Top 5 Gimbals For Sony A9, A9II, A9III Reviewed!

Sony has been known for releasing prodigies such as the Sony a9 and A9 ii which have blessed the camera universe with their mirrorless magic, no wonder it has become a popular choice for photography and videography alike.

And it goes without saying that the story for Sony A9 iii is no different, in fact, it’s been racking up numbers all across the globe since it has its features built upon its predecessors, making it Sony’s next magnum opus with its BIONZ XR image processing engine and Exmor RS sensor.

However, given their “run and gun” nature, it’s certain that these cameras excel flawlessly when mounted on a gimbal so that it can amplify their capabilities to attain buttery smooth footage and make the workflow much more seamless.

Speaking of which, I have curated a comprehensive list of the top 5 gimbals for Sony a9, a9ii, and a9iii which are cherry-picked by going through tons of trials and errors.

In the previous article, I have reviewed the top 7 gimbals for Sony A7iii that might be helpful for you.

1. DJI RS 3 Pro

Features

• Max. Payload: 10 lbs
• Battery Life: 1950 mah
• Charging Time: 2 hours
• Connections: Bluetooth 5.0
• Display: 1.8-inch OLED screen
• Smartphone App: DJI
• Warranty: 12 Months
• Weight: 3.3 lbs

The DJI RS 3 Pro is no doubt one of the sophisticated gimbals out there that has tons of features which is why it’s so indefensible for cameras such as the Sony A9 and A9 II. I even tried testing out with my new Sony A9 III and the results were downright immaculate.

Build Quality & Payload Test

Right out of the box, I was astounded by the gimbal’s thoughtful design and super solid construction and the fact that the whole body is made from carbon fiber material feels like my investment is going to be secured for ages to come since not only is it’s incredibly sturdy by weighs a mere 1.5 Kg, it’s unbelievable right?

Being a Professional photographer who likes to deal with tons of camera equipment, I have to admit, in terms of quality, the Dji RS 3 Pro easily stands out of the crowd. One of the most remarkable features about it that swiftly captivated me is that it has aluminum alloy and stainless steel mounting plates which never dented even when I pushed the limited with my brand new Sony A 9 III by pairing it up with a massive FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM Lens and its safe to assume this stabilization accessory barely flinched or bent under stress even if the payload went around 10 lbs.

If you are a videographer who is only using “vanilla rigs” without using bulky lenses, you wouldn’t even worry about pushing the threshold because luckily enough, all three of the Sony A 9 series cameras tend to weigh only around 1.37 lbs, so you have plenty of headroom to hit even if you are pairing with additional accessories like a microphone.

Ideal For Videographers

On the other hand, the locking transition is seamless on this thing and there is no denying that the other day, I tried taking my new mirrorless Sony A 9 III for a spin to test out its global shutter speed which boasts a whooping shutter speed of 1/80,000 per second while the BIONZ XR Image processor ensures a crystal clear 4k recording and the results while pairing it up with this gimbal were mind-blowing.

The Lidar Focusing module worked flawlessly even in dimly lit situations with its 43200 shooting points that automatically capture any moving or static object within a massive range of 14 meters, making video recording feel like a breeze. The 120fps videography makes the whole deal feel like a cherry on top as I often partake in commercial video shoots and this gimbal has provided tack-sharp stability with insane speed on each of its axes.

Seamless Axis Lock

While the price tag on this thing might feel like you will be spending wads of cash if you compare the goodies and features you are getting in return, you will be baffled, the DJI RS3 Pro converted my Sony Alpha 9 and Alpha 9 II into a Ferrari in almost every aspect. 

With a push of a button, every axis silently goes into lock mode, with no tugging or fiddling like a child in a busy public event, the seamless axis locking will make you feel like “Tony Stark” of the camera world as you traverse easily without having to damage your camera or your gear because there is simply no chance of facing situations where you would rather forget about locking any axis whenever you are in a hurry.

I would even like to throw in a disclaimer that once you start using this magnificent and seamless locking feature of the DJI RS3 Pro once you get used to this feature, it’s hard to go back to another gimbal that lacks such a locking mechanism.  

Pros

• Has Snappy Focusing Lidar 
• Very Stable On Rough terrain
• Commendable Payload Capacity

Cons

• Higher learning curve

2. DJI RS 2 Combo

Features

• Max. Payload: 5.8 Kg
• Battery Life: 1950mah 
• Charging Time: 1.5 hours
• Connections: Bluetooth 5.0; USB-C
• Display: 1.4 inch Screen
• Smartphone App: DJI
• Warranty: 1 year
• Weight: 2.87 Pounds

Going on an energetic jog with your Sony Alpha 9 and 5-Axis 8 stop active stabilization doesn’t feel enough? Wait till you pair your camera with the DJI RS 2 Combo, the results surprised me and I believe it should shock you too. Due to its compatibility, I have added this gimbal to my top picks for Sony A7C.

Active Track 3.0

If you are a commercial event videographer or an event journalist who wants to cover the event for their personal social media, you may have gone through the headache of dealing with a subject moving all the time. Since that element is nowhere in your control, for a person who barely has the finesse to keep their camera steady, things can get quite complicated during videography

The Active Track 3.0 easily solves that issue because, with a single tap on the screen, the DJI RS 2 does all the work for you like your personal assistant, it is like a dream come true for a videographer who has always wanted to attain the full potential out of their Sony Alpha 9.

As for an individual and an avid vlogger like me who likes to provide entertaining content for my viewers, I love pairing the DJI RS 2 with my trustworthy Sony Alpha II as the axis on this gimbal automatically pans and tilts whenever I am recording any stage presentations or an on going concrete in the blink of an eye.

No longer do I have to watch my step while properly aligning the lens so that it stays focused on the main presenter, the gimbal does that for me and I couldn’t be any happier.

Dual Mounting Plate System

One of the pivotal aspects and the beauty of owning a DJI RS2 is that it has a dual mounting plate system with a higher range of compatibility, so almost every camera manufactured by Sony can be mounted on it, let alone the Sony Alpha 9 series. 

The reason is simple the gimbal rolls in with Manfrotto and Arca-Swiss compatibility right off the bat, so you don’t need to buy extra aftermarket mourning plates, in other words, if you want to seamlessly go into the handheld mode, you could just pop your camera in split seconds.

Switch As You Go

The gimbal also rocks a 1.4 inch touchscreen which might not seem like much but trust me it is quite the lifesaver, as it allows you to switch through multiple modes and even tweak settings such as white balance, ISO, and the shutter speed of the camera, its like the gimbal was designed to offer convince without a catch!

Honestly speaking, I couldn’t ask for a more intuitive interface, hats off to DJI which has packed such easy software, that eliminates the need to hook up smartphones even if I had to tweak minor settings out in the field when things get too hectic.

Battery Life

The battery on this thing can last as long as you would desire, in fact, I tried covering a couple of public events and it felt like it had at least 30% juice left. The 1950 mAh battery capacity surely is a work of wonder that works in conjunction with well-optimized software and stabilization algorithms to keep the current flowing as long as you need. 

The best part is, using a QC 2.0 or PD protocol, I was even able to top it up in less than 2 hours with its 24W charger, so it’s safe to assume that the downtime you would be looking for is little to none.

Pros

• Offers Easy Mounting Plates
• Astounding Payload Capacity
• Includes Intutivitve touchscreen

Cons

• Hefty price tag

3. DJI Ronin-SC Pro Combo

Features

• Max. Payload: 4.4 lbs
• Battery Life: 2450 mAh
• Charging Time: 1 hour
• Connections: Bluetooth 5.0
• Display: N/A
• Smartphone App: DJI
• Warranty: 12 Months
• Weight: 1.1 Kg

A budget-friendly pick that stands tall whenever the payload is too hot to handle for the competing brands, the DJI Ronin SC Pro is a testament to perfection.

Extremely Portable

The first and foremost aspect about this gimbal that took me by surprise is that right after unboxing, it barely felt like I was carrying anything at all, At just over 2 pounds including the battery grip, this gimbal is lightweight enough to be held in a single hand without causing wrist fatigue, something that is esteemed as a holy grail amongst vloggers and travel photographer that rocking their Sony A9 cameras.

For starters, the compact folded structure of 8.7 x 7.9 x 3 inches which is made from aluminum and magnesium material also means it won’t gobble up too much precious space amongst all your other gear when you are traveling on foot, it’s apparent to me why my buddies would call this bad boy their personal travel companion, I mean, it is so slim I could slide it in my backpacks side pocket and forget it’s even there.

The size and structural integrity of this thing are so well optimized that it matches the overall portability aspect of my Sony A9 iii which weighs as low as 670 grams for that alone I would give it not just one but two thumbs because, for a professional vlogger and photographer, the run and gun aspect truly seals the deal.

Focus On the Fly

But that’s not it yet, the gimbal also rocks a small yet handy focus wheel which surprisingly works well with my mirrorless Sony Alpha 9 III cameras whenever it is paired with a 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens or my 24-105mm f/4 G for some outdoor action, the focus wheel makes me feel like I am a studio-grade director while focusing on my subject without breaking my immersion or my vision, it’s just so intuitive!

In fact, I simply wish more gimbal manufacturers would integrate this feature because no longer do I have to fiddle with my camera lens, making my work so much easier than it used to be.

Tons Of Modes To Choose From

The Sony Alpha 9 III might be rocking the top-of-the-line BIONZ XR image processing engine that works efficiently by minimizing latency so you can attain the best possible imagery but when it comes to recording 4k footage outdoors while rolling over rough terrain, things could get a little tricky and nobody likes spending half a day outdoors recording a public event or simply going through a commercial shoot to simply end up with shaky footage which could eventually end up as a post-processing mess.

To get straight to the point, the DJI Ronin SC pro has tons of solutions if you aren’t really good at handling your mirrorless cameras. For starters, with the flick of a button, you could switch to panorama mode, the good old-fashioned 360 image action that everyone loves that stitches images together to provide a beautiful yet immersive output and if you want to raise the bar for your portfolio, you could even toggle the active 3.0 for further iron out your shots.

The timelpase on the other hand was the most useful mode and the one that I often use nowadays to record reels and short videos for my Instagram and YouTube channels because it lets me capture videos with the perfect stability that I often yearned for. 

Pros

• Has a dedicated Focus Wheel
• Lightweight
• Budget Friendly

Cons

• Takes A while to set up the axis

4. DJI RSC 2 Combo

Features

• Max. Payload: 3.0 Kg
• Battery Life: 3400mAh ( 14 hours)
• Charging Time: 1.5 hours
• Connections: Bluetooth 5.0; USB-C
• Display: 1-inch OLED Screen
• Smartphone App: DJI
• Warranty: 12 Months
• Weight: 1.318 KG

I still remember getting my hands on my first mirrorless Sony camera, the Sony Alpha 9 back in 2017 when it was released, my interest peaked in skit and movie making but my footage was too shaky to be considered professional. After a couple of years of going through a rough patch, with the advent of DJI RSC 2 my videography improved tenfold, here is my personal experience. 

Modular Design

One of the strongest selling points about this gimbal is how easy it is to travel with this bad boy in your backpack, being a professional photographer, things in my bag can get messy, considering the plethora of accessories often i store in it. But it’s barely one of my worries whenever I am rolling this mini powerhouse of stability and firmness because you could easily fold it down to 7 inches in less than a second.

The modular design makes packing things even easier as you could also take apart each and every aspect of the gimbal, so once it’s folded, it is as small as the size of A5 paper, the thought process behind the design of this gimbal is truly mind-boggling.

Titan Stablizaiton Algorithm

But that’s not even the sweetest part about this gimbal because once you hear about its stabilization mechanism you would be surprised how efficient it is even when you have loaded up your camera with all sorts of accessories and bulkier telephoto lenses.

For starters, the gimbal utilizes a top-of-the-line Titan stabilization algorithm which senses the slightest form of movement and automatically corrects both its horizontal and vertical axis to ensure the footage recorded is as smooth as a hot knife going through butter.

To top it off, I even tried its super smooth feature which feels like you are gliding on rails because it further irons out the axis movement even if you are running or jogging or rough terrain. For an individual like me who likes to record footage in chilly areas where I cannot keep my wrist steady because I am shaking so much, the Titan stabilization mechanism truly works wonders by complimenting my Sony A9 II 5-axis stabilization build mechanism.

Pros

• Very Portable Design
• Superb Stabilization
• Long-lasting battery life

Cons

• Fixed battery 

5. DJI Ronin-SC

Features

• Max. Payload: 4.4lbs 
• Battery Life: 11 hours
• Charging Time: 1.5 hours
• Connections: Bluetooth 5.0 & USB C
• Display: N/A
• Smartphone App: DJI
• Warranty: 12 Months
• Weight: 2.43 Pounds

Another budget-friendly pick that compliments full-frame mirrorless cameras like the Sony A9 III and Sony A9 II, the DJI Ronin-SC is loaded with features that you clearly don’t want to miss out on.

Payload Testing

After upgrading my setup from Sony A9 to Sony A9 II, my dream was to shoot videos in the Angeles National Forest while hiking through its rough terrain, it was without a doubt a challenge especially if you are rolling on the rough track without a proper gimbal. Which is why I had to get a gimbal that could match my camera’s speed.

So I got my hands on the DJI Ronin-SC while pairing my camera with my favorite travel lens, the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM and the whole experience went flawless as there were barely any shake-over issues relating to payload exceeding the weight limit. In fact, the payload ceiling was as high as 4.4 lbs, so I had complete peace of mind because the robust brushless motor did an astounding job of ensuring my videography shots of the beautiful landscape remained steady and solid as a rock.

Battery Life

Embedded with 2450 mAh battery capacity, exaggeration aside, I could walk a whole day outdoors recording every possible beauty I lay my eyes on with my trusty Sony Alpha 9 and this bad boy won’t be out of juice, the 11 hours of runtime ensures that I keep my videography action rolling without taking breaks.

From capturing beautiful shots of fog covering the hilly side areas to warmer rays of the sunset setting in behind the rows of alpine, the gimbal provided stabilization every hour of the day, it’s like the perfect travel companion that never gives up even if I want to.

Proprietary Ronin App

I love the fact of how intuitive the Ronin DJI Ronin app is, the manufacturer has done quite an astounding job by optimizing it as much as possible. Being an iPhone user, the limited application availability always felt like a massive letdown, however, the story here is quite different, from the Bluetooth connectivity to toggling through multiple presets of profile, almost every aspect is flawless.

With a tap of my finger, it even lets me tweak camera shutter speed and ISO Settings, letting me remotely manage my camera while focusing on subjects with perfect output, so I could reap the full potential out of my new Sony Alpha 9.

Pros

• Very Budget Friendly
• Outstanding Stability
• Easy-to-use Application

Cons

• Lacks Built In Screen

The Winner

Vlogging, capturing landscapes, and creating content that captivates attention with my Sony Alpha 9 cameras have always been my passion, and the addition of these stabilization accessories has not only boosted my portfolio but also made my life so much easier. The journey across all of these three cameras has been undoubtedly quite wild and it’s safe for me to say that I had the best possible experience with such a phenomenal combination.

If you are a shutterbug like me who likes to amplify your skills, investing in these gimbals for Sony a9, a9ii, and a9iii might be the most enlightened route down the photography line.