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Balancing Act
2533 8 2016-3-20
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Aeromirage
Captain
Flight distance : 1778045 ft
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     I recently bought an Olympus 14-42 mm zoom lens to use on my Zenmuse X5 camera. This is the Pancake version and there are some Pros and Cons to the lens.
Balancing is possible, and here's how I did it.
     I purchased a set of 18 step up / down lens filter ring adapters for $11.89 (shipping included!) on ebay. 3 of these rings along with a UV filter did the trick.
Now, it is true that the lens changes length and internal elements move around, so the COG changes. I balanced it set at 14mm. When the lens is set to 42mm it is slightly back heavy, but ony by about 2-3g. When I first got the lens, I tried it without any weight added to the front and the gimbal vibrated very badly. This has stopped completley with the filter and rings attached.
Pros:
  • Zoom ability.
  • Lens cost is very low. ($128.90 including shipping!!)
  • Allows close shots without flying dangerously close.
Cons:
  • Lens is a very tight fit. (Zoom ring rubs cover plate on gimbal) [Still not sure of what I am going to do about this]
  • Lens is plastic construction. (Glass elements) Not sealed against dust intrusion.
  • Auto focus only works set to 14mm. (But is still in focus zoomed)

Here are 3 pictures. One shows a shot of the left rear propulsion motor, at 14mm and 42mm, maybe 10" from the camera!

Filter + 3 adapters

Filter + 3 adapters

Balanced at 42mm

Balanced at 42mm

Left rear motor

Left rear motor
2016-3-20
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DJI-Tim
DJI team

Hong Kong
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Nice thread! Thank you for sharing! I think it is nice lens for the money you pay
2016-3-20
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Romi
lvl.2

United States
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Very nice, thanks for the pros and cons
2016-3-21
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Aeromirage
Captain
Flight distance : 1778045 ft
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DJI-Tim Posted at 2016-3-21 15:08
Nice thread! Thank you for sharing! I think it is nice lens for the money you pay

Agreed.
I will use it now that the gimbal stopped vibrating.
To anyone that thinks that balance doesn't matter..... well, I kind of think this shows that it does.
2016-3-21
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WYHSniper1007
Second Officer
Flight distance : 1003822 ft
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United States
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Nice!Good Job!
2017-1-3
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jim.jimrichard
lvl.2
Flight distance : 12382 ft
United States
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How do you keep the lens extended with the drone powered off?
2018-3-4
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Aeromirage
Captain
Flight distance : 1778045 ft
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You can either disconnect the gimbal while it is on or remove the battery from the AC without turning it off.
Another way is to attach the lens to any MFT camera and remove it without powering the camera down.
2018-3-4
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A CW
Captain
Flight distance : 13838848 ft
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United Kingdom
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Nice kit!         
2018-3-5
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jim.jimrichard
lvl.2
Flight distance : 12382 ft
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Does your lens make a vibrating grinding noise when zooming? With my balance ring on it, I hear a bad noise during the zooming, without the ring, no noise.
2018-3-6
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