I have been taking high-resolution panoramas for many years, and in 2024 came across the DJI RS3 Mini gimbal » which is the basis of my lightest motorised panorama kit (I also use the Benro Polaris and keep as backup a Syrp Genie II », a Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi, and a Gigapan Epic 100). This page provides some background, some information about the DJI RS3 Mini, and a checklist for using it.
The DJI RS3 Mini gimbal is developed and marketed by DJI. It is a well-specified pan-tilt-roll (3-axis) motorised gimbal with a good phone app for control. As well as being a very good gimbal for steadying cameras for stills and video, it can also be used as a motorised head for manual control and for high-resolution (multi-row) panoramas.
Compared to the other motorised heads I use, this is the lightest (at 889g) by far. It does, however, take up more room in a backpack than the others and requires some initial setup (balancing, which depends on the camera and lens being used and how they are mounted). Once set up it can be deployed rapidly if using the same camera and lens combination.
Using this gimbal, I have been able to a put together a complete panorama kit (details are here) that weighs under 3.3kg, including camera, zoom lens, gimbal, tripod, and backpack.
Why use a motorised tripod head?
A motorised tripod head sounds like an over-the-top accessory but it can be very cost-effective, because:
- It allows a higher-resolution image to be created than the camera’s sensor supports.
- For a given lens, a motorised head lets you emulate a wider view lens than the lens in use, either for a panorama or a vertical image. A 50mm full-frame lens has a 38°×29° field of view, but with a motorised head that same lens can cover up to 360°×180°.
- The final image is ‘stitched’ by combining multiple images. Typically a 30% overlap is used – so only the centre part of each image is used. This means that lenses that are a little ‘soft’ in the corners can be used for higher-resolution photographs because only their sharp centre area is used. This means that less-expensive (and often much lighter) lenses can be used.
- A three-axis head, such as the DJI RS3 Mini gimbal, is also self-levelling – which makes for a simpler setup (no levelling base needed) and also allows the use of a lighter tripod because the gimbal can compensate for unexpected movements.
In short, a motorised head lets you take multiple photographs of a scene (perhaps tens or even hundreds) while automatically changing the camera pan and tilt for each one. Since it takes time to move the camera between each image this technique is best used for static subjects (landscapes, townscapes, architecture, etc.).
The resulting images are then stitched together by software to make a composite high-resolution image; I nowadays mostly use PTGui but there are several alternatives, including some free ones.
DJI RS3 Mini gimbal
RS3 Mini with Lumix G90 camera & 45–175mm lens
In 2024 I discovered the DJI RS3 Mini gimbal (3-axis, 0.9kg), which is available new (or used, for less than the cost of most lenses). It has a built-in display and joystick which allow manual control as well as displaying battery level, etc.
There is also an app that is used to control the head with Virtual joystick (remote control), Time lapse, Panorama, and other options. Its Panorama option allows repeat panoramas which is especially useful. As of this writing panorama settings are not always saved.
The gimbal can be attached directly to a tripod; I prefer to use a Leofoto 45mm QuickLink socket and plate to avoid having to rotate the head onto the tripod screw; this requires a spacer or rubber washer to attach the plate (with 3/8″ fitting) to the 1/4″ socket on the gimbal.
The gimbal comes with an Arca-Swiss-compatible clamp and plate which appear to be unique to DJI and require the plate be fitted with the grooves running front↔back. I replaced this with a SmallRig 4195 set (for DJI RS3 Mini) which has the grooves running left↔right and is also a little more compact and lighter.
I have put together my lightest panorama kit based on the DJI RS3 Mini gimbal, a Lumix G90 camera, and the Lumix 45–175mm PowerZoom lens. Together with a 4-section tripod, connectors, spare battery, etc., the kit weighs under 3.3kg (including backpack). Details are linked below.
The Lumix G90 has an articulated screen which allows using the tripod at a lower height for better stability; the tripod I use includes an extendable column. The Lumix 45–175 PowerZoom lens is particularly suitable for multi-row panoramas as it is very light and its zoom length (mm) is shown on the camera screen as it is adjusted – so that length is easily entered into the DJI gimbal app.
The gimbal connects to the camera via a 2.5mm shutter cable (versions are available for most cameras with a remote cable; the Lumix cameras use an ‘L1’ cable); Bluetooth can also be used with many cameras.
Here are some additional resources:
- My DJI RS3 Mini checklist which might prove a useful starting point for a new setup.
- See DJI RS3 Mini weights for an analysis of an example ‘kit’ component weights.
- See DJI RS3 Mini setup notes for additional notes to facilitate initial balancing/setup.
In summary: with a decent tripod, a camera that supports a remote control connection, a good lens, and a motorised head like the one described, you can create better-quality and/or higher-resolution images of static subjects than the camera and lens are capable of on their own.
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This page was last edited on 2025-01-24 by mfc.