Gimbal & APC/APC-R Setup Guide

In this section, you will learn how to set up your ATEM Pocket Controller with the older Ronin-S / SC and Ronin 2 using S-BUS.

If you have a DJI RS2 and an APC-R, this section does not apply. Please watch the APC-R tutorial. 

Get Started in 4 Simple Steps

1. Put the included sticker on the Ronin

The Gimbal control cable comes with a sticker pack which you can use on the Ronin-S/SC Focus Wheel to remember the connector position. For Ronin 2, please check this section.

2. Connect the APC to your ATEM

Using either an SDI Program Output or any of the Camera SDI Outputs on your ATEM, it doesn't matter which one you choose.

3. Connect the Gimbal Control Cable

Connect the Red / Black / White control cable from the APC to the Focus Wheel of the Ronin-S/SC or back of the Ronin 2. Make sure the SBUS / CANBUS Switch on that focus wheel is set to SBUS.

4. Move the joystick of the ATEM Advanced Panel

Make sure you are controling the right camera by pressing the Camera Control Button -> SDI Control -> Choose the camera name you want to control. Its number (ATEM Camera ID) MUST match the APC number set in the ATEM Pocket iOS App.

Setting up Pan / Tilt channels

The previous steps will only work if you are still using the default Ronin settings. If you've made adjustments to your gimbal in the past using the DJI Ronin app, here's how you can set the proper pan / tilt channels.

Once you connect the APC, you will notice that the Ronin forces User Mode 3 (LED n°3 is lit) . That is the user mode used by the APC, that we need to setup.

  • - First, launch the DJI Ronin app and connect to your Ronin-S / SC / 2 .
  • - Go to User Profile and make sure M3 is selected (User Profile 3)
  • - Next to the Gimbal wireframe -> dropdown menu -> "Customized".
  • - Tap the three motors so that they all appear deselected. This disables the "Follow" behavior when you move an axis with your hand.
  • - Set Push Pan to off.
  • - Press Control > to access the channels menu
  • |Ronin-S: Set CH1 to Tilt, CH2 to Roll, CH3 to Pan. All Normal , not REV (reversed).
  • |Ronin-S2 : Set CH1 to Tilt, CH2 to Roll, CH3 to Pan. All Normal , not REV (reversed).
  • |Ronin-SC : Set CH1 to Tilt, CH2 to Pan, CH3 to N/A. All Normal , not REV (reversed).
  • |Ronin 2 : Set CH1 to Tilt, CH2 to Pan, CH3 to N/A. Tilt in REV mode (reversed).

The two pages should now look like the two screenshots shown here (Ronin-S).

DJI Ronin App - User Profile Menu

This is how your User Profile 3 page should like.

Adjusting speed settings

Here is how you can adjust the speed, smoothness and deadband of your gimbal.

  • - First, launch the DJI Ronin app and connect to your gimbal.
  • - Go to User Profile and make sure M3 is selected (User Profile 3)
  • - Press Control > to access the channels menu
  • - Select the Motion tab (next to Channels)
  • - Set the Pan & Tilt settings according to your taste
  •  
  • Max Speed : When this value increases, the gimbal will move faster.
  • Deadband : When this value increases, more joystick movement will be required to start moving the gimbal.  We recommend the low setting.
  • Smoothness: When this value increases, it will translate in a smoother and slow acceleration overall. If it is set to 0 (Customized), the gimbal will start and stop abruptly. We recommend the low or medium setting.

Endpoints : Limits the gimbal rotation angles.  Depends on your lenses and your cable setup, but it will be very helpful to prevent your camera from hitting stops and have cables tangled.

DJI Ronin App - Motion Menu

This is where you can set your speed & smoothness settings.

Additional APC Settings

In addition to the adjustments you can make in the DJI Ronin App, we offer a few features in our ATEM Pocket app as well.

Connect to an APC and click on "More Settings". Here you will be able to select a lower pan & tilt speed than the one you've adjusted in the Ronin app, which is stored in the "Fast" option by default. Selecting the "Low" option will automatically reduce the speed factor to allow for a quick speed change .

You can also invert the Pan & Tilt channels' joystick direction from here.

 

ATEM Pocket App - Ronin-S Settings

Here you can adjust a few other settings as well.

Ronin 2 Sticker Placement

If you are using the APC with a Ronin 2, here is how to connect the 4Pin port of the gimbal cable. Make sure you leave the sticker this way to remember the wiring direction !

The process of setting up your axes and speed settings is the same as the Ronin-S / SC (see above).

 

Additional Recommendations

For optimal performance, don't forget to AutoTune your Ronin-S, to set your motors to a proper strength. To improve the ease of use of your APC with the DJI Ronin-S, you can use the following accessories.

Ultra-Thin HDMI Cable

To grab the Pocket 4K HDMI signal, we recommend using an ultra thin HDMI cable such as this one , which you then convert to SDI back to the switcher. This way, the cable won't put any stress on the gimbal due to its weight.

Ronin-S Universal Mount

Save time setting up your Ronin-S with this universal mount, which you can power off 12V DTAP power. Also, it will provide enough power to support the small BMPCC 4K / 6K power cable straight from the Ronin-S. So that you only have one power cable in total.

Ronin-S BMPCC Cable

If you use the Ronin-S universal mount, you can power your BMPCC 4K directly from the Ronin-S platform using this small cable.