What the thread found

• A gimbal's primary function is to isolate camera movement from operator hand movements by minimizing friction in its bearings.
• Adding viscosity to gimbal oil increases friction, which works against the isolation function and makes hand tremors more visible in footage.
• Lightweight rigs with reduced mass and inertia are particularly sensitive to added friction, which amplifies the effect of operator imprecision rather than reducing it.
• Cleaning gimbal bearings periodically to remove accumulated buildup can improve performance by reducing unwanted friction and hand effect visibility.
• Larger diameter gimbal handles (approximately 2 inches) may help operators maintain level orientation more easily because slower rotation rate makes fine adjustments easier to control.

Depends on

• The proposal was never tested with actual results reported in this thread.
• No specific oil types or viscosity ratings were identified or tested.
• The discussion does not address how temperature changes would affect different oil viscosities in field conditions.
• Personal preferences and operator technique vary significantly, making universal recommendations difficult.
• The thread conflates gimbal friction with operator skill and technique, which are separate variables.

Parts

Gimbal Bearing

Same gear or parts

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