Unfortunately, youtube negative coverage of gear like this from people with larger platforms tend to unfortunately want to develop positive relationships seamingly keeping them from 100 % honest reviews on anything but the most positive reviews. It seams great but sometimes 100% positive reviews are a red flag. Great to hear good stuff but helpful to have unknown negatives as well to enable paying customers to make truly educated buying decisions.
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well i use it since day one and i love it :D it was frustrating in the beginning but i am still a fanboy :D
yeah, this really is the only negative thing I've seen on TH-cam, (but there are forums that talk about issues especially the buggy firmware) I've ever seen but I bet you this is probably one of the only true reviews from somebody that spent their own money and didn't get it sent to them for free or an exchange for our review
From their instructions: “Please offer us a video showing us the batteries are immersed in saltwater for 8 to 12 hours and show us its serial number clearly. … We prohibit from using the swollen battery, DJI will take no responsibility for the accident caused by customers continuing to use the swollen battery.“ Dude.
yeah the battery ship out f***** it's a gross QC issue in my opinion but at least in my case I got a new battery literally three days after and the proving process took 3 hours and it only took 3 hours because when I unboxed mine it was like right about to be the end of their working day and I didn't want to hold up the worker but I've never heard of them telling somebody to destroy a battery that's about the most brain dead thing I think I've come across from any company in general destroy a battery that's already about to explode f****** lovely
That’s insane Nick!!! I’ve had mine for 2 years and it has been hands down the best in every way possible. Sad to hear you had a horrid experience. Even the customer experience with me has been amazing. I was able to power mine on and shoot straight away. Unless something changed recently. Must have some disgruntled employee hating on you. That’s crazy.
I have this camera. I didn’t have a problem with the battery, but it is a common problem. I had other problems though, quite a few.. Camera is currently on its way back to me from repairs. I will say this though, DJI repaired it crazy fast and I did not meet to jump through hoops like you described. Secondly, the needing to register can certainly be an annoyance, but to count it as a strike (basically saying it’s a major reason not to buy) is insincere. Lastly, the autofocus. Yea, it’s not the best. This is the flagship, it should’ve gotten the new lidar system before the lidar pro even came out. The current system definitely does not work for all styles of shooting. A lot of it also depends on the lens you use, which shouldn’t be the case. But I have great results with certain lenses. All that aside.. while I wait for the 4D to return to me I am using my Sony cameras with amazing autofocus. And I hate it. I can’t go back to screw on nd filters (I don’t have the fx6). I can’t stand the shaky footage, or taking the time to balance a camera on a gimbal.. The 4D is just a package that is always ready (when it works properly). And when you learn its flaws and then become accustomed to working within its limitations you will see how truly amazing it is. Even with its flaws. I think you should give it a beat.. but to each his own and I understand your frustration with it.
That’s exactly where I’m at with the camera. It’s always ready to shoot, very fast to set up. You have wireless video and focus assistance and gimbal with one battery. You don’t need to setup accessories or wait for anyone else to get the shots. And it has great image quality. Of course it’s not perfect but it offers a lot more than most cameras, even the very expensive ones.
As someone who just went through back and forth with Sony’s Customer Service for a main board replacement, I completely understand you not wanting to continue with a company that isn’t easy to deal with. It’s great to hear your insights on using it though. For me the biggest hurdle was the lens limitations.
Hi Nick. We apologize for the inconvenience. Could you please tell us your case ID, ticket ID or email address so that we can better help you? Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
I rented the 6K version and it was a great experience via DC Camera recently. But since the 6K and 8K versions are the first ever of the DJI Ronin 4D, I also felt it safer to continually rent as needed until they actually release a successor or as you mentioned a competitor.
Dang. I’m a broke cinematographer myself. And always wanted one and an A9iii so I’ve lowkey kinda been looking up to you. Crazy you’ve been having these issues. I hope you have better luck in your future. Best wishes my guy. Hope you and your family fam stay happy and healthy.
Hey thanks so much for the kind words. Truly, you can make great art on any equipment, so don’t let that stop you. But the details still matter, so I try to tell people my experience and opinions as honestly as I can :-)
I agree... the whole "activation" process is ridiculous. I bough their cheapest little drone (the Neo) primarily because it doesn't require an RC transmitter or even a smartphone to use. HOWEVER... you need a smartphone and active SIM to activate the damned thing. Also, even though you've bought and paid for a DJI drone, you still can't use it as/when/how you want. DJI retain control of the product and require you to get *their* permission to fly it in some locations, even when you are legally allowed to do so. DJI has clearly bought into the "You will own nothing and be happy" ideology. No good!
Autofocus is not great, specially in the E Mount version but in my experience (just shot an entire TV series with it) manual focus is very easy and achievable even on solo operation. There are many instances where the camera allowed us to get great complex shots that wouldn’t have been possible in the limited time we had on any other camera. I too had the issue with the bloated battery, but mine got replaced immediately without any issue.
Sorry to hear about that. My Barely used battery for my DJI air2s battery swole up. Out of warranty but DJI UK made a %30 contribution towards a new battery so I bought it.
Sorry to hear that, Nick. I’ve had the 8k version since August and it has been solid for me. I primarily shoot on V-Raptor for A cam so I don’t use the 4D on everything. Mine came with a free E Mount adaptor and I love using the Sigma Art EF primes with Sigma’s EF to E adaptor. Rock solid performance and autofocus. For Cine lenses the DZO PL Mount for the 4D is super lightweight and with the DJI counterweight even heavier lenses work well. I share your sentiment on DJI business practices, collection of personal information, and support.
Hi, I also own DJI Ronin 4D. I have been toying with the idea of using the sigma adaptor for E mount so I can use my sigma ef lenses. Could you let me know which sigma EF prime lenses you are using with the adapter with the ronin?
@@mr.sugorock4180I own all the Signa Art prime lenses in EF from 24mm through 105mm. I don’t have is the 135mm. They are my favorite “still shooter / autofocus lenses” and are virtually identical to the Sigma Art Cine Prime lenses in terms of the glass and the look.
You are absolutely one of the FEW most honest uploader on this website. This is shocking. Details like you can't record unless you register and give them your name and other details. How is this crap being peddled by these other bought out youtubers without severe criticism of this point? This alone should be cause for everyone to purposely boycott this company's product and hurt their sales of this specific camera.
All DJI products require registration, I created an email specifically for the camera. You’re not required to give anything but an email and a username and password. As any other product out there now a days
@@sergiosanchez2012 No, he is saying you cannot even use it without registering. My blackmagic cinema camera doesn't need to be registered for me to begin recording out of the box.
Yea. I came to a similar conclusion. But that being said I do rent one often for a specific use case and it is amazing to use with a first AC. The thing to be really careful about is the rolling shutter. It almost destroys the image. We had to shoot in very specific frame rates / shutter angles and still be very careful with our motion. Definitely a rental, not a purchase, until maybe newer generations.
I've had mine for 2 weeks as well from B&H battery returned bulging battery also. I tried installing a Focus motor for a small sigma 28-70 which another TH-camr got to work really well with. The Lidar doesn't recognize the motor I left email message and so far service is horrible trying to trouble shoot with them via email. We'll see but for now my Komodo x is getting all the work and I'm waiting for some answers why I can't get the motor to talk to the lidar for vice versa.
Nick, I am so glad you made this video. DJI sucks in the customer service department. I had problems with my DJI RS3 Pro Gimbal. Dealt with Oscar from DJI. Oscar told me they would take care of everything. Despite all the promises......DJI did NOT replace my gimbal after I shipped it to them. So I'm out the money and I no longer trust DJI. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you DJI. Long story short, they make cool products...but DJI as a company sucks.
I have two Focus Pros that work fantastic and I adore them, but the registration process was annoying, and the provided cables are too short and require a workaround. Both of these are known issues that plenty of people have brought up. How can they do some things so well but completely whiff on others?
Yeah I did like the sensor, the internal ND, the grips/controls, and the Sony GM lenses look great on it (in this video you see the 20mm f1.8 G, 35mm f1.4 GM, and 50mm 1.4 GM).
I've owned the 4D for about a year and a half and some days I love it, but some days I want to throw it against a wall. Pros - 1. Love that everything is integrated, the screen and handles are amazing and work together so well! 2. The user interface is fantastic, only Blackmagic even comes close. 3. The image quality is quite good. 4. The stabilization is great. Cons 1. Lidar on this camera has been trash for me. It misses focus so often and has lead to a few embarrassing situations on set. 2. The tracking works, but needs some major improvement. It usually locks on to a subject fairly well, but isn't terribly smart. I had a subject quickly go behind me and the camera tracked a full 180 and started violently beating against the body before I was able to disengage. It straight up chipped my lens. 3. Terrible battery life and I hate DJI proprietary batteries. Getting only 45 minutes of battery life is very inconvenient and I wish they at least would sell some overpriced larger capacity batteries. 4. The weight! I know cinema cameras are heavy. That's not exactly the problem. It's not so heavy, but the center of gravity with the gimbal makes this a very uncomfortable camera to hand hold. Easy rig or something similar is basically necessary to use this camera. There is so much innovation with this camera, but DJI seemed to lack the commitment to making this a more widely adapted product. I get frustrated because it mostly feels like these issues could be solved with better support and firmware updates. It's a shame! All that said I'm on the fence about keeping it this coming year because I'll get a shot when everything is actually working and think "there's no way I could be able to get that as a solo operator on any other camera system!
I think that this is the most innovative camera system I've seen in recent years. The battery issue is a known problem. My monitor went out they replaced it free of charge. The lidar with the 4d is a previous generation but it does work well with certain lenses. DJI doesn't seem to be interested in supporting this version though . 100% agree that I hope they release a new version
I have the camera and i absolutely love it. I have some of the same criticisms, but the pros FAR outweigh the cons. It’s such a unique system and I use it as a B/C cam all the time. I also never use the autofocus. Love the camera.
Lidar AF is overrated. If you prefer manual focusing, then the 4D is for you. The 4D perfected manual focusing, especially for active lenses. What I love is how it hits right at infinite and at close focus without overshooting it, this is something you can't do on other cameras. So manual focusing is underrated. Another feature that is underrated is the customizability of the stabilization. If you adjust the deadband to 0 and speed of the tilt/pan/roll, you get a very nice looking handheld look. It looks like a handheld camera, but with perfect post stabilization added in post. It's very watchable and not jarring to the audience, but still gives the raw vibe of handheld. As for the batteries, you can get a V-mount battery plate and use V-mounts instead. The Ronin requires 12 volts to 30 volts at 60 watts. If your battery can satisfy this then it will work. Just bear in mind that if you use a 60 watt-hour battery, it won't work as the voltage won't stay optimal for long, what users have found works best is a 150 watt-hour or greater (assuming 14.8v). I've not seen anyone test a 26 volt V-mount battery so I can't comment there.
I've had great experiences with DJI Support. I had a defective lens on a drone, and they shipped & swapped in less than a week. Did you speak with someone on the phone, or did you use the online text chat? Thanks for sharing this information.
I did all three - chat, email, and phone. First was online chat. No one responded, just automated replies. Then I tried via email, which was the back-and-forth which eventually ended in the "you must destroy and send us a video before we'll replace" song and dance. Then I called via phone to try and get around that ... and the overseas phone bank employee confirmed the "you must destroy and send a video" story. Still no battery. Ridiculous.
Having to activate the camera online before being able to use it is the only thing I need to know. I simply cannot risk being locked out of a $7,000 camera when on a job.
That battery struggle is actually insane. I felt similar about the software on my tiny action pro 5 The firmware updates are hidden in a maze of menus, AND you can only update through their app. You can’t plug it into a computer and update the firmware
Whereas my V-Raptor, yesterday I powered it on and it was like “I have new firmware. Do you want me to just go ahead and update right here all by myself?“ It is so night and day. I know that RED had some usability/reliability hiccups in the past, but for me, the Raptor-X has been amazing.
I can relate to bad customer service. I bought the DJI Mic 2 adapter wich they say (on their compatibility list) will work with the Sony A9 III, but it's not working. They kept telling me it should be working, and wanted me to go trough testing steps with the audio cable and my phone adapter, wich doesn't make sense when the adapter is what suppose to eliminate the use for the audio cable. They really had no understanding for what was going on. But the problem is that the hot-shoe on the Sony A9 III is not digital, it's analog. So that's why it wont work. But DJI don't understand this, and still has the A9 III on their compatibility list for this adapter.. It's almost terrifying that they don't have deeper knowledge in their products..
I like the image when I see it on YT. Better than the OG Komodo in the comparisons back in the day. 12,500 locked almost as clean as Sony...which would be Canon level, now that the c400 and c80 is out. Don't need the rig...but if they can make a mini cine cam for the price of a blackmagic or nikon mirroless even...it kills all new and used below 5000. That includes a rigged fx6, komodo and 8K helium. I could scoop all those and have them working for less than 5,000 used. I'd take that new dji with the old sensor over those. Prefer closer to 4,000 new. 3,000 if it is a mirrorless.
I have my 4D for over 1 year now and ive been using and abusing this camera ever since, 100s if not 1000s hours of recording on it and its solid, try updating the firmware on the mount and that should fix most of your AF issues, otherwise sorry to hear about your battery issue
As mentioned in the video, I updated everything to the newest firmware. All the problems are with that latest firmware. I’m glad you’ve had a good experience!
@@nick_salazar just out of curiosity have you independently updated the Sony e-mount because the amount is a different updating system than the rest of the camera for some f****** reason
DJI makes great drones, but I really wish there was an alternative that has equal or better quality based in the US and has good customer service. Sadly though, everyone is still so far behind DJI when it come to drone technology. They really should just stay in their lane, that's what they're good at. I'm actually surprised they let you return the camera after all of the other issues you've experienced with them.
Wait what? It's not for everyone and is expensive (again not for everyone) but this camera has made some of the footage I've captured impossible with any other camera. Also if you're having lidar issues and have DJI lenses, you need to keep it in n/a via the lens settings. It's got bugs for sure but as someone who specifically grabs this camera when doing solo work instead of my S5 ii, any of my Komodos, or Blackmagic 6k FF; I have to disagree with you. Not an A cam 100% but it just doesn't have competition for what it does unfortunately. It took me a while to get use to all it's bugs but it does shine for solo operators depending on your needs. Different tools for different jobs. CS does suck but they've replaced multiple batteries and sent me additional power cables, all for free. They're for sure not Amazon though lol
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hmm idk the battery is a problem in the last years 3 of mine broke BUT the customer support was actually super helpful and replaced my batteries all the time, maybe regional differences here. I had also a buggy start, and updates are weird. So far i understand you problems but idk... i am really super happy with it in general, sirui saturn anamophics on there and idk i just love it. AF expecially AMF is just amazing ther is a bit of a learning curve when to switch to smart and when to center focus and when to use the spot AF. same goes for other features, i had collegues in the agency i worked at that did not get along at with the camera but still, especially the 8k... i love it :D it is sad that you could not get along with it well
I hate to hear that man. I recently ordered mine and have yet to receive it (got it via an ambassador for dji which saved me over $1k, but the shipping is taking a little longer because of it). I already have flaws with the camera like its power supply, limited lens selection, proprietary media for prores raw (which isn’t the biggest deal because most high end cinema cameras have their proprietary media) and its firmware scares me with how many bugs it has. But I’m hoping to give it a chance and prove to be useful in my workflow. On paper, this camera can do things that I’ve been needing, but there’s no purpose in owning this camera if it’s gonna limit me
This camera is a great litmus test for larger youtubers in the video space. If they are shilling this camera they can't be trusted. It's obvious it has and has always had massive issues.
all right I understand that this creator has a negative experience but don't brand this camera as a piece of s*** either because as somebody who has had anything but a negative experience with DJI customer service while I fully acknowledge why this Creator here would never want to work with them again the camera itself is incredible I say this as somebody who often works as a single shooter in both documentary and narrative environments what I'm saying is don't go branding every TH-camr that has a good opinion on this camera a shill because they're not I say this as somebody who has no connection to the company outside of using their products I'm not sponsored I'm not a TH-camr I have no absolutely zero incentive to tell you this
@@BoredomKills113 I personally know multiple people who have bought this camera and have had issues. Mainly baited by the paid for by DJI TH-cam reviews. It's almost a meme in our local filmmakers group. There's only one guy who likes it and he has a very specific use case for it. And even he has had the aforementioned battery issue and has had to contact support for various reasons. The general consensus of the people I know who have bought it is that it's too buggy and to unreliable and they regret the purchase. It's also almost impossible to sell used without taking a massive loss at least in my local area. If it works for you that's great but I think most people who buy it dislike it and have regrets. DJI does a good job of controlling the narrative so when you search for the camera all you see is positive.
It makes sense that they would want you to destroy it to mitigate scammers who will want to repair the battery and sell it on the open market. It's a loophole.
I did film several takes of B-roll gently bobbing him up and down (parrots also do the “chicken head” thing), but there didn’t seem to be a good place to put it.
@@nick_salazar My brother had parrots...it either wanted to sit on my lap and be stroked or it wanted to bit my toes off. BTW, I agree with your points on the post. No company that considers itself a top tier consumer product (especially pro products) should drop the ball on support. I wonder if it being based in China has something to do with the weird support. I had problems with Aputure and they too are based in Shenzen.
I’m surprised. But also across-the-board it seems like customer service for any products is becoming a nightmare. You can’t get anyone live on the phone. Everything is done by email. It’s just horrible. When you spend a certain amount of money for a product, you definitely wanna be able to hit a hotline if something goes wrong and speak to a real person not a robot or a whole full response by email
that's actually not true at least not in my experience in my experience when I had to get my running 4D head replaced recently due to a shaking issue not only did they replace it for free but during the initial point of diagnosis after I was transferred from the general help line to the engineers that were going to take over from there initially it was an email but then it was a phone call and a couple quick to see if there was anything that I could do to fix the issue and after going through all of the regular stuff like downgrading and upgrading the firmware and all the troubleshooting things I sent it to them and within a week and a half mind you I'm in Asheville hit by a hurricane I got my stuff back brand new 6K head with full warranty coverage throughout all of this process I was emailed three times and I only had to respond once the vast majority of it was actually buy phone now I am in the United States I don't know if this is different for other regions but at least in the US in fact this is actually some of the best care I've ever got from any company especially because I can almost guarantee you that I caused the initial issue
Sorry to hear about your experience. But maybe your video should be entitled "My bad experience with this camera". Instead of warning people not buy. Ive had nothing but an excellent experience with this camera. No issues with autofocus, battery or customer service. But i wouldnt make a video that implored people to buy it and insinuate that their experience would be the same as mine. If it were so dysfunctional, I doubt it would be used as much as it is on professional shoots. It does sound like you had a legitimately bad experience. But it also sounds like yours was a bit of an outlier. The again I do notice that this camera does often get negative commentary from RED users. I wish you well. But to anyone reading this, there are many of us who have great experiences with this tool understanding that it is a specfic use mechanism. And have had none of the issues described in this video.
I own a Red Weapon and a Ursa Mini Pro, and when I try to use them on a gimbal, the setup gets quite heavy. So, I was considering the Ronin 4D as a potential camera purchase. I like the idea of having everything all in one what can I say, I’m getting old, and lighter is better. However, after watching your video, it’s made me reconsider my decision. I have very little patience for dealing with bad customer service if I run into issues, and from the looks of it, that seems to happen often. Thanks for making this video and sharing your experience.
all in all I would say the vast majority of people I speak to have a good opinion of DJI and their customer service in fact a vast majority of the comments under most DJI product videos will have good experiences with their customer service remember when forming your opinion on the company if you are forming it purely on this video this video is inherently biased to negative comments because it is a video with a negative opinion on DJI a rightfully earned negative opinion by the way but a negative opinion still
Well, your first mistake is not buying this through B&H as they honor and swap out batteries with bloated cells. Theres plenty of instances on the group where they took care of this immediately. Lipos have an approximate 3 year shelf life whether that be active or in storage mode. Unfortunate you received one thats been sitting for awhile. That said, sounds like the camera isnt for you. Not sure i wouldnt recommended it, as your other two "strikes" are a bit more particular.
Nice to know. I actually did buy via B&H. But I went to DJI as you’d expect them to … you know, not be insane about it. I wouldn’t expect to receive a three year old device from B&H as they push so much product. Regardless, they’re taking it back.
@@nick_salazaryes, always check with B&H first as they're a buffer. I understand the principle of your thought process, but thats why you're buying through them as your trusted vendor, use them! Good luck on your next system.
I'm so sorry to hear about this because thishas not been my experience with DJI at all don't get me wrong the battery came f***** but that seems to be par for the course not excusing that by any means that's f****** ridiculous but they fixed that s*** within literally 3 hours for me again I got my new battery from them within 3 days and when it comes to major issues I had my gimbal head end up randomly shaking and I had that problem fixed within a week and a half mind you I'm in Asheville we just got hit with a hurricane and the longest part of the process was actually getting it out and back into Asheville which is expected if you're wondering what caused it it was most definitely me I am not gentle on my equipment in fact I'm quite negligent and in fact some people would call me malicious to my own stuff but DJI covered that under warranty and they not only repaired the 6k head they sent me a whole new one with my 4D on top of that when it comes to the autofocus missing that might be because you are using the Sony e-mount the Sony e-mount is notoriously bad for missing autofocus on this camera for some reason every other amount I've ever used including a PL is focus Motors does not have the same issue but the Sony e-mount is notorious for it oh and by the way when they had me do the battery swapped they didn't have me destroy the battery I have no idea why they made you do that but for any of my products I've never had to go through that process and I've been using DJI for years now all in all I can quite confidently say that this is not the average experience when it comes to interacting with DJI or DJI customer service in any way they are normally quite Pleasant that being said if I was you I would also have refunded the product and returned it immediately if I was treated the way you are and I'm sorry that happened to you the system is truly phenomenal especially once you get around how everything functions but at the end of the day if a company treats you like s*** I don't think you should give it your business.
Good to know to rent and let ownership be some elses problem. I've purchased technology from foreign companies before and had similar issues with customer service. I make it a rule now not to buy from any company that will take days for a response due to time zone. And also when they can misbehave due to basic local consumer laws not being able to protect me from their indifference and bad behavior, I'm bassically SOOL! I'm noticing more and more it's the smaller channels (which have the "power" closer to a basic unknown consumer) that seem to tell the real truth more and more since companies wont/can't send them free cherry picked working equipment from their factories. I cringe and turn off the video every time I hear "company" sent us out. It tells me the company would have spent more care to send them something working while everyone else gets whatever. That's why i only respect channels that procure their own "review" hardware as to not bias the reviews! I hope you never join these companies in their grift!
DJI's onboarding is an awful copy-paste across all their products. I get it for their drones. I understand that a drone can have much more nefarious purposes, but for a handheld camera, what the hell? The battery is also weird considering their drone batteries are the best battery i've used in any product, but the customer service is spot on. total garbage. The Ronin 4D is like buying the first model year of a newly refreshed vehicle. Should be avoided at all costs.
Dji going full apple on you 😅😅😅 kinda hate their stupid practice of changing batteries on every new drone model 😢 then i heard they are in the business of battery making, and thats why they are always changing battery model and their battery will never last more than two years as they purposely inserted flaws in them...am currently on my 4th dji drone because of battery issues 😅😅😅 sadly they have a monopoly and i wanted to give another brand a go but none can compete with them!
You've clearly had a bad experience. I myself have had a great customer experience and my Ronan 4D and 8K head have more than paid for themselves fror my video production business here in Scotland. Is the kit perfect? No. Is it a really useful tool that's proved inspirational, in some cases. Well, yes,.
This is really the only negative coverage of the 4D I've come across; thank you for making it. It's important to know.
Unfortunately, youtube negative coverage of gear like this from people with larger platforms tend to unfortunately want to develop positive relationships seamingly keeping them from 100 % honest reviews on anything but the most positive reviews. It seams great but sometimes 100% positive reviews are a red flag. Great to hear good stuff but helpful to have unknown negatives as well to enable paying customers to make truly educated buying decisions.
well i use it since day one and i love it :D it was frustrating in the beginning but i am still a fanboy :D
yeah, this really is the only negative thing I've seen on TH-cam, (but there are forums that talk about issues especially the buggy firmware) I've ever seen but I bet you this is probably one of the only true reviews from somebody that spent their own money and didn't get it sent to them for free or an exchange for our review
dude this is nuts regarding the battery..!
From their instructions: “Please offer us a video showing us the batteries are immersed in saltwater for 8 to 12 hours and show us its serial number clearly. … We prohibit from using the swollen battery, DJI will take no responsibility for the accident caused by customers continuing to use the swollen battery.“
Dude.
yeah the battery ship out f***** it's a gross QC issue in my opinion but at least in my case I got a new battery literally three days after and the proving process took 3 hours and it only took 3 hours because when I unboxed mine it was like right about to be the end of their working day and I didn't want to hold up the worker but I've never heard of them telling somebody to destroy a battery that's about the most brain dead thing I think I've come across from any company in general destroy a battery that's already about to explode f****** lovely
requiring people to destroy a battery that's already an explosion hazard seems like a pretty dangerous solution
That’s insane Nick!!! I’ve had mine for 2 years and it has been hands down the best in every way possible. Sad to hear you had a horrid experience. Even the customer experience with me has been amazing. I was able to power mine on and shoot straight away. Unless something changed recently. Must have some disgruntled employee hating on you. That’s crazy.
Completely agree, best investment ever. In our experience, this camera has been so reliable in so many different situations...
I have this camera. I didn’t have a problem with the battery, but it is a common problem. I had other problems though, quite a few.. Camera is currently on its way back to me from repairs.
I will say this though, DJI repaired it crazy fast and I did not meet to jump through hoops like you described.
Secondly, the needing to register can certainly be an annoyance, but to count it as a strike (basically saying it’s a major reason not to buy) is insincere.
Lastly, the autofocus. Yea, it’s not the best. This is the flagship, it should’ve gotten the new lidar system before the lidar pro even came out. The current system definitely does not work for all styles of shooting. A lot of it also depends on the lens you use, which shouldn’t be the case. But I have great results with certain lenses.
All that aside.. while I wait for the 4D to return to me I am using my Sony cameras with amazing autofocus. And I hate it. I can’t go back to screw on nd filters (I don’t have the fx6). I can’t stand the shaky footage, or taking the time to balance a camera on a gimbal..
The 4D is just a package that is always ready (when it works properly). And when you learn its flaws and then become accustomed to working within its limitations you will see how truly amazing it is. Even with its flaws.
I think you should give it a beat.. but to each his own and I understand your frustration with it.
That’s exactly where I’m at with the camera. It’s always ready to shoot, very fast to set up. You have wireless video and focus assistance and gimbal with one battery.
You don’t need to setup accessories or wait for anyone else to get the shots. And it has great image quality.
Of course it’s not perfect but it offers a lot more than most cameras, even the very expensive ones.
As someone who just went through back and forth with Sony’s Customer Service for a main board replacement, I completely understand you not wanting to continue with a company that isn’t easy to deal with.
It’s great to hear your insights on using it though. For me the biggest hurdle was the lens limitations.
Update messed it up?
@ never updated
Hi Nick. We apologize for the inconvenience. Could you please tell us your case ID, ticket ID or email address so that we can better help you? Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
I rented the 6K version and it was a great experience via DC Camera recently. But since the 6K and 8K versions are the first ever of the DJI Ronin 4D, I also felt it safer to continually rent as needed until they actually release a successor or as you mentioned a competitor.
Dang. I’m a broke cinematographer myself. And always wanted one and an A9iii so I’ve lowkey kinda been looking up to you. Crazy you’ve been having these issues. I hope you have better luck in your future. Best wishes my guy. Hope you and your family fam stay happy and healthy.
Hey thanks so much for the kind words. Truly, you can make great art on any equipment, so don’t let that stop you. But the details still matter, so I try to tell people my experience and opinions as honestly as I can :-)
I agree... the whole "activation" process is ridiculous. I bough their cheapest little drone (the Neo) primarily because it doesn't require an RC transmitter or even a smartphone to use. HOWEVER... you need a smartphone and active SIM to activate the damned thing. Also, even though you've bought and paid for a DJI drone, you still can't use it as/when/how you want. DJI retain control of the product and require you to get *their* permission to fly it in some locations, even when you are legally allowed to do so.
DJI has clearly bought into the "You will own nothing and be happy" ideology. No good!
Autofocus is not great, specially in the E Mount version but in my experience (just shot an entire TV series with it) manual focus is very easy and achievable even on solo operation. There are many instances where the camera allowed us to get great complex shots that wouldn’t have been possible in the limited time we had on any other camera.
I too had the issue with the bloated battery, but mine got replaced immediately without any issue.
Sorry to hear about that.
My Barely used battery for my DJI air2s battery swole up.
Out of warranty but DJI UK made a %30 contribution towards a new battery so I bought it.
This is true gear review! Thank you!
Sorry to hear that, Nick. I’ve had the 8k version since August and it has been solid for me. I primarily shoot on V-Raptor for A cam so I don’t use the 4D on everything. Mine came with a free E Mount adaptor and I love using the Sigma Art EF primes with Sigma’s EF to E adaptor. Rock solid performance and autofocus. For Cine lenses the DZO PL Mount for the 4D is super lightweight and with the DJI counterweight even heavier lenses work well. I share your sentiment on DJI business practices, collection of personal information, and support.
Hi, I also own DJI Ronin 4D. I have been toying with the idea of using the sigma adaptor for E mount so I can use my sigma ef lenses. Could you let me know which sigma EF prime lenses you are using with the adapter with the ronin?
@@mr.sugorock4180I own all the Signa Art prime lenses in EF from 24mm through 105mm. I don’t have is the 135mm. They are my favorite “still shooter / autofocus lenses” and are virtually identical to the Sigma Art Cine Prime lenses in terms of the glass and the look.
You are absolutely one of the FEW most honest uploader on this website. This is shocking. Details like you can't record unless you register and give them your name and other details. How is this crap being peddled by these other bought out youtubers without severe criticism of this point? This alone should be cause for everyone to purposely boycott this company's product and hurt their sales of this specific camera.
All DJI products require registration, I created an email specifically for the camera.
You’re not required to give anything but an email and a username and password.
As any other product out there now a days
@@sergiosanchez2012 No, he is saying you cannot even use it without registering. My blackmagic cinema camera doesn't need to be registered for me to begin recording out of the box.
Yea. I came to a similar conclusion. But that being said I do rent one often for a specific use case and it is amazing to use with a first AC. The thing to be really careful about is the rolling shutter. It almost destroys the image. We had to shoot in very specific frame rates / shutter angles and still be very careful with our motion. Definitely a rental, not a purchase, until maybe newer generations.
I've had mine for 2 weeks as well from B&H battery returned bulging battery also. I tried installing a Focus motor for a small sigma 28-70 which another TH-camr got to work really well with. The Lidar doesn't recognize the motor I left email message and so far service is horrible trying to trouble shoot with them via email. We'll see but for now my Komodo x is getting all the work and I'm waiting for some answers why I can't get the motor to talk to the lidar for vice versa.
Nick, I am so glad you made this video. DJI sucks in the customer service department. I had problems with my DJI RS3 Pro Gimbal. Dealt with Oscar from DJI. Oscar told me they would take care of everything. Despite all the promises......DJI did NOT replace my gimbal after I shipped it to them. So I'm out the money and I no longer trust DJI. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you DJI. Long story short, they make cool products...but DJI as a company sucks.
I have two Focus Pros that work fantastic and I adore them, but the registration process was annoying, and the provided cables are too short and require a workaround. Both of these are known issues that plenty of people have brought up. How can they do some things so well but completely whiff on others?
Insane! but the image quality is stunning! WOW! Thanks for sharing mate!
Yeah I did like the sensor, the internal ND, the grips/controls, and the Sony GM lenses look great on it (in this video you see the 20mm f1.8 G, 35mm f1.4 GM, and 50mm 1.4 GM).
I've owned the 4D for about a year and a half and some days I love it, but some days I want to throw it against a wall. Pros - 1. Love that everything is integrated, the screen and handles are amazing and work together so well! 2. The user interface is fantastic, only Blackmagic even comes close. 3. The image quality is quite good. 4. The stabilization is great. Cons 1. Lidar on this camera has been trash for me. It misses focus so often and has lead to a few embarrassing situations on set. 2. The tracking works, but needs some major improvement. It usually locks on to a subject fairly well, but isn't terribly smart. I had a subject quickly go behind me and the camera tracked a full 180 and started violently beating against the body before I was able to disengage. It straight up chipped my lens. 3. Terrible battery life and I hate DJI proprietary batteries. Getting only 45 minutes of battery life is very inconvenient and I wish they at least would sell some overpriced larger capacity batteries. 4. The weight! I know cinema cameras are heavy. That's not exactly the problem. It's not so heavy, but the center of gravity with the gimbal makes this a very uncomfortable camera to hand hold. Easy rig or something similar is basically necessary to use this camera. There is so much innovation with this camera, but DJI seemed to lack the commitment to making this a more widely adapted product. I get frustrated because it mostly feels like these issues could be solved with better support and firmware updates. It's a shame! All that said I'm on the fence about keeping it this coming year because I'll get a shot when everything is actually working and think "there's no way I could be able to get that as a solo operator on any other camera system!
i was about to put my money on this one, thank you so much, now i rather i'll get a blackmagic with a lidar, then i'm set .
I think that this is the most innovative camera system I've seen in recent years. The battery issue is a known problem. My monitor went out they replaced it free of charge. The lidar with the 4d is a previous generation but it does work well with certain lenses. DJI doesn't seem to be interested in supporting this version though . 100% agree that I hope they release a new version
I have the camera and i absolutely love it. I have some of the same criticisms, but the pros FAR outweigh the cons. It’s such a unique system and I use it as a B/C cam all the time. I also never use the autofocus. Love the camera.
Lidar AF is overrated.
If you prefer manual focusing, then the 4D is for you. The 4D perfected manual focusing, especially for active lenses. What I love is how it hits right at infinite and at close focus without overshooting it, this is something you can't do on other cameras.
So manual focusing is underrated.
Another feature that is underrated is the customizability of the stabilization. If you adjust the deadband to 0 and speed of the tilt/pan/roll, you get a very nice looking handheld look. It looks like a handheld camera, but with perfect post stabilization added in post. It's very watchable and not jarring to the audience, but still gives the raw vibe of handheld.
As for the batteries, you can get a V-mount battery plate and use V-mounts instead. The Ronin requires 12 volts to 30 volts at 60 watts. If your battery can satisfy this then it will work.
Just bear in mind that if you use a 60 watt-hour battery, it won't work as the voltage won't stay optimal for long, what users have found works best is a 150 watt-hour or greater (assuming 14.8v). I've not seen anyone test a 26 volt V-mount battery so I can't comment there.
I've had great experiences with DJI Support. I had a defective lens on a drone, and they shipped & swapped in less than a week.
Did you speak with someone on the phone, or did you use the online text chat? Thanks for sharing this information.
I did all three - chat, email, and phone. First was online chat. No one responded, just automated replies. Then I tried via email, which was the back-and-forth which eventually ended in the "you must destroy and send us a video before we'll replace" song and dance. Then I called via phone to try and get around that ... and the overseas phone bank employee confirmed the "you must destroy and send a video" story. Still no battery. Ridiculous.
@@nick_salazar as with all online chat support you start with an ai and have to request a person.
Thank you for making this very honest video.
You proved my gut feeling right❤
I love mine. Battery came swollen as well, but they replaced it. Sent pictures. No “proof of destruction” was needed.
@@PylesOfVideo proof of destruction is wild
I thought this was the dumbest camera from day one
Having to activate the camera online before being able to use it is the only thing I need to know. I simply cannot risk being locked out of a $7,000 camera when on a job.
Yeah I don't like that software gatekeeping. Its so annoying
fr its the one thing i dislike about this cam
That battery struggle is actually insane.
I felt similar about the software on my tiny action pro 5
The firmware updates are hidden in a maze of menus, AND you can only update through their app. You can’t plug it into a computer and update the firmware
Whereas my V-Raptor, yesterday I powered it on and it was like “I have new firmware. Do you want me to just go ahead and update right here all by myself?“ It is so night and day. I know that RED had some usability/reliability hiccups in the past, but for me, the Raptor-X has been amazing.
Who did you buy it through? 🤯
I'm sorry to hear that, thank you
I can relate to bad customer service. I bought the DJI Mic 2 adapter wich they say (on their compatibility list) will work with the Sony A9 III, but it's not working. They kept telling me it should be working, and wanted me to go trough testing steps with the audio cable and my phone adapter, wich doesn't make sense when the adapter is what suppose to eliminate the use for the audio cable. They really had no understanding for what was going on. But the problem is that the hot-shoe on the Sony A9 III is not digital, it's analog. So that's why it wont work. But DJI don't understand this, and still has the A9 III on their compatibility list for this adapter.. It's almost terrifying that they don't have deeper knowledge in their products..
I like the image when I see it on YT. Better than the OG Komodo in the comparisons back in the day. 12,500 locked almost as clean as Sony...which would be Canon level, now that the c400 and c80 is out. Don't need the rig...but if they can make a mini cine cam for the price of a blackmagic or nikon mirroless even...it kills all new and used below 5000. That includes a rigged fx6, komodo and 8K helium. I could scoop all those and have them working for less than 5,000 used. I'd take that new dji with the old sensor over those. Prefer closer to 4,000 new. 3,000 if it is a mirrorless.
I have my 4D for over 1 year now and ive been using and abusing this camera ever since, 100s if not 1000s hours of recording on it and its solid, try updating the firmware on the mount and that should fix most of your AF issues, otherwise sorry to hear about your battery issue
As mentioned in the video, I updated everything to the newest firmware. All the problems are with that latest firmware. I’m glad you’ve had a good experience!
@@nick_salazar just out of curiosity have you independently updated the Sony e-mount because the amount is a different updating system than the rest of the camera for some f****** reason
@@nick_salazar I hope you know that the E mount doesn't use the Assistant app to update, you need to download separate files and run it differently
DJI makes great drones, but I really wish there was an alternative that has equal or better quality based in the US and has good customer service. Sadly though, everyone is still so far behind DJI when it come to drone technology. They really should just stay in their lane, that's what they're good at. I'm actually surprised they let you return the camera after all of the other issues you've experienced with them.
Wait what? It's not for everyone and is expensive (again not for everyone) but this camera has made some of the footage I've captured impossible with any other camera. Also if you're having lidar issues and have DJI lenses, you need to keep it in n/a via the lens settings. It's got bugs for sure but as someone who specifically grabs this camera when doing solo work instead of my S5 ii, any of my Komodos, or Blackmagic 6k FF; I have to disagree with you.
Not an A cam 100% but it just doesn't have competition for what it does unfortunately. It took me a while to get use to all it's bugs but it does shine for solo operators depending on your needs. Different tools for different jobs.
CS does suck but they've replaced multiple batteries and sent me additional power cables, all for free. They're for sure not Amazon though lol
hmm idk the battery is a problem in the last years 3 of mine broke BUT the customer support was actually super helpful and replaced my batteries all the time, maybe regional differences here. I had also a buggy start, and updates are weird. So far i understand you problems but idk... i am really super happy with it in general, sirui saturn anamophics on there and idk i just love it. AF expecially AMF is just amazing ther is a bit of a learning curve when to switch to smart and when to center focus and when to use the spot AF. same goes for other features, i had collegues in the agency i worked at that did not get along at with the camera but still, especially the 8k... i love it :D it is sad that you could not get along with it well
I honestly understand both aspect... With the battery part. But everything else is ridiculous.
I hate to hear that man. I recently ordered mine and have yet to receive it (got it via an ambassador for dji which saved me over $1k, but the shipping is taking a little longer because of it). I already have flaws with the camera like its power supply, limited lens selection, proprietary media for prores raw (which isn’t the biggest deal because most high end cinema cameras have their proprietary media) and its firmware scares me with how many bugs it has. But I’m hoping to give it a chance and prove to be useful in my workflow. On paper, this camera can do things that I’ve been needing, but there’s no purpose in owning this camera if it’s gonna limit me
Dude, I HOPE that it works out for you. Good luck.
This camera is a great litmus test for larger youtubers in the video space. If they are shilling this camera they can't be trusted. It's obvious it has and has always had massive issues.
all right I understand that this creator has a negative experience but don't brand this camera as a piece of s*** either because as somebody who has had anything but a negative experience with DJI customer service while I fully acknowledge why this Creator here would never want to work with them again the camera itself is incredible
I say this as somebody who often works as a single shooter in both documentary and narrative environments what I'm saying is don't go branding every TH-camr that has a good opinion on this camera a shill because they're not I say this as somebody who has no connection to the company outside of using their products I'm not sponsored I'm not a TH-camr I have no absolutely zero incentive to tell you this
@@BoredomKills113 I personally know multiple people who have bought this camera and have had issues. Mainly baited by the paid for by DJI TH-cam reviews. It's almost a meme in our local filmmakers group. There's only one guy who likes it and he has a very specific use case for it. And even he has had the aforementioned battery issue and has had to contact support for various reasons. The general consensus of the people I know who have bought it is that it's too buggy and to unreliable and they regret the purchase. It's also almost impossible to sell used without taking a massive loss at least in my local area. If it works for you that's great but I think most people who buy it dislike it and have regrets. DJI does a good job of controlling the narrative so when you search for the camera all you see is positive.
It makes sense that they would want you to destroy it to mitigate scammers who will want to repair the battery and sell it on the open market. It's a loophole.
Oscar: "I feel you buddy..."
I did film several takes of B-roll gently bobbing him up and down (parrots also do the “chicken head” thing), but there didn’t seem to be a good place to put it.
@@nick_salazar My brother had parrots...it either wanted to sit on my lap and be stroked or it wanted to bit my toes off. BTW, I agree with your points on the post. No company that considers itself a top tier consumer product (especially pro products) should drop the ball on support. I wonder if it being based in China has something to do with the weird support. I had problems with Aputure and they too are based in Shenzen.
this is valuable. i was thinking about getting this too
I’m surprised. But also across-the-board it seems like customer service for any products is becoming a nightmare. You can’t get anyone live on the phone. Everything is done by email. It’s just horrible. When you spend a certain amount of money for a product, you definitely wanna be able to hit a hotline if something goes wrong and speak to a real person not a robot or a whole full response by email
that's actually not true at least not in my experience in my experience when I had to get my running 4D head replaced recently due to a shaking issue not only did they replace it for free but during the initial point of diagnosis after I was transferred from the general help line to the engineers that were going to take over from there initially it was an email but then it was a phone call and a couple quick to see if there was anything that I could do to fix the issue and after going through all of the regular stuff like downgrading and upgrading the firmware and all the troubleshooting things I sent it to them and within a week and a half mind you I'm in Asheville hit by a hurricane I got my stuff back brand new 6K head with full warranty coverage throughout all of this process I was emailed three times and I only had to respond once the vast majority of it was actually buy phone now I am in the United States I don't know if this is different for other regions but at least in the US in fact this is actually some of the best care I've ever got from any company especially because I can almost guarantee you that I caused the initial issue
Sorry to hear about your experience. But maybe your video should be entitled "My bad experience with this camera". Instead of warning people not buy. Ive had nothing but an excellent experience with this camera. No issues with autofocus, battery or customer service. But i wouldnt make a video that implored people to buy it and insinuate that their experience would be the same as mine. If it were so dysfunctional, I doubt it would be used as much as it is on professional shoots. It does sound like you had a legitimately bad experience. But it also sounds like yours was a bit of an outlier.
The again I do notice that this camera does often get negative commentary from RED users. I wish you well. But to anyone reading this, there are many of us who have great experiences with this tool understanding that it is a specfic use mechanism. And have had none of the issues described in this video.
I own a Red Weapon and a Ursa Mini Pro, and when I try to use them on a gimbal, the setup gets quite heavy. So, I was considering the Ronin 4D as a potential camera purchase. I like the idea of having everything all in one what can I say, I’m getting old, and lighter is better. However, after watching your video, it’s made me reconsider my decision. I have very little patience for dealing with bad customer service if I run into issues, and from the looks of it, that seems to happen often. Thanks for making this video and sharing your experience.
all in all I would say the vast majority of people I speak to have a good opinion of DJI and their customer service in fact a vast majority of the comments under most DJI product videos will have good experiences with their customer service remember when forming your opinion on the company if you are forming it purely on this video this video is inherently biased to negative comments because it is a video with a negative opinion on DJI a rightfully earned negative opinion by the way but a negative opinion still
Well, your first mistake is not buying this through B&H as they honor and swap out batteries with bloated cells. Theres plenty of instances on the group where they took care of this immediately. Lipos have an approximate 3 year shelf life whether that be active or in storage mode. Unfortunate you received one thats been sitting for awhile. That said, sounds like the camera isnt for you. Not sure i wouldnt recommended it, as your other two "strikes" are a bit more particular.
Nice to know. I actually did buy via B&H. But I went to DJI as you’d expect them to … you know, not be insane about it. I wouldn’t expect to receive a three year old device from B&H as they push so much product. Regardless, they’re taking it back.
@@nick_salazaryes, always check with B&H first as they're a buffer. I understand the principle of your thought process, but thats why you're buying through them as your trusted vendor, use them! Good luck on your next system.
I'm so sorry to hear about this because thishas not been my experience with DJI at all don't get me wrong the battery came f***** but that seems to be par for the course not excusing that by any means that's f****** ridiculous but they fixed that s*** within literally 3 hours for me again I got my new battery from them within 3 days and when it comes to major issues I had my gimbal head end up randomly shaking and I had that problem fixed within a week and a half mind you I'm in Asheville we just got hit with a hurricane and the longest part of the process was actually getting it out and back into Asheville which is expected if you're wondering what caused it it was most definitely me I am not gentle on my equipment in fact I'm quite negligent and in fact some people would call me malicious to my own stuff but DJI covered that under warranty and they not only repaired the 6k head they sent me a whole new one with my 4D on top of that when it comes to the autofocus missing that might be because you are using the Sony e-mount the Sony e-mount is notoriously bad for missing autofocus on this camera for some reason every other amount I've ever used including a PL is focus Motors does not have the same issue but the Sony e-mount is notorious for it oh and by the way when they had me do the battery swapped they didn't have me destroy the battery I have no idea why they made you do that but for any of my products I've never had to go through that process and I've been using DJI for years now all in all I can quite confidently say that this is not the average experience when it comes to interacting with DJI or DJI customer service in any way they are normally quite Pleasant that being said if I was you I would also have refunded the product and returned it immediately if I was treated the way you are and I'm sorry that happened to you the system is truly phenomenal especially once you get around how everything functions but at the end of the day if a company treats you like s*** I don't think you should give it your business.
Intresting.Thank You
Good to know to rent and let ownership be some elses problem. I've purchased technology from foreign companies before and had similar issues with customer service. I make it a rule now not to buy from any company that will take days for a response due to time zone. And also when they can misbehave due to basic local consumer laws not being able to protect me from their indifference and bad behavior, I'm bassically SOOL!
I'm noticing more and more it's the smaller channels (which have the "power" closer to a basic unknown consumer) that seem to tell the real truth more and more since companies wont/can't send them free cherry picked working equipment from their factories. I cringe and turn off the video every time I hear "company" sent us out. It tells me the company would have spent more care to send them something working while everyone else gets whatever. That's why i only respect channels that procure their own "review" hardware as to not bias the reviews! I hope you never join these companies in their grift!
there's a cute bird on yiur shoulder ❤
I can say Dji customer service are much better in Hong Kong and China
DEfinitely not cool. But destroying a battery? That's a huge hazard.
I thought this is a Tririg video 🤣🤣
Oh its terrible. I made a video when it happened to me. It took them 2 weeks to get me right.
DJI's onboarding is an awful copy-paste across all their products. I get it for their drones. I understand that a drone can have much more nefarious purposes, but for a handheld camera, what the hell?
The battery is also weird considering their drone batteries are the best battery i've used in any product, but the customer service is spot on. total garbage.
The Ronin 4D is like buying the first model year of a newly refreshed vehicle. Should be avoided at all costs.
Dji going full apple on you 😅😅😅 kinda hate their stupid practice of changing batteries on every new drone model 😢 then i heard they are in the business of battery making, and thats why they are always changing battery model and their battery will never last more than two years as they purposely inserted flaws in them...am currently on my 4th dji drone because of battery issues 😅😅😅 sadly they have a monopoly and i wanted to give another brand a go but none can compete with them!
DJI is a horrible business. Especially for customer service
Destroy the battery and film it? GTFO. One strike, you’re out.
China 🇨🇳
You've clearly had a bad experience. I myself have had a great customer experience and my Ronan 4D and 8K head have more than paid for themselves fror my video production business here in Scotland. Is the kit perfect? No. Is it a really useful tool that's proved inspirational, in some cases. Well, yes,.