Having only used this new toy a few times, I’m no expert. But I did learn a few things in my initial experiences that I’d like to share with anyone who is interested in taking this puppy for a spin. It’s a powerful tool and can create some amazingly cinematic shots.

Practice: The Ronin is very easy to use once it’s all set up, but the initial process takes a few minutes to get the hang of. Before you ever take it out on a shoot, practice setting it up at home. I recommend following along with this official setup video. Note that you’ll want to install the DJI Assistant app on your phone to complete the final Auto-Tune step.

I also liked this written list of tips from Jim Zabilla, which includes key points such as:

• NEVER set the Ronin down. ALWAYS put it on the tuning stand.
• NEVER turn on the Ronin without a camera mounted on it.
• Run auto-tune whenever you change balance or weight (lens changes, zoom changes, etc).
• Never make tinkering adjustments to the Ronin while it is powered and the motors are on. Turn off the Ronin or switch off “motor kill” in the app.

Plan Ahead: You need to do all that practicing because you will most likely need to set up your Ronin and balance it on-location. You want to be able to do it as fast as possible so you don’t miss any shots (or waste your subject’s time).  Think ahead about where you will be shooting and if it will be possible to find a place to set up the stand and balance your camera. This video gives some interesting tips for a quick setup using a bike rack for the balancing stand.

Slow Down: When I looked back over my first batch of footage, I hated most of it for one reason: I was moving way too fast. Perhaps it’s because the Ronin kind of looks like some sort spaceship that I felt compelled to go zooming around the room with it. One thing I try to keep in mind now is that my slider is only about three feet long, but a camera move from one end to the other is a pretty long and dramatic move. Slow and subtle shifts of only a few feet can create some nice shots.

Where the Ronin really shines is for tracking shots where you can follow a subject smoothly and seamlessly wherever they go. It’s okay to move fast if your subject is moving fast. All my unmotivated flying crane moves (that were really fun to shoot) were pretty useless once I got to the edit room.

I’m looking forward to getting better with this sweet piece of gear. Please share any other tips or advice you have discovered for using the Ronin-M!