X5S compatible lens and balancing thread
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Tip for slightly better optical path.... Don't put the balance ring in the middle of everything. Put the firecrest as close as you can to the lens, then the balance ring on the outsideI just received a new balance ring, so updating this thread for balancing the 14-42 lenses.
Olympus 14-42
- balance for barrel fully extended (14&42)
- Sensei pro 37-46mm
- DJI 10g balance ring
- Firecrest IRND filter (0.9 or 1.2)
Panasonic LUMIX 14-42
- balance for barrel fully extended (14&42)
- Sensei pro 37-46mm
- DJI 10g balance ring
- Firecrest IRND filter (0.9 or 1.2)
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Tip for slightly better optical path.... Don't put the balance ring in the middle of everything. Put the firecrest as close as you can to the lens, then the balance ring on the outside
Good point. That will reduce flaring due to distance from the lens, especially with a step up, balance ring and filter.
I have been flying the LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25/F1.4 on the X5S. Very sharp except at the corners and has a wonderful look to the images. You can read about the lens elsewhere.
Works, but aperture in Manual Mode must be changed using the camera control wheel on the remote as the on-screen menus will not change aperture. Works fine in AF but have not yet been able to get it to calibrate for MF.
I used a 42g button of lead on the rear (for pitch balance) and a US quarter on the side of the pitching motor (for roll balance). No flight issues.
[GALLERY=media, 825]APC_0056-1024 by qnyla posted Apr 23, 2017 at 4:18 PM[/GALLERY]
Works, but aperture in Manual Mode must be changed using the camera control wheel on the remote as the on-screen menus will not change aperture. Works fine in AF but have not yet been able to get it to calibrate for MF.
I used a 42g button of lead on the rear (for pitch balance) and a US quarter on the side of the pitching motor (for roll balance). No flight issues.
[GALLERY=media, 825]APC_0056-1024 by qnyla posted Apr 23, 2017 at 4:18 PM[/GALLERY]
Hi there,
I was wondering about balancing the Olympus 45mm.
I use the Inspire 2, so its a much better improvement regarding stabilisation compared to the I1 already, however I would like to know what everyone else is doing..
I currently just use a ND filter on the front.. and that seems to work pretty well. Do you need to balance the back? If so, how do you achieve this?
Thanks in advance
btw.. do you guys use ND 4, ND8 filters etc and change appropriately, or do you use 1 x variable ND filter for recording video?
I was wondering about balancing the Olympus 45mm.
I use the Inspire 2, so its a much better improvement regarding stabilisation compared to the I1 already, however I would like to know what everyone else is doing..
I currently just use a ND filter on the front.. and that seems to work pretty well. Do you need to balance the back? If so, how do you achieve this?
Thanks in advance
btw.. do you guys use ND 4, ND8 filters etc and change appropriately, or do you use 1 x variable ND filter for recording video?
Hi there,
I was wondering about balancing the Olympus 45mm.
I use the Inspire 2, so its a much better improvement regarding stabilisation compared to the I1 already, however I would like to know what everyone else is doing..
I currently just use a ND filter on the front.. and that seems to work pretty well. Do you need to balance the back? If so, how do you achieve this?
Thanks in advance
btw.. do you guys use ND 4, ND8 filters etc and change appropriately, or do you use 1 x variable ND filter for recording video?
There is more than one way to balance a lens. You might achieve a good balance with a DJI balance ring or with a filter. The Olympus 45mm 1.8 will balance fine with just the appropriate DJI balance ring but you may also balance it with a filter (depending on filter brand - there are both very light and heavier filters).
Does it appear balanced when you manually adjust lens position with your hand while Inspire 2 is powered off? Does it stay in position when you adjust pitch or roll of the lens or does it flop to a drooping position when you let go of it with your hand? If the position holds steady, it is balanced. If it flops and droops, then it is not balanced. You would only need a rear weight if it was nose heavy and drooped forward (which would seem unlikely on the 45mm).
Hi there,
Yes it does appear to balance fairly ok with just the nd4 filter on the front. Maybe a little front heavy which is why I am wondering if its that necessary to add weight to the back.
Do you (or anyone else here) have any experience with any lenses with bigger focal lengths than the 45mm? As the useful post above describes there is a 75mm zuiko and a 60mm sigma..
Thanks for your help
Yes it does appear to balance fairly ok with just the nd4 filter on the front. Maybe a little front heavy which is why I am wondering if its that necessary to add weight to the back.
Do you (or anyone else here) have any experience with any lenses with bigger focal lengths than the 45mm? As the useful post above describes there is a 75mm zuiko and a 60mm sigma..
Thanks for your help
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The Oly45 is trivial to balance. Just get the DJI balance ring for it ($9) and save the bother of a step-up ring and filter. You can fly the 45 unbalanced if you really want to, but it is not good for the gimbal motors, although I have done it in a pinch (before I had the balancing ring).
As to the Sigma60, give me a couple of days. Mine should arrive tomorrow.
As to the Sigma60, give me a couple of days. Mine should arrive tomorrow.
Advexure
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Those looking for X5S balancing rings in the US we just received in a whole bunch of all of them (Part #2-6)
You'll find all of them here: DJI Zenmuse X5S Balancing Rings
You'll find all of them here: DJI Zenmuse X5S Balancing Rings
That does not sound normal. How is it balanced? Can you demonstrate balance by manipulating gimbal with power off ?
The lens of Olympus 14-42mm but the ring is from Panasonic 14-42mm someone on the forums said the rings are interchangeable. It's hard to check balance because lens retracts one off
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Just reporting in that the Sigma 60/2.8 can be crossed off the list. It doesn't work, not even a little bit. See my (and jlo's) notes in a thread on this topic (that hopefully the mods will move from the I2 list to the X5S list).
Regarding the Oly14-42, I have the balancing kit for that, but not the lens. I bought it (for $15) because it has a ring, but also a new back for the X5S that is metal instead of plastic (and is **** heavy). Those of you with front-heavy lenses might consider this as an alternative to making your own weights of various kinds. I tried this back with the Sigma 60 (which was initially very front-heavy), but after swapping the backs, became very back-heavy (but could be front-back balanced by adding a ring up front, although that left a roll-balance issue that I didn't want to deal with).
FWIW, I balanced the 60/2.8 (but don't you bother because the lens won't work) with some gaffers tape and a few coins. I dug through my coin box that has coins from my many travels of the 1990s and found that 3 British pound coins formed into a tight side-by-side triangle and taped judiciously to the back (plastic) of the X5S achieved pretty much perfect balance.
The problem with the metal X5S back is that it has very fine threads and is a total PITA to put on (as is the plastic one), so my reasoning is that if you were to change these backs on a regular basis, you would quickly stip the threads and that would not be good. I'm pretty sure my gaffers tape (you really should have a roll of this handy because it is really useful for all sorts of things) would hold the coins to the back just fine during flight.
Next on my list: Panny 35-100/4-5.6, which I should have once I exhchange the Sigma60.
Regarding the Oly14-42, I have the balancing kit for that, but not the lens. I bought it (for $15) because it has a ring, but also a new back for the X5S that is metal instead of plastic (and is **** heavy). Those of you with front-heavy lenses might consider this as an alternative to making your own weights of various kinds. I tried this back with the Sigma 60 (which was initially very front-heavy), but after swapping the backs, became very back-heavy (but could be front-back balanced by adding a ring up front, although that left a roll-balance issue that I didn't want to deal with).
FWIW, I balanced the 60/2.8 (but don't you bother because the lens won't work) with some gaffers tape and a few coins. I dug through my coin box that has coins from my many travels of the 1990s and found that 3 British pound coins formed into a tight side-by-side triangle and taped judiciously to the back (plastic) of the X5S achieved pretty much perfect balance.
The problem with the metal X5S back is that it has very fine threads and is a total PITA to put on (as is the plastic one), so my reasoning is that if you were to change these backs on a regular basis, you would quickly stip the threads and that would not be good. I'm pretty sure my gaffers tape (you really should have a roll of this handy because it is really useful for all sorts of things) would hold the coins to the back just fine during flight.
Next on my list: Panny 35-100/4-5.6, which I should have once I exhchange the Sigma60.
The updated list for the Panasonic 20mm and the Sigma 60mm. Thanks to The Grumpster and jlo for information on the Sigma 60mm.
Notes
1. Laowa 7.5mm f/2 shown working with X5S in Laowa promotional video on Youtube, Length = 55mm, unknown balance requirements.
2. Samyang 7.5mm f/3.5 balance requires ?g rear ballast and no roll ballast.
3. Olympus M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ was listed as compatible with X5/X5R by DJI, not listed as compatible for X5S.
4. Panasonic Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 II ASPH discontinued, unknown balance.
5. Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH works in AF mode only, aperture change only via camera settings wheel on remote control (not app menus). Balance pitch with 42g ballast rear, balance roll with 7g ballast on pitching motor.
6. Sigma 60mm DN ART. Lens is incompatible; will not focus in AF, will not calibrate in MF, concentric ring pattern on image from lens profile incompatibility. See Sigma 60mm 2.8 issues and Sigma 60mm DN for more information.
7. The body cap lenses are too light to balance.
8. Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH. Seems to be fully functional. The AF works, the MF calibrates, the lens profile is written to the DNG file, the aperture can be changed using app.
Notes
1. Laowa 7.5mm f/2 shown working with X5S in Laowa promotional video on Youtube, Length = 55mm, unknown balance requirements.
2. Samyang 7.5mm f/3.5 balance requires ?g rear ballast and no roll ballast.
3. Olympus M.Zuiko DIGITAL ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ was listed as compatible with X5/X5R by DJI, not listed as compatible for X5S.
4. Panasonic Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 II ASPH discontinued, unknown balance.
5. Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH works in AF mode only, aperture change only via camera settings wheel on remote control (not app menus). Balance pitch with 42g ballast rear, balance roll with 7g ballast on pitching motor.
6. Sigma 60mm DN ART. Lens is incompatible; will not focus in AF, will not calibrate in MF, concentric ring pattern on image from lens profile incompatibility. See Sigma 60mm 2.8 issues and Sigma 60mm DN for more information.
7. The body cap lenses are too light to balance.
8. Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH. Seems to be fully functional. The AF works, the MF calibrates, the lens profile is written to the DNG file, the aperture can be changed using app.
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I can report the Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ASPH seems to work on the X5S on the I2. The AF worked, the MF calibrated, the lens profile was written to the DNG file. The lens is very light and is thus very back heavy. I did some quick-and-dirty balancing using coins and will come up with a more elegant balancing scheme soon.
I have updated the above chart.
Here is a crop from the center of the 20mm:
and here is the overall frame
I have updated the above chart.
Here is a crop from the center of the 20mm:
and here is the overall frame
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would like to know how sensitive is the balancing of X5S ?
I'm waiting for my X5S, and received my Olympus 45mm and 25mm. I have purchase CPL filter for both lens. The 25mm filter weight 14 grams, which exceed the recommend 10 grams balance ring from DJI, does that extra 4 grams give out an error or speed up the failure of the motor??
I'm waiting for my X5S, and received my Olympus 45mm and 25mm. I have purchase CPL filter for both lens. The 25mm filter weight 14 grams, which exceed the recommend 10 grams balance ring from DJI, does that extra 4 grams give out an error or speed up the failure of the motor??
Joe,
I am not gimbal design engineer but to answer your first question, having a balanced gimbal is always better as it is a control system with stabilization feedback loops. Point being you can introduce micro vibrations due to the feedback loops over compensating. These can show up in your video, especially with lenses with longer focal lengths. In practice, I doubt 4 grams is going to make a big difference with this large of a gimbal. I was 2 grams light on the 45 mm before I got the right combo and I could not see any micro-vibrations. One thing DJI has dialed in is their gimbal technology. But filters are not that expensive so that is why I went ahead corrected it.
As far as making the failure rate higher, IMHO it would be negligible. I have a first production run P3P that I never balanced and the gimbal is still rock solid even after all the hours I have put on it (still my knock around bird). In fact the top shell finally cracked and I am in the process of changing it out because it still takes great video.
I am not gimbal design engineer but to answer your first question, having a balanced gimbal is always better as it is a control system with stabilization feedback loops. Point being you can introduce micro vibrations due to the feedback loops over compensating. These can show up in your video, especially with lenses with longer focal lengths. In practice, I doubt 4 grams is going to make a big difference with this large of a gimbal. I was 2 grams light on the 45 mm before I got the right combo and I could not see any micro-vibrations. One thing DJI has dialed in is their gimbal technology. But filters are not that expensive so that is why I went ahead corrected it.
As far as making the failure rate higher, IMHO it would be negligible. I have a first production run P3P that I never balanced and the gimbal is still rock solid even after all the hours I have put on it (still my knock around bird). In fact the top shell finally cracked and I am in the process of changing it out because it still takes great video.
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