Z1 Rider GoPro HERO3 HERO4 Mini 3 Axis Gimbal Mounted on Audio Boom Pole

• • 28 Comments

Remember the versatile Z1 Rider GoPro Gimbal I shared a short while back? Well, the other day I had the opportunity to test it out while mounted to one of my Carbon Fiber Audio Boom Poles. Here are a few examples.

So while the footage may not be perfect, I think the results came out pretty well considering it only took a very minimal set of tools. The GoPro HERO4 is a camera small enough to fit in your shirt pocket, and the versatile design of the Z1 Rider Gimbal allows you to mount it almost anywhere you can mount the GoPro itself.

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find-price-button Z1 Rider Mini 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer for GoPro Cameras

The original shots were done with a DJI Ronin Gimbal and Sony A7s (not seen here). Needless to say the footage captured from the Ronin was better, but with that heavy setup comes additional effort and risk.

Being able to move a tiny GoPro around at the end of a stick while having full three axis stabilization was both easy and fun. About 2:17 in the video even looks like
Aerial Drone footage. Something i'll definitely be experimenting more with, though next time i'll probably choose a different framerate and turn ProTune On for best quality.

The Audio Boom Pole I used could have easily been replaced with a broom stick or cheap Painter's Pole. If you need a rock solid camera tripod mount adapter for a Painter's Pole, make sure to check out the adapter from SeaPort Digital (found here).

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find-price-button Seaport Digital Painter's Pole Adapter with 1/4-20 Male Thread

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28 thoughts on “Z1 Rider GoPro HERO3 HERO4 Mini 3 Axis Gimbal Mounted on Audio Boom Pole”

  1. David

    Hi group, just received my z1 did a test in the living room and mine is a bit sticky when it turns wondering if anyone can offer advice as to what the issue is (because it's new?) or is there an add oil area or defect?

    Thanks David

  2. Emm

     Post author

    @Sean Janson - The motors have been positioned to balance a GoPro properly. Even if you could attach the Sony, I don't know if it will be well balanced which means it won't perform optimally.

  5. Emm

     Post author

    @Dan - I haven't upgraded mine. Maybe it's better but i'm fine for now.

  6. Dan

    @Emm

    Cool. And would you recommend updating the firmware, or sticking with what appears to be working alright?

  7. Emm

     Post author

    @Dan - I throw mine around a bit, and just using a regular backpack. Been lucky so far, but I do recommend that you throw it in a good small hard case.

  8. Dan

    I just received mine for use on an 18' painter's pole for quick and easy wide-jib shots.

    Was there any improvement after the calibration and update? mine seems to be working well out of the box as well. Also what are you using to store this thing? It feels well built, but still fragile. I was planning on a small pelican case dedicated to it.

  9. Thomas

    Purchased one from eBay. Got it from China the day seller said it would. Works great. No luck with firmware update (the link actually goes to a previous version of the "tool software") I am using an XP Windows PC. Tool 1.05 connects but I'm kinda scared to calibrate since I can't find a firmware update and unit seems to be fine out of the box.
    Thanks for the recommendation Emm !

  11.

    Is it possible to attached the Z1 Rider to a drone ? Specifically the Phantom 2 ? I heard some are doing this but can find anything online. Thanks

  12. Emm

     Post author

    @Robert Peak - I downloaded it to a Windows computer from their website and just walked through the calibration settings. It seemed fine during my use. One thing about gimbal sensors is that they always need to be calibrated. Whether it be on a quadcopter or gimbal, temperature, sea level, magnetism, can all throw off calibration. Even just sitting for a few weeks can throw off a sensor slightly. These gimbals start out in China and then end up all over the world, so it's always a good idea to calibrate periodically.

  13.

    I don't know if it is the same gimbal, but I can attest to the tilting that Steve Rawlins indicated above in his comments. I have not updated my firmware yet and wish these manufacturers would provide software for Macs to update firmware.

  14.

    Hey. Great seeing more footage of the Z1! Out of interest, do you know if the Z1 Pround uses the same gimbal as the Rider? I read the Pround was an updated version and smoother, but haven't been able to find an definitive source yet.

  15. Steve Rawlins

    Hi Emm,
    I purchased the Z1 after you giving it a thumbs up. Where do you get hold of the calibration software? When I pan with the gimbal - the horizon doesn't stay level, it seems to tilt down either way - you being a Gimbal Guru, was wodering whether this is something that can be rectified! Cheers.

  17. Emm

     Post author

    @cb - Wide angle lenses make things looks faster than they really are. We were probably going around 40mph.

  18.

    Emm, have you tried charging the GoPro while using on the pole? Have you tried anything like the Polar Pro PowerPole with it. Just wondering what your thoughts are regarding the charging cable being attached to the GoPro while the gimbal in in operation and the camera is recording.

  20. Emm

     Post author

    @JSS - Yes batteries last a long while. I cycle it off when not in use so it can last for days. Batteries can be found online and the charger is usb. So easy to charge during the drive to your shoot.

  21. JSS

    Wow Emm the Z1 worked great for that shoot. I'm impressed. Did the batteries for it last your whole shoot? Can you easily find extra batteries for it?

  23. Emm

     Post author

    @Renato Murilo Langona - Yes I used the software and went through the process of calibrating the sensors.

  25. Emm

     Post author

    @Robert Peak - Yeah I had my GoPro Naked, and didn't have my filter adapter. I should try the ND thing too to reduce that shutter speed, thanks.

  26.

    Hi Emm,

    In addition to the faster framerate, the choppiness could also have been controlled by using an ND3 on the GoPro. That would help slow the shutter speed down, especially under such bright conditions.

    I took my Z1 Pround out on a deep snow hike for a test and it looks oh so smooth. It is really cool doing a boom shot from the altitude of someone's boots in front of me, then rising up above their head, all while hiking.

  27. Emm

     Post author

    @Apostolos - Yes there is 'no image stabilization' done from post software. I mentined 60p as 24fps might look more choppy with these fast moving shots. Maybe it would have looked smoother and with the GoPro the lower resolutions may have better data rates than using 4K. Typically higher resolutions are more compressed (as the case with GH4).

    Also with 60 or 120 I would have the option of slowing it down a bit to make it look more dramatic I guess and extend the greatest shots longer on screen.

  28.

    When you say "image stabilization" you mean the one in Premiere? You're saying 60p, or 120p would have made it look smoother? It would have looked like slo-mo though, no?

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