15 Best Accessories for the DJI Ronin-S

Despite entering a very crowded market, DJI has managed to gain a sizable following with the Ronin-S, their first one-handed camera gimbal product. With an excellent build quality and easy to use controls, the Ronin-S is another notch in DJI’s list of successful products.

However, the Ronin-S is not a perfect gimbal. The main gripe of the users has been its weight. At more than 4 lbs, carrying around the DJI Ronin-S in long shoots can get really tiring. This is only one of the areas that can be addressed by buying the right accessories for your Ronin-S. In this article, we list down the very best accessories you can get to make the most out of this excellent handheld gimbal.

1. SKYREAT Nylon Braided Lanyard Neck Strap

Although 4 lbs does not sound so heavy at first, the weight of the Ronin-S can start to wear you down after a few hours of carrying it around. Some users even find that their arms start shaking after holding up the Ronin-S for a long period, defeating the very purpose of using a gimbal.

If you planning to use the Ronin-S for commercial photography gigs, then getting this nylon braided lanyard is probably a wise decision. The lanyard can be worn around your neck and has soft padded section for your comfort. The straps are fully adjustable and will fit the size of any user. With aluminum alloy shackles and metal screws, the SKYREAT lanyard provides secure attachment to the Ronin-S that is also easy to install and remove.

2. Ronin-S BG37 Grip

The battery of the Ronin-S is incorporated into its BG37 grip, which helps keep its weight restricted along the gimbal’s central axis. With a battery life that can last up to 12 hours of continuous use, there is very little chance that your gimbal will run out of juice before you finish a shoot. However, a little measure of additional safety never hurt anyone, so we recommend getting at least one extra BG37 integrated battery and grip for your Ronin-S. After all, charging a single BG37 battery to full capacity takes more than two hours.

With a fully-charged BG37 grip in your camera kit, you can take comfort that you can finish the day’s shoot without losing the stability afforded by the Ronin-S gimbal.

3. Dazzne Dual Handle Grip

More demanding photography scenarios may end up requiring you to attach more accessories to the Ronin-S than you can handle. If you feel that your Ronin-S already has too many accessories to be wielded using the BG37 Grip and Extended Tripod, then perhaps it is time to get this Dual Handle Grip from Dazzne. With a lightweight and durable build made of aluminum alloy, the Dual Handle Grip is one of the most popular accessories for the Ronin-S among professional photographers.

Aside from providing improved yielding of the Ronin-S, the Dazzne Dual Handle Grip also provides additional mounting positions for accessories such as microphones and monitors. This also keeps all elements of bulkier gimbal setups within the line of sight of the user. The Dual Handle Grip even makes it possible to shift from underslung to upright positions in one smooth motion, making for some interesting tracking shots close to the ground. With grips consisting of non-slip, textured material, the Dazzne Dual Handle Grip are secure and stable, giving you more freedom to create those unique and creative shots.

4. Ronin-S Cheese Plate

If you are planning on attaching several accessories to your Ronin-S, then the first item you need to buy is the Ronin-S Cheeseplate. The Cheeseplate is a small metal plate with threaded sockets that allow you to mount additional accessories. It can be mounted on any of the three possible positions on the gimbal. The plate includes two 1/4”-20 threaded holes and four M4 threaded holes that can accommodate various accessories from monitors to microphones. The ability to switch around the position of the Cheeseplate gives you all the capabilities of additional accessories without compromising accessibility and balance.

5. SKYREAT Aluminum-Alloy Monitor Holder Mount

If an external monitor is the only accessory you want to install on your Ronin-S, then it might be a bit overkill to use an additional bracket or dual grips. For a minimalist look, you may settle for the Monitor Holder Mount from SKYREAT. This is a very small adapter that readily attaches to the body of the gimbal with 1/4” holes.

A 1/4” threaded hole provides room to mount nothing more than a single monitor, although you are free to switch it up with a microphone or an external light source. Made with lightweight but durable aluminum alloy, you can be confident that this adapter provides a secure and stable mount for your monitor.

6. DIGITALFOTO L-Bracket

The L-Bracket from DIGITALFOTO provides mounting room that keeps the weight of additional accessories near the center of the Ronin-S gimbal. Along with better weight distribution, it also keeps accessories such as microphones and lights along the middle, where they are most needed. The unique L-shape of the bracket provides an additional grip point, making it easier to hold the gimbal despite the additional weight.

The L-Bracket offers a variety of mounting options including three hot shoe mounts for quick and temporary mounting, to the more permanent and stable 1/4” screw holes. Another 1/4” screw hole at the bottom allows for attachment to the standard tripod mount. With an aluminum alloy build, the DIGITALFOTO L-Bracket is a very reliable extension to the Ronin-S gimbal that is both lightweight and sturdy.

7. Ronin-S Command Unit

While the Ronin-S can be controlled with your smartphone and an excellently designed mobile app, there will be times when your hands are too pre-occupied to fidget around with your phone. If you want all the controls you need to be mounted on the gimbal, then you need to get the Ronin-S Command Unit. The ultra-bright 550 nit LCD screen is probably smaller than the screen of your phone but makes up for it with a 5-position joystick for easy navigation. All the features accessible from the mobile app can be done through the Command Unit, including quick commands to create panoramas and time lapses.

The advantage of using the Ronin-S Command Unit is that all the controls you need can be integrated into the body of the gimbal. The Command Unit even has a provision to attach the Ronin-S Focus Wheel, allowing you stack them on top of each other. The Command Unit can be easily installed and removed on either side of the gimbal using its quick-release thumbscrews.

8. Ronin-S Battery Adapter

The integrated battery grip of the Ronin-S can only be charged with the proprietary charger, which can be a problem if your battery happens to run out in the middle of a shoot. The Ronin-S Battery Adapter attaches to the bottom of the BG37 grip and allows it to be charged using a standard USB-C port. The Battery Adapter also supports Fast Charging should it be available with your AC adapter or power bank.

The Ronin-S Battery Adapter also has a standard USB port that turns the BG37 into a portable power bank. This might be a handy emergency power source in the field, especially if you are using your smartphone to control the Ronin-S through the mobile app.

9. SKYREAT Carbon Fiber 13.7-Inch Extension Stick

Sometimes, all it takes to get the perfect shot is just a little additional reach. This is exactly what the Extension Stick from SKYREAT offers. This 13.7” extension stick has 1/4” and 3/8” screws both at the top and bottom, enabling attachment to both the BG37 grip and the tripod mount. The Ronin-S is heavy enough as it is, so the use of lightweight and durable carbon fiber in this extension stick is a welcome treat.

The 13.7” additional reach allows for unusual shooting perspectives and unique low-angle shots. With such a low price, this accessory has excellent value-for-money. SKYREAT is a trusted brand in photography equipment and accessories, so you need not worry that this extension stick will break and damage your gimbal.

10. Ronin-S Focus Motor

By far, the best accessory offered by DJI for the Ronin-S is the focus motor bundle that comes with the rod mount, a set of gear strips, and the focus motor. With this setup, cameras with manual focus can be remotely controlled using the Ronin-S focus wheel, which is sold separately. The focus motor offers precision movement at up to 0.2 degrees increments, allowing for a great degree of control over shot composition. With a high-torque and high-speed motor, even larger lenses can be adjusted without issues.

Remote focus control used to be a feature that was only available in higher-end and more expensive gimbals. With the focus motor accessory, DJI has made this feature available at a much more affordable price tag. With the ability to adjust focus on a subject even while moving, remote focus control opens a lot of photography opportunities and gives photographers a real competitive advantage.

11. Ronin-S Focus Wheel

The Focus Wheel can be mounted on the 8-pin port of the Ronin-S to provide an accessible control to the focus of your camera. Take note that a standalone tool, the compatibility of the Focus Wheel is limited to a small number of camera models. However, the Focus Wheel can be used with the Ronin-S Focus Motor assembly to remotely control cameras with manual focus.

Despite the limited compatibility of the Focus Wheel, we are optimistic that this can be easily expanded with firmware updates.

12. Ronin-S Extended Lens Support

Mounting a camera on the Ronin-S can be problematic if the camera is a particularly big model or if you are using a longer lens. To keep the whole camera more stable and secure, you may consider getting the Extended Lens Support bracket. It connects to the front portion of the camera mounting plate and provides a frame to support the camera lens.

It has a wide adjustable length range that should fit most cameras and lenses. Even if the camera you are using does not have a particularly long lens, you may also use this lens support bracket for the added stability it provides.

13. Ronin-S External GPS Module

The external GPS module of the Ronin-S is so tiny you would hardly notice it, but it is a sophisticated piece of technology that interfaces with the gimbal to enhance its stabilizing algorithm. With the GPS module, the gimbal tracks your movement and considers this in calculating horizon hold.

This is especially important if you are traveling at high speeds, such as when you are capturing videos from a moving car. The GPS module allows for horizon correction when you are making sharp turns, which will naturally cause the horizon to shift. Whether you are accelerating or decelerating, or moving laterally or forward, the GPS module makes the necessary calculations and corrections to maintain a constant horizon.

14. Ronin-S Universal Mount

As its name implies, the Ronin-S Universal Mount allows you to mount the Ronin-S gimbal practically anywhere. Its carrier has a series of 1/4”-20 holes that can be used to anchor the whole gimbal setup to a car or a professional-grade jib or cable cam system. The Universal Mount takes the place of the BG37 grip, so you will need to supply power to the gimbal using the included power cable connected to a Dual TB50 Battery Mount.

An option to hard-mount makes the Ronin-S much more versatile, allowing you to capture perfectly stable videos from your car, or from the platform of a scooter or a skateboard.

15. PGYTECH Photography Gloves

Adventurous photographers never know where their exploits can bring them. That’s why it’s always good idea to be ready with these especially designed Photography Gloves from PGYTECH. With its insulated and waterproof material, your hands can be kept comfortable and safe from the elements.

These gloves are also functional. The fingertips are lined with conductive material, so you can still use them for touchscreen operations. If you need more dexterity, the fingers of these gloves can also be removed individually. The palms are covered with an anti-slip polyurethane coating to prevent accidental slips of your precious equipment.

Final thoughts

The DJI Ronin-S is an excellent stabilizing gimbal right out of the box. However, its array of accessories greatly expands its capabilities and elevate it to the level of more expensive and sophisticated gimbals. In addition to straps and handles that make the Ronin S more comfortable for long use, brackets and mounts allow this gimbal to accommodate more function-enhancing accessories such as microphones, mounts, and lights. Extension sticks and universal mounts make the Ronin-S more flexible in terms of the kinds of shots and angles that it can capture.

The true star of this list of accessories is the Ronin-S Focus Motor. Being able to remotely control cameras with manual focus makes the Ronin-S one of the most versatile gimbals available today. The ability to shift focus while tracking a shot is a dream for most photographers. This feature alone makes the Ronin-S one of the best value-for-money handheld gimbals available today.