I'm a total Osmo newbie so please forgive me if I'm asking dumb questions here (and I haven't had luck with searching the forums)...

I've played with a friend's Osmo (with the X3 camera) quite a bit and thought I was pretty familiar with all the ins-and-outs of it, and pretty much all of the DJI GO app features.

BUT... my own Osmo Pro bundle with the X5 camera and focus wheel just arrived a few hours ago, and it is totally kicking my butt.

My only real issue is focusing, but it has proven very frustrating and I can't seem to find any solutions by trial and error, and have found no on-line help or tutorials that solve my problems...

I think I've tried every conceivable combination of things, but so far I can only get the focus wheel to control APERATURE, and have never been able to get it to control FOCUS at all (note this is the smaller wired focus wheel, not the bigger wireless unit).

I believe the wheel is assignable so you can use it to control aperture, but I want it to control focus as intended.  I keep thinking there has got to be a setting somewhere to make this assignment, but I sure can't find it.

I guess my questions are...

**Should the physical switch on the lens be clicked to AF or MF if I want to control focus?

**Shouldn't this work an any mode? (Auto, ap priority, shutter priority, manual)

**How do I assign the focus function to the wheel??

Any help for this newbie would be greatly appreciated.  I'm usually pretty bright with this kind of stuff, but this one is killing me.

Thanks so much!
T2

I just got the focus wheel as well. But I can't figure out how to get this to work. Is this a settings issue or firmware?

I can't get my focus wheel to do ANYTHING except spin uselessly.  And yes, I am absolutely running the latest firmwares. FauxFilms–the focus wheel was literally just released and we are the first people to try using it, I think.

DJI, please help!

I have exactly the same problems, neither the focus or aperture are working.
DJI support ask me to wait for the next firmware upgrade.

Currently I have a $ 300 ornament mounted to my osmo. Lol.

Hi, please press D button to switch between Focus Control and Aperture control, as described in the manual

My focus wheel does nothing but light up.

DJI-H.C Posted at 2016-8-23 12:22
Hi, please press D button to switch between Focus Control and Aperture control, as described in the  ...

There is no manual in the app. They only have the video showing you how to update the firmware. Can you please explain further?

The new focus wheel for the Osmo does not have any buttons. It just has a wheel and cable port.

I'm having the same experience. It doesn't seem compatable at the moment, as if it needs a firmware update or something. There is NO information anywhere on how to use it either.

I'm running the latest Osmo firmware + last Go App

I appreciate DJI-H.C trying to answer... but obviously NOT the answer we are looking for.  That answer is applicable to the "DJI Focus - Remote Controller" ONLY... that's not what we are asking about (DJI, are you listening?).  We are asking about the "Osmo Pro/RAW - DJI Focus Handwheel"... which as jcap858 pointed out, does not have ANY buttons, "D" or otherwise... none, zip, zilch, nada.

DJI's "instructions" and "manuals" are sadly usually limited to pretty much just how to screw parts together... surely there's an answer, though.

Can you PLEEEEASE give this another shot, DJI?  The on-screen focusing with the X5 is virtually useless, especially during shooting... and those of us who are intuitively used to focusing with handwheels desperately need it.  Otherwise I have, as apparently a lot of other people, a brand-new $300 paperweight.

FauxFilm Posted at 2016-8-23 14:01
I appreciate DJI-H.C trying to answer... but obviously NOT the answer we are looking for.  That answ ...

Very sorry about  that, I didn't read the post carefully.  I've talked with engineers about this issue, we're workign on it and it will be fixed in the next firmware

NEXT firmware???  Any idea how long that will be?  Hours?  Days? Weeks? Months?

Unlike a whole system or something where there might be one or two features that are not yet enabled, in this case DJI is selling a product that does ONE thing and one thing only... except that it won't do it.  Surely DJI knew that before they started selling what I'm guessing is at least hundreds of these things at a hefty $300 a pop.

I've paid almost $2500 for a system that was bought for ONE specific upcoming job, but is unusable without all the parts that I purchased working together.


An update would be appreciated.  And I think at the very minimum the focus wheel should be labeled something like "NON FUNCTIONAL" on the website before anyone else shells out hundreds of dollars for something the company apparently KNOWS does not work.

Nice new product! I've got the older bigger one for which I had to update the firmware. Shame the new kit's not working!

I love DJI products, but this is crazy. How does a company sell a product without making sure it works properly before releasing it? I can understand a drone that has many features and not having one of many features working improperly. But this accessory, $300, has one primary feature "focus" and it doesn't do it. Next firmware update??? Are you kidding me????? This should have been worked out prior to release. This is ridiculous. I have yet to find a single person that has a functioning focus wheel. When will this update be? If this firmware update is not released in the next coming days I'm sending mine back to DJI. Outrageous.

Received my Osmo Pro last light with Focus Wheel.  Spent the night waisting my time trying to get the Focus Wheel to work.  It is very frustrating to find out this morning that the current firmware doesn't even support the wheel.  DJI you need to get it together.  Spending $2500.00 one would expect that it is ready to go.  Seriously considering returning this product and just sticking with my original Osmo.  

I have now spent HOURS on the phone (lots of waiting, multiple dropped calls) with DJI customer "service" and spent more than an hour in a live chat with a guy who had the most non-helpful circular logic that he was straight out of the Twilight Zone.  NO one could give me any help, or even seemed to know what I was talking about.  My last phone call asked me to call back in two hours when someone else in the Pro Line was "out of training."

This is ridiculous.  It's dumbfounding that a company that really does have such innovative products doesn't seem to have even the most basic clue about taking care of customers... who spend a LOT of money.

I've been a professional director and DP for about three decades now, have bought hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment from all kinds of vendors, and DJI easily has the worst service of any company I have ever dealt with... bar none.  No one else even comes close.

I've decided that DJI is really just a shell company designed to make the customer service departments at Comcast and Bank of America seem tolerable.

I myself have been reading this particular thread and Im not surprised but surprised  of how  STUPID and smart DJI is its got to be FIXED quickly as I was looking to lay down a few coins for the focus wheel and a few more things DJI offers  that could total easy 3-4k BUT, I’m going to be a smart creative guy here and wait till DJI gets their  "SHET "  Yes, I cursed shoot me ! ...together and start kissing some of our asses as we are whats giving them the financial resource to grow. Maybe we need to stop and let them realize this and maybe just maybe they will WAKE THE “F” UP!

Unbelivevable. How can a company sell a product when they know it does'nt work outa the box

Yep, can't get it working either. Shipping a product that doesn't work with anything is pretty funny. I was really hesitated before purchasing this one due to my last few experiences. I'm sure DJI will start to loose business at some point.

Interesting that last week the iOS app was updated to support the "DJI Focus Wheel", guess that didn't work.

Ok, for everyone working frustratedly for hours like I have been trying to get this thing to work....   STOP  .  You're wasting your time.   IT WILL NOT WORK .

After about a dozen phone calls to tech people with an assortment of interesting accents and several live chats with some very creative grammar... I FINALLY got one guy in the pro line who instantly was able to speak intelligently about it (he was the first person who even had a clue what I was talking about).

He said... "Ummm seems like we might have actually released that a little bit too soon," and no, there is absolutely nothing we can all be doing to make it work.  It will not work until the next firmware update.  I know someone else was told that as well, but I was determined to hear it from DJI.

It's stunning how irresponsible and uncommunicative this company is.

I pressed him as to "when"... he first said "Maybe next week" and then put me on hold for a while to pin down the day.  He came back with no other info other than "We hope it is out soon."

I chastised him thoroughly that piles of DJI customers are wasting untold scads of hours trying to get this to work, and that no one at DJI seems aware of the problem other than him... and urged better communication not only with customers but within their own employees.  I know I was wasting my breath and that he's just a cog in the machine... but I felt better about it.

I guess now we just have to wait... and hope that it works.  

FauxFilm Posted at 2016-8-24 05:24
Ok, for everyone working frustratedly for hours like I have been trying to get this thing to work... ...

Thanks for getting that info.  They do need to work on their customer service and tech support. It's truly awful.  When they dropped the price of the X5 head...I had to resort to taking it to blasting them on social media to get a refund because they kept passing the buck sending me from one chat room to another. What really sent me over the edge is when their one of their reps told me I was out of luck because I ordered the item befoe the price drop and they couldn't refund me the difference even though I had yet to receive the product. I took it to social media and finally someone contacted me a gave me my refund. It shouldn't have to go that far.

Was really hoping to use it for a wedding this coming Friday. This is utterly grotesque and reprehensible.

It was the same with the x5 osmo adapter...how long it takes.....that is typical dji ...they give a shit about the costumers

ikemikek I think you are going to be SOL for your wedding... like I said, the tech guy wouldn't give me a firm date, but I got the impression it wouldn't be ready by Friday.  Is this an outdoor event?... I think best you could hope for is a sunny day where you could stop down to about f/16 with a deep DoF so focusing isn't critical.

As for me, we bought this unit for a specific television commercial project... a big project with a pretty big budget that we already delayed once just so the gear can get in.  And in my case, I specifically went with the X5 camera because I want to shoot wide open with a shallow depth of field and being able to follow focus is a must... it's just impossible to do with precision using the screen.  Grrrr... thanks DJI!

FauxFilm Posted at 2016-8-23 19:57
ikemikek I think you are going to be SOL for your wedding... like I said, the tech guy wouldn't give ...

I actually managed to shoot a wedding using just the screen at 25mm f/1.8 and it went decently...with a lot of practice beforehand. I just knew that having a physical wheel would be better.
Thanks for the tip, though,  and good luck with your commercial.

Day 3

Status: still no firmware update

My thoughts: My excitement for getting the new focus hand wheel has turned to frustration. I have detached the unit from my osmo and it now sits on my desk like a toy knick knack. It looks good but it doesn't have any purpose. I was a late comer to DJI,  so I disregarded others horror stories about customers service. But I feel I will soon have,if not already, my own encounter with the terrible DJI customer service that others have mentioned that I didn't want to believe. Currently I believe that relief by a firmware update is imminent but no one really knows. I find myself in a sick game that DJI designed, playing on Osmo owners hopes of having a cheaper alternative to control focus on their X5/r cameras. Which will come first a firmware update or accepting that this update was an elaborate myth to perpetuate users buying more vaporware? Time will tell.

Just updated DJI Go Pp ISO version 2.8.7
It said added support for DJI Handwheel.
I tried to work on my Handwheel but in vain.
How to change between focus and aperture is still a question.

It doesn't matter, wto6071... the app has said it had added support for the handwheel for a little while.  It's still not getting you anywhere, though.  The app update is just half the puzzle, you'll have to wait for the actual firmware update to the unit.  Like the rest of us.  Unfortunately.

Sorry we are in the same boat.

Hello FauxFilm, the new firmware already released.It will solve the issue,please try to update it.

It's working, now we can use it, thank God

Thank the gods! Maybe you can still make your wedding "Ike".

Does anyone know where to find a longer version of the cable that comes with the focus wheel?

Has anyone got focus peaking??

Outside of that inspire 1 hack, I don't think anyone has focus peaking right now for the Osmo Pro/RAW.

Well Hallelujah... it works.

It works pretty well, too.  

A couple of things of note for you people who are about to try it....

1.  Although the wheel works well, the focus action is a bit "mushy"... it's not like the hard direct-geared connection from a handwheel to a prime lens that you might be accustomed to.  It takes a little getting used to, but I think it will happen fairly quickly (I hope).  I wouldn't want to have to use it on a big or important job right out of the box... in my case I'm glad I have some time to get to practice with it.

2.  If you are used to using a normal follow-focus rig, you'll want to set the direction to "REVERSE."  If set to its normal position then it will work backwards compared to a "real" FF unit.  But set it to reverse, and all is good... rotate the wheel away from you (counter clockwise) to focus closer, and rotate it toward you to focus away.  Just like the good Lord intended (and the way that cine lenses and FF units have worked for a century now).

3.  Also, compared to a regular follow-focus wheel on a real prime lens, with this the range of travel is much smaller.  As those of you who shoot primes with FF rigs know, that needed range varies over distance... you might have to turn the wheel a fair bit to go from one foot to three feet... but not have to turn it much at all to go from 10 feet to 15 feet.  With this rig though there doesn't seem to be that "sliding scale" though, and the focus-point vs. distance is fairly uniform throughout.  If you are not used to focusing with a wheel you are probably ahead of the game and won't have to "unlearn" anything... but if you use one every day or can practically focus in your sleep (as I thought I could)  it's going to take a fair bit of getting used to.

So... A) I'm happy.  B) That still doesn't let DJI off the hook for making us all wait, the massive runaround, the zero communication, the hours on phone calls with tech people who hadn't a clue what I was talking about, or not informing buyers they had a useless product.  C)  I'd still love peaking.

Enjoy focusing, everyone.

Yay! I managed to get the firmware installed before the wedding shoot and it worked perfectly. I still would like focus peaking.

ikemikek glad it worked for.

I thought it was both hilarious and sad that today I got my first response from my initial email to support... which I sent FIVE DAYS ago...

Which read...

"Thank you for raising your concern here in DJI Support.

With regard to your concern can you please send us a short video clip of the trouble you encountered with your unit and also give us a screen shot of any error message that you received in your DJI Go App. I am looking forward for your quick response.

Please do not hesitate to email us if you have any further clarifications."

Obviously this person had not even bothered to read my initial email, which completely and fully outlined the issue.  They do look forward to my "quick response" though.  I think we have a different idea of "quick" though.