CAMETV 7800 Gimbal Tricks – How Stable Is It?

• • 83 Comments

Earlier today I had a comment about the CAMETV 7800 Gimbal and how people may want the 'camera over handles' mode. In this mode you don't have to raise your arms very high and will have less fatigue. Not exclusive to the 7800, any 32 bit Alexmos / Basecam gimbal can perform various positions and remain incredibly stable. In this video (below) i'm demonstrating just how stable these gimbals can be with the right configuration.

Now I realize the DJI Ronin is the best bang for the buck and it is an amazing system to carry heavy payloads. The main reason I use other gimbals is because i'm typically working with smaller cameras. I don't need to travel with the bulk, and I don't need to run around with the weight of the Ronin. If you watched the video above, you can see how even me (small guy) can man handle these all carbon fiber gimbals with just one hand [try that with a Ronin]. Even while switching through all of the different positions, the 7800 remained completely stable.

With this stability in a sub $1300 dollar gimbal like the 7800, you can see why it's really hard for me to go with a heavier gimbal like the Ronin. Unless of course there's a need to carry such a heavy payload, i'd rather just borrow a friends or rent one. Otherwise i'm happy to work with a more convenient system. As you can see in my video i'm using a heavier Canon 5D Mark III with Sigma Lens. If you're shooting with a GH4 or Sony A7s, these smaller lighter gimbals should make your life much easier when you have to pack, travel, and shoot all day.

Now the tricks I show on the CAMETV is not limited to nor exclusive to the 7800. Any gimbal running the new 32 bit software that has a properly balanced camera can operate just the same. It's extremely time consuming, but i'll try to do more videos on showing you a step by step process on balancing soon, but if you guys have any questions let me know.

CAME-TV 7800 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
find-price-button CAME-TV 7800 RTR 3 Axis Gimbal Stabilizer

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83 thoughts on “CAMETV 7800 Gimbal Tricks – How Stable Is It?”

  1. Emm

     Post author

    @Wheeler - If you know how to use the software, try going into the RC tab and change the RC settings for Pitch and Yaw to 'No input'. This is a test to see if your joystick is bad and is causing this problem. There are so many variables, that I would suggest starting the troubleshooting with CAMETV support, they will be able to walk you through different checks to narrow down what the problem could be.

  2.

    I have a Came-TV 7800 and balanced it and used it for a month and it worked fine. I have never changed PID settings. Now it shakes when tilting and using the pitch motor. Please see uploaded video for example of problem.

    https://youtu.be/u4SSg0sbS0E

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks and great work on all your gimbal posts.

  4. Daniel

    Hey Emm. I can't find the answer anywhere. Will the honu cage for the gh4 fit inside this gimbal? and will it work with the quick release plate from the kamerar qb-15?

  6. Emm

     Post author

    @Dave - You download the latest firmware and then you'll have to configure the software yourself to how you like it. I think the 'latest' firmware may support inverted mode if you power the unit off, rotate the handles, and then power it back on. If the gimbal is still struggling, then you have to retune your PID settings.

  7.

    Thanks Emm! I didn´t tilt the gimbal in the film... but I could do so without yaw arm moving (camera panning). Will try again. Regarding the firmware (I use SimpleBGC v2.42) and profile settings, can they be dowloaded or do I have to make them myself?

  8. Emm

     Post author

    @Dave - First up, I don't think you balanced the Yaw tilting the handles sideways and over the camera. If you don't have that balanced, then the gimbal will struggle. Second, I was able to do it because I had mine perfectly balanced, but technically you aren't supposed to be able to go 'inverted' on the fly. You need to make sure you're using the proper firmware installed and configured to where you would flip the gimbal and then turn it on. It will auto detect the inverted gimbal and then attempt to operate normally. Otherwise there's also a profile setting you can choose that you need to switch to before you go inverted.

  9.

    Hi Emm, I don´t suppose you would have a clue as to what is the fault with my CAME 7800. It won't work over the handles, with my 5D+16-35, the gimbal starts to wobble as soon as i tilt it. As in this video I sent them (first minute only shows that it is properly balanced). httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmTQ9Dvocl0
    When I tried with my Canon 550D the motor starts humming and hissing really loud as soon as I put it over the handles.
    CAMETV say I shouldn't be using it over the handles... But if I really had to, then invert the camera and put the pan bar back to front. Like in this video they sent me; https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODcyOTUyNzk2.html
    For some reason this works with my 550D, but it seems really stupid since the gimbal gets unbalanced + it won´t do for my heavier 5D. Would really like fix it. Any idea what to do? PS. Love you blog, been spending at least a few hours a month on it the last couple of years 🙂

  10. DomSim

    theIdol, I just got my 7800 and had the same thing with the roll bar. I also notice that the back post was a bit off angle so I had to play a bit to put it kind of straight.

    Thank you Emm for the tutorial there is maybe one small detail that you did not elaborate to help with the balance,since i had problem to balance my Sony A6000 with a Sony 18-108mm until I move the bottom part ( where the QR plate sit ) up . That was a lot better. I still have some minor adjustment since the frame was not i a perfect alignment from Came but so far so good !!

  11. Emm

     Post author

    @theidol - The angle of your arms will definitely effect your balance. Try to make it as square as possible.

  12. theIdol

    Ok, it's very possible I am confused. I thought the roll & tilt would be adjusted by the QR plate and not adjusting the roll bar in the back. In my case the roll bar was loose and pointing down without a camera even on it, So I needed to lock that down first before and other adjustments. Which was different from your video. When I look at the roll bar from the side the bar with the motor on it is slightly angled up a degree or 2 compared to the other side with the bearing on it. I think that might be impending my efforts to balance this.

  13. Emm

     Post author

    @theIdol - I think you're confused. The unit does not come pre-balanced. It only comes 'pre-configured' in the PID settings. You need to walk trough the steps of balancing for your camera and that is why they left the items loose.

  14. theIdol

    I just got my 7800 last week and mine sure wasn't the same as the way you got yours. Both the yaw and roll bars were completely loose in fact the yaw bar was almost out of the 2nd retainer. As a gimbal that was to be balanced at the factory this sure isn't it. Even the QR plate is trouble, seems like a soft metal. When I tighten down so the camera doesn't rotate it puts major groves in the plate. I have been struggling for 3 days to get this balanced and so far no joy.

  16.

    Can anyone here please help? My 7800 will not hold the horizon level. I have contacted CAME they sent the gimbal software and a quick video on how to re calibrate. The problem is My Mac or my PC will not connect to the software. I'm at the point of send this back. Any help would be great.

  17.

    I think it was because the rokinon 35mm f1.4 is so long and heavy. I found the center of gravity and put it there and didn't go by the gimbal leaning forward or back and its not doing it anymore.

  18. Emm

     Post author

    @AO&JO Photography - I'm not super clear about the problems you are having. A video would help alot. When standing behind the camera, the pitch motor should be on the left side of the camera. Do you have it backwards or upside down when you balanced? Did you change anything in the software for sensor positions?

  19.

    My camera right to left movement is balance I can lean it back and it stays in position so my pitch is balanced. It no longer swings when I lift a handle off the stand so my yaw is good to go. I powered it up and I had held the joystick in I didn't know what calibrate ACC meant. Now my camera seems to be balance but keeps turning upside down so basically the bottom rail is at the top position. Help please? The roll bar is suppose to be at 90 degrees correct?

  21. Emm

     Post author

    @Jeff - It would work (if you can find a way to mount it) as a pan tilt head on a jib. These gimbals are designed so you can plug in an external RC remote for second operator mode. The only thing is you would have to open up the case that hides the controller to attach the remote's receiver and you won't be doing 360 spins, just 180 angles.

  22. Jeff

    How well would this work as a light weight Pan & Tilt and the end of a Jib/Crane? I was thinking the joystick control could be moved to the operator end. Would it be able to perform smooth slow start and stops for pans and tilt? How would it compare to you Servo City system you were using?

  24. Emm

     Post author

    @ghost99 - Yes they have a generic profile setup to work with that size camera, but if you take the time to learn the software you can tune it for many other cameras and other weight.

  25. ghost99

    Hey Emm,

    Quick question - on their site it states the following:

    *** 2-We have set up PIDS before shipping , it can work with different camera directly, just like 5D3, 5D2, 7D, GH4, and Sony A7 ***

    Does this mean it can also support the Canon 60D? I just wanted to verify this before purchase

  26. Emm

     Post author

    @Apostolos - Off the shelf it's a great kit and mostly configured. But with any gimbal you still have to learn the balance dance and eventually some software tuning - even with the Ronin. I myself have been building custom ones for different purposes, but for an off the shelf solution under 1400, I recommend the 7800. If you want more convenience features you would have to pay more.

  28. Emm

     Post author

    @Apostolos - I doubt that is a real Gini website. Gini only makes Rigs not cranes or stabilizers. I heard there was some weird falling out with a partner site and it's still a mess. Whi knows.

    That listing also has no battery, means no charger, and you have to assemble it from scratch. Doesn't come assembled like the one i'm showing in the article with battery tray and monitor mount. Doesn't have the new QR baseplate system too that makes it easy to balance.

    It's about 70% of what you need to start flying, which is easy once you learn it and know what extra parts to shop for, but tuning, assembly, and balancing can also be the hardest part for new owners.

  30. Glenn

    What's supposed to happen after a "long click" of the joystick? (Click and hold the joystick button for longer than 5-seconds.) Mine beeps ~10 to 15 times then all the lights flash and turn red. The gimbal then stops responding to any joystick commands or movement. I have to power it off and back on to reset it. Is this normal?

    If I'm not mistaken I believe this "mode" does a "Calibrate Accelerometer". Anyone have any experience with this?

  31. Dan

    I took my 7800 out on a boat today on Lake Havasu. The 7800 performed amazingly. It was like it was on a tripod on solid ground, and I was on water, handheld. The horizon was rock solid. I can't believe how nice the footage looks. Panasonic GH4 in 4K UHD.

    I supported the 7800 with an Atlas single rod system [ https://www.atlascamerasupport.com/1-rod-packages ] that we've owned for many years but have barely used.

    It holds the 7800/GH4 combo like it's weightless. It is a bit of a pain to have the single rod bonking me in the head.

    I'm playing with the idea of bending a piece of 1/2" EMT conduit, placing it in the pockets of the Atlas vest and hanging the 7800 via a bungee cord.

    Also, my SmallHD DP4 with its loupe attached is the only way to see the image in daylight. It works quite well when it's mounted on the 7800's monitor mount. Good to evaluate exposure, framing and focus.

    7800 is amazingly stable, even going over severe wakes handheld. Amazing. Rock Solid.

  32. Dan

    @Emm comment #52

    The socket screws that attach the yaw arm to the upper frame on my 7800 have 2.5mm sockets and a thread pitch of M3 x .50mm.

    These are the silver socket screws that are 40mm long measuring from under the socket head to end of threads.

    As for shipping time, mine took 20 days from the day I placed the order, but to be fair I was on Pre-Order status at first and then the Chinese national holiday from Oct 1-7 stopped all work. Once it actually shipped it got here remarkably fast: a few few days to arrive in California.

  33.

    Hey Emm
    Have you tried to use the Winbook TW100 10.1 as a field monitor for your DSLR? I see you used it to tune your motors in the 7800 so it should work right?

  34. Emm

     Post author

    @VictorDizon - I think the only one that really needs addressing on the 7800 is the YAW area. The roll can pretty much be handled through the new quick release baseplate going forward / back / left / right. The screws on the YAW clamp are smaller than M4, so I haven't figured out exactly what size those are, but I don't see why those can't be changed to something with a knob.

    If you want to make it easier for you, a proper driver makes a world of a difference. The hex tool is tedious but a proper driver makes things to 10x faster, and you can torque down better. Find yourself one of these sets, you'll need the 2.5 for the small clamp screws.


    https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Titanium-Nitride-Driver-Wrench/dp/B00C7N1DV8/

  35.

    @emm - I wonder.. in your DIY expertise... how would you improve the knobs and screws for the CAME 7800? Would love suggestions on where and what parts, screws/sizes to get. Making it tool-less. 🙂

  36. Emm

     Post author

    @VictorDizon - Depends on the country. Some get it in 5 days, some may be longer as it runs through Customs in your country.

  40.

    This is a super random question but throughout your demonstration I was eyeing up your watch.. what brand is that. Looks like the Apple Watches rock and roll lovin uncle.

    Oh and the video was great. I think im going to skip the Ronin and learn gimbling the CAME way.

  41. Alam

    Does anyone know how much shipping is to Canada? I tied their shipping est tool and it failed to work. Reading Dans comments I’m a bit skeptical as I can get a great price on a RONIN since I work at a store that sells them. but none the less still almost a 1000 more than what I’d pay for the CAMETV. Seems as though Quality control is also better too…

  42. Dez

    In terms of build quality, the CAME 7800 is more solid than I thought it would be. Feels as if I take care of it it'll last for a few years before needing to be replaced. I've researched most of all the gimbals on the market and the 7800 in my opinion is the best bang for the buck. I always take into consideration that a full production is not just gimbal movements all the way. So an affordable price point that allows be to still afford other items like lights and filters is defiantly a plus for me.

  43. Dez

    @Emm @Group I got my CAME 7800 last week and shipping took less than 5 days! Surprisingly enough customer service was pretty good compared to what I normally read on the blogs. Each email was answered within a 12 to 24 hr time span which was great. I'm now learning how to balance the gimbal and hoping there aren't any hidden problems later on. I ordered the battery and charger suggested by @Emm and received the charger yesterday. Over all I can't say anything bad about CAME. They've done a good job so far so I can only give my positive experience.

  44. Emm

     Post author

    @Tery Wilson - I tend to cycle the gimbal on only when i'm ready to shoot, it starts up quickly. So it could last several hours or maybe 1 hour non-stop. Because it relies on voltage for settings, the gimbal will act differently when the battery voltage gets lower. Technically the batteries aren't depleted completely, they just get too low for the gimbal to operate properly. With an 11v battery, if it drops to 10v, then it's time to replace.

  47. Emm

     Post author

    @Soike - httpss://cheesycam.com/12-minutes-and-12-dollars-diy-metal-stand-for-3-axis-gimbals/

  48. Soike

    Hey Emm! Thanks for the post! Can u please post the link for your diy stand for stabilizing? Don't really want to drop an extra $180 for the one their website is selling.

    Thanks!

  49. Emm

     Post author

    @Southerndude - The joystick only supports two axis. So in your profile you can set roll, tilt, and yaw (pan). Choose any two you need and yes you can set that with joystick. You may want to do that only in one profile as if you accidentally hit the joystick while tilting up/down it can throw you off.

  50.

    Good Points, that's why I love coming here. If when your using your gimbal and the camera just won't stay level to the Horizon, can you just adjust the roll with the joystick?

  51. Emm

     Post author

    @Southerndude - There has always been two options for calibrating sensors and gyro. Again i'm no expert but when your gimbal frame is not sitting totally squared up you can hit calibrate gyros, hold it square and it will reset position. Over time or if you get wild with your gimbal sometimes you need to reset position, so I have it in my profiles. Even if you store your gimbal on the shelf for a few weeks sometimes you have to reset the sensors. This is for any gimbal or even multicopter, sometimes sensors just need to be recalibrated. With an option in your joystick, you hold it as level as possible and calibrate sensors.

    For my profiles I mainly only use two. I use tilt off follow yaw. Tilt on follow yaw. I always have YAW follow on, mainly because i'm not doing second operator mode. I shoot all by myself, so I need that follow on. My speeds are always pretty fast and if I want them slower, I just physically move slower. Having too slow of a yaw or tilt annoys me because you cant quickly speed it up, but you can always physically slow down.

  52.

    Emm: Based on your experience then of having 2 profiles used for sensor and Gyro calibration, that leaves you with 3, so what follow me profiles would you choose, between Fast, Medium, and Slow. Basically, what two profiles do you think that you would use, of follow me. the last profile being for locked straight.

  53.

    That's a very valid point. I will call them and ask them about that and if they can customize the last two profiles. Emm: I'm just curious, I thought that the Sensors and that Gyros are the same? I don't remember Gyros an the Came7000 I had.

  54. Emm

     Post author

    @Southerndude - I'm sure they have a great gimbal, but to clarify about their 'modes' that's just running the same software with different profiles stored. Any gimbal on the market running the Basecam controller can be set to the same.

    I personally would not use all 5 profiles for those settings because eventually you'll need to use both 'calibrate sensor' and 'calibrate gyros'. I typically set those last two options in Profile 4 and Profile 5. If you don't have those settings stored in your system, you'll have to run back to a usb cable or sync up via bluetooth to reset those options. If you have it stored in your joystick you could do it on the fly.

  55. Emm

     Post author

    @Tery Wilson - The Top handle does not affect the balance, so you can mount whatever you want to the top bar. You'll just have to deal with the weight.

  57.

    I've played with the Ronin, and can attest to the weight of the unit. I had it with a C100, and not a large lens. It was pretty heavy. I had it attached to an easy rig vest, and that definitely helped a ton!

  58. Emm

     Post author

    @Jeff - The HERO4 is the same as the HERO3, so any of the gimbals should work. There are two small handle ones that people keep talking about, either the Feyui or the FunnyGo. I hear the FunnyGo is the better one.


    find-price-button Feiyu G3 GoPro 3 Axis Gimbal


    find-price-button Hi-Fly Funnygo

    Me personally i'm working on something else, but it would take some work to get it as smooth as the FunnyGo. I'm still tuning it up.

    Loading

    Yup #4K #Gimbal All Day without breaking a sweat. #GoPro #Hero4 #DIY. She just needs some tuning, but she works.

    View on Instagram

  59.

    Hi Emm,

    Are there any 3axis gimbals that you would recommend with the gopro4. Looking for something I can use with one hand.

    Thanks for any insight you might have.

  60. Emm

     Post author

    @Saiaf - Well it sounds like the setup is close to my setup, are you sure you have it balanced perfectly?

    When it is off you should be able to tilt the handles lef and right and it should not swing. You should be able to tilt the handles over the top and it should not swing. Also the camera should be able to hold it's position when you move it around.

  61.

    Hey EMM the camera that I'm using is a Canon 6D and the lens is a 17-40mm as far as changing the settings I thought I was not supposed to do that with the 7800 please correct me if I'm wrong. I really can't wait to use this properly.

  63. Emm

     Post author

    @Matt - Nope, I wouldn't suggest it for a C100 camera. It may be able to handle the weight, but it's the physical size of the frame that may not work out well. The C100 will have to sit backwards on the frame and that ends up hitting the back roll bar when you tilt.

  64. Matt

    Hi Emm, will it support a C100 (maybe without the handle and hand grip attached)? Without those attachments, I'm thinking the weight would be similar, but the height would be different from, say, the 5DmkIII. Not sure though...

  65. Emm

     Post author

    @Jeff - This model will not support a C300 and neither will the Birdycam2. You will have to go for the Ronin or I believe CAMETV has an 8000 model coming out soon.

  66. Emm

     Post author

    @Saiaf - The first problem I see here is that I don't know what camera you are using, but what it sounds like is your camera setup is probably too light and you have to probably lower your settings.

  67. Emm

     Post author

    @Kiri - Is it hard to setup and and balance? Depends on which one you choose, but once you get them balanced then anyone without any experience can use this to keep a camera's horizon level. Like any tool, you still have to learn how to properly use it, balance, tune, and even walking and framing a shot require practice.

  68. Emm

     Post author

    @Valentin - Yes that may be possible to replace a handle if you really wanted to. These gimbals can handle a fair amount of imbalance so even zooming may not throw it off completely.

  69. Valentin

    Is it possible to replace the handle by the control handle of a motorised follow focus (not zoom) attached to the camera?
    I am wondering whether that Gimbal can handle a BlackMagic pocket cinema camera with a motorised follow focus such as the Opteka FFR-900 that you reviewed not long ago.
    Of course with Opteka FFR-900, zooming in such gimbal is out of the question with the change in weight distribution whenever the zoom change.

  70. Kiri

    Hi, you've probably seem my post about the Came H4 stabilizer frustrations with getting in balanced properly.
    With a system like this, is it fairly easy to get running and balanced (compared to steadicams)?
    Also, is it possible to set up profiles in the software for each lens/camera combo so I can change lenses and have it balanced correctly by choosing the profile?

    I really want a solution where I can have some flexibility and relative ease of use, without too much fiddling each time I want to shoot something.

  71.

    Hey Emm, I got the gimbal 7800 up and running but the motors keep fidgeting my camera. They fidget a lot. My footage isn't stable though I feel my camera is well balanced. what do you think is the problem thank you again

  73. Steve

    Hello Emm,

    Could we please see some footage with this gimbal? This will really determine whether of not I would buy one of these.

    Thanks
    Steve

  75. Emm

     Post author

    @Ken Poindexter - Keep in mind they are all using the same controllers and same software. The motors may be different and there are some additional features with the Birdycam. Is it worth the extra money? That depends on the person. If you look back at some of my stabilizer videos over the last several years i'm always using the same Canon 5D Mark III and Sigma 20mm lens. My friends who have been shooting hundreds of weddings over the years with the Glidecam, Steadicams, and now DJI Ronins are still using the same Canon 5D Mark III + 16-35mm Lens. So how often do you need to balance your setup? If you're working with the same setup, then you may be able to live without the fine tuning features.

    If you are the type to change up lenses, camera bodies, add accessories or maybe even rent out your system then you should look into something that can be more convenient for that. Either way, both systems once setup properly can offer amazing stability.

  76.

    Another great video! You did an excellent review of the Varavon Bidycam 2 a few months ago and seemed to really like it; particularly for its ease of balancing. So which do you like better based on your experience with each? Is the Varavon worth the extra money?

  77. Emm

     Post author

    @K.L. - It's pretty much just plug in a receiver, the boards already have the pins for it. There's plenty of documentation out there, but I can try to add my receiver and show you how it goes in. It's literally just plug in the connector and then turn on the option in the software.

  78. K.L.

    @Emm - Wow! Thanks so much for the quick response. I know absolutely nothing about control boards and the technical knowledge required to do something like that. Would it be relatively difficult to figure out? Or is it something that can be learned with enough research?

  79. Emm

     Post author

    @Ty - Well some cameras can use SD video out through a usb/av connector. If would be low res but usable for framing. I'm not sure the A7s supports anything but HDMI out. The Nyrius stuff is probably the cheapest method, but maybe I can find another cheap creative way.

  80. Emm

     Post author

    @K.L. - Well the only thing about the 7800 is it has a cover over the control board. The control board itself though can accept an RC remote, and you can also control it via bluetooth through your smartphone if you add the bluetooth module. You just have to open up the cover and add your wiring.

  81.

    I second the question above about remote operation.

    I was also wondering if you have found a good cost-effective solution for remote monitoring with your gimbals. I have been trying to research a good solution to use with my A7s, but it seems all the remote monitoring solutions compatible with HDMI are overkill for my needs, and also very expensive - stuff like Teradek products. Just wondering if you have found any creative ways around this. I was thinking about adapting the HDMI signal to use with my Tx for my quad, but that seems to require a lot of soldering and technical know-how.

    Thanks for all the info, your videos are great! I'm seriously considering a CAME 7088 now.

  82. K.L.

    Love your stuff! It's always really helpful. I'm wondering if it's possible to use any sort of wireless remote to control the pan and tilt instead of only having that option with the built in joystick? I'd like to run it with a 2 operator set up where one operator remotely manages the camera in the gimbal.

    Thanks!

  83. Ericwithacam

    Awesome reviews Thanks! Do you know if it can receive a remote system for use on a jib arm or by a second operator ?

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