{"id":5988,"date":"2015-05-19T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-19T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/suggestionofmotion.com\/?p=5988"},"modified":"2015-05-18T15:27:19","modified_gmt":"2015-05-19T01:27:19","slug":"varavon-birdycam-2-review-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/suggestionofmotion.com\/blog\/varavon-birdycam-2-review-02\/","title":{"rendered":"Varavon Birdycam 2 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Features & functionality are important, but at the end of the day, a 3-axis gimbal is judged by its performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Varavon’s Birdycam 2 is a compact 3-axis gimbal for hybrid cameras like the Panasonic GH4 and Sony a7S. Varavon clearly put a lot of thought into the Birdycam 2’s design, as it has several innovative features that sets it apart from other gimbals (even compared to much more expensive ones).<\/p>\n

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Note:<\/strong> For more details on specs and features, see part one of the Birdycam 2 review<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Birdycam 2’s features sure look nice, but how do these features perform in actual use? How quickly can you get the Birdycam 2 up and running? How long does the battery last?<\/p>\n

Most importantly: How smooth is the footage?<\/strong><\/p>\n

B&H sent over the Birdycam 2 for us to test and we put it through the ringer to find out how well this gimbal performs in the real world.<\/p>\n

The Setup<\/h2>\n

Before you can go out and shoot with the Birdycam 2, it does require a bit of setup. For the most part, setup is fairly straightforward, but there are some minor issues along the way.<\/p>\n

Simple Balancing<\/h3>\n

Balancing the camera is the first step to shooting with any gimbal. The Birdycam 2 is one of the easiest and fastest gimbals to balance a camera on for 5 simple reasons:<\/p>\n

1. A Stable Stand<\/h4>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

The Birdycam 2 includes a stand that locks into the gimbal’s handles to provide a stable base for setup and balancing.<\/p>\n

\"Stand<\/a><\/p>\n

The stand features adjustable feet and a bubble level to ensure that the stand is level before you begin calibrating the gimbal.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a> \"Bubble<\/a><\/p>\n

The stand also has threaded holes so you can mount it on a tripod or light stand. This allows you to raise the Birdycam 2 up to a comfortable height for easier setup.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the only downside to the Birdycam 2’s stand is that it does not fold up. Instead, you have to break the stand down in order to pack it up, which can take a couple minutes.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Completely Tool-less<\/h4>\n

All adjustments required to balance the camera on the Birdycam 2 are completely tool-less. The Birdycam 2’s knobs are knurled for a sure grip, making adjustments easy whether you’re prepping for shoot in the studio, or in the middle of shooting on location.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Refined Micro-Adjustments<\/h4>\n

Tool-less adjustments are great, but the Birdycam 2’s micro-adjustments are awesome<\/em>. The micro-adjustment controls make it a cinch to dial in the perfect balance for your camera setup.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

Both the pitch and roll axes on the Birdycam 2 feature micro-adjustment knobs. The roll axis has a wide knob under the camera that is easy to adjust, while a pair of knobs on each side of the camera are are used to adjust the pitch axis with an impressive level of control.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a> \"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

Balancing the pitch axis with the micro-adjustment knobs can feel a bit slow because you have to make separate adjustments to both sides of the camera. However, the reference marks make it easy to match your settings on both sides, so it actually doesn’t take too long.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

Unlike the pitch and roll axes, the yaw axis does not have any micro-adjustment controls. Thankfully, the yaw axis slides smoothly and also features reference marks that allow for precise adjustments without too much trouble.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Independent Axis Locks<\/h4>\n

Even with tool-less micro-adjustments, balancing can be difficult if you have the other axes shifting around when you’re dialing in the balance for one axis. Thankfully, the Birdycam 2’s pitch, yaw, and roll axes can each be locked down independently so that you can focus on balancing each axis without any distractions.<\/p>\n

5. No Drama<\/h4>\n

All of these factors help to make the camera easier to balance on the Birdycam 2, but the biggest factor is how calm<\/em> this gimbal is when you’re balancing a camera on it.<\/p>\n

Some gimbals freak out when you’re your balance is off by a millimeter, but the Birdycam 2 isn’t finicky at all. This gimbal will hold the camera in position even when it’s just broadly balanced.<\/p>\n

\"Birdycam<\/a><\/p>\n

You could stop there and the Birdycam 2 would probably perform well, but the micro-adjustment controls make it too easy not<\/em> spend a few more seconds to dial in the balance so that it’s absolutely perfect.<\/p>\n

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Bottom line:<\/strong> Balancing your camera on the Birdycam 2 is very easy thanks to a stable stand, tool-less micro-adjustments, axis locks, and solid construction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Make Connections as Easy as 1-2-3<\/h3>\n

Once the camera is balanced, the only thing left to do is connect the power and control cables, which requires only 3 simple steps:<\/p>\n

1. Connect the Joystick<\/h4>\n

\"Connect<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Connect the Battery Pack<\/h4>\n

\"Connect<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Turn on the Battery Pack<\/h4>\n

Switch the battery pack to 12V and the gimbal will power up.<\/p>\n

\"Turn<\/a><\/p>\n

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Bottom line:<\/strong> Connecting the cables and turning the Birdycam 2 on is so simple that you might feel like you’ve missed a step.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sparse Instructions<\/h3>\n

A 3-axis gimbal is a complex piece of equipment, so it can be a bit daunting to use if you don’t have any prior experience. To make matters worse, the “manual” included with Birdycam 2 is quite thin.<\/p>\n

\"Thin<\/a><\/p>\n

The instructions that come with the Birdycam 2 pretty much only cover balancing the camera– there isn’t even any documentation on how to switch between the gimbal’s different profiles. If you need a gimbal that comes with detailed documentation, the Birdycam 2 may not be for you.<\/p>\n

However, despite the lack of printed instructions, there is some hope. Varavon has posted a step-by-step video on balancing the Birdycam 2. It would have been great if a link to this video was provided in the instructions that came with the Birdycam 2, but here it is for your reference:<\/p>\n