by Matija Petrovic, Denis Pusic
Came 7800 gimbal is a product made by Chinese company Xiamen Came Photographic Equipment Co. The company was founded in 2003 and their main business is the production of photo and video equipment with an accent on production of gimbals, led lighting, camera stabilization as Steadicam, DSLR rings, cranes etc.
CAME 7800
First and foremost thing I was thrilled by concerning CAME 7800 gimbal, is it’s build quality. Whole gimbal is built from carbon, so you can feel it’s lightness at the very first lift. Cables are almost invisible, while cable visibility is an often problem with the other gimbals.
Unboxing (case opening)
Came 7800 comes with a new case containing gimbal and the stand for it. The stand comes dismantled, so it has to be assembled, but that is not an issue as it takes only a few minutes to put a gimbal on it. Came 7800 comes completely assembled, unlike its predecessor Came 7500 which needed to be assembled manually. That is a big plus, because you do not have to worry you will assemble it incorrectly and it might not work.
Came 7800 can carry cameras up to 3 kg (6.6 lb) and it weighs approximately 2.1 kg (4.8 lb).
It comes with many spare parts such as spare joystick in case the one already attached to gimbal fails. It also comes with all the needed screwdrivers. The only additional thing you will need that does not come with it is the regular flat screwdriver. The toolbox contains five hex keys (one for stand assembling, other four are used during balancing). You must be careful that the gimbal comes with loose screws and that before you start the balancing and placing the camera, you take care that every screw is well secured. During balancing procedure you will loosen screws one by one (it is very important to do it one by one and not all at once). It also comes with the monitor stand, which has already been put to gimbal; tool bag contains the screws needed to properly attach the monitor.
Balancing is simple; the following video shows how to do it properly.
You must be careful everything is properly balanced before you turn the gimbal on, in order to avoid engine damage. Balancing is maximally simplified, so when you get a little practice, you will be able to achieve the proper balance in just a few minutes.
Battery
Battery that comes in the package with Came 7800 gimbal is LiPo battery Redzone 2200 mah and it comes with a charger B3 Pro from Imax RC. It is highly recommended that you get spare batteries, probably from other manufacturers, as Redzone 2200 mah recording time with Came 7800 just isn’t enough.
Also this is great battery for Came gimbal.
Recharging time when the battery is completely empty takes approximately one hour. Recording time on gimbal is approximately 45 minutes, but it depends upon weather conditions outside. We have tested the battery on -15°C and it lasted about 25 minutes.
Joystick
Joystick is another great thing on Came 7800 gimbal. You can control the camera in all directions, including pan and tilt. There are 3 different modes, which can be accessed through joystick.
As mentioned earlier, there is a spare joystick in case the one attached to gimbal fails.
Monitor
Monitor doesn’t come with the gimbal, but the monitor stand is included in the package. There is also a screw for attaching a monitor to gimbal added to the tool box. Our recommendation for monitor are the following. Cheaper solution, with good image quality and all the needed outputs is surely Viltrox DC-50 monitor. Other recommendations would be Marshall V-LCD51 and Small HD DP4 4.3″.
I have to admit Came’s tech support is one of the fastest I have ever had an opportunity to communicate with. They respond in a couple of hours, but more importantly, they actually provide you a problem solution presented in video format, so any additional questions and misunderstandings are unlikely to happen. Thumbs up!
Key Features
• 3-axis motorized gimbals
• Supports loads up to 6.6 lb
• Pre-calibrated 32-bit Alexmos control board
• Lock, Follow, and Commixture Modes
• Joystick for pan, tilt, and mode control
• Adjustable handles and top handle
• Quick-release plate
• Reference marks on camera cage and quick-release plate for easier balancing
• Lithium-polymer battery and charger
• Monitor bracket included
• Lightweight at only 4.8 lb
Specifications
• Load Capacity – 6.6 lb (3 kg)
• PC Board – 32-bit Alexmos board
• Battery Chemistry- Lithium-polymer
• Battery Run Time- Approx. 45 min.
• Camera Support- Max. Width: 7.2″ (18.4 cm)
• Max. Height: 5.3″ (13.5 cm)
• Weight – 4.8 lb (2.2 kg)
You can see our Came 7800 gimbal’s test video below the article. We didn’t use any stabilization in post-production. We have tested the gimbal while recording a skateboard ride and we are really satisfied with the videos we’ve gotten from it. You can see the videos bellow the article and evaluate the Came 7800 gimbal’s stabilization quality. As mentioned earlier, we are more than happy with it.
Final words
We recommend Came 7800 gimbal to indie filmmakers and to professional productions. Price vs. quality ratio is excellent and all we can say at the end is „Competition be aware of CAME gimbals“.
more info on gimbal: LINK
