Testing new Zhiyun Crane V2. Zhiyun Crane V2 vs Beholder DS1 and EC1 (UPDATED)

I decided to retake Shibuya video using new Zhiyun Crane V2 because I get many issues with Beholder DS1 shooting old video.

Beholder DS1 issues:

1. Noisy. Can be partially fixed by tuning settings, but noise returns and it gets some stabilization issues after less than 1 hour when battery level drops (fixed in EC1). 
2. That means battery life is 1 hour.
3. Battery indicator is on opposite side of handle and cannot be seen while shooting (fixed in EC1).
4. Not 360 deg (fixed in EC1)
5. Drifting. While in following mode it does not return always to the same position. After some time pan direction gets off center and I have to correct it with joystick  (fixed in EC1). Because it's not 360 deg gimbal I hit limiters several times.
6. Battery replacing is complicated and time consuming because of special battery clip. Same for EC1, but I can shoot half a day with one charge.
7. No Bluetooth remote control (Same for EC1). As I often use gimbal on monopod over crowd heads it's very hard to adjust frame without remote control. DS1 cable is ugly, especially if I have to change monopod length often.
8. Balance adjustment is not enough for camera on quick plate. Fixed in EC1.
9. 3/8" screw bottom mount requires 1/4" adapter which makes monopod mount a bit shaky. Fixed with some padding.

Zhiyun Crane V2 advantage:

1. No noise or vibration.
2. Used for 1.5 hours and still had 4/4 (4 blinks) without any issue.
3. Indicator is not the best, but at least visible.
4. 360 deg.
5. No drift noticed so far.
6. Batteries are simply inserted into handle.
7. Bluetooth remote control.
8. Camera rec/stop control from gimbal. Not big deal but useful.
9. Can be used with quick plate.
10. 1/4" bottom mount.

Zhiyun Crane V2 issues or Zhiyun Crane V2 vs Beholder DS1:

1. With any settings Zhiyun Crane V2 is unable to compensate all vibration. Even simple finger touches will destabilize it and it will slowly try to stabilize. That is not the case for other gimbals.
2. Zhiyun Crane V2 default settings hard to use. Compensation is too hard  and even small pan or pitch shaking is visible because treated as normal movement. I tried to change settings, but need to retest.
3. Zhiyun Crane V2 with default firmware in full follow mode (following both pan and pitch) cannot adjust pan or pitch from joystick, but it has useless roll.
4. Zhiyun web site is just slow useless crap. Just to get to download section it can take 5 min. Impossible to download anything because speed is several BYTES per second and it fails anyway. Fortunately mobile app is in Google Play, unfortunately firmware update is not working there.
5. Zhiyun Crane is using proprietary software, so together with unusable website it means unlikely that any issues like full following mode will be fixed. Beholder's software is common and opensource.
6. Huge camera mount plate hits pan motor in some angles.
7. After balancing camera Zhiyun Crane V2 cannot be folded flat as pitch motor hits pan motor.

Summary

After few weeks of using Zhiyun Crane V2 pitch motor has failed and gimbal was sent for refund.

Next I bought Beholder EC1. So far after a month of using I think it's more useful even with minor inconvenience like missing Bluetooth and battery block. Actually I'm going make DIY Bluetooth control

Cities and villages of Tokyo

Many people visit central cities of Tokyo like Shinjuku, Shibuya or Minato. Most of man-made tourist attractions are located there and travel does not take much time or money.


But the center is only 1/4 of whole Tokyo and all natural attractions are located in other parts.

Sumida river and Sky Tree Timelapse

It's unusually good weather and nice clouds today, even if it's rainy season.

C# magic. Method group.

Just discovered with Resharper

If you have method

Result MyMethod(myParam param)
{
...
}

And If somewhere you use Linq like
Blabla(param => MyMethod(param))

You can replace it with "method group"
Blabla(MyMethod)

Funny Jokei temple

Strange, I forgot about this trip, only looking through my posts for it I found that did not write anything.
I found this place in some photo on Google+. Photo was about old man statue sitting with laptop.

№1 View in album

CP+ 2014

Several weeks ago I visited CP+ 2014 in Yokohama where I could see and touch new cameras. I was able to get there on weekends, but on Friday because of heavy snow it was announced that CP+ is finished. Fortunately on Sunday they reopened it again.
Yokohama Pacifico exhibition centre.

№1 View in album

Tokyo German Village

Tokyo German Village is thematic path in... Chiba prefecture.
From December till March they setup illumination and light shows.


Tunnel of light


Singing buildings.