CAME-TV CAME-MINI2 Gimbal Settings – Keeping your Camera’s Horizon Level and Manage Calibration

• • 54 Comments

Many times people complain about the horizon being offset, or possibly the camera's horizon may drift over time. This could easily be caused by the 'mode' or 'profile' the gimbal is currently working in, and not necessarily a problem with the gimbal itself. Understanding the profiles, how and when to use them is important if you want to achieve best results. Many of you may be surprised at how much the profiles can affect the results your getting with your gimbals.

This video covers the different profiles on the new tool-less CAME-MINI2 Gimbal, and how these different profiles can influence camera's position during operation. It also covers how to modify the service modes so that you can manage the gimbal and calibrate it without a computer connected. It also covers troubleshooting your Joystick RC Trim if you believe your camera position 'drifts' over time. Keep in mind, that these settings are not unique to this gimbal, but for any gimbal operating with the same SBGC software.

So the next time you're running around operating your gimbal, and things may not appear level or squared up, think about what mode you're working in. Your gimbal may just be following directions, and not necessarily out of calibration. Profile 2 seems to be a good fit for tracking subjects and setting your Joystick to control 'only tilt' will help you manage your gimbal while keeping the horizon level. You can easily change the 'speed' of your joystick so that the camera movements will still appear smooth.

Also, take advantage of your Service Modes by using the Profile 4, Profile 5, and Long Press options. When you're out in the field make it a habit to square up your frame, level your camera, and calibrate your sensors (set a new home position). Unfortunately this video was probably very boring, but hopefully informative in some ways. If you have any questions, leave your comments below.

To find out more, visit the product page for the CAME-TV CAME-MINI2 Gimbal (HERE).

came-tv came-mini2 gimbal came mini gimbal cametv mini gimbal mini2 gimbal
find-price-button CAME-TV CAME-MINI2 (v2 Tool-Less) 3-Axis Mini Gimbal Stabilizer

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54 thoughts on “CAME-TV CAME-MINI2 Gimbal Settings – Keeping your Camera’s Horizon Level and Manage Calibration”

  1. Mark

    Hi there - fantastic blog. Helped me correct the drift that had started lately.

    Not sure if you can help with this - I've got the wireless remote for the CAME-TV single, and it's worked fine for the longest time, but now when I connect it, my gimbal beeps intermittently, and at the moment of the beeps, the gimbal 'hitches' a little, usually jumping up a tiny bit and kind of settling again. It's a new thing...is there any way to calibrate that remote (if you think that's what it might need), or am I looking at something gone wrong with the hardware inside the remote?...

  3. Natha

    @Emm Two questions for you, the 1st being - whats the best way to mount an external monitor with the came-mini2 without the wires interfering with the gimbal? Just bought an atomos right angle HMDI cable and when connected it prevents the gimbal from doing certain movements?

    The second question is, ever since connecting the cable to the a7s on my gimbal it bounces up and down all the time like its stuttering. Do I have to change any settings in simplebgc?

  4. Emm

     Post author

    @Nathan - If it's setup correctly you can look in the advanced tab for current battery voltage.

  5. Nathan

    @Emm lowered the motor power and it seemed to help. I'll leave the PID settings the way they are for now.

    Random question, how do you know when your batteries are fully charged? Will the red or green lights turn off? Also is there a way to see your battery life on simplebgc? Sorry if these are dumb questions. Couldnt find answers anywhere

  7. Nathan

    @Emm just realized now that they were all already at 22. So should I not touch the Motor Configuration power at all?

  8. Emm

     Post author

    @Nathan - Well don't follow the original PID settings but definitely change Motor Number or Poles to 22.

  11. Nathan

    @Emm So should I change them to 22 or leave them as they came?

    And also, I should be changing the PID controllers and not the Motor Configuration right?

    Thanks again for all the help!

  12. Emm

     Post author

    @Nathan - Motor missing steps normally shows up if someone changed the Motor Number of Poles. I think on the Mini2 it should be all 22.

    If you are going to change PID values, use a long usb cable.

    Set your gimbal up with your camera, turn on the gimbal, plug in the usb, launch the software and start to tune. Slowly change the values a little at a time and pick up the gimbal from the stand and see if the vibrating has gone away.

    Always always write down your original settings before changing anything. Don't rely on trying to download other profiles. Always write down your own personal settings so you can at lease restore it back if you want to.

    This video might be helpful httpss://cheesycam.com/tuning-pid-settings-for-varvon-birdycam-gh4-camera/

  13. Nathan

    @Emm using a different computer helped. I'm on Windows right now and it connected with the Com3 port. I have two questions now though. One of them is why does it say "motor is missing steps" in the bottom description box in red letters? Second question is do we change the PID settings for a fact? CameTV's blog posts says we should change the motor configuration by 10.

  15. Nathan

    @emm I have a windows computer that I can try it on. Should the gimbal be on or off when you connect it? I've tried both just incase.

  17. Nathan

    @Emm doesnt matter how many times I install it, nothing shows up. Even installed the other recommended driver in the simplebgc readme file and it didnt make a difference. I guess I'll try purchasing another cable. Should the option pop up even if the gimbal isnt connected?

  18. Emm

     Post author

    @Nathan - You should see a USB ART option. Looks like the drivers didn't work. Try installing again and reboot the computer. It is a USB driver so it should be a USB option that shows up.

  19. Nathan

    @Emm I am using OSX Yosemite. And I'm not sure which would be the correct port but I do see many options. They are /dev/tty.bluetooth-incoming-p and then a cu version of that. a tty and cu version of bluetooth-modem and a tty and cu version of ITM-wirelessiAP This is my first time connecting.

  20. Emm

     Post author

    @Nathan - I think you are on the right track to lower a few PID values. As far as connecting what OS are you using? Do you see the correct ports show up in the drop down list? Is this your first time connecting, or was something changed before? You might want to try someone elses computer too.

  21. Nathan

    Hello Emm, I recently just got this gimbal yesterday. it seems to work great but the problem is that I can hear a pretty low "humming" when in use. After watching a bunch of your videos I figured I would plug it into simpleBGC and change the PID settings to see if it would help. My problem is that it doesnt connect. I get an error that says "failed to connect: unknown application" no matter what port I choose. I downloaded the required drivers and I dont believe its my cable because I know for a fact the one I have is a data transfer cable. Any help would be appreciated! I really would like to fix this hummng. Thank you!

  22. Emm

     Post author

    @bwagner - The default settings is something you would write down or take screenshots of. Here's a video about the mini2, but it is for an older version firmware. httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=94&v=2Wmyb7EdDnQ

  23. bwagner

    Emm,
    Thank you. I didn't update firmware--I just got the unit last week. Where can I find default PID and motor setting to restore? I'm not seeing that anywhere in the software.

  24. Emm

     Post author

    @bwagner - Well anytime you perform Auto motor configurations, the number of poles might change. If the number of poles don't match the correct number of poles in your brushless motors, then you'll most likely get the error message 'motor missing steps'. Double check and make sure you have the correct number of poles for all motors.

    Normally I would suggest restoring the default PID and motor settings, but If the firmware was upgraded, then those original values may not work the same. In this case, you would have to play with PID settings to get the gimbal working with the new firmware.

  25. bwagner

    Emm,
    First off, thank you for your reply and support.

    I haven't used the unit inverted. It originally happened when switching between profiles while shooting. It happens mostly in profiles 1 and 2 and is barely noticeable in 3.

    This morning when I hooked it up it listed that the 'motor is missing steps' and 'accelerometer is not calibrated.' I performed the acc calibration and that error message went away but it's still shows that the motor is missing steps.

    Its running board 3.1 firmware 2.55 b4. The only thing I did when it arrived was program the rc --4 click to acc calibrate, 5 click to gyro calibrate and remove the roll from all profiles. I haven't installed any new profiles, updated any firmware... I attempted the auto PID and auto Motor settings with no success and didn't know where to go from there... Again thank you for your response.

  26. Emm

     Post author

    @bwagner - That sounds pretty unusual to happen all of a sudden unless something is broken. Do you know if you were rotating the roll bar around using inverted mode? It should have come with a clamp to prevent the wires from twisting at the roll motor, but if it's not there and you twist it enough times, the wires inside could get tangled up.
    What exactly happened when it started to do the crazy dance?
    Was the firmware upgraded or PID settings changed at any point in time?
    Does this all happen in every profile?
    Do you see any error messages when you connect to the software?

  27. bwagner

    Emm,
    Just used my CAME Mini2 for my first shoot last night. Half-way thru it started beeping and then started doing the crazy dance--vibrating heavily and sporadically specifically in profile 1 and 2... I thought it was batteries, so I installed new batteries but it just repeated the beeping crazy dance.

    Today I went through your videos on setup and the unit is still vibrating and stating the 'motor is missing step.' I am running a a7rii w/ a 28mm f/2, which I think should be well under the weight capacity.

    I've emailed CAME but haven't heard back.

    Any suggestions? All your support of this stuff is great. Just hoping to get my unit back... Thank you in advance for any help you might be!

  28. Emm

     Post author

    @Zak - Yeah the Sony will match much better than the GH4, but I haven't tried the 24-70mm yet.

  29.

    Emm,
    I've checked the balance and YAW and ROLL are great. I actually get better response and less vibration when the camera is a little back heavy and the pan axis is a little front heavy... I also tweaked the power settings and yes there was less vibration but it also was way less responsive... I'm wondering if adding a steel plate to bring up the mass might help the motor and give it some resistance.

    What are your thoughts on using the A7Rii and the Sony 24-70, they show this setup on the Mini2 on the CAME website but it's actually just above the weight limit of the unit. I'm thinking of replacing the GH4 with that setup to match my FS7 easier in post.

    Thanks, Zak

  30. Emm

     Post author

    @Zak - Double check your balance on the YAW. Hold the gimbal sideways while off to check if it swings. If you have good balance, then you may need to lower power settings.

  32.

    Emm,
    I've been playing with the Came Mini 2 for a couple weeks now. The camera setup is a GH4 with 12-35, filter, and nothing else. It's been working great until yesterday when the Yaw motor started giving high frequency vibrations with the same setup I've been using for a while.

    Any suggestions?

  34. Steve

    What USB to mini usb cable should I be using to connect the came mini 2 gimble to my Macbook Pro laptop? plugged in two different cables that I had laying around and neither showed up in connecting to the simpleBGC software (are they charging only cables?) software only looking for a bluetooth connection which I don't have.

    Thanks in advance

  35. Emm

     Post author

    @Ethan - They are two totally different gimbals, and yes it boils down to size. The 7800 will carry cameras more than twice what the Mini2 can.

  36. Ethan

    Hey Emm,

    I am looking at the Mini 2 and 7800. What is the main selling point of the Mini over the 7800. Is it just size? Because (at least the time of writing), the 7800 is actually less expensive than the Mini and seems more fully equipped?

    Thanks!

  37. Emm

     Post author

    @Kristian - Getting the camera on and off is easier with a QR plate. I think the 2 is worth the small upgrades.

  38. Emm

     Post author

    @Kristian - If you have the same firmware then yes the same settings and PID values can be applied to both. They are the same.

  39. Kristian

    Also, is it worth it to get the mini 2 over the mini 1, if I plan to use the same set-up each time?

  40. Kristian

    Slightly off topic: is the mini 1 the same as the mini 2, except for beeing tool-less and qr-plate?

    Will the same settings work on 1 and 2?

  41. Editwizard

    WOW, to follow up - I made those settings changes and I think they are going to work really well. I hadn't used my joystick all that much yet and now by setting the DEFY G2x (same alexmos simplebgc software) to lock the tilt axis and use the joystick to only control tilt, this seems like it will give me more precision in my movements.

    It's always been a little tough for me to control tilt and pan just by using the full follow mode. I'd never thought of separating the two controls and using them at once!

    I can't wait to practice with it because it reminds me of the epiphany of moving the AF to the back AF-ON button for stills.

  42. Editwizard

    This is awesome and timely. I've been tweaking my DEFY G2x a bit and experimenting with SimpleBGC. The calibrate acc and calibrate gyro as well as shutting off the joystick pan all sound like excellent options that I'll try.

    Thanks for the great tutorial - I don't think it was too long lol!

  43. Emm

     Post author

    @Major - No, the CAME-TV MINI2 Gimbal will not support a Canon with Sigma 18-35mm. You would be looking more at their larger 7800 model.

  44. Major

    Will this gimble support a canon 70d w/ a 18-35mm F1.8 Art or should i get the CAME-7800

  46. Ennen

    Thanks for quick reply. I downloaded the profiles you posted in an older post

    (httpss://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/mSymzVOKaD1ymVe7heYuuU_l99jtNliPXXGkxHmtw8k?ref_=cd_share_link_copy)

    I use a Canon 550 with a 18-135 Kit Lens (ca. 0,9 KG), I think thats similar to your Sony Setup. So I have the same PID Setting like your Screenshot. (NUM.Poles 22).
    I tried a lot of balancing (6 Step etc) but still have troubles in the briefcase mode, I will try again. I just shouldn´t erase the EEPROM, it was function well out of the package....

    For the Joystick extention:

    I saw the same cable on one of your video (Part 6 - CAME 7000 3 Axis Gimbal Build Installing Joystick)

    There is a black 5 small wires going into your board (in this video its not the Joystick ones but for the came tv mini it is that cable i need). I will ask Came TV if I can have the connectors, would be helpful for a lot of people.

    Thanks EMM!

  47. Emm

     Post author

    @Ennen - First question, what exactly is your camera and lens setup? This is important to know since you're stating the motor has some noise. This typically means your PID settings are either over powered or underpowered. These are the default profiles from the CAME-MINI2.

    Also when you say you messed it up, did you download and install profiles from some other gimbal model? Downloaded profiles from a different gimbal will change more than PID settings and will screw up your gimbal. I'm going to work on another video about this soon.

  48. Ennen

    Hello EMM,

    i just bought the Came TV mini2 Gimbal and have 2 important questions for you. I´m a german filmmaker and love your tuts, thank you very much.

    1 Question: To use my gimbal on a Jib-Crane I have to extend the cable of the joystick. I dont whant to cut the cable so I´m seraching for that connection pin of the 5 small black cables. In germany I can´t find something like this, don´t know it is very special. Maybe you can help me finding a solution to get 3meters of cable beetwenn the Joystick and the small cable which is gogin into the handlebar.

    2. Question:
    After resetting the gimbal (i messed it up) its hard to get back to the original profiles, I donloaded some but still is not working that good when I am putting the camera on the gimbal in crazy positions like you do sometimes. The motors are getting noise, so pls. make a screenshot of your Mainsite of the SimpleBGC.

    Would be so helpful if you can answer my question! Thank u very much and greetings to US!

  50. Darren

    Emm - all of your videos are great, but this one was especially great. I think a lot of gimbal users are experiencing the drift issues, and this not only addresses why it happens, but how to avoid it / manage it. Awesome.

    PS - I ordered a Came Single, largely based on your posts about it. Don't fail me Emm. hah

  51.

    will you one day make a video on the deadband curve ? it would be nice to get a few great curves going, curves which start pans even with a delay, then smoothlu and very slowly starts the pan , and continous into a little faster speeds of the pan . Same as its done so often in movies, instead of sudden starts of pans (or tilts etc) ,which often look and feel like a janking of a camera move , ...

  54. steve

    Thanks for all you do for us Emm it is appreciated very much. Is the came mini 2 the 8 bit or 32 bit software?

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