DJI LiDAR Range Finder (RS) DOES NOT work with the new RS3 Pro/focus motor!
LiDAR flashes red and that would be a notification to update the firmware, which we did but without success. When the LiDAR is connected, the focus motor does not work. If we take out the LiDAR, the focus motor works. So the engine is not broken. All devices RS 3 Pro, Revenye and LiDAR are therefore up-to-date, but focus calibration continues to fail. Anyone have a solution?

I am having the same or similar problem where I get the Lidar and Focus motor hooked up, go to calibrate a lens and it feels like the lens calibration is going to destroy my rs3 pro, but then says its calibrated, so then you have to do the 1m and 4m test, but you can no longer access the focus wheel, even if you switch the lidar to manual, I still can not get the focus motor to work for the calibration test. Not sure how to set the focus if that is the case. Active track works fine, lidar shows on my screen, and focus motor on its own with no Lidar works fine, but no autofocus with the Lidar. And I also have my dial menu set to "Focus Motor" just for the record as I know that fixed most peoples issues, but not mine. I have tried everything and I am stumped.

Yes, exactly the same issue. I can’t find a solution!!

I received my lidar device today, so started calibrating and I've got same issue. After autocalibrating, I can't proceed with 1M and 4M steps, because focus ring doesn't work. I hope it's software issue, and not hardware. DJI team please respond!

Received LiDAR and Auto focus not working. Conducted several tests, fallowed all instructions and steps, also updated firm wear and no results. Pls help

I have no video feed on gimbal from range finder. How can I possibly solve?

marco_SWISS Posted at 9-13 03:08
I have no video feed on gimbal from range finder. How can I possibly solve?

Here everything works fine but the video feed on the touchscreen of the gimbal. I changed the multi camera control cable to the LiDAR range finder control cable. But then the LiDAR isn't powered and nothing works anymore. No idea what to do next.
A few minutes since I postet that:

Now I got the video feed. First I plugged the LiDAR to the focur motor which was wrong. When plugging the LiDAR to the Gimbal it works. Sorry.

fansc030e3fc Posted at 9-19 05:15
Here everything works fine but the video feed on the touchscreen of the gimbal. I changed the multi camera control cable to the LiDAR range finder control cable. But then the LiDAR isn't powered and nothing works anymore. No idea what to do next.
A few minutes since I postet that:

I just come from shooting where I wanted to use the LiDAR range finder but it didn't work although it worked when I set it up at home. On the set the firmware update red light flashed again. No connection to the LiDAR was possible although the firmware was fresh installed at home.

At home I checked it again. No connection and red light flashing. So I connected it to the computer and startet DJI Assistent which showed that the current firmware is something with 00034 at the end and that it is already installed. Nevertheless I installed it again. And after that the LiDAR worked. I had a video feed and could operate with it.

But after disconnecting and reconnecting it the firmware flash light showed up again and it could not connect to the gimbal again.

It seems the LiDAR forgets its update although the DJI Assistent shows that it is the current version. Well, I cannot do the update procedure on the set every time to make it work. No idea what is going on.

MY SOLUTION + THEORY:

I reckon... it could be that my lens is not a fixed zoom one. I got a Sigma 18-35mm... so for example set focal length 18mm.
Another aspect of it being a variable zoom lens is that when you rotate the focus wheel... it will keep rotating forever despite the focus being at the extreme. My guess is that this doesn't happen with a fixed lens.
Start calibration, the focus motor will rotate the focus wheel towards one end. You need to stop it by hand when it reaches the focus extreme mark. Motor should then reverse, then you need to stop it again by hand at the other extreme, thus creating focus end memory stops. This repeats.
After this whole thing, I was able to move the focus motor with the front dial on my gimbal for the next step of the calibration process, which finally brought that smile back to my face.

fans7d0a1aa6 Posted at 10-20 23:00
MY SOLUTION + THEORY:

I reckon... it could be that my lens is not a fixed zoom one. I got a Sigma 18-35mm... so for example set focal length 18mm.

I'm watching this develop as I have the LiDAR RS (working fine thank-you for tracking) but was thinking of adding some of my Nikkor lenses.

The focus control on the Nikkor zoom lenses isn't infinite so it might work.

I have the exact some problem. Any solution found? Did you send the Lidar back? Replacement works?

ValleyForge Posted at 10-21 01:55
I'm watching this develop as I have the LiDAR RS (working fine thank-you for tracking) but was thinking of adding some of my Nikkor lenses.

The focus control on the Nikkor zoom lenses isn't infinite so it might work.

Have set up LiDAR to control the focus on a Nikkor lens on the RS3 Pro. Took a couple of goes to get the calibration right, but works nicely.

The LiDAR Tracking is excellent as well - both focus and tracking working.

BUT - I would really like the LiDAR to control the focus when I'm not mounted on the RS3 Pro. The manual says it will work, but I can't get the calibration to persist. The manual says it is "stored"in the Focus Motor. I re-calibrate it on the gimbal, then unplug it and move it off the gimbal; when it restarts the LiDAR says no calibration.

fans7d0a1aa6 Posted at 10-20 23:00
MY SOLUTION + THEORY:

I reckon... it could be that my lens is not a fixed zoom one. I got a Sigma 18-35mm... so for example set focal length 18mm.

Hi
Can you calibrate a zoom for the lidar ?
I suppose you do the extreme and middle focal lengths.
Does the AF then works well for the remaining focal lengths ?

Best
Ybes

ValleyForge Posted at 11-5 01:46
Have set up LiDAR to control the focus on a Nikkor lens on the RS3 Pro. Took a couple of goes to get the calibration right, but works nicely.

The LiDAR Tracking is excellent as well - both focus and tracking working.

Hi, please can you help me. I have the DJI Ronin RS3 Pro, and use the Sony FX3. I am seriously considering buying the DJI LiDAR not for the auto focus but to active track objects as well as faces. Have you been able to do this on your LiDAR? Active track objects such as for example a table, or a lamp, a stationery car, or a  tree instead of just faces?
Many thanks,
Andrew

fans1bb82afa Posted at 11-20 03:14
Hi, please can you help me. I have the DJI Ronin RS3 Pro, and use the Sony FX3. I am seriously considering buying the DJI LiDAR not for the auto focus but to active track objects as well as faces. Have you been able to do this on your LiDAR? Active track objects such as for example a table, or a lamp, a stationery car, or a  tree instead of just faces?
Many thanks,
Andrew

I've only tried it with moving objects and it is very good. Happily tracks up to about 7m away. It seems to hold tracking on stationary items, but I've really only used it on people and animals so far.

fansb66952ad Posted at 11-19 05:31
Hi
Can you calibrate a zoom for the lidar ?
I suppose you do the extreme and middle focal lengths.

Yes it calibrates a zoom, but it wants the focal length entered first.
So I have been using the LiDAR on my Nikkor telephoto lens and I set the focal length on the Ronin to 100mm (I think that was as high as it would go) and it calibrated focus just fine.
What is really annoying is I can't get the motor to remember the calibration when it's off the Ronin. According to the instructions it should, but the motor seems to forget the calibration straight away; I have even tried keeping the motor powered by an external battery.

I have a Sigma FP and Sigma 45mm DG DN L mount that does not have mechanical end points for the focus. I was having the same issues. I reached out to DJI and this is what they suggested:
“Our senior engineer suggest you manually stop the lens focus ring. However the effect and functional experience cannot be
guaranteed“

I was able to get the focus close, but not as close as I was hoping.

djiuser_pyBskTf3FtwI Posted at 1-10 20:23
I have a Sigma FP and Sigma 45mm DG DN L mount that does not have mechanical end points for the focus. I was having the same issues. I reached out to DJI and this is what they suggested:
“Our senior engineer suggest you manually stop the lens focus ring. However the effect and functional experience cannot be
guaranteed“

https://youtube.com/shorts/lQgyuUeBtWQ?feature=share

I'm having a lot of trouble with the same situation as streamstudioNL and SSF had at the start of this thread back in August (2022). DJI tech support hasn't been able to help so now they've passed it up to a higher tier with the engineers. I'm hoping that you guys had some kind of solution for this and if so please let me know what you did to fix this. Thanks!

someone mentioned about initilizing the RS3 Pro parameter settings, so I figured something goes wrong when you change the parameter.

What I found is that even little changes in joystick speed would cause the LiDAR mulfunctioning.

Thank for the info!

I got another email from DJI Tech Support this morning and they're saying that the problem is that my 2 lenses are auto/manual, and that the focus ring is 'infinite' and that I need a manual lens that has stop points to calibrate properly. It sounds like it makes sense so I guess it's time for lens number 3.

BadRadBR Posted at 1-23 06:52
Thank for the info!

I got another email from DJI Tech Support this morning and they're saying that the problem is that my 2 lenses are auto/manual, and that the focus ring is 'infinite' and that I need a manual lens that has stop points to calibrate properly. It sounds like it makes sense so I guess it's time for lens number 3.

My lenses have hard stop points.

And it still doesn't work off the Ronin. Arrrgh!

Today I got the Lidar and unfortunately I’m very disappointed about it.

First of all as most people know you need a lens with hard stops. I thought I could calibrate the focusmotor manually by the menu of the gimbal but when the Lidar is connected this is overruled so you really need hard stops.

Second you can’t follow objects, only people. If you try to follow an object the focus get lost.

Third it’s very hard to work with the Lidar because it is sitting on top of the camera and so the field of view is different than what you see on camera. So you have to watch in the very tiny lcd display of your Ronin to see where the white rectangular sits on and so you loose what you really have to film.

Fourth the active track is same as above: you can’t look in both the lcd and your viewfinder and so you can’t get the object in exact the place you want it. The Raveneye is perfect for Active tracking because WYSIWYG.

Fifth the active track of the Lidar is less smooth than the Raveneye.

Well, I reached the 1000 charactets so here’s my follow up of my post above.

To solve the hard stop issue I found a reseller which has special gear rings, here’s for example a gear ring for the Sigma ART 18-35

So my conclusion: for focussing people it works okay, it’s also very easy to switch between several people by turning the dial on the Ronin. But I sent my Lidar back and keep focussing manually, it’s very accurate with this gimbal and focusmotor. I’ve worked two years with a Moza Air2 and there is play on the focusmotor, about 1/8 turn and so hard to focus. The Ronin RS3 Pro is perfect: 1 mm turn is directly a move on the focusring of the lens.

This post can be deleted, but I don't know how to do it?

djiuser_pyBskTf3FtwI Posted at 1-10 20:23
I have a Sigma FP and Sigma 45mm DG DN L mount that does not have mechanical end points for the focus. I was having the same issues. I reached out to DJI and this is what they suggested:
“Our senior engineer suggest you manually stop the lens focus ring. However the effect and functional experience cannot be
guaranteed“

That never works okay, you have to buy such a thing: Sigma 18-35 gear ring

Benno Z Posted at 2-2 02:50
That never works okay, you have to buy such a thing: Sigma 18-35 gear ring

That gear ring is way to go.  I wish they make for the old lenses, too.

I did this for now to make my lenses hard stop.  Not that I like how it looks, though.

https://youtube.com/shorts/lQgyuUeBtWQ?feature=share

Hmmm. I joined this party today. Its March 13th 2023.
Any solution ?
I have sony camera and sony lens wich dont hav a hard stop.
Looks like lidar is useless to me.

Hello everyone,

How are you going doing with LiDAR Range Finder?

After working with it for several weeks, I found these things are important.

First of all, the back focus of the camera and the lens is very important.  In order for close and far focus to work, right back focus adjustment is needed even for the prime lenses.
If the back focus is off, then when you do 1 meter and 4 meter calibration, the 4 meter focus will go off after LiDAR figures out the focus range.  I ajusted the backfocus of my RED Weapon Helium and my Sigma Primes, it works great.

Also, I ofset the vertical angle to make the pointing of the LiDAR to the object.  That will make LiDAR to follow center of the object better.

Make sure you connect the LiDAR to the bottom of the USB-C port of the RS3 Pro.  Only the bottom port will give you the picture to RS3 Pro.

Make sure you do the 1 meter/4 meter calibration in open space.

I have extra focus wheel (Ronin-S focus wheel) connected on my DJI Tethered Handle, so I have two wheels (actually three wheels including the RS3 Pro's itself but it works the same on the tethered handle's built in wheel).  I use the built in wheel as controlling "Roll" to give more expression by assigning in the Dial section, then the extra wheel becomes the focus control of the motor.  If you leave it as defualt then built in wheel control the focus.  When you do 1m/4m calibration, RS3 Pro swtches back the built in wheel to control the focus, and RS3 Pro does that automatically, so don't get fooled by that.  I hope DJI be able to add parameters to set both built in and added focus wheel independantly in the future so that we don't have to assume how RS3 Pro is acting.

Still zoom lens is prolematic since the back focus of each focal length does not have correct back focus.  If back focus of the zoom lens is good like the real cinema or broadcast zoom lens, then what I would do is that decide which focal lenth you would use, if 24-105mm then something like 24, 35 and 50mm, then calibrate at that focal length with the 1m/4m calibration.  However, it won't give you precise auto focus especially at the longer focal point (the close focus would work well relatively).  I might need to work on these matter more, so give me suggestions if you have the solution.

These are the things I found out from working with it.

Oh, the hard stop gear ring works really well.  I recommend buying them if you have the lenses that hard stop ring offers.  That is why I switched back from older Sigma Primes to ART primes. 24, 35, 50 and 85mm Art primes work really well.