Tornado H920, GB603 & Sony A7 serie

[Breizhdrone]

Hello,

Do you know how adapt GB603 gimbal for H920 with Sony Alpha 7 camera serie ?
Which equipment to adapt and which connector on Wireless downlink LK58 box for the IR port and balancer on the gimbal ?
I don't find a Yuneec reference for that....

Thank you by advance for your help,

Abstract of the Yuneec PDF user manual in english (page #18):
http://download.yuneec.com/manuals/manual/Tornado_H920/h920_industry_user_manual_(st24)_v1.0.pdf
FOR THE SONY α7 CAMERA
STEP 1) Replace the GH4 camera lens mount frame with SONY α7 lens mount frame, and secure the 10 screws on the top and bottom of the frame to fix the frame.
STEP 2) Install the infrared ray mount device to the left side of the SONY α7 lens mount frame, secure the screw on the bottom of the device, and connect the white connector to the IR port
STEP 3) Mount the SONY α7CG balancer on the GB603 as illustrated.
STEP 4) Install the SONY® α7 camera on the camera mount referring to the GH4 camera, there is no need to connect shutter cable for SONY® α7
STEP 1 STEP 3 STEP 2 NOTICE:
If using GB603 camera gimbal without SONY® α7 lens mount frame, only GH4 camera can be mounted. If using GB603 camera gimbal with SONY® α7 lens mount frame, both GH4 and SONY® α7 cameras can be mounted.

 

[Aaron Schurman]

I also would like to get an answer for this. Where can we obtain a Sony a7 lens mount frame? I would love to own one especially considering both the GH4 and the a7 can be mounted. @Breizhdrone if you have succeeded in mounting can you please respond with the steps you took? Thank you

 

[Breizhdrone]

Hi,
I project to make a 3D printing or/and laser cutting gimbal to change the limits of GB603 gimbal.
According to Yuneec there are two versions of the GB603 gimbal. One that accepts only a Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera, with very few optical choice and a more recent version that would accept additionally the mounting of a Sony Alpha 7 camera with very very few optical choice (Zeiss 2.0/35mm lens only) and IR trigger only (not with the Sony multiport-Mini-USB). The two versions are very poorly designed systems to fit for many cameras and choice of optics. Yuneec told me that they would change that. We have a look in the near future if the news are followed by facts and in what delay ? There is very little information on the subject. Yuneec seems prefer today to put forth the Yuneec CG04 camera. Do Yuneec plan to make a new CG05 camera on the new Panasonic Lumix GH5 camera basis ? The future will tell us.
On the other side, my customers are not waiting...

 

[Aaron Schurman]

Thank you for your amazingly quick response. What a plan. Please create a video on your process, especially if successful!

 

[Breizhdrone]

Thank you for your amazingly quick response. What a plan. Please create a video on your process, especially if successful!

I project to make a 3D printing or/and laser cutting gimbal to change the limits of GB603 gimbal ;-)

 

[Breizhdrone]

Hi,
There are 2 versions of GB 603. The oldest and first version only fit for Panasonic Lumix GH4. The second version of the GB 603 fit with GH4 and Sony Alpha 7 serie....
Today, there is a new update with Tornado H920 Plus:
Tornado H920 Plus - Aperçu - Yuneec

 

[GoGo]

Did you have any success with this?

 

[mouks]

Hi,

I'm also interested, has anyone succesfully used the a7 with the gb603 ? I didn't even find any picture of this camera on this gimbal

 

[Breizhdrone]

Hi,

A picture of my Tornado H920 (not H920+) with Yuneec GB603 gimbal and Sony Alpha 7 serie.
Be careful, it is the second version of the Yuneec GB603 gimbal, fited with Panasonic Lumix GH4 AND Sony Alpha7 serie.



Without adaptation you are limited to too few optics because of a badly finished design of this GB603 gimbal. But in 3D printing, it's not too complicated to improve.
The few compatible optics, without modification, must pass in a very narrow metal ring to be held. You are therefore limited by its small diameter. This piece that comes off is very poorly designed. It's a very, very bad idea in terms of design and use...
That's why this product was sold badly in the US or Europe, so it's a good copter platform. But for people who want something effective and that works easily and quickly, they have been disappointed. Not to mention the lack of informations on the manual that requires many tests to understand and make adjustments of settings. The orange color is not original and allows me to better see the position of my H920 (its back) from a distance.

 

[mouks]

Thanks for your quick reply, I just bought the H920 with gb603 at a great price, do you know if this is the first or second version of the gimbal ?

 

[Breizhdrone]

Hi,

For Sony Alpha7 serie, you have, in addition:

• an other piece with metal ring with a shift compared to the one mounted on the GB603 gimbal, on your photo made for the Lumix GH4 camera, not for Sony Alpha 7 serie;
• a counter-weight of round shape to compensate for the weight slightly shifted. It mounts on the the tip of the gimbal.
• a cable with infra-red cell to trigger from the LK58 radio module.

I can make a picture for you next time.

In my opinion, you have more interest in making a 3D printing piece to replace only this piece with the metal ring, with a system for mounting optics of larger diameter. On the other hand, it is necessary to be careful that your gimbal is correctly balanced in terms of weight, while playing on the displacement of the Alpha 7 with the mounted optic. Otherwise, you will damage the engines of the gimbal, see it will not work properly.

 

[Dougcjohn]

I ran across a listing or post on a H920 with GB603 GH4 insert that indicated he had modified the GH4 lens insert brace to fit either the GH4 or Sony A7. I attempted to locate again and wasn't able to find, but I thought it was UK or Germany posting. The camera body lens insert brace is the only difference (and associated weights), the GB603 cage is the same. Based on photos only, and not having a GH4 & A7 side by side it would be a guess; but I'd think adapting the GH4 brace for an A7 would be possible. May involve cutting lens section separate and fabricating an A7 lens section or inserting a spacer for lens / body location. If it can be drawn/traced, I'm confident a member of this site could arrange a 3D print.

Does anyone have a A7 insert brace they could trace for comparison and/or 3D printing?
The 3D printed version may be more adaptable to modifying for both with it being a plastic and not an aluminum. I too would be interested in having an A7 brace in my collection... just for options.

 

[mouks]

Thanks, very useful infos! I think I will get rid of this metal ring and make a fixation system allowing different cameras to be mounted and moved on both axis to set cg when using different lenses.

@Breizhdrone, I would be really interested in seeing a closer picture of your rig and the parts you 3D printed. I also have access to a printer although I don't have the skills to design my own parts yet

I don't own a Sony A7, I was considering buying one to fly on this copter but after some research I think I'd better get the A6300, it's not full frame but it has basically the same video functions as A7S II ( 4K 100Mbps ) and it's much smaller, lighter and cheaper. It should be easy to fit it in the GB603 with few modifications

I also came across this product which provides almost full remote control to the Alpha cameras ( including zoom with pz lens ) It looks really interesting !
AIR Commander v2 | Full remote controller for SONY A7 cameras

 

[ukaleq]

Where did you get it from? just ordered one which was supposed to contain the sony-compatible version together with the "pro grip" handle. Alas, there is no handle and the gimbal is the old one, just like yours!

Some questions came to my mind... if it's only a matter of adapting the metal part, can one use any camera with hdmi output and not just the sony?
Also, is it possible to use that same IR cable that is necessary to release the shutter of the A7 with the older version of the gimbal?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[ukaleq]

That looks like a lot of work to me... the other thing is that I have a new, untested gimbal.
If it turns out to be faulty and I return a gimbal whose cage has been sawn off, Yuneec will for sure tell me that I voided the guarantee.

 

[mouks]

Hi, sorry for you, what does your seller has to say about the missing items ?

I bought mine locally on an auction site, someone who bought it and never used it. I got it for amazingly cheap so I hope everything is ok and I have to try it berfore investing in dedicated camera equipment. Now I'm waiting for batteries and transmitters and I have my old Nex5 to start experimenting. I don't have any warranty so I don't mind about cutting my gimball

Any camera with hdmi output should work, but you have to modify the gimball. If you want something simple to use and also need the progrip handle, maybe should you consider selling the gb603 and get this ProAction mit CGO4 Kamera EU - Modellsport Schweighofer

I don't know About the IR cable but the "air commander" seems to be a much better option for Sony cameras as it allows full control as you have on the cgo4, despite not being touch screen.

 

[ukaleq]

The thing is my motivation was really to use a sony camera because I want to shoot very good stills... I will see if I can make a deal with the shop to keep only the airframe.

 

[PatR]

You might consider also looking at the Panasonic GH5 as it mote closely fits the dimensions of a GH4, is lighter than an a7, and the still photo capability has been improved quite a bit. It may also be less expensive than an a7. I’m not promoting the GH5 but I am suggesting you research your options in obtaining great image quality along with the possibility of easier adaptation.

 

[mouks]

Same here, I also want to build a remote follow focus. The problem is that good lenses are heavy and I think it would be difficult to set the balance with the stock setup because the camera body can't be moved. You could add weight behind the camera to compensate but it's not ideal

 

[mouks]

The GH5 is great too. It's not an option for me because I can't use my lenses with it