Essential Gimbal Selection Tips for Aerial Photography

How to Choose a Camera Gimbal for Your Drone

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When drones are in air, they often suffer lots of shaky movements. Just a single uncontrollable blast of that windy shake can immediately cause a big disturbance in your video footage. If you are a drone lover and often use to record videos in air then it is good to buy Gimbals for your device. They can stabilize your camera during all sudden and planned movements without affecting your image quality.

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A gimbal is specially designed mechanism with rings; it pivots on right angles same as a chronometer or compass so that your attached device can stay perfectly aligned in horizontal direction even when aircraft is moving at high speed. Considering all sudden flight movements, the gimbal action is always safe and will keep things well aligned.

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Types of Gimbal

When you are about to invest on a new gimbal then it is necessary to go through several aspects for right selection. Firstly, the type of motor your gimbal is going to use is extremely important. The drone camera gimbals are usually available in different models and each one of these has unique features. So, if you are thinking to buy a new one then go into following details:

What to Look for a Camera Gimbal for Drones

1. Price

If you have fewer budgets then you need to plan more wisely for selection of gimbal. Most of the users prefer to buy servo gimbals in such situations as they are least expensive. Although, you may find little disturbance in your video footage but it can definitely meet your basic need for first person view. In case if you have enough savings then professionals suggest to go for brushless gimbals.

2. Flight Time

Gimbals are going to add some weight to your drone hence they have direct impact on your flight time. Heavy gimbal means lesser flight time so you need to choose accordingly. A 2 axis type gimbal will force you to compromise for quality but it will allow your device to stay in air for longer duration. On the other side, 3 axis gimbals will provide you videos without any unwanted noise but yes they will reduce flight time.

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3. Picture Quality

Here is the most important factor that you need to consider while purchasing your new gimbal. If you are more focused about quality and clarity in footage then brushless gimbals are best option for you. But note that, it poses restriction on many other factors like price and the power consumption.

4. Camera Support

Gimbals are developed with classic mechanism and they are able to work with dedicated camera units. You can also find gimbals that can handle multiple camera types. During your selection, prefer to pick a gimbal that can support GoPro cameras because they are most commonly used ones. GoPro cameras are highly recommended for aerial videography and photography so if you are also working in the same direction then prefer to choose your design accordingly.

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5. Pre-Calibration

Gimbal calibration can be little complication job, especially if you are a beginner. The best option is to buy a gimbal that comes with pre-calibration and users simply need to plugin them and send their drone into air to get best results. If your gimbal demands calibration from your side then it is necessary to follow professional guidelines before sending your drone into air.

Conclusion

Once you have selected your gimbal then you may find some difficulty in installation process. But the online tutorials would be a great help if you don’t have a professional around. Prefer to follow the instructional manual provided by manufacturer or go through YouTube video guide.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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