sadly a lot of companies actually prefer this i remembering buying boosted board in asia back in 2016 when i got a defective battery they told me i need to trash it/destroy it and video tape it before they can send me a new battery same thing happened to my logitech keyboard and logitech mouse the reason? im not sure, but thats how it is, DJI isnt the only one here as for the AF, from the way you were shooting your kid, shooting with a prime wide open, that looked pretty nice and the AF didnt seem to be much off i dont think many AC can actually pull focus like that my friend's 4D works like a charm! but yeah that battery you had, man, that is really dangerous!
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.
Mine is so unique where I live that I book jobs just for having it! Best camera I’ve owned, not without its problems but in the day of modern cameras it’s a step in the right direction. Can’t wait for mark ii
Had the Ronin 4D for 2 months now. Arrived with a swollen battery but the other 3 I bought were good to go. This camera is the best workhorse I've ever used. C70, C300, FS7, before this camera and it blows all of them away. As a single shooter and working on larger sets, this thing is perfect for me. Sorry the battery thing happened. It's worth getting past!
@@ajo.mathew True. I was using their 17-28mm and that worked like a dream. Then I switched over to a Sony 18-105 and the AF is garbage. I'm a fully manual boy now.
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.
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
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.
That’s not bad advice - every camera has its problems, and learning to work around them is part of life. For me it was just too much too soon, particularly the awful service. I had a legitimate problem with a RED V-Raptor X which even RED couldn't really diagnose, so they just swapped me for a brand new camera. THAT's the right way to handle it.
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.
Owned a few cinema cameras, had one of the first Alexa Minis in NYC, bought an Epic-M over a decade ago. The Ronin 4D is a revolution, one of the most exciting things I've seen in the last decade. Sorry you had a bad experience with DJI, but in a over a dozen service interactions of ten years with them, had little issue. Don't buy because of your issues? That's wild.
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.
Thank you for doing an honest review even if it is rightfully negative. I'm kind of sick of basically every review of anything being blatant shilling... at the expense of the viewer. The battery issue - and them expecting you to physically destroy a fire/explosion hazard - makes me want to avoid DJI altogether.
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?
Thank you for posting this. I really want a 4D but these issues you raise and the myriad problems I see on their forum with XLR module failures and things like restricting 6k/8k to their stupidly overpriced m2 SSDs is helping my impulse control. I will definitely rent before I buy!
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 :-)
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.
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.
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’m glad this video caught your attention. But I’m returning this camera. Your customers shouldn’t need to post a public TH-cam complaint in order to get proper service.
@@nick_salazar hey dude, local 600 dp here. Ive owner operated this camera for about 6 months now. It works with a full sized crew as special cam to a venice 2. My operators found a software bug that is atleast 2 years old where the z axis changes heights for no reason And DJI just says outright that they wont fix that issue (you can see their reply in the official forums) My 1st ac found a fix using the rs3 gps module But no support from DJI. Even the bigger shows where the 4d is used, Keslow techs are the ones fixing issues To your point, DJI is targeting sales at professionals when they have no infrastructure on how to deal with them What they have is consumer based customer service in a random call center I would say, dont use this on a job without support from a big rental house who dont have in house techs
My thoughts exactly. The camera is an incredible technical achievement. I want to see more in this vein, I want to see it improve; the current one isn’t exactly bulletproof. A former DJI employee told me they have all kinds of awesome prototype stuff in their R&D labs, and sometimes they see the light of day. But DJI’s bread and butter is cheap drones and action cameras. Pro level support loses money for them, so they don’t really care.
@@nick_salazar Hi Nick, we're sorry for the inconvenience caused. We take every consumer of our products and their experience very seriously and will forward your valuable feedback to the relevant team. Thank you very much for your understanding.
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
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.
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 have this camera and its far far worse then, then nick is just scratching the surface. stay away from this camera it is a mess. I have spent so much money and it is buggy as F
@jamiebryce6091 I wouldn't say that. It's a pretty specific use case camera. And for what it's designed to do, it does well. I have had zero issues with this camera. It's preformed extremely well. And it's modular upgrades have been fantastic. But thats just been my experience.
@@HikingWithCooper As opposed to what? Ship an explosive battery back to DJI and endanger everyone along the way? All batteries have a shelf life and will require the owner to dispose of them at some point. And in some rare cases batteries are built defective. But thankfully, there is mountains of easily accessible information out there on how to properly dispose of defective batteries if you live in a developed nation. And most are free. It may be inconvenient, but it's the safest way to do it. And fortunately, this is a very uncommon experience. There is no data systematic or anecdotal to suggest that DJI batteries are more prone to this defect than any other similar class of battery. Which brings me back to my main objection to this hit piece, which is passing off your anecdotal experience as somehow informative to macro analysis. It's an obvious fallacy at best, bordering on narcissistic.
Sorry to hear about experience Nick. All DJI batteries do expand if they are not rundown after use. All of them, even the ones in their pocket cameras. The batteries for their the drones bloat. We store ours in a fridge.
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 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'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.
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.
I had the absolute best customer service with DJI with a defective product. Immediately got replaced in a few days time via super fast shipping to their repair center in another country and back with a brand new unit.
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.
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!
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).
For me it's the best camera I have ever used.. I miss all it's features when using other cameras. I think you should have done a bit more research before giving up on it :-)
What, like smashing the explosive battery with a sledge hammer? I don't understand why people are coming to the defense of a company that is telling its customers that they have to do something that could seriously injure them... because they made a bad product and won't fix their mistake unless the paying customer jumps through hoops they should not have to jump through.
@@HikingWithCooper ahahaha what? Is that what DJI told you to do? Just saying how I feel about this camera man :) no need to get upset. It seems people have very different experiences with DJI.. I agree that they should provide the same good service to every person.. for an expensive camera like this it’s a no go to have problems with customer support. It’s not only DJI though… Sony is giving people shit too :( it’s really annoying sometimes.
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!
I used two different versions. That connector on the 4D is a 6-pin LEMO. So in one case I used this cable connected to the D-TAP out on a V-Mount battery: amzn.to/409iRxN I also used the Alvin's V-Mount adapter, which is in principle the same thing, but a little more nicely integrated. If I were keeping the camera, this would likely stay bolted on the back. amzn.to/3BA3w01
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 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
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.
Wow. The battery issue is annoying and a known thing that happens because if the battery package not have the right seal and padding weather can take hold. Registration of your camera is not a big deal. LiDAR focus works great on mine but is not comparable for the new LiDAR as that one has way more focus points. Honestly I would give it another go and not return it. Frustrating is understandable but in the long run after this hiccup it is a very wonderful tool and I have been operating it for over 2 years and I couldn’t imagine a better camera that just gets out of your way and lets you be creative. Every other system menu (besides Blackmagic) is so clunky and convoluted it’s awful.
I agree that it has a LOT going for it, which I tried to highlight in the video. And every camera has its issues. For me it was just too much too soon, and the AWFUL service was not cool. I'm happy for the operators who have had good experiences. There are lots of videos with folks saying it's great. This video is me saying "maybe rent one first."
@ yeah I think the more time you spend with the 4d the more you realize the freedoms it opens up and even more so if you invest in the whole ecosystem.
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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
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 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
Yes this is exactly why I got a 4D. I had an URSA 12K, I loved the image and dynamic range, but didn't like the football size form factor. My 4D-6K is an amazing subsitute as it has the same dynamic range without needing to use BRAW, it's just not as detailed as 12K. The lowlight is amazing too, at ISO 4000 in 4K, there is nearly no difference from ISO 250 in noise.
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..
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.
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.
@ I have a Blackmagic cinema camera too. It’s been sitting on the shelf for more than two years since I got the Ronin4D. You need an account to use the camera as you do for a smartphone or computer. But you don’t need to give up your name. You can create a burner email account for the camera.
@@RavikantRai21490Relax. You just need an email which is helpful as your dji account links to all your other dji assets. You don't need to give your name or any other details. This is mostly to register upgrades like unlocking the RAW codec license etc. Its not a big deal dude.
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
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.
This video is going to age horribly in 2025 😂 Everyone wants to talk about positive bias shills.. what about negative bias? Sucks Nick had a bad customer service experience.. but did he really just title this video and say that no one should buy this camera because of that? He didn’t use it on any professional shoots.. didn’t actually take time to learn how to properly use it.. yet makes a full blown video saying don’t buy it? Mean while there’s going to be many series and films coming out that used this camera.. from indie productions to giant productions. And all the commercial and solo filmmakers that use it as well. Yet this guys Nick has a battery issue and used it around his neighborhood and makes a dedicated video about it saying the cameras is overrated? Is anyone actually buying this guys bs lol? Like a bratty kid finding out if he screams loud enough he’ll get attention. This type of inauthenticity is a horrible representation of this platform.
I own this lemon of a camera and it gets worse the more you trty to get help. customer service treats you like a criminal trying to scam them and when you have legit problems they just gas light you. so he is totally on point and got out where a lot of us are stuck. try using audio on this hunk of crap
Good points! And the biggest red flag here is he did not want to register the camera. Is this because he always had the intention of returning the unit from the onset in fear this would conflict with a return policy? This in unison with the title begs the question if this was intended to be sensationalism for the clicks from the get go?
I had the same problem with the battery, sucked but I ordered another from B&H while I waited for the return process. Now I have 2 because they deemed mine faulty. I'm still getting used to the camera but once I get the hang of it I think its a great piece of gear. Not using it on this youtube channel as we just use phones mainly but using it for real estate and business brand videos. I had to get my technique down with the ronin gimbal and a7siii, just need to do it again. This guy didn't even try.
He cannot rely on autofocus..? Actually this autofocus is een extra, and I use it only with a swift buttonpress to rapidly focus, all the other times I switch to manual and use the lidar to manually focus...and it all works great. Maybe he is more a point&shoot guy and should go for a systemcamera like a sony alpha or canon r5, that will work better for him if he's so relyant on autofocus stuff... Personally I also had very good dji help en service, all the time. And fast! I'm trying to understand his strikes, but this title is a bridge to far. That was not necessary, they don't deserve that..
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.
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
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.
MY BATTERY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ISSUE WITH MY BATTERY>>>LOOKED THE EXACTLY THE SAME>>>THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX IT>>>I JUST STOP CONTACTING THEM>>>>I LOST OUT
The camera is awesome, customer service while is fairly priced in the sense that you don't have to pay anything is great, there are loops to jump through with them in confirming things which I agree is strange. I will say there is an odd learning curve to the camera that takes several months to learn all the odd things, but once learned the other issues you mentioned melt away. Then the camera shines as it has built in video transmission, gimbal, NDs, tracking, plus the grips are so incredible its hard for me to want to work with other cameras now. But yes long learning curve.
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.
DJI Inst that big of a pain to deal with. Send them a photo and your serial number and they usually get me everything I need no matter how small or weird
So, as stated in the video, that’s the FIRST thing I did. They still refused a replacement without video evidence of destruction. I tried calling to see if that was a mistake, but phone support confirmed that’s their current policy. It’s ridiculous.
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!
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.
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.
@@BoredomKills113exactly my point. From most of the comments here, it almost seems like a negative review is the only honest review available. True, the author's experience with the camera was terrible and it's so unfortunate, but there are also other smaller TH-camrs, who bought the camera with Thier own money and have used it for more than a year and have good reviews about the camera. Should we then say they are dishonest? Because they have good reviews? It's a very awful mindset.
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,.
Hello, our relevant team has replied to you via email. Please check it carefully. You can respond to this email or contact us if you have any questions. Thank you.
@@nick_salazar Hi, there. We totally understand how you feel. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our support team. Have a good day!
requiring people to destroy a battery that's already an explosion hazard seems like a pretty dangerous solution
sadly a lot of companies actually prefer this
i remembering buying boosted board in asia back in 2016
when i got a defective battery they told me i need to trash it/destroy it and video tape it before they can send me a new battery
same thing happened to my logitech keyboard and logitech mouse
the reason? im not sure, but thats how it is, DJI isnt the only one here
as for the AF, from the way you were shooting your kid, shooting with a prime wide open, that looked pretty nice and the AF didnt seem to be much off
i dont think many AC can actually pull focus like that
my friend's 4D works like a charm! but yeah that battery you had, man, that is really dangerous!
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
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...
Mine is so unique where I live that I book jobs just for having it! Best camera I’ve owned, not without its problems but in the day of modern cameras it’s a step in the right direction. Can’t wait for mark ii
Had the Ronin 4D for 2 months now. Arrived with a swollen battery but the other 3 I bought were good to go. This camera is the best workhorse I've ever used. C70, C300, FS7, before this camera and it blows all of them away. As a single shooter and working on larger sets, this thing is perfect for me. Sorry the battery thing happened. It's worth getting past!
@@ajo.mathew True. I was using their 17-28mm and that worked like a dream. Then I switched over to a Sony 18-105 and the AF is garbage. I'm a fully manual boy now.
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
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
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.
That’s not bad advice - every camera has its problems, and learning to work around them is part of life. For me it was just too much too soon, particularly the awful service. I had a legitimate problem with a RED V-Raptor X which even RED couldn't really diagnose, so they just swapped me for a brand new camera. THAT's the right way to handle it.
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.
Owned a few cinema cameras, had one of the first Alexa Minis in NYC, bought an Epic-M over a decade ago.
The Ronin 4D is a revolution, one of the most exciting things I've seen in the last decade.
Sorry you had a bad experience with DJI, but in a over a dozen service interactions of ten years with them, had little issue.
Don't buy because of your issues? That's wild.
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.
Thank you for doing an honest review even if it is rightfully negative. I'm kind of sick of basically every review of anything being blatant shilling... at the expense of the viewer. The battery issue - and them expecting you to physically destroy a fire/explosion hazard - makes me want to avoid DJI altogether.
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?
Thank you for posting this. I really want a 4D but these issues you raise and the myriad problems I see on their forum with XLR module failures and things like restricting 6k/8k to their stupidly overpriced m2 SSDs is helping my impulse control. I will definitely rent before I buy!
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 :-)
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.
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.
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’m glad this video caught your attention. But I’m returning this camera. Your customers shouldn’t need to post a public TH-cam complaint in order to get proper service.
Thanks for the warning, Nick! I discussed how dodgy DJI are with a friend earlier today, and then this video pops up 😅
@@nick_salazar hey dude, local 600 dp here. Ive owner operated this camera for about 6 months now. It works with a full sized crew as special cam to a venice 2.
My operators found a software bug that is atleast 2 years old where the z axis changes heights for no reason
And DJI just says outright that they wont fix that issue (you can see their reply in the official forums)
My 1st ac found a fix using the rs3 gps module
But no support from DJI. Even the bigger shows where the 4d is used, Keslow techs are the ones fixing issues
To your point, DJI is targeting sales at professionals when they have no infrastructure on how to deal with them
What they have is consumer based customer service in a random call center
I would say, dont use this on a job without support from a big rental house who dont have in house techs
My thoughts exactly. The camera is an incredible technical achievement. I want to see more in this vein, I want to see it improve; the current one isn’t exactly bulletproof. A former DJI employee told me they have all kinds of awesome prototype stuff in their R&D labs, and sometimes they see the light of day. But DJI’s bread and butter is cheap drones and action cameras. Pro level support loses money for them, so they don’t really care.
@@nick_salazar Hi Nick, we're sorry for the inconvenience caused. We take every consumer of our products and their experience very seriously and will forward your valuable feedback to the relevant team. Thank you very much for your understanding.
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
Yes the wonky lens cap usb port etc.
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.
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 have this camera and its far far worse then, then nick is just scratching the surface. stay away from this camera it is a mess. I have spent so much money and it is buggy as F
@jamiebryce6091 I wouldn't say that. It's a pretty specific use case camera. And for what it's designed to do, it does well. I have had zero issues with this camera. It's preformed extremely well. And it's modular upgrades have been fantastic. But thats just been my experience.
But if their policy is to force their customers to physically destroy an explosive battery then that's not his experience, that is them.
@@HikingWithCooper As opposed to what? Ship an explosive battery back to DJI and endanger everyone along the way?
All batteries have a shelf life and will require the owner to dispose of them at some point. And in some rare cases batteries are built defective. But thankfully, there is mountains of easily accessible information out there on how to properly dispose of defective batteries if you live in a developed nation.
And most are free. It may be inconvenient, but it's the safest way to do it.
And fortunately, this is a very uncommon experience. There is no data systematic or anecdotal to suggest that DJI batteries are more prone to this defect than any other similar class of battery.
Which brings me back to my main objection to this hit piece, which is passing off your anecdotal experience as somehow informative to macro analysis. It's an obvious fallacy at best, bordering on narcissistic.
This is true gear review! Thank you!
Sorry to hear about experience Nick. All DJI batteries do expand if they are not rundown after use. All of them, even the ones in their pocket cameras. The batteries for their the drones bloat. We store ours in a fridge.
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 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'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.
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.
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 had the absolute best customer service with DJI with a defective product. Immediately got replaced in a few days time via super fast shipping to their repair center in another country and back with a brand new unit.
Very innovative and probably looks awesome on a shelf next to lenses that can't be used with it.
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.
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!
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).
For me it's the best camera I have ever used.. I miss all it's features when using other cameras. I think you should have done a bit more research before giving up on it :-)
What, like smashing the explosive battery with a sledge hammer? I don't understand why people are coming to the defense of a company that is telling its customers that they have to do something that could seriously injure them... because they made a bad product and won't fix their mistake unless the paying customer jumps through hoops they should not have to jump through.
@@HikingWithCooper ahahaha what? Is that what DJI told you to do? Just saying how I feel about this camera man :) no need to get upset. It seems people have very different experiences with DJI.. I agree that they should provide the same good service to every person.. for an expensive camera like this it’s a no go to have problems with customer support. It’s not only DJI though… Sony is giving people shit too :( it’s really annoying sometimes.
@ Yeah, actual good customer service is so rare that it stands out. Ugh.
Are they out of their mind? Trying to destroy a battery may result to its exlposion or catching on fire
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!
Damn I was looking into buying this too. Thanks for the info
can you give me a link for the DC in power cable you used to directly power it on?
I used two different versions. That connector on the 4D is a 6-pin LEMO. So in one case I used this cable connected to the D-TAP out on a V-Mount battery: amzn.to/409iRxN
I also used the Alvin's V-Mount adapter, which is in principle the same thing, but a little more nicely integrated. If I were keeping the camera, this would likely stay bolted on the back. amzn.to/3BA3w01
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 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.
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.
Wow. The battery issue is annoying and a known thing that happens because if the battery package not have the right seal and padding weather can take hold. Registration of your camera is not a big deal. LiDAR focus works great on mine but is not comparable for the new LiDAR as that one has way more focus points. Honestly I would give it another go and not return it. Frustrating is understandable but in the long run after this hiccup it is a very wonderful tool and I have been operating it for over 2 years and I couldn’t imagine a better camera that just gets out of your way and lets you be creative. Every other system menu (besides Blackmagic) is so clunky and convoluted it’s awful.
I agree that it has a LOT going for it, which I tried to highlight in the video. And every camera has its issues. For me it was just too much too soon, and the AWFUL service was not cool. I'm happy for the operators who have had good experiences. There are lots of videos with folks saying it's great. This video is me saying "maybe rent one first."
@ yeah I think the more time you spend with the 4d the more you realize the freedoms it opens up and even more so if you invest in the whole ecosystem.
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 thought this was the dumbest camera from day one
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 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
Thank you for making this very honest 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
Yes this is exactly why I got a 4D. I had an URSA 12K, I loved the image and dynamic range, but didn't like the football size form factor. My 4D-6K is an amazing subsitute as it has the same dynamic range without needing to use BRAW, it's just not as detailed as 12K. The lowlight is amazing too, at ISO 4000 in 4K, there is nearly no difference from ISO 250 in noise.
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..
This is great info. Appreciate the review.
Dang what an unfortunate start with this camera. I recommend testing it more on shoots.
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.
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.
@ I have a Blackmagic cinema camera too. It’s been sitting on the shelf for more than two years since I got the Ronin4D. You need an account to use the camera as you do for a smartphone or computer. But you don’t need to give up your name. You can create a burner email account for the camera.
@@RavikantRai21490Relax. You just need an email which is helpful as your dji account links to all your other dji assets. You don't need to give your name or any other details. This is mostly to register upgrades like unlocking the RAW codec license etc. Its not a big deal dude.
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
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 was about to buy a refurbished unit of this as it’s in my price range. After watching this I won’t be going with Dji specially if the AF is off
This video is going to age horribly in 2025 😂 Everyone wants to talk about positive bias shills.. what about negative bias? Sucks Nick had a bad customer service experience.. but did he really just title this video and say that no one should buy this camera because of that? He didn’t use it on any professional shoots.. didn’t actually take time to learn how to properly use it.. yet makes a full blown video saying don’t buy it? Mean while there’s going to be many series and films coming out that used this camera.. from indie productions to giant productions. And all the commercial and solo filmmakers that use it as well. Yet this guys Nick has a battery issue and used it around his neighborhood and makes a dedicated video about it saying the cameras is overrated? Is anyone actually buying this guys bs lol? Like a bratty kid finding out if he screams loud enough he’ll get attention. This type of inauthenticity is a horrible representation of this platform.
I own this lemon of a camera and it gets worse the more you trty to get help. customer service treats you like a criminal trying to scam them and when you have legit problems they just gas light you. so he is totally on point and got out where a lot of us are stuck. try using audio on this hunk of crap
@ we jsut used it today with wireless mics during a hiking run n gun shoot… worked just fine 🤷🏽♂️
Good points! And the biggest red flag here is he did not want to register the camera. Is this because he always had the intention of returning the unit from the onset in fear this would conflict with a return policy? This in unison with the title begs the question if this was intended to be sensationalism for the clicks from the get go?
I had the same problem with the battery, sucked but I ordered another from B&H while I waited for the return process. Now I have 2 because they deemed mine faulty. I'm still getting used to the camera but once I get the hang of it I think its a great piece of gear. Not using it on this youtube channel as we just use phones mainly but using it for real estate and business brand videos. I had to get my technique down with the ronin gimbal and a7siii, just need to do it again. This guy didn't even try.
He cannot rely on autofocus..? Actually this autofocus is een extra, and I use it only with a swift buttonpress to rapidly focus, all the other times I switch to manual and use the lidar to manually focus...and it all works great. Maybe he is more a point&shoot guy and should go for a systemcamera like a sony alpha or canon r5, that will work better for him if he's so relyant on autofocus stuff... Personally I also had very good dji help en service, all the time. And fast! I'm trying to understand his strikes, but this title is a bridge to far. That was not necessary, they don't deserve that..
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.
You proved my gut feeling right❤
Who did you buy it through? 🤯
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
I'm sorry to hear that, thank you
Lol JFC I watched your video like the day it came out and bought it anyway, NEW, and it still arrived swollen.
Yeah I don't like that software gatekeeping. Its so annoying
fr its the one thing i dislike about this cam
I honestly understand both aspect... With the battery part. But everything else is ridiculous.
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.
MY BATTERY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ISSUE WITH MY BATTERY>>>LOOKED THE EXACTLY THE SAME>>>THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX IT>>>I JUST STOP CONTACTING THEM>>>>I LOST OUT
The camera is awesome, customer service while is fairly priced in the sense that you don't have to pay anything is great, there are loops to jump through with them in confirming things which I agree is strange. I will say there is an odd learning curve to the camera that takes several months to learn all the odd things, but once learned the other issues you mentioned melt away. Then the camera shines as it has built in video transmission, gimbal, NDs, tracking, plus the grips are so incredible its hard for me to want to work with other cameras now. But yes long learning curve.
Sounds worse than RED's service department. I didn't think that was possible.
this is valuable. i was thinking about getting this too
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.
DJI Inst that big of a pain to deal with. Send them a photo and your serial number and they usually get me everything I need no matter how small or weird
So, as stated in the video, that’s the FIRST thing I did. They still refused a replacement without video evidence of destruction. I tried calling to see if that was a mistake, but phone support confirmed that’s their current policy. It’s ridiculous.
Their customer service, or lack there of is absolutely atrocious
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!
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.
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.
@@BoredomKills113exactly my point. From most of the comments here, it almost seems like a negative review is the only honest review available.
True, the author's experience with the camera was terrible and it's so unfortunate, but there are also other smaller TH-camrs, who bought the camera with Thier own money and have used it for more than a year and have good reviews about the camera.
Should we then say they are dishonest? Because they have good reviews? It's a very awful mindset.
Nice echo chamber you made there sport 😂
Intresting.Thank You
Something that cost 7k just for the body and DJI can’t even replace a defective battery that comes from them. No thanks DJI.
I thought this is a Tririg video 🤣🤣
there's a cute bird on yiur shoulder ❤
I can say Dji customer service are much better in Hong Kong and China
Yeah no thanks DJI, i will stick with Lumix and a gimbal. Let's hope Lumix division doesn't get bought by DJI then.
For some reason, I don’t believe you, and you seem kind of bratty.
DEfinitely not cool. But destroying a battery? That's a huge hazard.
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!
Destroy the battery and film it? GTFO. One strike, you’re out.
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,.
DJI is a horrible business. Especially for customer service
China 🇨🇳
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Yep, after a public outcry you’ll finally agree to replace the battery and offer $30 store credit for the inconvenience. No thanks, I’m out.
@@nick_salazar Hi, there. We totally understand how you feel. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our support team. Have a good day!