Zenmuse (Z15-GH3) starts and calibrates but then drifts (and drifts)

[Bartman]

i just spoke with Tahoe Ed and he said the gimbal shouldn't be banging the camera against the frame of the gimbal. mine is doing that too.

on the phone with Atlanta Hobby support, we'll see how that goes. :dejection:

 

[Bartman]

just lined up a return to Altanta Hobby but they don't have a replacement in stock and they're out of stock everywhere I've looked so far.....wonderful

 

[jeey]

just lined up a return to Altanta Hobby but they don't have a replacement in stock and they're out of stock everywhere I've looked so far.....wonderful

Spent a few hours testing my gimbal today, also in air testing, seems like mine is off balance, as its left heavy.

Might post a few videos later today

 

[Bartman]

it's not drifting anymore?

 

[jeey]

it's not drifting anymore?

hahaha, no
Drifting like crazy
Even before lift off

But it helps flipping trough the 2 modes on the gimbal, it resets it self and is almost level after that

 

[jeey]

Im going crazy trying to understand this, it all comes down to balance it seems

This is my setup with shutter cable attached, then its left heavy.

If remove the shutter cable, the gimbal almost always starts correctly even when touching the camera body, but its right heavy.

Suggestions ?

Example of the roll issues can be watched in this test video:

 

[Bartman]

jeey,

that thing isn't right. i don't think you're supposed to be pushing it around like that after or during calibration. mine's going back tomorrow and i'll wait to see if i get another at some point. the A2 Hexa is going on the shelf for now which is too bad because it actually flew very nicely today after everything was worked out.

bart

 

[jeey]

jeey,

that thing isn't right. i don't think you're supposed to be pushing it around like that after or during calibration. mine's going back tomorrow and i'll wait to see if i get another at some point. the A2 Hexa is going on the shelf for now which is too bad because it actually flew very nicely today after everything was worked out.

bart

This is without power to show balance, you Will not be able to this with a powered gimbal

 

[Benjamin Kenobi]

Well, horizon aside, that test video you did looked super stable! If you plug the roll into a spare channel you can correct it, or use a camera operator. At least then you can start making videos.

I was very surprised when I saw that the GH3 version doesn't roll 360°. It seems odd it can bang against itself on the roll axis like in your first video. The GH2 version goes 360° in all axis.

You do have to balance the Zenmuse, it doesn't come from the factory balanced. I use a small weight on one side, some people use coins. You can get it perfect.

I wish I had some proper advice after singing the praises of the Zenmuse this last year, but I guess something has changed with quality control down the line...:02.47-tranquillity:

 

[ChrisViperM]

Don't know if the folling writing will solve any of your guys problems, but I'll try:

Having played with 2 Zen's for Sony and one for Panasonic GH3, I had my fair share of frustration, anger and sleepless nights....

The Zenmuse almost NEVER comes mechanically balanced....NEVER. The strange thing is that in the manual they warn you about tempering with it (Guarantee will be void....blabla....)so the only choice someone would have is to send it back, get a good supply of wool and take some YouTube knitting lessons, 'couse it might take ages until you get it back....and it could be as much out of balance as the one you sent in. That's the main problem with ALL DJI products....they might work, or they might not. Ask Grey aka MombasaFlash how many lemons he bought from DJI so far and what nightmare it is until you get a working unit....

So the first step on a new Zen - before you even power it up - should be to check the balance on ALL 3 !!! axes....not only roll and tilt (I will come to that later). The following video had 14 views when I saw it first, now it's on over 30.000 views....that high number of views is not coming from nothing....althought it's some sort of "tuning" vid to use other lenses, but it's a great help for balancing the Zen.

What didn't come out very clear in the above vid is the balancing of the 3rd axis (Pan), but watching the following vid gives you a better picture....for Pan axis, jump to 5:20, but the whole vid is great for understanding balancing in general.

2) Sensor calibrating:

I cannot proof it, but I am 100% sure that a lot of the sensors in the Zen's are not properly factory-calibrated. With an AlexMos / BaseCam it's simple.....make the 6-point calibration, and you are fine. There is no way to check or even re-balance your sensors. Could be the source of your problem...or not. Lot's of people have sent their Zen's back, DJI admitted off-balanced sensors, and with a bit of luck people got it back after many weeks....being knitting-world champions in the meantime.

3) CanBus connection:

I never got the point of needing to connect the Zen to the WKM/A2 since the Zen doesn't need or use any data from the FC....it only checks if you have a DJI FC, and if not, it just doesn't work....what a clever strategy. In the past I had the Zen refusing to work on certain Can-ports, on other ports (on the same FC-unit) it would work.....could never figure out if on some FC's some Can-ports are faulty or not, or whatever.... Now with the new A2 with it's 2 different Can-Bus lines, I don't even want to know what else can go wrong with that new architecture.....

4) The Zenmuse doesn't have to be connected to a vidotransmitter, nor does the camera have to be switched on....you can take that out of your troubleshooting.

Here is a video of a proper Zen GH3 startup routine, althoght to me it looks like that guys horizon is off level:
No idea what he is mumbling.....but that's how the start-up should look like....

Also note that the lens-cap is on.....

Chris

 

[jeey]

Have talked to DJI europe and they want me to ship it in for a warranty claim, can't say I'm suprised.
Haven't decided what do yet, but i suspect its easiest just to RMA it

 

[ChrisViperM]

Depending on where you bought it, make use of your consumer rights. You paid for a working product and you can expect to get a working product. Either get it replaced by your dealer or ask your money back.....

You DON'T HAVE TO send it back to DJI China or DJI Europe or even to hell....it's your dealer who has to deal with that, not you. Lot's of dealers try to bull$hit you with that lame "ohhh....you have to contact DJI directly...."

Don't do it.....


Chris

 

[Bartman]

Have talked to DJI europe and they want me to ship it in for a warranty claim, can't say I'm suprised.
Haven't decided what do yet, but i suspect its easiest just to RMA it

i'd like to see what the components in your GCU look like....feel like opening it up and posting some pics?

 

[ChrisViperM]

Hi Bart....just took one apart for you .....looks like yours is fried.


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Chris

 

[Bartman]

Thanks Chris! it does indeed look like mine is fried.

 

[Ronan]

Isn't the Z15 like 3 grande? How do you guys put up with sh*t like this?

If it was some low cost/cheap gimbal, sure i would expect something like that... but we are talking about a 3 grande gimbal that is supposedly tested and tuned in the factory...

 

[Bartman]

Isn't the Z15 like 3 grande? How do you guys put up with sh*t like this?

If it was some low cost/cheap gimbal, sure i would expect something like that... but we are talking about a 3 grande gimbal that is supposedly tested and tuned in the factory...

If you want to see a rainbow you've got to stand a little rain??

 

[Ronan]

If you want to see a rainbow you've got to stand a little rain??

I have never agreed or understood that mentality, especially in cases like this, where it's a lot more than a little rain (more like a flat tired on the way to see the rainbow or something).

 

[Bartman]

I have never agreed or understood that mentality, especially in cases like this, where it's a lot more than a little rain (more like a flat tired on the way to see the rainbow or something).

i was kind of kidding....:shame:

DJI has problems, no doubt about it........but.......there are enough examples of units that have worked well and the results are fantastic. As more manufacturers achieve comparable performance then DJI will have to either work out their problems, resort to selling only Phantoms, or they'll lose marketshare. that's just how it is but for now we roll the dice and hope for the best.

 

[Atomic Image]

Didn't read the whole thread but this behavior also happened to me a couple times, my problem was the ROLL calibration being messed up because the camera body is blocking complete travel of the roll axis. Try pitching the camera down like 45 degrees manually before powering the gimbal and you will see the roll (left banking) will go further while calibrating. Maybe that is also your problem.

Hope this helps.