Dji Ronin SC Setup and How to Balance

The DJI Ronin SC is a fantastic Tavel gimbal for mirrorless cameras like the Sony a6400 the A7iii and other light weight setups. I will walk you through the Ronin SC Setup process and how to balance the ronin sc so you get the best most stable footage from it.
The small rig plate I use: amzn.to/33wPpmg
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Jake Sloan
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[@tommy-vella]

Thank you for this great How To! Did you manage to balance the ronin sc with the Sony a6400 and your Tamron 28-75 or will it hit the motors at the back because it is to front heavy?

[@JakeSloan]

I haven’t tried that combo yet but I will!

[@tommy-vella]

@@JakeSloan Thank you! :)

[@tianjay]

@@tommy-vella I'm trying to balance the Tamron 28-75 on my A7iii and it's almost impossible... spent about 3 hours on it so far and just keep getting Pan Axis errors... hopefully Jake has more luck 😳

[@tommy-vella]

@@tianjay Thank you :)

[@criscokidd1]

Do you use counterweights for Sony 6000 to aid balancing especially with Sigma 16mm 1.4?

[@johnbrittingham4471]

Your tutorial is way better than DJI's, you actually explained every step and explained what the two cables do. Good job!

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks!

[@coopsexperience]

This is by far the best video I've found. Each time i get a new setup i come back to this video. I've tried others and they miss half the stuff you talk about. Thank you!

[@JakeSloan]

Thank you!

[@damitdustin]

Dude..thank you. You just saved me a bunch of time and forcing me to realize it was user error and not an issue with the gimbal, lol.

[@JakeSloan]

Nice!

[@readysetdrone]

Hey Jake. Thanks for this video. I just recently upgraded(?) from the Ronin S to Ronin SC - I found the S to be a bit too complicated and heavy - esp since I shoot most stuff with the Panasonic GH5, which is a pretty light camera. Anyway, glad you could walk me through the set up. Much appreciated!

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks Kelly!!! I really appreciate that! Enjoy your ronin SC

[@johnaryan2]

You're a lifesaver man! This was the 4th(?) tutorial the others just messed me up. Finally start to finish and all works as I'd hoped!

[@JakeSloan]

Thank you

[@paulbutler8308]

This whole set of videos was incredibly helpful. Thank you for making them!

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome

[@HarleyVlogs]

literally ignored my gimbal since ive had it because I could sort it out so for the first time in 5 months following this I actually got it set up thank you

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome! Glad it helped!!

[@TSIfilms]

I appreciate this, and the other 2 videos related to the ronin sc. I've searched and no one else got into detail the way you did. thank you

[@JakeSloan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@agphotographyis]

Great explanation!! Thank you. Watched many but this was the most helpful and least confusing one I’ve seen.

[@JakeSloan]

Awesome thank you

[@waderaudi]

Thanks so much for the full review on the Ronin SC setup!!! Looking forward to getting one soon! 🙏📸

[@JakeSloan]

Awesome and you're welcome!!

[@PaintedCloudsStudio]

Thank you Jake! You have the best instructions videos. Love those beautiful Alaskan sceneries.

[@JakeSloan]

Thank you very much

[@RaymondToms]

Great tutorial Jake. A lot of people have front-heavy balance issues, even though the camera-lens combo is well under the max weight. I have the Sony RX10 M4 with the Ronin SC. Because of the heavy lens, it is possible to balance, but the eyepiece hits when tilting the handle down. Solution is from DJI but not well advertised. They sell a counter balance system that works very well. It is cleverly designed to hang out the left side, well clear of the gimbal, allowing full movement..

[@JakeSloan]

Wow interesting I didn't know they started to sell a counter balance system. Thanks for sharing that!

[@vanmarciano]

Thanks, Jake, this was a super tutorial and saved me a lot of time :)

[@JakeSloan]

Excellent so glad it helped you!! Cheers.

[@ShawnRyanShow]

Great video man. Thank you for the help.

[@JakeSloan]

you're welcome! I'm glad it helped!!

[@aviosmedia2]

Thanks! This was the clearest one I have seen so far.

[@JakeSloan]

Glad I could help!

[@quietkatherine]

Just balanced for the first time, your video was very helpful! Thank you!

[@JakeSloan]

Glad to hear it! Cheers

[@AllThingsFilm1]

Thanks for this video and the active track video. I've ordered the Ronin SC to go with my a6400. I can't wait to start shooting with it. Cheers.

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks

[@dianemodafferi]

Thanks Jake! Great video- very clear and easy to follow and I needed that info about the YAW balance-Thanks a lot!!

[@JakeSloan]

Awesome so glad it helped you out!!! Hope you enjoy your Ronin SC! What camera are you using with it?

[@dianemodafferi]

@@JakeSloan I have a Sony a7iii with Sony 28mm lens, but I'm thinking about getting the sony /zeiss f4 24-70 soon for my travel videos

[@JakeSloan]

Great combos! The Zeiss might have trouble balancing on the ronin Sc. See if you can go to a shop that carries rentals and try it out. If it doesn’t and you want a lens that will work then the Tamron 28-75 is great and will balance for the most part.

[@dianemodafferi]

@@JakeSloan Thanks so much for the advice! 😎

[@asmproductionsllc]

I wanted to say thanks for the video.... I found it extremely helpful, as well as your other video for the App..... Thanks !!!!

[@JakeSloan]

Glad to hear it!

[@vodoo5553]

@@JakeSloan Hi Jake have you gone from Weebill to SC ? What was the reason

[@Etownvideos]

as a first time ronin sc user I found this super helpful, thanks.

[@JakeSloan]

Awesome

[@stowgood]

Finally someone explained YAW to me :) I am very grateful thanks.

[@JakeSloan]

lol took me a while to figure it out too

[@NightTrainFPV]

great tutorial Jake. Thanks for sharing.

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks for watching!

[@seankahuila4065]

Helpful video. Liked and subscribed. Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks very much!!

[@_wesleyhome_]

Thanks so much! 😊 Mine is coming next week and I'm so worried about doing this right! I will have this video on as I set it up!

[@JakeSloan]

Yay! Glad I could help!!

[@Ira88881]

Dana Goldstein • Editorial Photographer • NY How did it go?

[@LouiseKrikorian]

Thank you, Jake. You cleared up a few details that are very important!

[@JakeSloan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@klprivitera]

Thank you! God bless you 🧡🙌🏼 this video is such a great how to.

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome! Cheers

[@bryanauer]

This is a superb video thank you so much for sharing now it’s time to show us some of that buttery footage

[@JakeSloan]

Lol workin on it 😜

[@Lc_Sebastian]

i dont understand the dislikes. The title says it all. How to balance. Its a straight forward process and this guy made it simple. Thanks for the video! ;)

[@JakeSloan]

Thank you and you're welcome!

[@seanconcannon7922]

Excellent video.......just waiting on my Ronin SC to be delivered......very impressed, seems pretty simple to set up....thanks a lot Jake!

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome and congrats on the Ronin SC!

[@seanconcannon7922]

@@JakeSloan Jake I am trying to balance my A6400 and Sony 18-105 f4 on the Ronin SC......I keep getting a YAW needs rebalanced error.....tried redoing it twenty times and still its not right....any ideas on fixing Yaw balance?

[@seanconcannon7922]

No worries Jake....found where you explained the Yaw at 7min 45 secs in the video....just in case anyone else needs it.....thanks again Jake....easily the best Ronin SC set up explanation on the web!!

[@stephenfuller766]

You use all the right phrasings to make this comprehensible one shot. thank you

[@JakeSloan]

Thank uou

[@modernmusicstudio303]

This was so helpful, thanks!

[@JakeSloan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jstylephotography]

Great quick video thanks helped a lot

[@JakeSloan]

thanks!

[@mahalomartin4162]

ALOHA ☀️ from Honolulu Jake. I have exactly the same camera set up. Now I’m thinking about buying the DJI RONIN S. Mahalo for your video. Very helpful. Keep it up ! Mahalo !

[@mahalomartin4162]

I just subscribed to your channel. Aloha !

[@JakeSloan]

Thank you so much! Also check out my comparison video between the Ronin SC and the Weebill S. Both are excellent and depending on how you use them one might be better for you than the other! you can see it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHjKl6mjitWreck Cheers from Alaska and thanks for subscribing!

[@eddiejaoude]

Thank you for the setup tutorial. Mine arrived today. I have a question though, what is the cable to the camera for?

[@JakeSloan]

The cable to the camera is so you can start and stop recording from the small button on the gimbal. Cheers!

[@manuele.itriagom.728]

@@JakeSloan that's actually pretty dope

[@jimbissette5088]

thanks for a very informative video

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome

[@Colazsmithtv]

I tried everything to balance my ronin sc and even though everything shows up excellent in the balance test, the gimbal just does the weird thing where it flips and just won't work as it should. Can u help....any advice ?

[@JakeSloan]

Does it work at all? It sounds like maybe the camera is sitting up to high but if you have balanced everything exactly as I show in this video the. It’s possible the gimbal is damaged and you would need to contact DJI support to see about that.

[@Colazsmithtv]

@@JakeSloan I followed all the steps and did everything and I just wont work the way it should. I'm using canon m50 with it. , only ever used the gimbal about 3 times b4 the problem stated and been watching all sorts of videos to see if anyone else had similar problems.

[@AlienDrones]

Thanks, man! Worked out just dandy. 👽🛸

[@JakeSloan]

Fantastic! Glad to hear it

[@JoeLewis14]

Perfect. Concise. Helpful. Thank you.

[@JakeSloan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rambr0vids]

Clearly explained and demonstrated, thank you.

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks

[@marvin.gustic200]

Thanks for the tutorial I have done my practicals with the ronin sc and a Sony alpha 3 but only had the tilt and pan axis excellent and had roll axis rebalance what was the matter in this case??

[@850Tech]

10 minutes of Gold ❤

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks

[@cyberla]

Awesome video thanks!

[@JakeSloan]

thanks

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Great video Jake, you make it look very easy. Knowing me I'd end up screwing up and melting everything down, even though it doesn't contain any nuclear material. Cheers mate.

[@JakeSloan]

Lol 😂

[@tuongkhanhung]

Thanks for your helpful Info

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome

[@iwatchedthevideo7115]

Great tutorial! Thanks!

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome!

[@jcanimearts5394]

Thanks for this. It's more elaborate explanation. I like it!!

[@JakeSloan]

thank you for watching! I am glad it helped cheers!

[@jcanimearts5394]

Yeap! It helped me like hours spending how to balance my gimbal. Now I almost can balance it in a couple of minutes like 15mins

[@JakeSloan]

Awesome!!

[@BristolProductions]

Thank you. So much better than what DJI has on their site.

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome!!

[@amirokhovat4699]

That was awesome. Thanks alot!

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome!!

[@bicycleninja1685]

Great job, thank you!

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks

[@vitoralencar1836]

thank you ! helpful video

[@JakeSloan]

glad it was!

[@xwordbootyx]

I just got my Robin SC today and look who I found on KZbin randomly! 🤙

[@JakeSloan]

LOL yep!!

[@laloruizc]

Super useful, thank you

[@JakeSloan]

Awesome glad it helped!

[@natsharpe4364]

super helpful.. thanks!

[@JakeSloan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TDBRICKS]

Very useful. Thank you!

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome

[@brokecitizen4934]

Thanks for the video

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome

[@casroy777]

dope video ,subbed

[@JakeSloan]

Ty!!

[@Vonte_Gallery]

Thanks for the help

[@JakeSloan]

Youre welcome!

[@ReelLightPictures]

Hi Jake, thanks for the comprehensive breakdown. I just ordered mine and waiting for it to come. Question: do you have to do the auto-tune and balance testing before each use, even if your set up will be the same, or only if you switch off set ups, either with another lens or a7iii to a6400, etc?

[@JakeSloan]

I do the auto tune any time I change the camera body or lens combo. FYI there is a really easy way to do it. Hold the trigger down at the same time as holding the M button down for 10 seconds. The three user profile lights will blink and it will auto calibrate. Nice to be able to do this without opening the app up etc.

[@ReelLightPictures]

Jake Sloan good to know, thanks!

[@IgalMRFilms]

How is the spacer plate called I am looking for it in Amazon and B&H and can’t seem to find the one you are using. Thank you very much for the tutorial.

[@JakeSloan]

You are looking for a camera riser plate? geni.us/uloyUi something like that? Or something else?

[@orrickmedia7442]

rhanks ive bought one these pro version, i own the gh4 and im struggling to fix the tilt and pan axis , if got the fist one to hold camera srtaight , its the motion to keep view straight when doing low to high shot it dips forward and the side pan to right and left is hard too , your videos are great helped me all the way , just stuck on this bit

[@JakeSloan]

I’m working on a setup and balance tutorial this week. Hopefully that will help!!

[@MrRunnerdog]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome!

[@JayLanguages]

what settings do you need on the sony a6400 to be able to work with the gimbal ?

[@JakeSloan]

On the camera it needs to be set to PC remote in the usb settings.

[@Relaxinghypnoasmr]

thanks for tutorial. Just got mine, and i could absolutely not figure it out from the ronin tutorial of a man doing it silently with an english language voiceover. now i have it calibrated i just have to figure out how to use it! i'm sure your other tutorials will help, so i'll check em out.

[@JakeSloan]

glad to hear it!

[@KevinAugelloNewEarthFilms]

Hi Jake am a new subscriber - great stuff! - Just a wee question, how are u mounting the rode on the side of the Sony ?

[@JakeSloan]

Hey Kevin thanks for subscribing! This is what I use on my A6400 and A6600 to mount stuff off to either side: geni.us/7eXZ it really makes it great for mounting mics etc while keeping the screen clear for viewing. Cheers mate!

[@Thoohio]

thank you for your sharing

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome

[@skydog92]

You sound a lot like Owen Wilson. Thanks for the video! Helped a lot!

[@JakeSloan]

LOL thanks

[@PhilipWalker]

Hi Jake, I have the Ronin SC am considering buying an external mic like the Rode Micro...would you have any ideas on how to attach this to a z6? If I connect it to the hotshoe on top of the camera, I'm afraid there won't be enough clearance for the SC to move freely.

[@JakeSloan]

I would look at a small cage from small rig

[@emilydoe2223]

Thank you for this tutorial! I have one question though, I am working with a lens that is a little bit bigger than the body of my camera which makes it not quite work when attaching the plate to the camera do you have any recommendations for that

[@JakeSloan]

you can use small counter weights

[@hannahwallace8447]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! Is my Tamron 35-150 too heavy?

[@JakeSloan]

for the Ronin sc definitely too heavy

[@vlexX-ut7vy]

Hey i just got the gimbal and have questions were would you plug the usb-c into the camera from the gimbal?

[@JakeSloan]

there is a USB port on the bottom of the gimbal arm where the camera connects

[@jhinostroza]

best video for balance!!!

[@JakeSloan]

THANK YOU! Cheers

[@giovannapaz-realtor1399]

Hi, thank you for your video. It helps lots. The usb cable doesn't work with my anon EOS t7i. Is there some other cable I could buy which could be compatible? Also, why is important to connect the camera to gimbal? Can I still do videos with out connecting the camera to the gimbal? Thank you so much!

[@JakeSloan]

not sure about what cable will work with your specific camera but you don't need to connect it! just run the camera on the gimbal without and you will still get great smooth footage

[@angusparvis1]

How do you attached the mic on the left side of the camera? Is that special device like a bracket? Thx

[@JakeSloan]

This is the plate I use to move the mic off to the side: amzn.to/2Z6PjOw Cheers!

[@SteveDeWaelephotography]

Nice video dude greetings from belgium steve

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks! Greetings!!

[@orsonfilm5089]

Hi Jake. Great video and will follow you. I was offered a used DJI RONIN SC, that look like new. So i have a question because i want to use older cameras, like the Canon EOS M with Magic Lantern software. The Canon EOS M does not have a USB port at all. So is it possible to use all kinds of cameras without connection via cable?

[@JakeSloan]

Yes, absolutely

[@orsonfilm5089]

@@JakeSloan Cool.. thanks a lot. 😊

[@DustinTheNow]

I’m trying to set up the R6 with the sigma 35 mm / rf adaptor and it’s giving me some issues. I’m wondering if I need counterweights.

[@JakeSloan]

You likely will that payload seems to be pushing the limits Of the gimbal

[@ttvstabthatguy4u284]

Thank you. Friend is letting us use his equipment and we forgot where a piece goes! 😂 Great Video! #ShortFilm

[@JakeSloan]

Thanks and glad it helped!!

[@venkputta271]

2 years later, still much useful 🙏

[@JakeSloan]

thank you!

[@seanshadow]

Great video! Not sure if it just doesn’t come in the box anymore but mine didn’t come with a mini usb cable for my Canon camera. So I have one coming tomorrow from Amazon

[@JakeSloan]

oh interesting

[@pixelatedbeatz]

Thanks! Jake for sharing this. Could you please tell me if the app works on phones with Android OS also?

[@JakeSloan]

It does! Only certain android phones will support active track though. That list can be found here: dl.djicdn.com/downloads/Ronin_SC/Ronin_SC_ActiveTrack_3.0_Supported_Mobile_Phone_List_en_.pdf

[@pixelatedbeatz]

@@JakeSloan thanks a lot, I guess I will get one for a gh5. Thanks again and keep the good work up.

[@robertjackson7695]

Thanks gonna watch this a few times !! Just got my Ronin .... axis plural ... not a word I come across very much lol !!!!!

[@JakeSloan]

Lol 😆. Enjoy your ronin!

[@IgonDrakeWarrior]

Thank you!!!

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome!

[@richg.4980]

Thank you ! One question: im using the Sony A6400 and will get a 552 gramms Tamron 17-70 in a few days. Is it correct That the plate is not long enough so it is hard to get the gimbal balanced perfect? And second: is there any reason why on DJI site no tamron is in the compatility list?

[@JakeSloan]

I no longer have this gimbal so I can't say

[@newfishonbike]

Great tutorial, this was a lot more helpful than DJI’s miniature setup guide that feels like it was created for ants lol

[@JakeSloan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DavidMichaelHarveyLLC]

Thank you sir!

[@JakeSloan]

You're welcome!

[@pedrodanielu]

I'm mexican and i know the plural of axis is just axis haha.. thanks for the video, just got mine and your video is better than DJI's starter guide.

[@JakeSloan]

Thank you very much!

[@BavleoENG]

Would you recommend this lens with Sony a6400 and Lens 18-105mm F4 :)

[@JakeSloan]

yes its a good combo but if you plan to use heavier setups then the Weebill S is an excellent choice

[@avatardrones]

Hi Jake, our camera is a Canon 750D and doesn’t have a port for any of those cables. Are the cables not needed for our camera or only for specific cameras? Thanks, Rob

[@JakeSloan]

You don't need the cable connected to make the gimbal work only if you want to remote control the camera from the gimbal. I run mine without a lot. It's not that hard to reach up and start recording with the shutter button. The biggest downside is you loose the ability to do motion time lapses etc. Cheers

[@avatardrones]

@@JakeSloan thanks for the quick reply! Additionally, is there a way of making the gimbal not “pan” as were walking around with it? If we want it to stay facing straight while we move, is this possible or is this just one of the downsides that will happen/have to get used to. Thanks again, Jake! 😄

[@tarsneyisleestrelas4659]

Hi Jake. Interesting video. I have a canon 250d. Weighs less than 800g. I was wondering if a DJI ronin s gimbal would work with this camera. I want to improve my video making at the moment they are rather shaky. Thank you. Regards. Alan.

[@JakeSloan]

please see my response in your other post!

[@frednorman1]

I must be missing something I don’t understand the cable that you use at about 2:00. Do you absolutely need to use the cable in order to use the Ronin? They sent me two cables that don’t fit my canon 70 D.

[@JakeSloan]

You don't need the cable to use the gimbal only if you wanted to start and stop the camera recording from the gimbal

[@n.ganesh2084]

Thanks!

[@JakeSloan]

You’re welcome

[@MattSpider]

hello Jake, Great video. I'm having terrible difficulty trying to balance my set up. The camera will not stay in position when I try and lock the gimbal. It just swings back up to the lens pointing at the sky. Ive tried adjusting it so many times but I can't get it to work. What do you think? Thanks in advance

[@JakeSloan]

I’m making a video about how to balance gimbals in general soon!

[@MattSpider]

@Jake Sloan I will most definitely look out for that

[@jack_david]

So i am thinking about getting this, but i have Canon T7i which doesn’t have a Micro usb or a usb c port, so i think the cable wouldn’t work. Would it be a waste? to get this for my camera??

[@JakeSloan]

I use mine without the cable often. It’s just a matter of hitting record on the camera as opposed to the gimbal.

[@kasiaszyffer26]

Hey thanks for the video, but what is this multi usb? I see only usb c and mikro osb in the kit!

[@JakeSloan]

thats right one of them is labeled as a multi usb and it should be the micro usb

[@kevinsaerialvideophotograh9883]

Hey jake I just got the ronin-sc and I have the canon rebel t6 do I need a different cable to hook this up? TIA

[@JakeSloan]

I did a bit of research and I couldn’t find where anyone had hooked the SC up to a Canon 6t. I see that it isn’t on the list of supported cameras so I’m honestly not sure. I would ask on the DJI ronin SC forums and see if anyone has done it there.

[@valeriemcdowall1873]

Thanks for this, where is the spacer plate from, is it DJI?

[@JakeSloan]

From small rig.

[@ReelLightPictures]

So ok, Ronin SC or Weebil Lab, do you have a final verdict? Portability, reliability, features... if you could only choose 1, which would it be? I can’t decide.

[@JakeSloan]

at this point if I could only choose one it would be the ronin sc. It is excellent and just a step ahead of the weebill IMHO. It's also newer so it has had the benefit of more development time etc.

[@MaryanCernea]

Hello! 1. Is the Canon 250d DSLR compatible for connecting to this stabilizer models? 2. What is the difference between this package / model and the PRO COMBO? Thanks in advance! ✌

[@JakeSloan]

It would stabilize it however it might not control the camera shutter. The difference between the two packages is the pro combo includes a focus/zoom motor and control wheel with it. Cheers!

[@MaryanCernea]

@@JakeSloan and this is a serious problem??

[@JakeSloan]

no it isn't you will just have to start/stop recording by using the button on the camera. You also may not be able to use some of the smart features like motion time-lapse etc

[@MaryanCernea]

@@JakeSloan thanks, have a nice day✌️👋👍

[@jshcstro]

Hey Jake, im having trouble balancing my Sony A7C with my tamron 28-75 will this combo not work?

[@JakeSloan]

It should but you will likely have to move the camera all the way back to where it just barely clears the rear arm

[@e_Dave]

Nice video! Really helpful! Also, aren't you Alaska Vader?

[@JakeSloan]

I am lol