Verdict
The DJI RS 4 Mini offers effective stabilisation for television camera – and now smartphones . An improved battery life sentence and the addition of AI trailing make this a solid rise for RS Mini 3 users , as well as a great entry pointedness for anyone reckon to purchase their first gimbal .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
If you ’re a contented creator looking for a compact and lightweight gimbal , DJI ’s RS Mini series has probably caught your eye before .
In April 2024 , DJI introduced theRS 4and RS 4 Pro along with the Focus Pro , an attachable lens control system of rules that uses LiDAR technology to improve the autofocus experience and enable AMF on the mellow - end gimbals .
Nearly a year later , the small and more low-cost RS 4 Mini has get in , and it ’s brought its own unexampled addition : the Intelligent Tracking Module .
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Design
The RS 4 Mini is a comparatively small and lightweight gimbal at 175 x 182 x 338 unfolded and 880 g , though with a payload capacity of up to 2 kilogram , the gimbal is only as light as your camera and lens are .
Of course , this gimbal is n’t designed to hoist heavy professional motion-picture show cameras , with recommend pairings including the Canon R5,Sony A7 III , Nikon Z7and Panasonic S5 with a 24 - 70 mm lens or similar . For large , heavier cameras , you ’ll need to opt for the RS 4 or RS 4 Pro .
The Mini is also natively compatible with smartphones for the first fourth dimension , supply you foot up the phone bearer . That said , if you ’re just look for a gimbal to pair with a smartphone , you might prefer to consider a smaller model designed solely for phones such as theInsta360 Flow 2 professional , or theDJI Osmo Mobile 7andOsmo Mobile 7P.
While the RS 4 Mini is small for a photographic camera and phone gimbal , folding down to just 316 x 64 x 236 mm , it ’s bulkier than a stock phone gimbal and the handle does n’t contain an extension pole or tripod as the above do .
There is an attachable tripod in the loge , which does n’t add too much extra height when stretch out . However , it does stretch out the length of the handle when folded , meaning it add up a bit of bulk when travelling with the gimbal . A incentive to the added length is that it does make it easier to shoot from higher and low-pitched slant in place of an reference rod . The same give-up the ghost for the briefcase handle in the boxful , which is both little and lighter than its predecessor .
There ’s a 1.4 - inch full - colour LCD touch screen at the top of the handle , which I found to be very hopeful and responsive , along with an regalia of physical buttons , include a joystick to move the gimbal , a record clitoris and a initiation on the rear side of the handle and more . There are also fresh dedicated switches to change the gimbal and joystick modes .
The RS 4 Mini takes a few design cues from its siblings , include 2nd generation auto - bloc lock to unlock the gimbal ’s axis of rotation locks faster and a 3rd generation aboriginal vertical switch to exchange the orientation quicker . The Teflon interlayer have also arrive to the Mini , grant for smooth and more exact reconciliation .
App and Tracking
Setting the RS 4 Mini up for the first clip is n’t the most intuitive mental process . This is the third RS gimbal I ’ve go over and I still found myself stagger when watching the television in the Quick Start Guide in the Ronin app .
Thankfully , I managed to set up the camera and balance it after review myself on the outgrowth , but I ca n’t say it was easy .
If you ’re someone who uses an RS gimbal with different camera and electron lens combination regularly ( or possibly are just respectable at assembling Ikea furniture ) , you could probably instal and balance your television camera in a matter of proceedings . However , if you ’re new to gimbal or rusty regarding the arrange - up process , ensure you set aside a good 30 second to watch the video in the Quick Start Guide and enfold your head around the procedure .
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Once set up , the gimbal is easy enough to apply . Much of this is thanks to the DJI Ronin app , which makes it wanton to access features like panorama , timelapse track and the virtual stick .
There ’s also new AI trailing functionality thanks to the Intelligent Tracking Module . This charismatic accessory snap onto the side of the gimbal , enabling DJI ’s ActiveTrack engineering science on any camera or phone . This ensures your subject remain pore in the frame , with DJI claim the module can keep a human subject in frame up to 10 thou out even in complex environment .
I found the trailing to be swell , focalise on my partner from several metres away when he raised his paw . A unripened igniter on the front and back of the Intelligent Tracking Module lets you know it ’s tracking a content , with the light going crimson if it blockade tracking so you ’ll get laid disregarding of whether you ’re behind the camera or in front of the lens .
No amount of fast cause stimulate past the niggling tracker and when he disappeared behind a wall , it had no job foot him up again as soon as he stepped back into frame .
The battery sprightliness was one aspect I found particularly dissatisfactory on theRS 3 Mini , so it was good to see DJI make improvements in this area . The gimbal now has an operating metre of 13 hr up from 10 hour , with both the barrage life and charging swiftness boosted by an extra 30 % over the last generation .
However , unlike the RS 4 and RS 4 Pro , the RS 4 Mini can not be used to recharge your camera in a jot .
Stabilisation and Performance
Another raise go past down from the RS 4 and RS 4 Pro is quaternary generation stabilisation , which DJI says has been specially improved when germinate vertically . This is with child news for those filming vertical cognitive content for TikTok , YouTube , Instagram and the alike , as it intend more unchanging results .
I found that the three gimbal mode gave the gimbal a extensive variety of movement , extend incredibly smooth results on photographic camera . The new gimbal mode switch to the right hand of the screen was also appreciate , making it much quick to toggle between the three modes .
The speed , smoothness and function of the joystick are also customisable , as are the upper and role of the dial . For the latter , you’re able to pick between controlling the nidus , ISO , aperture , shutter , roll , cooking pan and leaning .
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The RS 4 Mini does miss support for some accessories that can be used alongside the turgid and pricier RS 4 and RS 4 Pro , admit LiDAR focusing ( on the Pro ) , the DJI Focus Pro Motor and the DJI Ronin Image Transmitter .
Should you buy it?
If you shoot with a stock - sized mirrorless camera or DSLR and perhaps would like the option to stabilise your phone now and then , the DJI RS 4 Mini is the gross via media . It also brings some really utile advance over the RS 3 Mini .
If you ’re look to install a heavy professional photographic camera , the RS 4 has a max loading of 3 kilo and the RS 4 Pro one of 4.5 kilogram . Likewise , if you primarily plan to shoot on your phone , we ’d urge choose for a smaller , more compact gimbal such as the Osmo Mobile 7 or 7P.
Final Thoughts
The RS 4 Mini is another great gimbal from DJI , bringing some cardinal upgrades from the RS 4 and RS 4 Pro down to a more affordable price point .
The accession of native smartphone support is overnice to see , though I ca n’t see myself getting much use out of it in person . If I require a gimbal to scoot on my telephone , I ’d much rather prefer for the smaller , unsubdivided ( and cheaper)Osmo Mobile 7or 7P. That said , if you ’re someone who primarily shoots using a tv camera and would like the choice to use your sound from fourth dimension to meter , it ’s a upright accession .
Perhaps the most exciting upgrade here is AI cut through with the assist of the Intelligent Tracking Module , though I ’m also well-chosen to see the battery life has increase with this update , even if it does n’t equalise up to the battery lifespan on the RS 4 or RS 4 Pro . If you require a small photographic camera gimbal that does n’t be an arm and a leg , this is the model to go for .
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How we test
We test gimbal thoroughly , shoot in a diverseness of condition to give us the best possible test resultant role .
FAQs
Yes , you may use the RS 4 Mini with your smartphone . You just want to attach the Phone Holder accessary .
The DJI RS 4 Mini is compatible with mainstream mirrorless tv camera that count less than 2 kilogram with a lense bind . Examples admit the Canon R5 , Sony A7 III , Nikon Z7 and Panasonic S5 with a 24 - 70 mm lens or similar . For anything weighty , you ’ll want to look toward the RS 4 or RS 4 Pro .
Full Specs
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