Stabilizing a video camera used to be a heavy, cumbersome, and expensive task. Today, with the help of smaller cameras and electronic gimbals, stable 4K footage has becoming increasingly affordable and compact. DJI has taken this idea to the max and created a handheld stabilized camera that can shoot 4K raw footage.
What Is It?
The X5R is a micro 4/3 camera with a built-in gimbal stabilizer that can be attached to the DJI Inspire 1 drone or DJI Osmo with the correct adapter. The X5 and X5R cameras are the same, but the "R" version can shoot 4K raw and costs $2000 more. The X5R/Osmo system is controlled with a smartphone that connects to the camera via WiFi. Controlling the camera movements can be done with buttons on the Osmo handle itself.
Using It
If you compare this system to a full-sized DSLR on a Ronin, you'll never want to use a full-sized rig again. The Ronin is more difficult to set up and infinitely harder to use. A 4K camera that has incredible low-light capabilities that is also automatically stabilized without any sort of calibration is an amazing achievement.
Of course, it's not a flawless option. I personally wish that there was some sort of built-in screen so that I wasn't forced to use my smartphone 100% of the time. The GoPro Silver can either be controlled with a smartphone or you can use the small LCD screen on the back instead. Having to continually hook up my smart phone, turn on the gimbal and wait for it to boot up, go to settings on my phone (while it's sideways), connect to the Osmo signal, then open the DJI Go app and wait for that to load made the whole process a bit more cumbersome and slow than using other cameras. Don't get me wrong: I still want the option to use my phone; I just wish that there was a faster option for those moments when you don't have time to deal with a phone or if your phone's battery dies.
The X5R has built-in fans that cool the raw processor and SSD drive. These fans were shockingly loud and will be a dealbreaker for many shooters who are also trying to record clean audio. The X5 does not have these fans and is quieter.
Battery Life
The battery life on the X5R is horrible. Because it has a raw processor that requires as external SSD drive and fans to cool it, it can run through a full battery in less than 25 minutes. From what I have read, the standard X5 camera should last at least 45 minutes, which is much more reasonable.
Video Quality
The 4K video quality out of the X5R is fantastic. In bright light, the camera was able to produce extremely clean and sharp images, but the real value is in its low light performance. The X5R is fitted with a 15mm f/1.7 lens. Pair that with impressive ISO performance, and you have an extremely versatile camera that fits in the palm of your hand.
Raw Video
This was the first time I attempted to shoot raw video. I guess I just assumed that raw video would be another video format that Premiere could edit. It's not that simple. First of all, the X5R records in some proprietary format. To make these files readable, you'll need to use DJI's software, "Cinelight." Cinelight is only available for Macs, and we only work on Windows machines here at Fstoppers. With Windows, you'll need to use "DJI Camera Exporter." You'll have to transfer the files and convert them, open them in an editing program, and pre-render so that it can play back smoothly. This can all take literally hours, but at this point, you are ready to start working with the files. You'll need to first color-grade the footage because it'll look horrible. After you spend time doing that, you'll need to export it again so that you can actually edit it.
I spent hours watching videos and scouring the internet for answers on how to edit the raw footage out of a X5R camera. If you want to read every excruciating detail, check out this forum thread. Keep in mind many of these issues have been worked through today.
Because I've never shot raw video before, I'm not sure if working with all raw video cameras is this complicated or if it is just a DJI thing, but it's not for me. If I was working on a movie or on TV commercials, I would be happy to spend the extra time to shoot raw video, but we aren't those type of shooters. We are "run and gunners," and because of that, I'm staying away from raw all together.
If you'd like to see a side by side comparison of the X5R shooting raw vs the X5 check out this great review by cinema 5D.
Conclusion
The X5R plus the Osmo handle is one of the coolest pieces of gear I've used in years. At almost $4,000, it's pretty expensive, but you are paying for the ability to shoot raw. Since I personally have lost interest in shooting raw, the standard X5/Osmo system will probably be a purchase I make in the near future. If you're looking for a handheld video camera that can shoot pro-quality footage, buy this system today. I don't think anything else currently on the market can compete with it.
The problem with these smaller gimbals is the 5th axis (up/down while moving)-which currently there is no way to stabilize it for these smaller rigs. At least with the MoVI/Ronin their weight helps keep the shots steadier & there's add on 5th axis stabilizers for them as well.
Is it recording a "true" uncompressed Raw? Or is it compressed?
True. I've thought about adding a weight to it. Also, check out the z axis addon by dji
Wow that's pretty cool! Didn't know about that.
Still going to stick with my Ronin though
This thing doesn't replace the steadiness of a gimbal though. With these smaller hand held stabilizers, you really have to master proper walking technique to avoid the 5th axis shake that cause the up and down jitters.
While sample footage you showed looked good. It almost looked like it was hand held with how shaky it was.
Nice review, appreciate the honesty. Perhaps a follow up with a video guy about RAW processing.
Some of these products escape me. No one but working professionals can afford a $4k investment for a hammer-sized contraption such as this. With that said, you get a battery life shorter than an episode of friends? Who exactly are they targeting?
Apparently you can get a battery extender that holds a drone battery or buy more batteries. But ya, I'm with ya
maybe my eyes are weird, but I would love to love the dji products but I'm always underwhelmed with the look of the files from their camera, it is so digital / artificial… even the graded raw videos I've seen
I am InterMurph; that's my X5R/Windows workflow post that you linked to. Things are much better now.
Specifically, Premiere Pro has added an excellent proxy system to its import/ingest step. So now when I ingest a raw clip, Premiere fires up Adobe Media Encoder to generate a low-bitrate 1080p proxy clip to go along with it. Once it is done, you edit full-speed with the proxy footage, and export using the original raw footage.
There is a button that lets you switch between the proxy and raw, and it reveals that the proxy footage is a very good approximation of the raw footage.
This doesn't solve all of the raw workflow problems, though. It takes a LONG time to get the footage off the SSD, and you MUST use DJI's proprietary tools to do it. That means that you can't really do that in the field.
And you simply cannot avoid the problem of managing many terabytes of footage. Each 500GB SSD can hold about 30 minutes of footage, and it adds up quickly. Sooner than you imagined, you have to start making decisions about when it is OK to delete the raw files.
The workflow is a giant pain in the behind, but if you want the best video quality you can get, this is the way to go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF7kyuDRNR8
Dang, clicked the wrong button. That first video is with the X5R in raw mode. I shot the same event the previous year with the X3 camera.
The raw footage was shot with less-interesting light and a lot more wind. But a comparison reveals that the X5R wasn't really necessary for this, given the ample light.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGRvNAKLkw8
Thanks for the update!
When I saw your review I was so excited and I went and got myself the Osmo pro. I love everything about it although it can get very heavy by the end of a wedding shoot. But I have a question what happened no one is talking about this camera it's like it was an mistake I think it was awesome and wish you guys would do a follow up and some techniques video using the osmo pro. Or was it a mistake of a camera I don't think so myself dose anyone else feel that it's not getting enough attention..