DJI RONIN 2 vs FREEFLY MOVI PRO!!

I had two opportunities last week to check out the new Ronin 2 gimbal from DJI. As a long-time Movi M15 and Movi Pro owner\operator, I want to share my thoughts on this new competitor.
I'm new to Vlogs, so be easy on me!
My cinematography \ DP website: www.GFuterfas.com
My Movi Operator website: www.Movi-Op-LA.com
Freefly Movi Pro: www. FreeflySystems.com
DJI Ronin 2: www.dji.com/ro...
Alpha Wheels: www.1A.tools
Ready Rig: www.ready-rig.com

[@richardparaiso9695]

Very interesting review but the music is really too loud!!!

[@davidrenz1534]

One of the biggest pros for the movie ist the mimic

[@ScapeUwa]

Great review man. I have to use both the Ronin 2 and the Movie Pro for gigs depending on what's available to me and you touched base on some very insightful things. I was super impressed with the Ronin 2 and how well it operates. However it's SO DAMN HEAVY. Personally I think the Movi is the way to go but both systems will do a great job either way. My only issue with the Movi Pro that the Ronin 2 has done better is the ring. It can be broken down into 2 parts,which makes transportation better and opens up to more case options

[@gfuterfas]

Totally agree about the Ronin2 ring. Freefly is supposed to release a new version of their ProRing soon, but I don't think it will split apart either. My Ronin 2 mostly sits in its case these days, but I still bring it as a backup.

[@ScapeUwa]

I really like the Ronin 2. Just used it again for a shoot in Vegas over the weekend. But it's so taxing on the body. You can really feel how strong it is though and how much weight it can handle. I've even debated swapping the Ronin ring in place of the Movi Pro as the solution. So maybe thats the hack? Buy the Movi Pro Gimbal without the ring and buy the Ronin 2 ring and pair them together! Food for thought for anyone else reading this lol @@gfuterfas

[@Ba-qw4xj]

Nice review but killing music

[@gfuterfas]

Sorry, I periodically get this comment, but it sounds OK on my little laptop speakers. Maybe I speak too quickly? Is English your primary language? I don't think I can go back and fix it at this point, since I don't have a Premier subscription anymore after switching to FCPX. Also, this review is so old! I'm sure I have different opinions about the R2 now that I own one and have been using it for a few years.

[@ProfoundProductions]

Can the Movi Pro hold a RED with Atlas Anamorphic lenses?

[@gfuterfas]

I haven't used the Atalses, but it shouldn't be a problem. They weigh much less than the Cooke Anamorphics, which I've used on Movi Pro many times. You'll probably need a little counterweight, and it may depend on the accessories you have for your Movi Pro. What matte box and filters will you be using? Lens motors? Those add weight to the front, which typically means you'll add more counterweight to the back if they're not super light.

[@mandy]

This has been super useful, thank you! P.s on the next one, music a little less loud! I kept having to reply to hear you!

[@BTNMNKI]

Yup, same here.

[@thefilmpoets]

Thank you. Knock 6db off that music though.

[@lesliedude721]

Price wise this is a better alternative sites.google.com/site/BetterThanRonin

[@gfuterfas]

I mean, it all depends on your market and the type of work you do. Are you linking to the Ronin S? Why that over the Zhiyun Crane?

[@storyfrontier]

good review, cheers. maybe don't even need music yeah except on intro/ outro.

[@BrinkHouse]

Great overview, Graham. With you being a veteran Movi op, I appreciate your fairness in comparing the two systems. Think you'll add an R2 to your fleet? Even just when considered as a lightweight remote head it seems more than worth the asking price!

[@gfuterfas]

Thanks Andrew! To be honest, I'm still on the fence about it. No one has called asking specifically for the R2 yet, and my personal belief is that it needs another 6 to 8 months of development from DJI before they figure out the bugs, get the accessories straightened out, especially the battery\power situation, etc. Also, it's really heavy, and while some people will say that the Ready Rig takes all the weight, if you load the R2 up with a heavy camera, it doesn't feel as graceful to operate as the Movi Pro with a medium -size weight. If I think about how things work on set, I pick up the gimbal and pretty much wear it for long stretches of time, sometimes just waiting for little resets or whatever, but I don't only wear the gimbal when the camera is rolling. I could be carrying it for 6 to 8 hours of a 12-hour day, and that would be much less possible\comfortable with R2. As a remote head, it might be a good purchase, and I have the cash to buy at the moment, so we'll see -- it's a good tax write off. I haven't decided. I'd rather Freefly came out with something between Movi Pro and XL.

[@andreasoberg2021]

Is the Mimic really smooth enough? Will you not introduce shake for pans and tilt?

[@gfuterfas]

Andreas Öberg we’ve used the Mimic successfully without shake. I often mount it to a tripod fluid head for some operators. I would sometimes get shakiness but I found it was due to two reasons: the mimic was too close to the Movi and was swamping the radio receiver, or if I have another receiver plugged in at the same time, like alpha wheels or Movi controller, even if the controller was off, I would get some interference. I had to unplug the receiver from Movi pro when using the Mimic.

[@manchester8117]

I'm late to the party but thanks for this info. Very informative.. Now I need to sell the M15 and get a PRO.

[@gfuterfas]

I still love my Movi Pro, although I now own both R2 and Movi, and use them both, depending on the job and the size of the camera\lens combo. If you go with Movi Pro, be sure to use the DJI TB50 batteries instead of the Freefly ones. They'll last longer and give you more power. After a year, my Freefly batteries were dying very quickly, but I've had TB50's for 18 months, and they're still solid. Ignite Digi makes some essential accessories, like the battery adapters, tilt offsets, and counterweight brackets.

[@MT-iq7ul]

Which one is smoother and more single operator friendly? I really need a super smooth gimbal for a canon c100 mk2 with an 18-80 canon lense with redrock matte box and anton Bauer battery if it would fit. Thank you.

[@gfuterfas]

I now own both gimbals. For most handheld things, get the Movi Pro. The R2 is really too heavy. Why do you need the AB Battery? Get the Ignite Digi battery adapters and use Ronin 2 batteries on the Movi Pro, giving you twice the run-time with only a slight bit more weight.

[@Delaunay73]

Why buy one if you can rent any accordingly to the job request?

[@gfuterfas]

Good question. Gimbals aren't like cameras in that regard. Renting a Ronin 2 or Movi Pro is not a feasible option for me. Even if you can find one for rent, it probably won't be a very complete package with all the accessories I'd want as a professional operator. In Los Angeles, at least, it's customary for the gimbal operator to provide the gimbal, much like Steadicam operators bring their own Steadicam package. Also, I often get calls at the last minute for a Movi Operator shoot, and it wouldn't be much time to arrange a rental.

[@StudiorawProductions]

Before you all ask questions.. SUBSCRIBE to his channel!!! Thanks

[@brandonbordeaux288]

Great video! Do you think the Movi Pro could hold the Ursa Mini G2 with a DZO Parfocal lens? Weight would probably be around 15 lbs

[@jaspervangheluwe7531]

Thanks for the great review!! Still don't know what to choose though... as a first time gimbal-operator coming from steadicam (and I will keep on doing that), it's scary to go to a setup on which I have to compromise because of payload... But at the same time, everyone is saying shooting with the Ronin2 handheld is hell... Dilemmas! Shame nobody in the Netherlands has the Ronin2, so I could test it 😀

[@gfuterfas]

I have both gimbals now, and I avoid the Ronin 2 unless it's absolutely necessary for weight reasons. The Movi Pro is so much better, lighter, and very capable. Steadicam operates differently, and you can get the center of gravity closer to your body, so heavier rigs are possible. Gimbals are usually out in front of you, and can strain you more with the center of gravity farther from your body. That said, if you go Movi Pro, skip the Freefly batteries and go with Ignite Digi's TB50 battery adapters with Lemo plugs, and get the Lemo to D-Tap cable they'll make, so you can power accessories like Follow Focus MDR's straight off the batteries (24V, not 12V, though). That way, you get Ronin 2 batteries on the Movi Pro with double the capacity. There are a lot of 3rd Party accessories I'd recommend, too. Cinemilled, 1A Tools, Ignite Digi, etc. But I can't recommend Movi Pro enough.

[@RayValdezPhotography]

WHy is the Ronin taking so long to be released. they need to make a Ronin m2

[@gfuterfas]

The Ronin 2 pre-orders started shipping a few weeks ago, around the beginning of October. If you go on the DJI store website, it says any new Ronin 2 orders will ship in 15-20 business days, so 3-4 weeks I guess? But it is technically a 'released' product at this point.

[@RayValdezPhotography]

They had a launch in the summer. It just seems like it is taking forever to release. either this or a helix.

[@gfuterfas]

DJI originally said it would release at the end of August, but in reality it was end of September. It is now released though.

[@RayValdezPhotography]

Ok i am back. so what do you think is better in 2018

[@zakwalsshil]

Slightly different question. May I ask which camera did you use for this vlog and did you leave the footage flat?

[@gfuterfas]

It's been a while, but I probably used an old Canon 7D or 5D Mark 3, but I also may have shot some with the Panasonic GH5. I wouldn't have left the GH5 flat, but when I shoot in my living room with available light, it has white walls and the light is changing. I also don't like the color grading abilities of Premier, but I may have done some basic color\contrast to it, or applied the Pansonic VLog LUT.

[@zakwalsshil]

Thanks Graham.

[@WesleyClouden]

all facts great to see you post it

[@FKfilmphotography]

Turn the music down dude

[@gfuterfas]

Apologies! I swear it doesn't sound too loud to me, but you're not the first to comment this. I just mix it based on my tiny laptop speakers, though, so maybe it's different in your speakers or EQ?

[@KrispyMedia]

Did you use to have an M15 that you sold on ebay? I saw that small portable black battery on your wheels and that was with the M15 when I first got it. If so small world it might of been me who bought your bundle.

[@gfuterfas]

Ha, I still have my M15. Keep it as a backup, but I use those batteries a lot to power accessories. They're small and light and deliver a good amount of voltage for things like follow focus receivers.

[@KrispyMedia]

ah okay. Woulda been funny story to randomly find you. My m15 just got stolen last week along with all my gear so Im thinking about grabbing the Pro now. Solid video!

[@queenstownmedia1311]

Nice review but the music really put me off

[@gfuterfas]

Apologies. I get that comment a lot. It sounds OK on my little laptop, but I obviously work better with cameras and not sound. :) Thanks for watching.

[@chadmcclellan678]

are you in LA? looks like EVS rentals in background

[@gfuterfas]

Yes, some of this video was shot at an EVS demo of Ronin 2 a few months ago.

[@timothybarksdale7229]

very good review Graham. I'm looking at gimbals for F55.

[@gfuterfas]

Thanks. We put an F55 on the R2 with the Raw recorder, and it worked well. The Ronin's just heavy, so long days of handheld are more limited than Movi Pro. Have you tried to put an F55 on the Movi Pro? I don't think I ever have, although I've done FS7 many times, but it should fit, depending on how you power it and accessorize it.

[@timothybarksdale7229]

Yeah, I've not done it yet. Movi Pro has me going in that direction too. We won't need matte etc. I also like that I can integrate with the Alta 8.have the AXS-R7 so if we could get that doing raw in aerials- that would be a big wow!!! Tabb is a old friend from a shoot in Kansas so I'm prejudiced too!! :)

[@timothybarksdale7229]

Slight delay until after Jan 1st. Will report back.

[@JohnHenkamGangte]

How long do the batteries last for both? and how do you deal with it on set? buy multiple batteries, keep a charger on set? how long does it take to charge up a fully drained battery for both?

[@gfuterfas]

John Henkam Gangte it depends on if you're just powering the gimbal or also the camera, wireless video, wireless focus, and maybe a monitor. Just the gimbal, two Movi Pro batteries will last for at least 4-5 hours, while Ronin 2 I think two batts is 8 hours. I don't know the R2 as well, but I get close to an hour on my rig powering everything with two Movi Pro batts. In my kit, I have 12 Movi batteries and 6 chargers, and they charge in about an hour. Ronin 2 might need fewer batteries, and they make a quad charger but I don't know if they all charge at once or if they charge sequentially.

[@rockyliu2397]

If u only powered the gimbal, the full two batteries of Ronin2 will last for 8 hours, and if powered both gimbal , ,camera, focus,ETC, it will last for 2.5 hours. The batteries also have the feature of self-heating. the charger will be included in Ronin 2's combo, and u can plug 4 batteries in the charger and charge two batteries at one time. it will take 90 mins to charge the two batteries.

[@GrantSchubertVideo]

Great review of both, thank you!

[@renotahoegraphics]

9 months later would you still buy the Movi pro over the Ronin 2?

[@gfuterfas]

Apparently, yes. I just invested almost $3000 in an upgraded battery system for my Movi Pro, and I haven't bought a Ronin 2 yet, although I think about it all the time. I don't really need a much bigger gimbal, and every time I pick up a Ronin 2, I'm reminded how much heavier it is. I can't carry that thing around all day on set.

[@rusch_meyer]

Thanks for the vid, super informative! Keep up the good work and please make more videos!

[@0gham]

Due to how terrible the original Ronin was I'll stay with the Movi. We had 3 brand new Ronins break on set within 2 months.

[@JetSmackedHD]

Darragh Sinnott switch from Ronin M to M5 because it just works.

[@stastro1785]

The weight of the Ronin 2 is what’s scaring me away.

[@jokerda8857]

it's carbon dude xD

[@oakwoodcinematics934]

Im debating between ronin 2 or movi pro, which u recommend now?

[@gfuterfas]

I stopped using my Movi Pro and only use Ronin 2 these days.

[@oakwoodcinematics934]

@@gfuterfas thank you for the reply. How come?

[@gfuterfas]

@@oakwoodcinematics934 R2 holds a wider range of camera builds, because it's stronger and can extend the tilt arms. I get asked to put heavier builds on there all the time, and it's much easier and faster with the Ronin 2.

[@oakwoodcinematics934]

@@gfuterfas do you see a ronin 3 coming out anytime soon? Would you recommend waiting? Also do you use a ready rig? What do you do for weight to make it less heavy?

[@gfuterfas]

@@oakwoodcinematics934 I have no clue what DJI is planning to release in the future. I do use a Ready Rig and highly recommend it, along with Cinemilled Spindles. I can't imagine working without a support vest. I also own a Walter Klassen Slingshot vest and a Flowcine GLink, but I still recommend the Ready Rig if you're starting out. It's excellent for 90% of shots, easy to use, and doesn't cost near as much.

[@urbn]

I wish the cases were smaller for movi pro... the jason case is really really big and original is just laughable.

[@gfuterfas]

I agree, the Movi is a weird size for cases, and if you want to pack it with a camera on it, you need more of a padded coffin than a case. I made a video about my Movi Pro kit and the cases I use, if you're interested.

[@Enzohijjawi]

dude you need to lower the music volume

[@TheWaguilaS]

Music so load ... we barely vould understand u