Delivery
The GYROpod is in a quite graceful acting "footwear (boots rather) big box" supplied cardboard, of course with proper packaging through Amazon. However, the original packaging looked somehow "used" and had some places with dirt or dents. The anticipation to see me quickly read over it and I opened the box - here a DIN A4 sheet was on top with a few notes, this was apparently printed from an inkjet printer and already torn.
Again, half the anticipation to see over it ...
Furthermore, in the box:
- GYROpod itself
- Rubber (foam rubber or similar) quick release plate with tripod screw
- Battery (printed on the still Gazer and not Jobo)
- Little guide for calibration
- Power supply with various attachments for abroad
- And a screw which has probably solved lay in it. Using Allen reattached ... here I was a bit skeptical.
To process a few words:
- Relatively high, cut clean, aluminum / metal ?, partially plastic (eg handle)
- To see almost no cables are laid cleanly
- A total of relatively heavy
- Black coated / painted
Functionality:
The manual is quite poor, plus the graphics are indistinct, which may be due to poor print resolution. The first adjustment (current) is not exactly intuitive because you do not know how (to use thumbscrews, so no tool) must rotate at which screws. After some trying you out there and you should set it up so that both axes managed to hold virtually no power the camera as possible in balance - of course with the lens, but the tip conceals the instructions.
After switching on (switch on the front handle) and then turn the wheel of the torque until the GYROPod to "tremble" begins - so he seems to have enough power, you can feel it.
He also brings the camera very quickly in a neutral position - other gimbal need as partially already for a few seconds.
As the camera came with me a Sony RX100 M2 used - precisely those who was already visible on the product photos and videos to Kickstarter times. Can actually be much better than with the camera! Unfortunately you have to wield it for a halfway decent balance already relatively far outward, almost in the last "gap" of the tripod plate. It follows then also equal to a major drawback, which I had not noticed at the beginning: the "sponge rubber" thereby unilaterally burdened significantly stronger and after some time it expresses itself there then even more of a, difference about 1mm. Thus, the camera then sits diagonally on the tripod plate. As it is in balance, similar to the well GYROpod not from the - ie because image is stabilized, but is inclined! If you screwed not properly fixed the camera (so that they will not sink so deeply into the rubber) can detach from the tripod plate - also happened to me. And if one solves the camera with tripod plate from GYROpod, then the screw moves easily if they do not attract very firmly. So you have to remember the position at which the screw is not every time to have to find the balance also. And since battery and SD card slot are hidden by the panel, you will often separate from the camera. Also because it is relatively large and the camera with mounted plate fits neither into your pocket still in the camera bag.
I would therefore like to dispense with a quick release plate in favor of a better thought-out solution.
The display of the camera is of course partially obscured by the engine, but it is sufficient for the visual inspection of.
The stabilization of the camera is going well, movements are swift and relatively soft balanced. If you tilt the handle about 45 degrees up or down, the GYROpod begins a wild twitching which sometimes can be resolved only by rebooting - fortunately you can match the button and briefly press and the problem is now solved quickly. Normally, the 45 degree range also easy, especially since you can adjust the tilt by another rocker switch (rear top of the handle, with your thumb to operate). Again, we must not go too far or it will go back into convulsions.
Sideways you can really perform a complete 360 ° rotation - then eg 180 ° around the handle to keep in practice, above and to achieve a ground-level view of levitation and then 180 ° to come back again to the starting position. That leaves room for creative camera work!
However, the engine has given after a short period use a scraping noise, so every 30 ° briefly to hear. At the beginning it was not available.
The relatively high weight of GYROpods plus the weight of the camera, it is however quite fast uncomfortable to wear it on the handle in front of him. Longer shots do with it, unfortunately, not fun (even if one is not exactly petite ;-).
Movements are quite fast and soft balanced, most are tracking shots on the ground with 180 degree rotated handle (since the weight is down). When walking sadly lacking an axis - the (rotary) movement of the wrist can not be compensated. Thus, the image is not really quiet. But this is not right on GYROpod but at the two-axis stabilization.
The battery life is indicated by two hours probably was brought properly into balance with a not too heavy camera. I have the time nor stopped, but can confirm that the running time but it seems pretty good. Shop is only incidentally about the proprietary port - USB etc. So is not, one is dependent on the original power supply.
Other
- There is a microswitch to the system itself to recalibrate (this is usually not necessary according to the instructions and I also did not have to do)
- There is also a micro-USB port, but is only used for diagnostics by the manufacturer yet
Conclusion:
Finally there is a gimbal for a compact camera and not just Action cameras! So why only 3 out of 5 stars?
On the one hand there is the impression that this is still here to a document created in small number product. The delivery times and low numbers speak well of how the print quality of the instruction, the information sheet, etc. Also that still Gazer is on the battery indicates that there probably is no mass production here. All the more skeptical I am what accessories or spare parts is concerned: directly at Jobo there is only the GYROpod. What if I lose my power supplies? What about replacement batteries? The risk is me with a product that costs 699 EUR just too high. Perhaps it is indeed scrapped soon? To Kickstarter times there was probably also a charging station, the connections are available down on the handle.
Furthermore, I am disappointed with the quality of delivery - at such a high price, I expect a neatly printed manual and a product that is not in a box going to lose a screw.
That of a motor according And then the fact that I am not completely satisfied with the stabilization - so it would have really a three-axis system be. There is to me personally then simply too expensive to make compromises.
For these reasons, I have returned to GYROpod with a crying eye. I hope it will be rectified and the price goes down even more significantly. Would have been very happy to have a great solution for movies with my RX100M2.
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