Do you want a cinewhoop that can carry a full GoPro? GepRC will probably be releasing the new Cinelog 35 this week. Here’s the teaser trailer, specs, price, release date, and why you may want this for cinematic FPV.
What is a cinewhoop and why you may want the Cinelog35
A cinewhoop is a type of FPV drone that is designed for cinematic FPV videos as opposed to freestyle, emphasizing smoothness over acrobatic performance. They also have prop guards to enable them to fly near people, animals, or objects with less risk of injury or damage.
Cinematic FPV is my favorite type of FPV and I have several cinewhoops, from 2 inch to 5 inch. Among my cinewhoops, two of the best ones are the GepRC Cinelog 25 and the Cinelog 30. Although they are not the most powerful in their class, they have incredible tuning and I found them to be much smoother than other similar size cinewhoops that I have. With a naked GoPro, Insta360 SMO, or Insta360 Go 2, they fly very smoothly. Here’s a sample video with the Cinelog25 and Insta360 Go 2 (more info here):
Although the Cinelog25 and Cinelog30 fly smoothly with naked GoPros, naked GoPros have several disadvantages. First, they have limited availability. For the naked Hero 6, you have to build it yourself. The naked Hero 8 and 9 are available to purchase but they are handbuilt and cost more than their original versions. They also don’t have a touchscreen, so it is a little less convenient to change settings (unless you’ve installed GoPro Labs). They are also more fragile and more prone to having problems such as corrupted videos.
It is possible to use a full GoPro on the Cinelog25 and Cinelog30, but they will struggle with the weight. That’s where the new Cinelog35 comes in. With larger props and more powerful motors, it is designed to carry a full (not naked) GoPro Hero, such as the new Hero 10.
Two versions will be available: HD and analog.
The Cinelog 35 will be about the same width as a 3-inch cinewhoop like the Diatone Taycan but with larger 3.5 props and much lower weight — with a dry weight almost half that of the Taycan. Unlike the Cinelog30 which had a frame that was very similar to that of the Cinelog25, the Cinelog35 has a completely new frame design that is stiffer. GepRC also claims that the Cinelog35 will have “super low noise.”
GepRC Cinelog 35 Specs
| Cinelog35 HD | |
|---|---|
| Frame type | Cinewhoop with prop guards |
| Number of propellers | 4 |
| Prop size | 3.5 inches |
| Prop shaft | 1.5mm |
| Propeller | Gemfan D90 (3 blade) |
| Recommended battery | 4S or 6S |
| Battery connector | XT30 |
| Motor | 4S: 2004 2550kv 6S: 2004 1750kv |
| Motor orientation and direction | Pusher, props-out |
| Flight Controller | GEP-F722-45A AIO |
| ESC | GEP-F722-45A AIO |
| Chip | F722 |
| Firmware | Betaflight |
| ESC firmware | BLheli_S |
| UARTs | 5 |
| BEC | 5V@1A |
| Barometer | TBD |
| Blackbox | Yes 16MB |
| VTX | Caddx Vista |
| Camera | Caddx Nebula Pro |
| Receiver options | TBS Crossfire R9 PNP |
| Cable for naked camera? | TBD |
| Flight controller connector | Micro USB DJI Air Unit 6-pin connector |
| Dry Weight | 158.5 grams |
| Under 250g? | Digital with PNP receiver (DJI): 236.6g |
| Dimensions | 203mm x 203mm x 42mm |
| Wheelbase | 142mm |
| Price | $419 (PNP) $449 (RXSR) $459 (Crossfire) |
Specs are subject to change
Price and availability; should you buy it?
The Cinelog35 is expected to be released on or around October 20, based on an Instagram post by the official GepRC account on October 15, which said that the Cinelog35 would be coming 5 days from that time. The Cinelog35 HD is expected to be around $419 without receiver, $449 with RSXR or $459 with Crossfire. Prices and availability are not yet final and are subject to change.
I think the Cinelog35 is pretty interesting and should be an alternative to the iFlight Protek35. The Cinelog35’s design doesn’t break new ground, but if it’s anything like the Cinelog25 and Cinelog30, I’m guessing that it will have excellent tuning. I’d be curious to know if GepRC will install a cable for a naked GoPro (the product shots don’t seem to show any). If this is really 6S, I’m curious why they chose to use XT30. Another potential issue is that with a full GoPro, it could be front-heavy. Normally, you can position the battery to offset the weight of the GoPro but with the frame being so short, it appears to have limited options to position the battery further back. I’m also a bit worried about the camera mount. Unlike the Cinelog25 and Cinelog30 that had five dampeners, this one only has four dampeners, and they’ll be supporting a much heavier camera. But GepRC claims that the new mount will reduce jello.
One consideration is that even though this frame is lighter than a similar size conventional cinewhoop, it is still not going to be easy to get under 250 grams even if you use a naked GoPro unless you use a very light battery with low capacity. If the 250 gram limit is important to you, maybe you can shave some weight by converting the Vista to a naked Vista. After all, the Vista will be fully enclosed in the Cinelog 35’s body.
Personally, I’m quite happy with the Cinelog25 and Cinelog30 with naked GoPros for indoor cinewhooping. I don’t feel the need to use full size GoPros except for flying outdoors at higher speeds where there is a higher chance of crashing into rocks or other rough surfaces. For those, I have an iFlight Nazgul with prop guards that can easily carry a full GoPro. Or I can use my 6S slammed squirt. Moreover, the Cinelog35 appears to be a similar size to a standard 3-inch cinewhoop and I prefer more compact quads to fly through smaller gaps.
Nonetheless, I’m still thinking of the Cinelog35. I didn’t think I needed the Cinelog30 because the Cinelog25 was working very well for me, but when I tried the Cinelog30, I liked it even better than the Cinelog25. So, although I don’t think I need the Cinelog35, I might get one in the hopes of being pleasantly surprised. If I get one, I’ll update this post with my review.
Add Comment