Has anyone tried connecting a game controller to the RS2? I was really excited about this feature, but I bought a Sony Dualshock 4 today and while it worked great, the focus would not work at all... and that's one of the things I really needed it to do. All the other features work just great... pan, tilt, roll, center etc. But no matter what I do I can't get the focus motor to function. (the one that comes with the combo pack) It works fine on the Ronin itself. Suggestions?

Hi there, just to verify, the focus motor is working well without Sony Dualshock 4 game controller, right? It is confirmed that the focus motor is not able to be controlled by the Sony Dualshock 4 game controller. Sorry for the inconvenience.

DJI Susan Posted at 11-11 04:56
Hi there, just to verify, the focus motor is working well without Sony Dualshock 4 game controller, right? It is confirmed that the focus motor is not able to be controlled by the Sony Dualshock 4 game controller. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Hi again Susan.
Yes, the focus wheel works just fine with the Ronin itself... but not at all on the Dualshock 4. I tried reprograming several of the joysticks on the Sony but while all other functions work (pan, tilt, roll and center) the focus never worked. Also, the record (or shutter if in still mode) mode or switch profiles did not work. Also (if I remember correctly) when the Dualshock was connected, the Ronin record and button did not work. I'm very new to the Ronin RS2, although relatively versed in other DJI products. I've had kind of a love/hate relationship with their products having had several Phantoms (mixed feelings) an I2 (love it) an original Ronin (hated it) and an Osmo Raw (love it overall but hate some aspects)
I'm using a Panasonic S1H with this rig. I won't ever be using autofocus (Panasonic is abysmal at that) so the focus wheel and if I want to use a game controller the ability to control focus from that is critical. The reason I want remote control is I plan on using this rig on a motion dolly and jib. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
thanks

DJI Susan Posted at 11-11 04:56
Hi there, just to verify, the focus motor is working well without Sony Dualshock 4 game controller, right? It is confirmed that the focus motor is not able to be controlled by the Sony Dualshock 4 game controller. Sorry for the inconvenience.

So when I tried to calibrate the focus motor today, I discovered that this is not possible without the DJI Focus Wheel. I wondered what that was and why anyone would need it since you could program the wheel on the Ronin itself for focus. But I now know it is capable of receiving a signal from a remote to focus, so I'm wondering if this is necessary to get the game controller to work with focus? I picked up an XBox controller today and had the same result. Everything but focus worked just fine. The XBox worked much smoother than the Dualshock 4. Several times while trying to get the Dualshock 4 to work the focus, it send some random signals to the Ronin causing it to spin erratically. The XBox was super stable and very precise. Just no focus...

For what it's worth, this is an issue on the original Ronin S as well. Running the latest firmware (v2.3.1.20) and PS4 controller works well overall, but the Gaming Controller Trigger Zoom/Focus toggle has no effect. Focus wheel works in both directions, but R1/R2 and L1/L2 on the PS4 controller are dead. Would love to see this fixed/added at some point.

Stag Posted at 11-11 20:19
For what it's worth, this is an issue on the original Ronin S as well. Running the latest firmware (v2.3.1.20) and PS4 controller works well overall, but the Gaming Controller Trigger Zoom/Focus toggle has no effect. Focus wheel works in both directions, but R1/R2 and L1/L2 on the PS4 controller are dead. Would love to see this fixed/added at some point.

Interesting. When you say R1/R2 and L1/L2 controller are dead, you mean just for focus if programmed? I tried reprogramming focus to each position on both joysticks, and never got focus. But they work fine for everything else, and I reprogrammed them for pan or tilt just to make sure.
Do you have the DJI Focus Wheel? I'm going to be testing that tomorrow or Saturday when it arrives here to see if that is necessary to get focus. In the description of the Focus Motor, it says remote control of focus is possible with the Focus Wheel. I thought these were one and the same and realized there is a separate Focus Wheel that I didn't buy since I programmed my wheel on the Ronin for focus. I'm hoping that is the key.

Yup, on the Ronin Android app, there's a toggle (simple on/off, presumably doesn't have the same level of tuning as pan/tilt/roll) that's labeled "Gaming Controller Trigger Zoom/Focus". My understanding/expectation was that—when that toggle is on—you could use the L2/R2 (or maybe L1/R1) to control the Focus Motor. I tried the same thing, mapping both sticks to the focus motor, and they didn't work either. So it definitely seems to be a general bug with the controller (and not the triggers, specifically) and how it interacts with the focus motor.

I'm using the Ronin-S Focus Wheel on the handle and it works fine, but that's obviously a separate piece of hardware. For my application, I have tilt mapped to the left stick and pan mapped to the right stick, so I can't really run the Focus Wheel without a third hand.

Stag Posted at 11-15 11:36
Yup, on the Ronin Android app, there's a toggle (simple on/off, presumably doesn't have the same level of tuning as pan/tilt/roll) that's labeled "Gaming Controller Trigger Zoom/Focus". My understanding/expectation was that—when that toggle is on—you could use the L2/R2 (or maybe L1/R1) to control the Focus Motor. I tried the same thing, mapping both sticks to the focus motor, and they didn't work either. So it definitely seems to be a general bug with the controller (and not the triggers, specifically) and how it interacts with the focus motor.

I'm using the Ronin-S Focus Wheel on the handle and it works fine, but that's obviously a separate piece of hardware. For my application, I have tilt mapped to the left stick and pan mapped to the right stick, so I can't really run the Focus Wheel without a third hand.

That was my experience as well. I bought the DJI Focus Wheel hoping that having that on there would somehow get it to work (in the vague DJI description of the Focus Wheel it says that it allows for 'focus with a remote' but it made no difference. Plus, I couldn't even get the Focus Wheel to do anything. It wouldn't connect to the Ronin even though it's a direct connection through the mount on the side. I also got a reply from DJI confirming that focus is not possible with a game controller. So why they describe that in the manual I have no clue.

Stag Posted at 11-15 11:36
Yup, on the Ronin Android app, there's a toggle (simple on/off, presumably doesn't have the same level of tuning as pan/tilt/roll) that's labeled "Gaming Controller Trigger Zoom/Focus". My understanding/expectation was that—when that toggle is on—you could use the L2/R2 (or maybe L1/R1) to control the Focus Motor. I tried the same thing, mapping both sticks to the focus motor, and they didn't work either. So it definitely seems to be a general bug with the controller (and not the triggers, specifically) and how it interacts with the focus motor.

I'm using the Ronin-S Focus Wheel on the handle and it works fine, but that's obviously a separate piece of hardware. For my application, I have tilt mapped to the left stick and pan mapped to the right stick, so I can't really run the Focus Wheel without a third hand.

I went back and double-checked that toggle, and I did have it on. So they just simply do not work that way! It's a shame, I could have really used this for a particular application.

usko Posted at 11-11 17:04
So when I tried to calibrate the focus motor today, I discovered that this is not possible without the DJI Focus Wheel. I wondered what that was and why anyone would need it since you could program the wheel on the Ronin itself for focus. But I now know it is capable of receiving a signal from a remote to focus, so I'm wondering if this is necessary to get the game controller to work with focus? I picked up an XBox controller today and had the same result. Everything but focus worked just fine. The XBox worked much smoother than the Dualshock 4. Several times while trying to get the Dualshock 4 to work the focus, it send some random signals to the Ronin causing it to spin erratically. The XBox was super stable and very precise. Just no focus...

I am sorry for the delay, I am sorry that the focus is unable to be controlled by the game controller.

DJI Susan Posted at 11-25 05:53
I am sorry for the delay, I am sorry that the focus is unable to be controlled by the game controller.

Me too. When doing a complicated move remotely (say if the Ronin is on a jib or slider) with shallow DOF, having remote control of focus would have been extremely useful. I never use autofocus so that's not an option.

DJI Susan Posted at 11-25 05:53
I am sorry for the delay, I am sorry that the focus is unable to be controlled by the game controller.

You advertise that the RS2 is perfect for a jib crane, when mounting our Canon XF405 to a 18' crane, we need the Playstation Controller to be able to control the focus motor which controls the camcorder zoom.  This is a purposeful limitation to encourage the sale of added items from DJI.  Why limit creative people and how we use the gimbal, we already bought it, now make it work fully for us.  There is no reason why the Focus Motor can't work on the controller when the app is able to do it.  

HI DJI, are the playstation controller focus possible I a later update?

Hello from Finland!

I have a Sony A6400 with power zoom featured lens installed to RSC 2 and I was able to get the power zoom working with PS4 controller.

It just required that I took the camera control cable off and inserted back again while being in Gaming controller window in the Ronin app in my Android phone.

While testing this the app informed of new firmware 01.02.00.30 to the gimbal and I installed it. The power zoom is still working after plugging the control cable again twice.

I haven't yet tried to control the focus motor with PS4 controller.

Hopefully this was some good information to this issue.

Are there any news on this problem? I've got exactly the same problem, focus won't work from the PS4 controller.

splittedvik Posted at 3-5 02:13
Are there any news on this problem? I've got exactly the same problem, focus won't work from the PS4 controller.

Not as far as I know. I returned my controller when I discovered the focus wouldn't work so unless there's been a firmware update addressing it I doubt it. And I had the latest firmware before I returned the controller. I don't think it's a priority of DJIs unfortunately.

Does anyone know if you can use the external focus motors with the PS controllers and control follow focus functionally?

TimmyBaker Posted at 3-11 07:05
Does anyone know if you can use the external focus motors with the PS controllers and control follow focus functionally?

focus is not supported by the PS controller

Indio Posted at 3-11 13:26
focus is not supported by the PS controller

thanks for letting me know!

Has anyone tried an xbox controller and had the focus motor
Work?  

djiuser_bEpuFhsEaUXq Posted at 9-17 01:25
Has anyone tried an xbox controller and had the focus motor
Work?

If you read through the thread, you'll see that it's not possible. You can get the controllers to work fine with other functions, just not focus. I tried both Play Station and Xbox controllers, and neither would activate focus, unfortunately. I really wanted this feature to work! Even DJI confirms focus is not possible from game controllers.

Also a new user waiting for DJI to update to allow gaming controller to control focus motor.  This would really help in lots of settings and situations.

Is there any way to control focus and gimabal remote? As i understand ps4 still not control focus?

Still looking for a solution for this. The focus motor is not able to be controlled with the PS4 controller which drastically limits the use of this setup for most of us that are running electronic autofocus/focus and focus motor for the zoom. This is a very common setup now a days and seems that it would be fixable with a firmware update, of course unless DJI was just trying to push people to LiDAR, which although very useful has its own set of limitations. It seems odd that we have two sets of controller options to control the digital focus, it would be absolutely fantastic if the joystick controlled focus and the R1 and L1 buttons controlled zoom or vice versa. DJI, let’s make this happen.

Still looking for a solution for this. The focus motor is not able to be controlled with the PS4 controller which drastically limits the use of this setup for most of us that are running electronic autofocus/focus and focus motor for the zoom. This is a very common setup now a days and seems that it would be fixable with a firmware update, of course unless DJI was just trying to push people to LiDAR, which although very useful has its own set of limitations. It seems odd that we have two sets of controller options to control the digital focus, it would be absolutely fantastic if the joystick controlled focus and the R1 and L1 buttons controlled zoom or vice versa. DJI, let’s make this happen.