3hiah8

 

[QYV]

There is a lot of variation in the production of the H3-3D gimbals. I have several, and the same GoPro (I have several gopros also) has fit and balanced entirely different from gimbal to gimbal. That's why you see some folks around here saying "my Hero 4 works fine in my H3-3D!" while other people are plagued by balance issues or the plate pressing the wifi button, etc.

The H4-3D is probably (imo, nobody really knows for sure yet) just going to be a H3-3D with a different mounting plate which is balanced for the Hero4 and designed not to press the wifi/settings button.

My point is, if you have a Hero 4 and it fits, balances, and otherwise works perfectly fine in your H3-3D, I personally don't see any reason to worry about "upgrading" to a H4-3D, especially at the $399 initial price point

However if you have a H3-3D and are having problems getting a Hero 4 to balance or otherwise work properly, I'd consider selling the H3-3D (perfect condition, never crashed H3-3D's with all peripherals get a very good price on Ebay, or here in the Classifieds) and upgrading to a H4-3D


agree we need a H4-3D forum eventually but the product isn't even out yet and only available as unofficial pre-order from 1 vendor, give it time

 

[ianwood]

http://download.dji-innovations.com/...muse-h4-3d.pdf

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...use_h4_3d.html

Neither of those links work.

The GPH4B does not need a counterweight. How are you defining "professional footage'?

To do professional footage, you need a counterweight.

 

[Reoscorpio]

The GPH4B does not need a counterweight. How are you defining "professional footage'?

To do professional footage, you need a counterweight.

What is the reasoning for this? Does it not stay straight when powered on? I've heard no complaints when I'm use, only when at rest.

 

[QYV]

remember guys, there's a lot of variance in the H3-3D's. some people have to add counterbalance or do all sorts of things to achieve a stable gimbal, other gimbals just work fine without much modification at all. so everyone doesn't necessarily need counterweight just to get stable footage.
I assume that's what he means by "professional" footage.. not shaky, jello, etc

 

[ianwood]

If you don't balance your gimbal with the H4B, it will do two things: 1. vibrate in the wind, 2. overwork the motors. The H3-3D was designed to take a specific weight. Even if it looks normal on the ground, it is more than likely vibrating in flight. Some of this vibration is hard to pick up in footage but it degrades the overall shot. There's no reason to not balance it.

As for the side button, you do not need to grind anything. If it's too close, you can simply use some tape. I didn't have to use anything on either of mine.

 

[ianwood]

I've seen a lot of P2/H4B videos with all sorts of gimbal issues. Unless your gimbal sits level when off, you're overworking the motors, plain and simple. It is designed to be balanced. There's no good reason not to balance it.

 

[Reoscorpio]

I've seen a lot of P2/H4B videos with all sorts of gimbal issues. Unless your gimbal sits level when off, you're overworking the motors, plain and simple. It is designed to be balanced. There's no good reason not to balance it.

On both of my H3-D3 gimbals with my 3+, the gimbal was not balanced when the power was off. So you're saying we need to balance those? If I need to balance something that was designed for my 3+, then I definitely don't see a need to upgrade to the new gimbal when I get a 4.

 

[QYV]

On both of my H3-D3 gimbals with my 3+, the gimbal was not balanced when the power was off. So you're saying we need to balance those? If I need to balance something that was designed for my 3+, then I definitely don't see a need to upgrade to the new gimbal when I get a 4.

doesn't matter what camera is in the gimbal, having neutral balance is ideal, yes. Neutral Balance is when, with the Phantom power OFF, you can place the gopro in a normal, forward-facing position and when you let go of the gopro/gimbal, it basically stays in place.
So for example, if you had added a lens to the gopro it would tip over forward. I personally had a bad imbalance on the motor side, so like facing the gopro, when I let go it would drop hard to one side... here's a video of what I'm talking about, and here's a video of how I fixed it.

Ironically since the Hero 4 is heavier when I switched to the H4 in my gimbal it was basically already balanced so I removed the counterbalance I added. Oh and I removed the battery from the hero 4 to make it closer to the weight of the hero 3

 

[Reoscorpio]

Mine did exactly as your first video. When I get it back, I'll balance it or buy a H4.

 

[QYV]

Mine did exactly as your first video. When I get it back, I'll balance it or buy a H4.

cool just buying an H4 might not "fix" it, it just happened that with my gimbal's balance, the extra weight of the H4 (vs the 3+) acted like it's own counterbalance... it was actually heaver on the OPPOSITE side from my video when I first added the H4, so I took the battery out and got lucky, basically neutral with the H4 battery out

 

[jason]

From the photo that was taken of the H4-3D at the show it's still using the USB cable. Of course there were problems with the buttons on h4's because they were extended where older cameras were flat.

 

[SouthBayPhoto]

Interesting info, QYV. I never even thought about the gimbal being out of balance. I bought the P2 with the H4-3D, but I am using a HERO3 GoPro on it. It flops to one side, as your original video. However, when I turn on my Phantom and the gimbal resets and such, it actually faces down at a 45* angle. It doesn't look straight forward like yours does when you first turn it on. I have to use the thumb wheel on the TX to get it to look straight. It will go from 90* to 0* with the thumb wheel, but anytime I turn the Phantom on, it automatically faces down at a 45* angle. I'm now noticing others don't do that, so I wonder if that is a balancing issue or is it a configuration issue?

 

[Reoscorpio]

The 45 degrees is the new normal. It came in one of the firmware updates at the end of last year.

Had to ask that myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SouthBayPhoto]

Oh, okay. Thanks Reoscorpio! I appreciate it. Then that is one less issue I have to worry about. Now I just need to balance my H4-3D gimbal for my HERO3 and I should be all set. Thanks again for the info!