DJI Ronin M Gimbal Stabilizer: Ultimate Review 2024

The DJI Ronin M is a lighter, more refined, and cheaper Ronin gimbal that’s built for smaller cameras. This gimbal can handle most DSLRs as well as small cameras such as the Canon C series.

It is arguably the most value-for-money gimbal you’ll find on the market and a great investment for low-budget filmmakers and event videographers.

In this post, you’ll find the full review of the DJI Ronin M Gimbal Stabilizer – its specs, features, how it performs, and whether it’s worth buying.

DJI Ronin M Gimbal Stabilizer: Specifications

Here are the detailed specs of the DJI Ronin M:

• Dimensions: 19.7″ x 8.3″ x 16.5″
• Weight: 5.07 lb / 2.3 kg (with Handlebar)
• Number of Axis: 3-Axis (Pitch, Roll, Yaw)
• Rotation Range Yaw (Pan): 360°
• Pitch (Tilt): -165 to 105°
• Roll: 220° (-110 to 110°)
• Load Capacity: 8 lb / 3.6 kg
• Stabilization Accuracy: ±0.02° (Motionless)
• Supported Camera Dimensions: W: 6.3″ x H: 7.7″ x D: 4.7″
• Connectivity: 2.4GHz Remote Controller, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0
• Battery: 4S Ronin-M Battery
• Run Time: 6 hours
• Operating Temperature: 5° F ~ 120° F (-15° C ~ 50° C)

DJI Ronin-M Gimbal Stabilizer V3 New Version

• Ronin-M Transmitter (Controller)
• Ronin-M 4S Battery
• Battery Charger

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DJI Ronin M Gimbal Stabilizer: Full Review

The DJI Ronin M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer is designed to offer you a burden-free handheld shooting experience without any hand-shake. It is compatible with most camera types and configurations that weigh up to 8 pounds. The Ronin M features brushless motors that work on three-axis: one for side-to-side “roll” (keeping the horizon level), one for tilt, and one for pan. The system is computer-controlled and has a precision of control of ±0.02°. s a result, you achieve precise camera moves and top-notch stability of shots.

In addition to handheld shooting, the DJI Ronin M gimbal can also be used in vehicle mounting scenarios and other situations where fast movement is involved. In such cases, tripods and rigid camera support systems prove to be unsuitable, which is why you need a dependable gimbal, like ronin M, for such shots.

The Ronin-M also supports dual-operator shooting, where a second operator would use the included transmitter to manually control the camera pan and tilt independently of which way the Ronin-M itself moves. The included transmitter/receiver system operates on 2.4 GHz. However, as with most gimbal stabilizers, this one also requires balancing before use. Once balanced, you can configure the Ronin-M for your particular camera arrangement using the Assistant Software for compatible iOS and Windows devices via Bluetooth.

Here are the main features of the DJI Ronin M:

Design & Build

Design-wise the DJI Ronin M looks a lot like the original Ronin gimbal. It’s a basic gimbal stabilizer that consists of the following parts:

1. a top bar from which the actual gimbal attaches in the center,
2. a top handle, and
3. two vertical grips that can be fixed on the top bar for 360-degree rotation.

This simplicity of design makes it convenient to manage a gimbal. It’s super-easy to put together the Ronin-M – you don’t even need to read the manual prior to putting the unit together. The total time it takes to set up is about five minutes. Coming to the build quality, the gimbal is lightweight, yet solidly built. Weighing just 5 pounds (2.3kg), about half the weight of the original Ronin, the slimmed-down Ronin M is small enough to fit into your backpack and taken anywhere, yet strong enough to support camera setups weighing up to 8 pounds (3.6kg).

Three Operation Modes

The Ronin M has three operation modes:

1. Upright Operation Mode: Upright Mode allows the gimbal to be flipped over so the camera can be operated closer to eye level without straining to lift the gimbal. You can use this mode in situations, such as mounting on the top of the vehicle.
2. Suspended Operation Mode: This one is the standard operation mode on Ronin M. This mode is ideal when you want the camera to be low-slung, close to the ground, or while you’re simply holding the gimbal in front. It offers stabilized handheld footage, and can also be used when the gimbal is mounted on a flying platform such as a multirotor RC helicopter.
3. Briefcase Mode: When you need a slimmer gimbal profile, such as while you’re moving through doorways or narrow paths, the briefcase Mode is ideal. It lets you hold the gimbal to the side and close to the legs, much like a briefcase.

Battery & Charging

The included 3400mAh 4S lithium-ion polymer battery lasts up to six hours. It’s a smart battery, as DJI likes to call it, with impressive battery life. I’ve personally shot all day using Ronin M and the battery never dropped below 25 percent! There’s a handy four-bar indicator light on the top of the battery so you always know how much juice you’re left with.

A charger is also included in the Ronin M kit, and it is recommended that you always use chargers designed for the Ronin-M battery because of the smart circuitry. Then, you also have two 12 VDC D-Tap ports and one USB power port on the camera base which lets you power other on-camera accessories directly from the Ronin-M battery.

Remote Control

The Ronin M comes with an RC controller that a second operator can use to adjust the pan, tilt, and roll. You can also buy a thumb controller unit that performs a similar function. You can also use the Smooth track feature on the DJI Assistant app for DJI Ronin to remote control the gimbal. The app allows you to calibrate the camera, turn smooth track on and off and adjust the responsiveness of the camera movement.