dji Zenmuse X5 Camera and 3 Axis Gimbal User Manual

: June 13, 2024
: DJi

Table of Contents

dji Zenmuse X5 Camera and 3 Axis Gimbal
Product Information
Using this manual
Product Profile
Getting Started
Operating the Camera
Appendix
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

dji Zenmuse X5 Camera and 3 Axis Gimbal

Product Information

The Zenmuse X5 is a high-performance, robust gimbal and camera system with an M4/3 interchangeable lens. It features a Type 4/3 CMOS sensor that supports video recording in 4K and captures 16MP still photos. The camera can be mounted onto designated DJI devices, such as the Inspire 1. The Zenmuse X5 lens kit includes the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, which provides a 72-degree field of view and a manually adjustable aperture range of f/1.7 to f/16. It supports burst shooting, AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing), time-lapse photography in JPEG and DNG RAW formats, and video output in MP4 and MOV formats. Live HD video from the camera can be viewed on a mobile device through the DJI GO app.

Searching for Keywords
Search for keywords such as “battery” and “install” to find a topic. If you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader to read this document, press Ctrl+F on Windows or Command+F on Mac to begin a search.

Navigating to a Topic
View a complete list of topics in the table of contents. Click on a topic to navigate to that section.

Using this manual

Legends

Before Flight
Read the following documents before using the Zenmuse X5:

Zenmuse X5 In the Box
Zenmuse X5 User Manual
Zenmuse X5 Safety Guidelines and Disclaimer

Check that all of the items are included in the package. We recommend that you watch all tutorial videos on the official DJI website and read the Disclaimer and Safety Guidelines before you fly. Refer to the User Manual for more detailed information.

Watch the video tutorials
Please watch the tutorial videos at the link below, which demonstrates how to use Zenmuse X5 safely: http://www.dji.com/product/zenmuse-x5s/video

Product Profile

Overview

The Zenmuse X5 offers advanced photographers a high-performance, robust gimbal and camera system with an M4/3 interchangeable lens. The Type 4/3 CMOS sensor supports video recording in 4K and 16MP still photos. It can be mounted onto designated DJI devices such as the Inspire 1. The Zenmuse X5 lens kit comes with the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH that provides a 72-degree field of view and a manually adjustable f/1.7-f/16 aperture range. The camera can shoot burst, AEB or time-lapse in JPEG and DNG RAW, and output video in MP4 and MOV formats. Live HD video from the camera can be viewed on your mobile device through the DJI GO app . The 3-axis gimbal provides an incredibly stable platform for the camera to capture clear shots even during high speed maneuvers. The gimbal tilts the camera across a -90° to +30° pitch angle and pans a full 360 degrees, independent of its carrier’s movement.

In the Box
Check that all of the following items are in your package. If any items are missing, please contact DJI or your local dealer.

The original lens, balancing ring and lens hood are only included in the Zenmuse X5 lens kit. Accessories for other supported lenses can be purchased separately on the DJI Store.

Optional Accessories
The Zenmuse X5 can be mounted on the Inspire 1 aircraft with the following accessory which is available on the DJI Store.

Components
Zenmuse X5 Gimbal and Camera

DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH Lens

Getting Started

Read the information below before setting up your Zenmuse X5

Supported Devices
- The Zenmuse X5 can be attached to the following device: DJI Inspire 1
Supported Lenses for the Inspire 1
- The Zenmuse X5 currently supports the following lenses, and will support more lenses in the future.
- DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH
- Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH
- Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0
- Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f1.8 (Balancing ring will be available on the DJI Store soon)
Supported Filters
Filters must have a weight of 7-11 g, with those weighing 10-11 g performing the best. Outside this range, the filter will decrease gimbal performance. DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH supports filters with a size of 46mm.
The Balancing Ring must be installed on the camera lens when a filter is not used.
Supported Micro SD Cards
The Zenmuse X5 comes with a 16GB Micro SD card, but also supports Micro SD cards with a capacity of up to 64GB. We recommend using a UHS-1 Micro SD card to minimize the delay when reading and writing high resolution video data.
DO NOT remove the Micro SD card from the Zenmuse X5 when it is powered on.

Installing the Camera Lens
The following steps use the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH as illustration of how to mount the camera lens to the camera body. Be sure to power off the battery before installation.

Remove the camera body cap.
While holding down the Lens Release Button, rotate the Lens Lock clockwise to unlock it.
Remove the lens cap and rear cap.
Align the two Lens Mount Indexes on the camera body and camera lens, and insert the camera lens into the body of the camera.
Rotate the camera lens clockwise until you hear a click.
Rotate the Lens Lock counterclockwise to lock it.
Mount the Balancing Ring (or a filter) and the Lens Hood.
Insert the Micro SD card.

To remove the camera lens, power off the battery and then:

While holding down the Lens Release Button, rotate the Lens Lock clockwise to unlock it.
While holding down the Lens Release Button, rotate the camera lens counterclockwise to detach it.

It is recommended to wrap the dust cover around the lens for aerial applications. The DJI specified dust cover can be installed on the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH and the Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH. Purchase an appropriate dust cover for the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0 if necessary.
It is important to tighten the Lens Lock after attaching the camera lens, as this can reduce the vibrations of the lens when the aircraft is moving in flight. Always loosen the Lens Lock before attaching and detaching the camera lens.
A filter can be installed in place of the Camera Balancing Ring. Remember to use a filter that fulfills the weight requirement.
The Lens Hood can only be installed on the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH or Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH. DO NOT install the Lens Hood on the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0.
Be sure to set the lens to AF mode.
Always hold down the Lens Release Button before rotating the Lens Lock to unlock it.

Mounting the Zenmuse X5 to the Inspire 1
(Watch Video: http://www.dji.com/product/inspire-1/video) Replace the Inspire 1 Gimbal Mounting Plate

Remove the two black dampers at the front.
Disconnect the 10-PIN cable and 8-PIN cable in order. Be careful not to damage the gimbal cables.
Remove the other two black dampers.
Attach the new gimbal mounting plate as shown below. With their flat sides facing outwards, align the rear mounting plates with the rear bracket’s screw holes. Tighten the screws with a screwdriver.
Connect the 8-PIN cable and 10-PIN cable in order.
Place the front mounting bracket to the front bracket with its grooved side facing inwards. Adjust the 8-PIN cable and 10-PIN cable to avoid protrusion, and then tighten the screws.

Attach the Zenmuse X5
Ensure to power off the aircraft.

Rotate the Gimbal Lock to the unlocked position.
Align the key on the damping plate with the slot on the gimbal’s pan motor.
While aligning the white lines on the Gimbal Connector and Gimbal Lock, insert the Gimbal Connector.
Rotate the Gimbal Lock to the locked position.

Be careful not to damage the Gimbal Connector and its metal contacts when attaching or storing the Zenmuse X5.

Mechanical Range
The 3-axis gimbal provides a incredibly stable and mobile platform for the camera system to capture completely smooth images and video. The gimbal can tilt the camera up to 120 degrees and pan 320 degrees in either direction, providing 640 degrees of yaw rotation.

DO NOT attach or detach the Zenmuse X5 when the aircraft is powered on.
Take off from a flat, open area and protect the gimbal after powering up.

Operating the Camera

Camera Panel
All camera operations are done on the Camera Panel in Camera View of the DJI GO app.

Always set the camera lens to AF mode. The focus and aperture will be controlled by the DJI GO app digitally.

Basic Shooting

Taking Photos
Slide the Photo/Video Switch to the position. Tap the button or the shutter button on the remote controller to take a single photo. Choose from one of the shooting modes by tapping “MENU” -> -> Photo.

Burst Mode
Take 3, 5, or 7 shots in a row.
AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing)
Take 3 or 5 bracketed frames with ±0.7EV steps for exposure compensation.
Time-lapse
Take photos in 5, 7, 10, 20 or 30 second intervals.

Recording Videos
Slide the Photo/Recording Switch to the position. Tap the icon or the Record Button on the remote controller to start or stop recording video.

Advanced Settings

Exposure Modes
Tap to choose from the following exposure modes:

AUTO
The shutter speed and aperture are set automatically to obtain the correct exposure.
S (Shutter Priority)
Set your desired shutter speed, while the camera chooses the aperture automatically. This mode is ideal for freezing action, creating motion blur or low-light shots.
A (Aperture Priority)
Set your desired aperture, while the camera chooses the shutter speed automatically. This mode provides a wider depth of field and can be used to blur out backgrounds.
M (Manual Exposure)
In general, increase the ISO for low light environments, and decrease the ISO if the surrounding is very bright.

Photo Styles
Tap MENU -> -> Style to choose from the following styles:

Standard
A general-purpose style for most scenes.
Landscape
The camera will focus on as much of the scene as possible by using a large depth of field.
Soft
Suitable for scenes with natural or soft colors.
Custom
- Sharpness: -3 to +3
- Contrast: -3 to +3
- Saturation: -3 to +3

White Balance
Tap MENU -> ->White Balance to choose from the following modes:

Auto
The camera adjusts the white balance automatically.
Sunny / Cloudy / Incandescent / Neon
Choose one of these modes if natural-looking colors cannot be achieved through photo styles.
Custom (2000K~10000K)
Set a value between 2000K and 10000K to compensate for a specific light source.

List of Settings

Managing your Photos and Videos

Playback
Tap in the DJI GO app or press the Playback Button on the remote controller to review photos and videos that you have captured. Press the same button again to return to capturing images.
Downloading your Files
Download your photo and video files to your PC via the Micro USB Port or using a Micro SD card reader.