Honestly, if youre worried about that 24-70 GM weight, the Zhiyun Crane 2S 3-Axis Gimbal 3.2kg Payload is the safer bet for under $500, tbh. The motors are total workhorses. Those auto-locks on the DJI RS 3 3-Axis Gimbal 3kg Payload are handy for transport, but they dont actually help you balance that heavy front-end glass any faster. Better to save the cash and get something reliable.

Spent years shooting weddings on a tight budget. The Moza Air 2S 3-Axis Gimbal 4.1kg Payload has serious motor torque for heavy lenses and usually stays way under your cap.

@Reply #3 - good point! RasterRift is spot on about the weight... that lens is a chunky boy lol. I remember shooting a ceremony in a field in Vermont last summer and by the time the cake was cut my wrists were absolutely fried because I didnt have a good grip. I saw this post earlier and just had to jump in! If you want reliability without spending a fortune, check out the Feiyu SCORP-C 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer 2.5kg Payload. It is seriously amazing for the price! I've been using it as my daily driver for a while now and the motor strength is fantastic for the a7iv setup. The built-in underslung handle is a literal lifesaver for those low walking shots you need. It's way under your $500 cap, usually goes for like $250-300, so you can spend the rest on a nice dinner or extra SD cards. It's been way more reliable for me than some of the pricier options that freak out when they get slightly unbalanced... definitely worth a look!

Unfortunately, most budget options have been a letdown with that heavy lens. It's never as smooth as expected. Are you planning on adding a monitor or mic to the rig too?

In my experience, that a7iv and 24-70 GM combo is pretty much the limit for mid-range stabilizers. Ive tried many over the years and found that balancing front-heavy glass like that requires a bit more torque than most people realize.

• Regarding the DJI RS 3 3-Axis Gimbal 3kg Payload, the auto-locks are absolutely worth it. They arent just for transport; they save your calibration and protect the gimbal arms when youre moving between shots during a wedding. Its a huge quality-of-life upgrade.
• If youre concerned about the motors struggling, Id suggest looking for a deal on the DJI RS 2 3-Axis Gimbal 4.5kg Payload. Since it has a higher payload capacity than the standard RS3, it handles the 24-70 GM without that high-frequency vibration you sometimes get when motors are pushed to their limit. This would be my choice for reliability.
• You should also consider the Manfrotto MVG300XM Modular Gimbal. Its a bit of an outlier but its built like a tank and handles heavy setups very well, often falling right around that $500 mark. Just remember to zoom the lens to your mid-point before you start balancing. If you balance at 24mm and then shoot at 70mm, youre gonna put a lot of unnecessary strain on the system.