Gimbal Hard Case: Storing a DJI RS or Zhiyun Without Damage

A gimbal case needs a foam pocket shaped to the gimbal folded, axes locked and camera removed, with at least 20 mm of foam on every side. For a DJI RS 4 Mini or RS 4 that means a case around 20 litres, such as the Vantage 290S. The RS 4 Pro is too deep for that case and needs about 210 mm of inner depth. Below: maker folded sizes, fit maths for each gimbal, and how to store one safely.

What actually damages a gimbal in storage

A gimbal is three brushless motors on a set of arms, with a lot of leverage between them. Besides the obvious drop, a gimbal suffers from slow, repeated stress:

• Motor and arm stress. If the gimbal rolls around in a bag, or the lid of a case presses on one arm, the load goes straight into a motor bearing or an axis lock.
• Bent quick release plates and clamps. A clamp that takes a hit no longer seats the camera squarely, and balance never feels right again.
• Grit in the axes. Dust from a shoot on a beach or an unpaved road gets into the arm adjustment rails and the axis locks.
• Moisture. Electronics and connectors do not like a humid monsoon week in a closed cupboard.

A hard case with a snug, shaped pocket stops the gimbal moving at all. That is the whole job.

Pack it folded, locked and without the camera

Before you measure or cut anything, decide how the gimbal will travel. The safest way for almost every model:

1. Remove the camera. Travelling with a camera mounted puts its weight on the motors and arms every time the case is bumped.
2. Fold the gimbal into its storage position as described in the maker's manual, and engage the axis locks.
3. Remove the grip or tripod if the design allows it, and give each part its own pocket.
4. Keep quick release plates on the camera or in a labelled slot, never loose in the lid.

This matters for sizing too. The makers publish folded dimensions for exactly this configuration, and those are the numbers to cut foam around.

Folded sizes from the makers

These are the figures published on DJI's and Zhiyun's own specification pages. DJI lists length x width x height.

• DJI RS 4 Mini: 236 x 64 x 316 mm folded, excluding the tripod and quick release plate.
• DJI RS 4: 244.2 x 115.9 x 251.1 mm folded, excluding the camera, grip and extended grip or tripod.
• DJI RS 4 Pro: 289.5 x 167.3 x 267 mm folded, excluding the camera, grip and extended grip or tripod.
• Zhiyun Weebill 3S: Zhiyun lists a product size of 305 x 210 x 72.5 mm.
• Zhiyun Crane 4: Zhiyun lists a product size of 340 x 280 x 70 mm.

Zhiyun's pages give one product size without saying whether it is folded, so fold your own unit and check it with a steel rule before you cut. Note that for the RS 4 and RS 4 Pro the grip is not included in the folded size. It needs a pocket of its own, and DJI does not list its dimensions on the specification page, so measure it.

The fit maths

For each gimbal, add 40 mm to every folded dimension: 20 mm of foam on each side. Then lay the smallest of the three numbers as the depth and check the other two against the case's inner width and length. Here is how that works out across the range.

A few things the table shows that are easy to miss:

• The RS 4 Pro does not fit the 290S or the 350. Its smallest folded dimension is 167.3 mm, so it needs 207.3 mm of depth. The Vantage 290S is 159 mm deep and the Vantage 350 is 194 mm. The 335D-TR, at 220 mm deep, is the first that clears it with full foam.
• The Crane 4 is wide. At 280 mm plus foam it needs 320 mm across, which rules out every case 290 mm wide. The 335S, sold as a laptop case, happens to suit it well.
• "Fits" here means the gimbal only. Add your phone holder, focus motor, cables, spare batteries and the camera plate to the layout before you decide. If they do not fit in the spare room shown, go up one size.

The Hard Case Size Finder lets you enter every item and checks all fifteen sizes at once.

Cutting the pocket

Vantage cases come with solid foam sheets, a snap-off foam cutter and convoluted foam in the lid. For a gimbal, solid foam is worth the extra effort over pre-cubed foam, because a gimbal has an irregular outline and cubes leave gaps around the arms.

• Trace the gimbal lying the way it will travel, folded and locked, with the flattest face down.
• Cut in stages. Take out the deep parts first, test fit, then trim. It is easy to remove more foam and impossible to put it back.
• Support the arms, not just the base. The foam should hold the motor housings so no arm is hanging in the air.
• Cut finger slots at two opposite points so you lift the gimbal by its body, not by an arm.
• Give the grip, tripod and plate their own slots, with a gap of foam between each.

Our step by step guide on how to cut foam for a camera case covers tools and technique.

Batteries and flying

DJI rates the RS 4 battery grip at 21 Wh and the RS 4 Pro battery at 30 Wh, both well under 100 Wh. Under IATA's passenger guidance, spare lithium ion batteries up to 100 Wh travel in carry-on baggage only, with terminals protected against short circuit. A device packed in checked baggage must be switched off completely and protected from damage. Treat a detached battery grip as a spare battery and carry it in the cabin. Airlines can add their own restrictions, so check before you fly.

If the gimbal case goes in the hold, the automatic pressure equalisation valve on Vantage cases stops the lid from vacuum-locking after the flight, and the IP67 seal keeps out dust and water, rated for immersion to 1 metre for 30 minutes.

Long term storage between shoots

A sealed case keeps humidity in as well as out. If the gimbal comes back from a damp shoot, wipe it down, let it dry fully at room temperature, and add a fresh silica gel pack before closing the lid. For the camera and lenses that ride on it, a dry cabinet is the better long term home during the monsoon.

Charge the batteries to a storage level recommended in the maker's manual rather than leaving them flat or at full charge for weeks. And every few months, take the gimbal out, unlock the axes and run it through a calibration. It is a quick check that nothing shifted in transit.

Frequently asked questions

Can I store my gimbal with the camera mounted?
For a short move between setups on the same day, carefully, yes. For travel, remove the camera. Its weight lands on the arms and motors every time the case is bumped, which is avoidable wear.

Will a DJI RS 4 fit in a Vantage 290S?
The folded gimbal does, with 20 mm of foam around it and about 3 mm spare in depth. The grip and extended grip or tripod need their own pockets. If they do not fit in the remaining length, the Vantage 290D gives much more room.

Why do I need a bigger case for the RS 4 Pro?
DJI lists it at 289.5 x 167.3 x 267 mm folded. Even lying on its flattest side it needs 207.3 mm of depth with foam, which is more than the 290S or 350 offers.

Is the case waterproof?
Vantage cases are rated IP67, which means dust-tight and protected against immersion to 1 metre for 30 minutes, with the lid latched and a clean seal.

New to hard cases? Start with the hard case for camera buying guide, see the drone case sizing guide for the same maths applied to DJI drones, or browse all waterproof hard cases.