The Ronin-S Or The Crane 2: Which One To Buy?

[@GustavSolin]

Great high quality and informative video, but i have to inform you about the battery. mAh is not specifying the battery energy density unless you reveal the voltage. Use watthours for a better comparison. VxAh=Wh. Ronin-S = 14.4x2.4=34.56Wh, Crane 2 = 3.6x6 (or 10.8x2)=21.6Wh. This means that the Ronin-S has a much bigger battery than the Crane 2. But because the Crane 2 is using 18650 batteries, they can easily be changed to 18650 batteries with 3400mah, and then the Crane 2 will have 36.72Wh and beats the Ronin-S battery.

[@Infosmercial]

Wow now that is some knowledge right there. As you can tell I overlooked these important aspects of battery life. Luckily the point sort of stands in that the Crane 2 has an overall longer runtime. Thanks for posting this. It is a huge help. I’ll be sure to incorporate more accurate technical knowledge in future videos, which means I have some research to do. Cheers! 🍻

[@peterdozal8825]

I feel like you are missing a few big factors. 1. Yes the Ronin S focus wheel only works with a few Panasonic's right now, but as time goes on more will be supported. The way you worded it made that unclear. 2. The Ronin S focus wheel is modular and can be switched to the other side of the gimble or taken off completely, the Crane 2's cant be removed. 3. the grip, the Ronin S has a much better grip than the Crain 2. Just having the lip at the top of the grip makes it much easier to hold on to. 4. the tripods Ronin S just is a WAY better tripod. Its not loose like the Crain 2, it does not have sharp edges like the C2, and it has added grip so the gimble can be used 2 handed, unlike the C2. 5. From all accounts the RS also has better stability and is much more smooth then the C2, I feel like for any pro that that is super important if not the most important thing. 6. Also, I just don't really feel you can nock on the fact that the RS does does not have a screen when even you said you had to still pull out your phone to get to some of the settings. That kinda defeats the purpose of the screen in the first place.

[@6dsg]

I totally agree with you. The RS is hands down anytime better than the C2, i tried C2 once and it was horrible. bought the RS and was extremely satisfied!

[@nikky4757]

Ronin s fan boy 😂😂😂😂😂 cant hide the feeling

[@CyberEditing]

Very clearly & professionally produced! Congrats, CyberEditing.

[@atamanphotography]

thought i was watching a 1 million + subscribed channel. your content is worth more! keep it up

[@Infosmercial]

Thank you a lot. That means a great deal. Cheers! 🍻

[@jinsungkim1776]

That’s exactly what I feel! :)

[@Infosmercial]

Thank you so much.

[@dinogiam]

Used both of the machine for a week...crane 2 is good but it’s not as smooth as the Ronin S...yes the ronin s is heavier but I won’t be holding it for all day long so I don’t really feel the weight difference. My setup for both of them are Sony a7iii + Sony FE 16-35. Relatively quite a lite setup

[@Infosmercial]

Good to know your experience with these two. Thanks for checking in!

[@MerrickVisuals]

The Crane 2 is 599$ right now on B&H until the July 14th! It includes the follow focus motor free as well. :D I had the Ronin S on backorder for weeks so just opted for the Crane 2 instead which for the price is a really good deal.

[@Infosmercial]

Omg yes! $749 is already the better value imo, but at $599 I would probably start selling equipment and stuff and checkout so freaking fast....🤣 Not that I advocate doing that, but.......I know I would. Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching the vid! 👍

[@stevenuseda6317]

The crane 2 touts a 7lbs weight capacity but what it doesn’t handle well is front heavy lenses. Unless you slow down clips, the sigma 18-35 and gh5s is a horrible combo. Not to mention the fact that my crane 2, even being calibrated perfectly would struggle to tilt the lens up more than 35 degrees before the motors would just give out. Needless to say between my issues, the Chinese app, the servo follow focus being a dud right out of the box even with new firmware , and zhiyun refusing to honor my warranty, I will be extremely hesitant recommending the crane 2 or zhiyun as a company until they fix their quality control issues and customer service.

[@MerrickVisuals]

Might just be your unit man. I've seen people balance a Cannon 70-200mm on this thing. Also the GH5 and Sigma 18-35 works great on this with no issue according to basically everyone that runs that setup,. Also make sure your motor settings are on high.

[@stevenuseda6317]

Gavin Merrick Issue is that the focus ring on the sigma 18-35 is very far forward... the servo follow focus can only be moved that far forward with an extension bar that I had to buy separately, unfortunately this means that you have to move the camera back to compensate and that limits your range of motion. Can only tilt up a little before the viewfinder hits on the back motor of the crane. I wouldn’t have so much of a problem with it if they owned up for the fact that they made a bad unit, but even in warranty they won’t fix or replace it.

[@androidgeeking]

Same! I'm loving it!

[@jnuts5547]

i bought a ronin mx the first time i try into gimbal.. then zhiyun crane came out..i was like so happy until the crane 2 released i convincing myself to finally get 1 with hope i can travel with a gimbal at least easier to bring along.. even its not really easy bringing a full gears lowepro 450 protactic plus the crane 2 with its case.. then not so long after the purchase, the dji ronin s came out.. and the zhiyun released its mechanical follow focus for free with the crane 2 package to compete with the ronin s which at the same time i learn 1 thing tht not to buy zhiyun product for too fast! after a while of usage.. i found tht underslung mode of crane 2 is quite bumpy.. i start thinking maybe its just my crane 2.. but fellow youtuber from fulltimefilmaker prove me wrong.. its really the crane 2 performance.. tbh i found dji ronin s have better motors and perform better stabilization after looking here and there.. i still love my crane tho.. esp when zhiyun released the weebill lab, i immediately start thinking to get 1 because the size of it will save my space a lot! then i try to find a review about it here and there.. til i get enough information about the performance i think i need to reconsider again.. i really wish that thers a gimbal like weebill lab tht can perform at least the same performance like the crane 2 but after all of this i think maybe thers impossible at least for now.. some people recommend the crane 3 lab which the pricetag is above all its competitor and even still on pre order and also bigger size.. honestly i still think the crane 2 is a good gimbal overall, but still not a perfect gimbal yet for me esp to bring along traveling.. on the other side weebill lab also not better thn crane 2.. then i stop looking for a new gimbal on that day, until this month dji put a discount on its ronin s.. damnit now i finally get one! i know its still bigger thn weebill lab.. but at least i can unplug the battery grip.. which make it almost the same size as a weebill but with a better performance and less expensive! the end. well i hope. LOL

[@MikeMaisuradze]

Before doing this review, it's better to hold Ronin-s and push some buttons or make a simple move to be sure that Ronin-s is much further and smarter than Crane 2 in almost every aspect. Zhiyun cannot even hold Sony A7SII with Tilta Rig + 24-70GM lens :( and 12 hours of Ronin-s is really enough to film all day long!

[@nikky4757]

Fan boy😂😂😂

[@theampedlife]

Crane 2. Damn right. Thanks for a great side by side!

[@Infosmercial]

You got it. Thanks for watching the vid!

[@dhardjono]

i love my ronin s feel great in my hand i use it for wedding 3 day 3 diferent wedding i got 1 bar left on battery so that battery thing does not worry me. hevy nah not for me , i had crane 1 with same a6500 and i don't get pains using the heaviere ronin . 2 days ago my friend broght his crane 2 recomended by me and pick both and i am so glad i bought ronin s , quality of RS feel quality.

[@Infosmercial]

I think what worries me is like forgetting to charge the battery or only using it for a few hours and thinking it has enough juice to get through a production. What I’m really curious to see is how long the battery lasts when the Ronin has an external monitor powered from one of the ports or the focus motor. Having said that, they nailed the ergonomics on it, at least from my initial impressions. Glad to know your Ronin lasted through a few working days! Thanks for watching the vid 👍

[@powerzoom7750]

dhardjono but the flexibility is with the crane to use a monopod for higher shots

[@ctonylowe]

wow sir I really enjoyed this video. one of the best. I don't need another subsrciption but because I liked it I did, but since I have almost every product DJI made ima buy the Ronin. really your vid was so on point that you make it really hard for me to buy it . I think when people like u give a truly un-bais review u make the buyer very comfortable with their purchase . thanks man

[@Infosmercial]

Hey thank you so much, that means a lot. I tried my best to be objective and fair looking at both gimbals despite the fact that I own the crane 2. I’m glad you liked it. 💯 🙌

[@claudehaywoodboddy1966]

I have a canon t5i is it compatible?

[@BmcmediaRo]

battery capacity is not really accurate. Crane 2 holds three 18650 which are around 2600-3000 mAh each, but they go in parallel so the capacity remains, while voltage go to 11-12V.

[@billycasimir1469]

While it may be really difficult to ignore all of the features of the crane 2, one of the biggest factors for me choosing the Ronin S was their financing option through affirm. A lot of people may not want to invest 750 all at once and that's understandable. Plus, I think DJI is more quality oriented, I believe DJI took so long to release the Ronin S because they wanted to perfect the product before releasing it. This makes me think that in terms of reliability the Ronin S will do better long term.

[@dmeankaptures1682]

Just getting my crane 2 this week after control panel fried. Zhiyun did replace, only negative is I had to pay for outgoing shipping $54. That was after my joystick fell off and was lost then had to pay $20 for replacement joysticks. Crane 2 has been good but I'm selling now after having these issues with it. I'd say go dji for product quality. Zhiyun did repair but idk how long it'll last now.

[@Infosmercial]

I guess that does kinda stink that those things happened. It’s good to know they at least offered affordable service on it. Hope the new one works out well. The crane 2 is pretty solid.

[@dmeankaptures1682]

Infosmercial yea happy they fixed it. I sold it tho for the ronin s. The ronin s is heavier but for me I find it smoother and love the sport mode, something I can see myself using frequently. The crane 2 was a good gimbal but in my case I had to let it go, too worried that more stuff will happen with it after the warranty expires

[@Infosmercial]

I don’t blame you. Did you get the Ronin yet?

[@dmeankaptures1682]

Infosmercial yes o got it 2 days ago, I love it man. Sport mode is so useful. The extra steps the ronin s go to for it to be really smooth, the app balance test, system calibration, then auto tune. It feels like another level. My first ronin. I think that's why it's smoother for me than my crane, the app fine tuning. It's really great.

[@Infosmercial]

Wow that’s really good stuff to hear I’m glad you like it man. Happy shooting! 🎥

[@6dsg]

Tried before the crane 2, no doubt it has many more functions than the RS but the thumb toggle is too sensitive. and the grip is too thick thus when carrying for a long time the crane actually strains my forearm and my hand. The RS is way better as i got mine 2 weeks ago, the grip is slimmer hence carrying RS with 1 arm does not really make me feel strenuous at all. No doubt the crane 2 has longer battery life span but while i was using it, the crane 2 just kept losing it's connection even though the crane was on. And moreover the crane 2 batteries heats up pretty fast so these cons are very big cons! I wonder why u never mentioned about the grip and the batteries heating up plus it loses connectivity. No matter how much I move my RS around and use the thumb stick to toggle the direction of my camera, everything is pretty in place and does not lose connectivity. The crane 2 is the worst nightmare ever. I wonder how is the crane 2 comparatively so called " better " than the RS. Sorry but the crane 2 disappointed me.

[@ALXRuAS]

With which cable did you connect the crane 2 and monitor for power? the DC plug size (vor the Crane) interests me?

[@TNKHART]

I picked the wrong time to switch to Android. Seems no gimbals work well with the Samsung Galaxy 9 Plus.

[@Infosmercial]

Yeah that’s one thing I would love to see changed is better support for android devices in the future. iOS seems to be way better supported for software, and that’s not just for gimbals, but a LOT of different products.

[@CyberEditing]

One teensy issue. The Ronin S can perform the cinematic "infinite roll".....the Crane 2 can't. ( I use the Crane 2 )

[@brickolo_]

This is a great comparison! Thanks a lot for the vid

[@Infosmercial]

You got it. Thanks for watching the vid!

[@russellsteele]

This was a well done video, great job. If I had to make a choice, I'd go for the Crane 2 also.

[@Infosmercial]

Good choice! Thanks for watching the vid btw!

[@POVLA]

Thanks for the video! Good info. I love my crane 2, but the motor blocking the screen should be counted as a con x10. I have to keep my gh5 screen flipped out. DJI makes good stuff so would like to try the Ronin. Keep the vids coming!

[@derekp7864]

Hi, what external display would you recommend? Thanks.

[@Infosmercial]

Which gimbal would you pick and why?🤔 (Spoiler: my money is on the Crane 2) Any pros or cons missing from the list? Let me know down below👇

[@holydreams8287]

I am going to buy it now, what a great deal !!

[@ThatFrancesco]

Ordered the Ronin for 3 reasons. 1) Crane 2 supports more cameras *right now*, but DJI is going to upgrade its firmware like crazy to make it support more and more cameras, soon. 2) Angled roll motor lets you see the lcd screen better without the need for an external monitor (in cameras without flip out screen) 3) Crane 2 doesn't allow for camera to rotate 360° in flashlight mode.

[@manufirewu]

Mmmm, maybeeeee....CRANE 3!!!

[@Infosmercial]

Haha. Nice choice, it’s a beast so far.

[@JOSEKmb]

Is the canon SL2 compatible with crane 2? If yes, can the SL2 be used with its view screen flipped out?

[@Infosmercial]

Yes it will absolutely work with that camera and with the flip out screen. What I would recommend you do is to place the camera on the gimbal and flip out the screen before you balance the gimbal head. Then balance the gimbal with the screen out, check the motor strength of the crane 2, and you’re set to go.

[@angelobarrera41]

You forgot to add the 360 camera roll function and the lower center motor for better viewing on the Camera LCD to which none of those exist in the crane 2.

[@tqaproduction]

If you are a professional then money shouldnt be a pro/con (talking in 1k $ price range) The only factor is time and getting the right shots. Ronin S gives you more versatility and therefore you have more creative decision to make/take. That is just priceless.

[@comparedtech4500]

good video, nice work man..

[@BillionairesBoysClub]

Thanks a lot for the Review. Very informative. However, since everyone only compares Crane and Ronin S, there is something else, a lot closer: PILOTFLY ADVENTUER. CHeck it out. It certainly deserves a mention in this Gimbal-Discussion (Off-angle motor, close to similar payload, full Sony compatibility and almost half the weight and smaller size)

[@Infosmercial]

Wow that does look like a pretty darn good gimbal actually. Thanks for the info, I just may have to look into the Pilotfly a little more. Cheers!

[@PaulPaulPaulPaulPaul]

Hello, i had the Adventurer from Pilotfly.Its should be a german and taiwain product. But i am from germany...the Adventurer is no german product! Its cheap! Cheap metal / Cheap wrap / cheap plastic! I send it back! Is the Adventurer the same like crane 2?

[@XavierAncarno]

The Zhiyun Crane is available for less $540 in Europe 5 days free delivery... I don’t know for us

[@Infosmercial]

Wow that’s huge. Yes there is a big sale going on in the US right now. Amazon and B&H have it for $599 with the follow focus. That’s a no brainer at that price.

[@XavierAncarno]

Infosmercial for me both gimbal are the best on the market but from a price point Zhiyun won already.

[@Infosmercial]

I totally agree.

[@smakujem3966]

Could you tell me what wallpaper you've got on your monitor? It looks great

[@Infosmercial]

Sorry for the delay. It is a wallpaper by Mikael Gustafsson. You can find it by going to google, typing in his name, and searching under the images tab. To help find a high resolution use the ‘tools’ tab and filter for size ‘large’. Cheers!

[@smakujem3966]

Thank you! This guy is amazing.

[@Infosmercial]

Yeah he is ridiculously talented and his artwork is gorgeous.

[@werem369]

the most importent paramiter should be smothness of your footage on this same setup!!!! - if there is now improvment Ronin-S comaprising to Crane 2 - i would never consider ordering!!!

[@BboyGraphicx]

Thanks for making this video

[@Infosmercial]

You got it. Thanks for watching it! 👍

[@pixilystudio3338]

Can you mount Crane 2 on a tripod?

[@Infosmercial]

Absolutely. I do it all the time. It’s very handy for framing shots and you can get some very cool slider like shots if you set it up right. (Look for a vid by chung dha on using a gimbal like a slider while on a tripod)

[@CyberEditing]

Yes. I use a Manfrotto 502 AH fluid head. No problems...

[@krane15]

I knew you were going to choose the Crane 2 right from the beginning. At least next time try and pretend you're being objective. On the bright side, you did highlight the pros and cons of both, so decision to choose one over the other is still open to interpretation.

[@epelfeld]

How to use autofocus at Sony a7 iii with crane 2?

[@BenjaminKanarek]

I agree!

[@omarortizytc]

can you please do a review on the feiyutech a2000 gimbal?

[@Infosmercial]

I will certainly look into it. No promised, but it’d be nice to have more comparisons I suppose.

[@aybee5908]

Talking bout price and different specs is one thing, experience with these two guys another.

[@jesusislord2759]

Can i use crane plus for Sony Axp55 handycam?

[@Infosmercial]

Yes it should work just fine.

[@JohnRogers]

thank u sir..

[@MichaelHurdleStudio]

Well done bro

[@Infosmercial]

Thank you. 🙏

[@PerformanceArtFound]

i will take the crane 2 to but you forget to mention that the ronin S as:1 Sport mode and 2-infinite roll capabilities

[@b2unoo7]

im pretty sure he did not even know about it in time of shooting this :P

[@its5oclockcharlie]

My Ronin S has been on back order for like 2 months

[@arlandabu]

Zhiyun Crane 2 user here👍👍

[@Infosmercial]

BOOM 🙌✊💯

[@adrianphotovisions2308]

I would get neither. The Pilotfly is much better and is half the weight of the ronin with similar load capacitiy

[@KINGMIKO]

Dji has always been lacking on the battery side on all their products just so you can buy more batteries from them.

[@Infosmercial]

My biggest worry is how expensive they might end up being. I could see them ouch about $100 a piece.

[@KINGMIKO]

Infosmercial their ronin m battery is $90, dji drone batteries are $150 plus. I wouldn’t put it pass them if they did sell their batteries for $100 dollars or more especially since you can’t buy third party batteries.

[@Infosmercial]

Yeah that is what I am thinking. I’m expecting batteries to be about 120. They really can just charge whatever they want. These things get expensive once you start tacking them on.

[@derfelowen7797]

How can you possibly make a comparison video about gimbals without actually having them in your hand? (Oh wait he held one in NAB...lol) Looks like another video about spec sheets 🤦🏻‍♂️ And talk about counting your eggs before they’re hatched. The Crane has been out for a while now and has more accessories and newer software updates so it’s not fair to compare on something that’s just been announced. You sound like a Crane fanboy and a Dji hater....just saying. And recommending to the public with this half assed info video is just daft. Let’s see how many people will be switching to the Dji when their fully up and running and covering more cameras. Anyone making a desicion on their gimbals after watching this.....should not be filming at all.

[@Infosmercial]

Thank you for checking out the video. The Ronin-s isn’t readily available and quite frankly I don’t have the money to buy one at the moment. Having said that, most everything in this video is based on facts. You should know after watching, this isn’t just some opinion rant video. I did my research, read ALL the manuals, watched all the video reviews, and took a look at the product for what it is. That’s all the info a lot of people have right now to make their decision. I would also disagree with you. I think it is perfectly fair to compare a longstanding product to a newly released product. People are going to use these tools for paid, professional work. They should know some of these things before buying. Having said that, you are right in that it will be interesting to compare them again in say 6 months as well. I’m not a DJI hater at all and yes I am a bit of a Zhiyun fanboy, but really I’m just a guy who obsessively researched both of the products and wanted to share my findings. If that helps a few people make a decision, great! Cheers

[@TheFilmmakingChannel]

Derfel Owen You’re obviously the fan boy here... so obvious it’s hilarious!

[@JamesJacksonFilmz]

Obvious fanboy calling other people obvious fanboys

[@jakubhladky9147]

It's here for awhile, right. Then why new product isn't finished and ready to use? Tell me that boy.

[@cupidomuzik6199]

Zhiyun Crane all the way

[@MomentumProductions1992]

BBC!!!!!!

[@Infosmercial]

BBC all day every day! 🤘

[@webstermickey69]

I want both hehehe

[@Infosmercial]

That’s the right answer. The wallet might hate you though haha.

[@webstermickey69]

Infosmercial probably i would have that only in my dreams. Hehe

[@Infosmercial]

In my dreams, I would have my Crane 2 balanced on top of a Ronin S with a Red Epic cam balanced on that with a 5mm-1000mm T0.95 lens on the body. Dream big they say 👍

[@gtyraiser6980]

I want both too.haha

[@str8uptv]

Sorry. DJI got my 💰

[@MrKenrwi]

It’s pronounced “chew-ing”.

[@shameerravuthar07]

Wats rong with you dji.I am dji customer. 2 days take the dji ronins. But your New updation dji camera setting New product. What the he'll are dji. I am indian. Poor peoples are lndians. Warranty ronin's change new upgrade ronin sail. as well as decent dji. ours innacent indians. Please old ronins change new ronins.

[@יהודי-ג7ד]

Commercialized

[@nicefish10]

The sibilance of your voice really makes this video unbearable for me. Great video but you really need to de ess your speech.

[@str8uptv]

Sorry. DJI got my 💰

[@Infosmercial]

Apology accepted. Come back and let us know what you think of the thing!

[@str8uptv]

Infosmercial it's on backorder, but excited to fly it with C200 and smaller cams

[@Infosmercial]

Ooo now that’s gonna be a killer combo. If you remember, let me know how that works out for you.

Wes Woodland yeah I'm curious too haha

[@str8uptv]

I am waiting to receive it. It's still backordered.