Videographers and vloggers who want to add some instant production value to video clips often reach for a powered gimbal. Gimbals use smooth, silent motors to keep a camera level and steady, like a Steadicam, but without the associated expertise and costs. The DJI RS 4 Mini ($369) is among the smallest and lightest options for mirrorless cameras. It's pretty simple to set up and get running, and swaps between wide-screen and vertical video in a jiffy. Creators who want basic stabilization will be well served by the Mini, though the larger RS 4 supports a wider range of kits and has a more robust accessory ecosystem, so it remains our Editors' Choice.

Design: Powered Support for Smaller Camera Kits

The RS 4 Mini is pretty much the same size and shape as the previous (and inaugural) entry in the line, the RS 3 Mini. The RS 4 changes the color scheme from black to light gray and is just slightly larger (13.3 by 7.2 by 6.9 inches, two pounds). The actual dimensions change a little bit based on configuration—the arms that hold the camera in place fold into a flat arrangement when powered down (12.4 by 2.5 by 9.3 inches). Auto-locking arms were not included with the RS 3 Mini, and I'm happy to see them come to the line with the newer model.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

DJI's engineering team doesn't have too much leeway when it comes to form, though, as the size of a gimbal is largely determined by the type of camera it is designed to support. The RS 4 Mini is built to handle APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, and even full-frame cameras with a typical 24-70mm F2.8 zoom attached. The Mini is rated for camera and lens combinations up to 4.4 pounds.

DJI lists the Canon EOS R5 and RF 24-70mm F2.8, the Sony a7S III and FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM, the Nikon Z 7 and Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8, and the Panasonic S5 and S 20-60mm as the largest compatible kits. I didn't have any of these specific lenses on hand to try, so I opted for an APS-C rig (Fujifilm X-M5 and XF 16-55mm F2.8 II) for testing. It also handled a Nikon Z50II with the Z DX 12-28mm zoom just fine. As for larger cameras, the Mini handles the Nikon Z 8 with a 50mm F1.4 prime, but just barely, while the dual-gripped Canon EOS R1 is too big to mount, so it is not compatible at all.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

That should give you a good idea of the cameras and lenses you can use comfortably. Just make sure to choose a lens that's relatively squat and short when using a gimbal, as lenses that are physically long are just too front-heavy. The Mini is fine for single-grip full-frame bodies with a wide or standard lens without too many accessories attached. If you're adding a microphone, ND filters, power zoom, or focus control, the RS 4 is no doubt a better support platform. Creators who have big cameras or are working on commercial productions will want the RS 4 Pro.

DJI sells the RS 4 Mini by itself for $369 or bundled in a Combo with a couple of accessories for $459. I received the Combo for review: In addition to the gimbal, it includes a Briefcase Handle that attaches to the side and makes the gimbal more comfortable to hold down low to the ground, and the RS Intelligent Tracking Module, an add-on camera that tracks subjects. The Briefcase Handle is an accessory you can get for pretty much any gimbal, and works as expected.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Tracking Module is handy for creators who want to have the camera follow their movement when presenting—think of it as a virtual camera operator. The Module clips right onto the gimbal, secures with clips and magnets, and uses pogo pins for communication. To start tracking, just put your palm out toward its lens, and its LED will change from red to green to indicate that it's now tracking you (if it blinks yellow, it failed to acquire the target). It works effectively; once the Module locked onto me, the gimbal panned and tilted to follow my movements.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The RS 4 Mini includes an internal battery with USB-C fast charging support. It's rated to run for up to 13 hours per charge and replenishes in about two hours. If you need to get up and running more quickly, a 30-minute charge is enough to deliver five hours of battery life. If you're working on set and can't abide by even that amount of downtime, consider instead the RS 4 or the RS 4 Pro, both of which have swappable battery packs and an extended-life battery option that runs for nearly 30 hours.

Setup and Controls: Easy to Balance, Once You Get the Hang Of It

The first thing you'll need to do to set up the RS 4 Mini is download the DJI Ronin app (available in the App Store for iOS or directly from DJI for Android). The app is not optional; you need to use it to activate the gimbal before using it. The app also lets you fine-tune controls (including axis inversion, which is good news if you prefer an inverted tilt response) and update the firmware, among other things.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Once you've got the Mini activated, it's time to mount and balance your camera. If you've used a gimbal previously you'll find the RS 4 Mini to be an easy one to set up and get running. If you haven't, well, there's a little bit of a learning curve to conquer, but thankfully it's by no means insurmountable. Balancing a camera on the RS 4 Mini is a multi-step process, but an intuitive one.

To start, you'll attach the included quick-release plate to the camera. Then unlock both the tilt and the roll arms and balance the camera along those axes. You’ll use the thumb dial to move it forward and back to find its center of gravity. Once that’s done, you’ll adjust the plate’s vertical position by sliding it up or down on a ruled arm. Once you have it close enough to center, the camera should stay in place when left alone and not lurch forward or back.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Next up, unlock the rear (roll) arm and adjust it so the camera is centered along that axis as well. You may need to go back over once again to fine-tune positions, but if you're close enough, the gimbal will power on. At this point, it's not a bad idea to run a motor calibration, an option available via the menu that can make up for the slightly imperfect balance that you've all but assuredly set by hand. The calibration runs on its own and only takes a few seconds to drive each motor.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

From there, you're done and up and running. If you keep the same camera and lens on the stabilizer, you can leave everything locked in place between uses. You'll probably need to make some tiny adjustments if you take your camera off the gimbal between recording sessions, but if you're just taking a break, you can power the gimbal down with a button and leave your camera mounted. But once you get your camera balanced, the Mini proves easy enough to use—it keeps the camera steady so you can enjoy freedom of motion without the jitters that normally show up in handheld video.

The RS 4 Mini adds the automatic opening and closing arm feature that debuted with the RS 3 and the RS 3 Pro but was unfortunately left out of the RS 3 Mini. I like this feature quite a bit, as the gimbal arms open up and unlock on power up, and go back to the folded position and lock on shutdown. It's a quality-of-life feature that saves you from throwing three discrete switches to lock the gimbal, so it's more of a perk that's nice to have rather than a necessity.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Out of the box, the gimbal arms are set up for 16:9 widescreen recording. To switch to 9:16 vertical, you simply turn a switch to unlock the platform that holds the camera, remove the plate, and then reattach it vertically using its secondary mounting point, located on the bottom. Switching the mounting orientation is accomplished in a minute or two without tools. Just be aware that you'll need to re-balance the camera when switching as its center of gravity changes along with the orientation. The auto folding and unfolding feature works for vertical mounting, too.

There's one problem with vertical recording, however: The gimbal's arms aren't big enough to allow you to flip out your camera's LCD to face the front for self-recording. If this is a problem, consider the larger RS 4 instead, as its bigger arms give more clearance for vertically mounted cameras.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

There are a few basic controls on the gimbal handle. If you connect your camera via a USB-C cable, you'll be able to start and stop recording via the Mini's Record button and adjust exposure using its control wheel, which is part of the pistol grip. The grip also has a trigger button; tap it twice to reset the gimbal to level. An eight-way joystick is included for pan and tilt. The Mini has a hard switch on its side to change between its three stabilization modes (First Person View, Pan Follow, Pan Tilt Follow) and an OLED touch screen to get into menus.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Verdict: Effective Stabilization for Smaller Cameras

The DJI RS 4 Mini is every bit as good a stabilization platform as the RS 3 Mini that came before, and even (for appropriately sized cameras) the larger RS 4 and the RS 4 Pro, for that matter. The new Mini doesn't add too much to an already excellent gimbal, but the automatic arms are a compelling enough improvement to make the RS 4 Mini worth getting, even though the RS 3 Mini is selling at a decent $279 markdown as of this writing. The standard RS 4 remains our Editors' Choice, though; it's a little larger and costlier at $549, but it works with a wider array of camera and lens combinations and supports follow focus, image transmission, and other accessories to expand its functionality. Still, don't count out the Mini if you don't need those features and use a smaller full-frame or crop-sensor mirrorless camera.