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!

Like someone mentioned, that lens is a total beast. Be careful with some of these mid-range gimbals because they might seem fine for a few minutes, but then the motors start vibrating once they get warm. I would suggest looking for a used DJI RS 2 3-Axis Gimbal 4.5kg Payload instead of the newer RS3 because it has way more torque for front-heavy setups and fits your budget better.

• Look into getting a SmallRig Counterweight Mounting Plate for DJI RS 2/RSC 2/RS 3/RS 3 Pro.
• Adding physical weights to the back of the camera plate is a lifesaver for that 24-70 glass. If you balance it perfectly with weights, the motors dont have to work nearly as hard, which saves your battery life too. Vermont is gonna be beautiful tho, I love the hiking out there near Stowe. My cousin actually got married in a barn out that way and I swear the mosquitoes were the size of drones... I spent half the time swatting bugs instead of checking my framing. Anyway, definitely check out the counterweight situation and you should be fine.

Nice, didn't know that

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.