Insta360 has just completed a pre-launch event for its new Luna and Luna Ultra pocket gimbal cameras, sharing the device with creators and others at the legendary Leica campus.

The camera clearly takes a swipe at DJI's established Osmo Pocket 4 and Pocket 4P products, the latter of which is also waiting for final price and release date, but is has some distinct differences.

One of the most obvious is that both variants of the Leica Luna sport a detachable remote control – into which the controls, a touchscreen, and a microphone are built-in. This gives the Luna some interesting use cases for YouTubers.

At the event, the company shared that there will be two models of the Luna – a Luna Pro (with one camera) and the Luna Ultra with two.

The Luna Ultra will have five steps of optical zoom, with the tele lens 3x the wide, but also offering 6x (lossless) and 12x.

In both cases, the lens is co-engineered with legendary camera company Leica, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its core technology last year.

The main image sensor is 1-inch, and has a f/1.8 maximum aperture.

The camera also boasts an in-camera beauty mode, which should make it very competitive in the vlogging space. This is a feature DJI has made sure is available in its cameras, and it seems to contribute to success – before Insta360 arrived to compete, DJI was reported to have 72.5% of the market share in Japan for video cameras by BCN in April, thanks to the new Pocket 4 launch (the Pocket 4P is still not on sale).

Insta360 has clearly also considered the cinematography market. There are cinematic profiles, as well as ACES workflow compatibility, 10-Bit I-Log and Dolby Vision.

As you might imagine, given the location for the event, there are also Leica color profiles built-in.

Last night DJI shared the much-teased Osmo Pocket 4P and finally put one in my hands – in no less a place than the Hotel Majestic at the center of the Cannes Film Festival.

The new Pocket 4P has no final price – though it’s fair to say it’s going to cost more than the $769 Osmo Pocket 4, which only has the single 1-inch sensor. What I can say is that it is definitely real and that I’m testing it with a review on the way.

It’s nice to have a chance to rub shoulders with movie stars, but once I’d made my way past the red carpet and into the hotel it was clear that the device’s Cannes debut was about positioning the 4P as a distinct product.

While the Pocket gimbal camera has established itself as a camera popular with vloggers – and there were plenty of those outside the hotel. Inside was the hands-on experience with the as-yet-unlaunched Pocket 4P, and that was teeming with cinematographers and professional filmmakers wanting to try out the new device.

Some details aren’t final, but DJI was very clear that the camera boasts 17 stops of dynamic range – which, incidentally, is the same amount as a cinema camera like the Arri Alexa 35 – and shoots D-Log 2.

This concentration on color science is significant and it'll be something I'll look at closely in my upcoming review – which we won't publish until the device's software is final and the price announced.

Clearly, I’ve not fully tested the camera that I was handed last night. But it also clearly has much in common with its sibling, the Osmo Pocket 4, which I reviewed already, so I'm intrigued to see how they compare in real-world use and high-end use.

And judging by the turnout from the filmmaking community, I'm not the only one!

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Depending on what you're looking for, check out the best cameras for vlogging and the best cameras for filmmaking.

DJI has just launched the teased Osmo Mobile 8P, or 'Pro' version of the phone gimbal series, and it comes with a significant new feature – a detachable touchscreen remote control with mirroring.

DJI's social post, showing a tiny piece of the new Osmo Mobile 8P, left the world making wild guesses as to what the now-released product would be (my personal favorite was the suggestion it might be a Tamagotchi-like toy). In practice, though, we saw a compact screen with a joystick and a record button below it.

The device features the 'Multifunction Module 2'. This is a built-in fill-light, and it can be directed to either face either direction, also including a camera which points in the same direction you're shooting.

This has two functions; firstly you can see it on the admittedly compact touchscreen interface and use it as a display (more use when you're using the display as a remote). Secondly, it is the 'eye' for the ActiveTrack system; the AI feature which keeps a subject in frame as you move the gimbal around.

The result is more precise framing, especially for selfies using your phone’s higher-quality rear cameras.

There are other features too. I was pleased to find that the latest version of DJI Mimo – the iPhone / Android app which connects to DJI's consumer devices – now includes a Smart Teleprompter which can show you a script on screen as you record (it's not as 'smart' as I hoped; it doesn't listen in and scroll with AI, but you can choose the speed yourself).

Features from prior Osmo Mobile devices that are still included are the Magnetic Phone Clamp 5, a phone charging cable, and this isn't the first generation to benefit from a direct phone connection for native tracking features (for example Apple's DockKit means some advanced features are available in Apple's Camera app).

The extending telescopic pole is also included, and supported by pop-out tripod legs, and it is easily possible to add a microphone like the DJI Mic 2 to the bottom, making your phone a very practical alternative to the best vlogging camera.

I remember when I first tested a DJI Osmo Pocket camera. The idea was unusual, but now it's a camera type the world can't get enough of, and other manufacturers are racing to catch up to the standard set by DJI – especially by the Osmo Action 3, the edition which really seemed to take off.

Part action camera, part vlogging tool, this device brings everything DJI has learned about keeping video stable even in shaky drones and puts it into anyone's hand – almost like a tiny film rig. With the arrival of the Osmo Pocket 4, DJI hasn’t reinvented the formula, but it has refined it in ways that matter.

So how does the new model stack up against the already excellent Pocket 3? That camera took some big leaps (new image sensor size, big rotating touchscreen). This time there are serious questions – from asking is the (inevitably cheaper) Pocket 3 now better value, through to should you upgrade?

Comparison table

Build and handling

There is very little to tell the two devices apart. Both are simple and easy to use and can be extended at the base with a handle or a battery handle depending on your need. Rotating the screen acts as a switch, though it can also be asked to remain on in portrait mode for social-media creators.

The additional physical buttons do make for easier usability because there is less need to navigate the touchscreen menus which, in turn, have been slightly refined. A minor win for ergonomics – especially people who make regular use of the digital zoom – but no reason to buy a new device if you have a Pocket 3.

Video

If you're out shooting video during the day you will not see a huge distinction between the two cameras. They both comfortably capture 4K60 with good-looking color and even offer good slow motion, though only 120fps on the Pocket 3. It has to be said 240fps is more impressive, and I enjoyed trying this out.

For those more into the subtleties of color and editing, the option of a flat 10-bit D-Log HDR color profile, as well the HLG the Pocket 3 was limited to. Assorted filmic tones in the app is a definite improvement.

The difference in the actual quality in low light isn't all that much, as the sensor is the same, but DJI has managed to eek out 14-stops of dynamic range rather than 12.7-stops in the newer model.

Stills

The Pocket 4 can shoot significantly higher resolution images, at 37 megapixels (and correspondingly bigger panoramic images by automatically turning the gimbal and stitching shots).

In both cases (and in video) the camera handles lower light well thanks to the combination of a larger image sensor than some action cameras, and image processing algorithms.

In no case is the Pocket 4 going to be your main 'stills' camera, but if you have nothing else it'll leave you slightly happier than the Pocket 3. Both leave you a RAW file to tweak though.

Features

The arrival of a generous amount of internal storage does make the Pocket 4 camera easily grab-and-go, but it's not the only thing Vloggers will appreciate. Many will also notice the power for on-board handling of beauty modes and the slight but noticeable improvements to the subject tracking.

Microphone connectivity exists on both models, so it's easy to connect one of DJI's bluetooth mics – and while the Pocket 4 can theoretically record more channels so gets a slight win, the working process will likely be the same.

The Pocket 4 does boast the option of a clip-on fill light which rotates with the camera, however, which is handy for a lot more scenarios than you might imagine (especially if you want sparkling eyes in your vlogs).

Battery life

Although the battery life is a little better on the Pocket 4, both cameras can shoot around two hours or more (in 1080P), so it doesn't feel like a massive leap to add an extra 20 minutes, especially since the camera can also be charged to 80% in that time and it is easy to swap the battery handle for high users.

Overall verdict

My advice is this. If you can get hold of it, the best advice is to get the Pocket 4 for the built-in memory, better slow-mo, and processing capability (hey, we'll all need beauty tools someday).

Yes, the Pocket 3 was the revolutionary device in this category, while the Pocket 4 is a refinement, but who wouldn't want refinements if they could have them?

However those refinements are very definitely non-essential – especially if you already have a Pocket 3 because, lets face it, you'll also already have a memory card! If, for any reason, you can't get the Pocket 4, then a Pocket 3 and a good memory card or two can will not seriously hold you back as a creative tool.

The serial DJI news leaker Igor Bogdanov has posted a clip of what appears to be a DJI Osmo Pocket 4P, or Pro, a version of the Pocket 4 with a dual camera system. This video is being shared on the same day the real DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is launched.

The new DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Pro, which was definitely released today, features a single camera with a 1-inch CMOS sensor, though boosted to 14-stops of dynamic range and offering 10-bit D-Log color, an improvement over its predecessor.

The camera on the top is mounted on a 3-axis gimbal, and has 2x lossless zoom, as well as a 107Gb of built-in storage and a 800MB/S transfer speeds, and updated ActiveTrack. You can read more about it in my full Osmo Pocket 4 review or

The wider community, however, has long expected that DJI would launch either a dual-camera system as the Pocket 4, or two different versions, one with a dual camera system.

The expectation is that there will be a 1-inch sensor for the main camera, as well as a 3x optical zoom as the additional camera inside the gimbal head. This would work in a similar way to the extra cameras in the DJI Air 3S or most serious photography-leaning mobile phones. (The iPhone Pro Max, for example, which I use, has three cameras on the back at different focal lengths.)

Now, as soon as DJI has announced the Pocket 4 – and nothing else – the rumor community, in the form of Igor Bogdanov, has stepped in to show what a DJI dual camera version might look like.

Is it plausible? It certainly isn't beyond the bounds of possibility, and the same poster alludes to the reason in his post: Luna, which Insta360 has not been shy about:

Luna is Insta360's anticipated entry into this same market, and the company has shared teasers via some social media accounts and at events already, including the blocky design above on their Japanese X column.

What will be the best pocket gimbal camera in the next few months seems very much open to debate.

DJI has just announced its latest gimbal camera, the Osmo Pocket 4, as teased last week. The camera is mounted on a 3-axis gimbal, similar to some DJI drones, helping you get smooth shots all the time, and previous models became very popular with vloggers.

Boasting upgraded features over its hit predecessor, the new camera still has a 1-inch CMOS sensor, but is now capable of 14 stops of dynamic range, or 10-bit D-Log HDR. The camera also boasts faster 4K/240fps slow motion (double the previous frame rate), and gesture control, so the automatic subject tracking can be initiated by a hand gesture or the 'peace' sign.

This comes under the heading of a step from ActiveTrack 6 to ActiveTrack 7 in DJI's linguistics.

In terms of image quality improvements, there are a number of changes, including in-camera AI Beauty effects which can tweak the subject's skin smoothness – this kind of feature has proven very popular with vloggers in my reviews of the best webcams.

The new design adds two new physical buttons, tucked behind the touchscreen until it is rotated to switch on the device. One allows switching between zoom presets (1x, 2x, 4x) and the other is a customisable button.

A significant change that is less obvious – because there is still a MicroSD card slot – is that the Pocket 4 boasts 107Gb of on-board storage for video or images. These can be transferred at up to 800MB/s to an attached computer via USB-C, or wirelessly to the DJI Mimo app.

Stills photo resolution is also 33MP rather than the previous 7MP. In addition, the accessory range now includes an attachable fill light as well as a battery handle.

The Osmo Pocket 4 Standard Combo goes on sale for £445 / €499 today (though officially will not ship until April 22), while the upgraded Creator Combo (including the same plus a wide-angle lens, Mic 3 transmitter & charger, mini tripod and a carrying bag (as well as the carrying pouch).

The Pocket 4 has a job to do – to follow up on the Pocket 3. That camera managed to make, somehow, the third iteration into the definitive camera of DJI's handheld vlogging camera. So far, anyway.

Until then, the device was a weird niche, sticking one of DJI's drone-like camera gimbals ontop of a handle. After that it was the must-have tool for content creators, capturing amazingly stable shots with all kinds of motion. The Steadicam alternative for the TikTok era.

You'd see everyone carrying them on vacation, or when making movies, and there were good reasons why. For many lone creators, it was like having a friend to film, who has the skills to pick up rotating shots and follow subjects – just as you need to stand out from the crowd online.

We've waited two years for a new model, and such is the popularity of the camera that there have been pages and pages devoted to rumors about it. Is this what we were hoping for?

Price

The Osmo Pocket 4 starts at £445 for the standard combo and £549 for the Creator Combo with the Mic 3 TX, the fill light and a big enough carrying bag! In both cases, that seems like equally fair value to the camera's predecessor.

Thankfully, that's nothing like the price jump from the Pocket 2 (at $349) to the Pocket 3 (at $519), but there was a significant jump in specs on that occasion, and it clearly paid off.

Specs

Build and Handling

The idea is that the Pocket 4 is a stabilized camera on a simple handle – controlled with a couple of buttons. Simple.

In practice, things are a little more complex, which in fact is why one of the most noticeable changes between this camera and its predecessor is the arrival of two physical buttons beneath the rotating 2-inch touchscreen that, when open, provide tactile control for zoom and a customizable option.

The screen on the DJI Pocket 4 rotates from straight in line with the device's body to horizontal, making it as big as reasonably possible. It also acts as an on switch and (depending on your settings) a horizontal/portrait switch.

The camera in the gimbal does not rotate, but you can rotate the screen back to portrait format to shoot for TikTok etc. and the camera now switches to the best cropped resolution it can manage – 3K – which seems adequate.

There are a lot of other settings available via the camera's touchscreen, which operates a 'swipe from the side' approach which is simple on the face of it, but can get quite in depth.

To keep this in the 'compact camera' class, while offering flexibility when it comes to battery, DJI makes the bottom of the grip removable. The standard handle – which just extends it to the length needed for my big hands – can be removed by pressing a button on the front and replaced by a 'Battery Grip' to offer more life (at the cost of more weight).

Without one or the other fitted, though, you find yourself without a tripod thread at the base of the camera; a USB-C port is there instead. That port allows transfers of up to 800Mb/s from the built-in 107Gb of storage that renders a MicroSD card very much optional with this version of the device – one more step toward easier usability.

The camera's 2-inch screen, at 16:9, still isn't massive, but it seems big enough to feature all the controls. It is slightly easier, too, to control the zoom – which is at least lossless at 2x – using the new buttons beneath the screen.

The trick is to get used to swiping from the sides of the screen and the other hope for the bulky-fingered is that the DJI Mimo app can act as your friend; you have remote control of the device via your phone, as well as the ability to view and download content.

Content creators will be very pleased by the arrival of low light capture that works with the ActiveTrack feature, as well as the improved frame rate for slow motion.

Other features which are brilliant fun and offer great variety are the switchable modes, like the FPV mode, which can create cool rotating shots – the one down side being that the gimbal cannot turn 360-degrees so it cannot spin infinitely.

The camera also has some significant new features for new creators – built in AI glamour effects (skin smoothing options) – and some film effects. These are actually pretty impressive, and might be a good reason to buy for a lot of vloggers.

Performance

In the few weeks I've been testing the camera, it has been apparent to me that there are real improvements available here to vloggers, even without the long-anticipated second camera.

If I were looking for issues (and, you know, that is my job), I'd say that on some of the pans where the camera follows a slow subject – I had it follow a clipper boat up the Thames – it seems to judder ever so slightly. That's because the very smooth movement of the subject exposes the motion of the motors, but you don't see it at other times.

Sample images

Overall verdict

Taken on its own, the Pocket 4 remains an amazing camera, and it's easy to see why DJI has chosen to make refinements rather than go with the large-scale changes that some predicted. If it isn't broken, why fix it?

The answer to that question might come from a competitor soon enough, but for now, there isn't one – just this vague suspicion many had that a second camera was the solution (after all, it happened to their phones, didn't it, not to mention the DJI Air 3S drone).

For now, though, the image sensor does a good job, with great standard colors, so despite the ability to apply a profile to Log I found myself perfectly happy using the camera defaults. The subject tracking was quick and responsive. Focusing can be close enough to make this a good vlogging device too – unlike some action cameras.

So, this camera comes along in a category DJI has defined and gets everything right. It doesn't make a huge leap forward, so it might not make much sense on an upgrade list for Pocket 3 owners, but for anyone else, the brilliant smoothing is hard to argue and given the price is still well below full-frame vlogging cameras, this seems a natural first choice.

Alternatives

While not confirmed, several relatively dependable online sources are showing versions of the Insta360 Luna – a camera seemingly coming to challenge DJI's Pocket 4, the update to the massively popular gimbal camera we now know will be announced tomorrow.

While there has been discussion of the Insta360 Luna for a while, debate is now crystallising around the possibility of two models – a Luna and a Luna Ultra, as suggested by Igor Blogdanov (QuadroNews).

We've been pretty confident that the two-eyed version is on the way for a while thanks to the presentation by Insta360's own CEO, Liu Jingkang (or 'JK'), at the company's annual conference. At that time, though, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 was just a rumor – now we know from DJI's social posts that it will be announced tomorrow.

This is also the point at which JK shared the name 'Luna' with the audience.

We also can't be sure, with only a few seconds of promotional video to look at, but it looks a lot like the Osmo Pocket 4 is going to have a single camera, leaving the goal wide open for Luna's dual camera setup.

Other specs, not to mention quality and user experience, will be relevant to buyers too, but I understand the pull of an extra optical camera. You wouldn't catch me upgrading my phone to a model with fewer cameras.

Some rumor-mongers do have an answer for that too, of course. It has been suggested that a DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Pro might be on the cards at some future date, though there has been no firm evidence about that (certainly ont a release date) from DJI.

In fact, in most cases, the camera that people had presumed was the future Pocket 4 from DJI has turned out to be a sighting of the Luna being tested. But not all of them. There are definitely tweets like this from Igor Bogdanov that seem to show images of two different variants of the Pocket 4 camera on a similar handle – and one of them has dual lenses (arranged very differently from the Luna).

So there we have the scene set for the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 announcement, and we also imagine that a little bit more will be discovered about Luna very soon afterward – though whether there will be a one-camera version isn't known yet.

Some online have suggested 'Luna Ultra' for the dual camera, likely because the Go Ultra is the newest and highest spec version of that tiny camera, but that is speculation. We have seen 'Luna' next to the dual camera version (and no 'Ultra') already, so perhaps that's it?

When will we know for sure? April 19. Why? Insta360 more or less told us that NAB will have news in this not-too-subtle posting:

Which will be on sale soonest? Which will be the best on DCW's list of best gimbal cameras? It's hard to know. but we'll keep watching.

Stabilisers like the Feiyu Scorp-C2 are designed to keep your camera’s horizon level as you perform a wide range of handheld pans, tilts, and low-to-high angle tracking shots. They also enable you to shoot tripod-steady handheld shots without the burden of having to carry and set up a classic tripod (though you can rest a stabiliser on its own mini tripod and perform smooth pans and tilts using its built-in joystick). Unlike the handheld cages and rigs, gimbals have three motorised arms that enable you to pan, tilt, and roll your camera smoothly. The downside of using a gimbal is that you need to balance your camera and lens (the payload) carefully before each shoot. An unbalanced payload puts strain on the stabiliser’s motors, which can cause camera shake (or even force the gimbal to shut down to protect its motors!). With a cage/rig, you are the motor, so no time-consuming balancing is required.

I’ve rested and reviewed a few Scorp gimbals for Digital Camera World, starting with the Feiyu Scorp Mini, followed by the Scorp 2. All the gimbals in Feiyu’s Scorp range share one key design feature - a hooked sling handle that looks like the tail of a scorpion - hence the branding ‘Scorp’. I’m a big fan of this design feature as it enables me to easily glide the gimbal-mounted camera very close to the ground to follow a subject and then crane it up to head height in one smooth motion. To enjoy a smartphone-friendly version of the Scorp, check out my review of the Scorp Mini 3 Pro.

FeiyuTech Scorp-C2: Specifications

FeiyuTech Scorp-C2: Price

Back in September 2025, I tested and reviewed the Scorp 3, which was capable of carrying payloads of up to 3.5 Kg for the price of around $400/£439. The newer Scorp-C2 can also carry payloads up to 3.5 Kg, but at the far more affordable price of $250/£269. I was therefore intrigued to discover how the Scorp-C2 differed compared to its more expensive cousin and whether its reduced price would equate to inferior performance in functionality and features. Cut to the chase - in my test, the Scorp-C2 outperformed its more expensive cousin when it came to making a wide range of smooth camera moves.

FeiyuTech Scorp-C2: Design & Handling

As you’d expect from its name, the Scorp-C2 is an updated version of the original Scorp-C. The newer model features several improvements to its design, such as a more effective built-in face tracking module. The Scorp-C2’s AI tracking module version 4.0 delivers a 15% wider field of view than its predecessor, and it can track your face up to a distance of 18 metres away. The Scorp-C2’s mounting camera platform is more spacious, too, which makes it easier for you to mount your DSLR/mirrorless camera on the gimbal.

Like the more expensive Scorp 3, the Scorp-C2 can also handle lens and camera payloads up to a weight of 3.5 Kg, whereas the older Scorp-C could only cope with 2.5kg. My Sony A7 and lens weighed in at 1.046kg, so it was well within the Scorp-C2’s 3.5kg carrying capacity. Saying that, I used the same payload on the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro, which can carry a maximum of only 2.5 KG, and the Hohem found it a bit of a burden, especially when trying to roll the camera - check out my review: (Link to be added on publication). As you’ll see from the Performance section, the cheaper yet more powerful Feiyu Scorp-C2 had no trouble putting my Sony A7 through moves that the more expensive Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro found challenging.

So we’ve already established that the cheaper Scorp-C2 can carry the same payload as the more expensive flagship in the Scorp range - the Scorp 3. This Scorp-C2 affordability is made possible by removing some of the high-end features found in the Scorp 3, such as the option to detach the end of the sling handle and use it to remotely control the Scorp 3’s pan, tilt, and roll axes. Another missing feature in the Scorp-C2 is the absence of the touch-sensitive display found on the Scorp 3’s handle.

Personally, I didn’t miss the absence of touchscreen controllability on the Scorp-C2. I preferred toggling between its PF, PTF, and FPV shooting modes by tapping its physical mode button - more on these modes in the Performance section. You can see which mode has been selected on a much smaller LCD display at the rear of the handle, and status lights on the gimbal's shaft also indicate the chosen mode. The control wheel on the side of the gimbal can be configured by a physical button to enable you to fine-tune a tilt, roll, or pan with a physical twiddle. I usually assign the roll axis to the control wheel as this enables me to ensure that the horizon is always level.

The touchscreen on the more expensive Scorp 3 enables you to access menu features such as performing a calibration to make sure that the camera is balanced correctly. With the Scorp-C2, you can access all these sub-menus via the Feiyu Scorp app, so in effect, you have touchscreen control courtesy of your iPhone. The app is great, and it shows you exactly how successfully you’ve balanced the camera using colour-coded indicators for each axis. As long as each axis displays a green value, you’re good to go.

Balancing a gimbal is always a challenge, but it’s an essential part of the shoot. The Scorp-C2 has a handy control dial that enables you to balance the tilt arm with precise incremental control. It’s a shame that the other axes don’t benefit from this easy-to-adjust feature, as I’ll explain in the next section.

FeiyuTech Scorp-C2: Performance

To test the Scorp-C2 stabiliser, I took it (and my Sony A7) to London’s Tower Bridge. The upper metal walkways crossing the Shad Thames street make a suitably cinematic backdrop to testing the stabilizer’s different modes. For foreground interest, I’d hired an Italian model/actress (Insta: @Antonia_sabato) to make some moves that I could follow with my camera mounted on the Scorp-C2.

On any shoot, I tend to arrive early, especially when shooting with a gimbal. As my model was paid by the hour, I didn’t want to waste time trying to balance a gimbal after she had arrived, so I popped into Starbucks and set the gimbal onto its mini tripod to begin the balancing process. The little balancing control wheel that I mentioned in the Design section made it quick and easy to balance the tilt axis, but the roll axis was very stiff to adjust, so this took more to-ing and fro-ing until I could get it balanced. On the whole, though, it took me around 10 minutes to balance my payload on the Scorp-C2, which is pretty good going, and when calibrating the gimbal via the Feiyu Scope app on my iPhone 16 Pro, I had a reassuring range of green balance indicators for the Pan, Tilt and Roll axes, so I was confident that the gimbal would perform well during the shoot.

I then met up with Antonia (whom I hadn’t worked with before), and since the tide was currently rising in the Thames, I decided to film her on the river’s rocky ‘beach’ with Tower Bridge as a spectacular backdrop. Luckily, Antonia was wearing sturdy boots rather than pointy heels, so she was able to negotiate the slippery, mossy steps leading down to the beach. I popped the Scorp-C2 into PTF mode. This enabled me to tilt the Sony A7 to follow Antonia with a tilt as she walked down the steps and then pan with her as she started her stroll along the rocky beach. The sling handle (and the extra handle produced by the closed mini-tripod) gave me a good two-handed grip on the gimbal, and I was able to glide it smoothly to follow Antonia, without any wobbles or bumps caused by walking over the slippery and uneven terrain. I can describe my camera moves in detail, but I strongly suggest that you watch the supporting video that accompanies this review, as you’ll see how effective the Scorp-C2 is in a variety of locations.

We then headed to the Shad Thames street (as seen in the TV show Doctor Who and the first Highlander movie back in the 1980s). Here, I was keen to try out the Scorp-C2’s FPV mode, which, unlike the other modes, enables you to roll the camera as well as pan and tilt it. This is great for POV (point of view) shots that mimic the more organic moves of a person as they look around their environment. It performed these POV shoots nice and smoothly, as you’ll see in my supporting video.

The control unit on the Scorp-C2’s handle has three buttons designed to help you roll the camera when it is held horizontally. Many gimbals call this ‘Inception’ mode after the spectacular rotating corridor fight sequence in the movie of the same name. I tend to view this mode as a bit gimmicky, but since I had the three buttons to play with, I went for it! The central button causes the camera to tilt forward (and parallel with the ground). The other two buttons enable you to trigger a continuous rolling action (either clockwise or counterclockwise). You dimply tap a button to change the speed of the rotation. I enjoyed tracking Antonia from the front and behind while she walked, while the camera rolled. I was then able to cut between the two angles as she rotated in the frame, creating a dynamic and disorienting walking sequence. Go on, check out the video!

After a successful London shoot, I returned home to digitise and edit the footage. I then set up the Scorp-C2 in my local woods to test out the AI tracking module. While mounted on its mini tripod, the Scorp-C2 was able to smoothly pan and tilt the camera to follow my every move (even when I tripped and fell over a tree stump!). I was impressed at how quickly the Scorp-C2’s AI tracker recognised and responded to my hand gestures. Most gimbals tend to place you in the centre of the frame, which is fine for most talking to the camera scenarios. However, you can usually make a re-frame gesture that enables you to offset your position so that you’re standing frame left or frame right (which is handy if you want to gesture towards a particular background landmark, for example). I’ve struggled in the past to get some gimbals to recognise this ‘re-frame’ hand gesture, but the Scorp-C2 gave a reassuring three green flashes every time I made the gesture, so it gets a big thumbs up in relation to its AI tracker.

Oh, one last point! Normally, when shooting with a mirrorless camera mounted on a gimbal, I don’t bother to wire it up to the camera via a USB-C cable so that I can trigger the shutter button via the gimbal. However, the Feiyu Scorp smartphone app made it very easy to link the Scorp-C2 to my Sony A7 via Bluetooth. I then enjoyed being able to trigger video recording by pressing the tactile red record button on the gimbal's handle.

FeiyuTech Scorp-C2: Verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed testing the Scorp-C2 because it worked! I liked the fact that I could trigger different modes quickly by using a physical button (and the Feiyu Scorp smartphone app enabled me to dig deeper into sub menus that customised things such as motor follow speed). I’d previously used the same Sony A7 payload to test the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro, but that stabiliser couldn’t roll my camera without drooping. The Scorp-C2 happily tilted, panned, and rolled my gear effortlessly, which means I’d favour it for a future creative shoot. As a solo shooter who needs to walk and talk to camera, I also appreciated how the updated AI module tuned the Scorp-C2 into a skilled camera operator who could smoothly follow my every move.

Alternatives

Shooting smooth video with a mirrorless camera is still harder than it should be, but DJI may have just changed that. With built-in AI tracking finally arriving for “proper” cameras, the RS 5 promises to do more than stabilize your shots. It could change how you shoot entirely.

Since the gimbal doesn't have access to the sensors and TTL cleverness of the camera, the previous DJI RS 4 Mini brought a tracking module, which has its own camera to identify the subject of your shot and that has moved up the chain to the RS 5.

Other key gear seeing significant updates are the automated locks; the process of safely putting the device away is now almost completely automatic.

AI intelligent tracking, a new guide for camera operators so they know the limits of their step, premium quality components, compatibility with more cameras, and a new briefcase handle might all offer something to filmmakers – but is it enough?

RS5: Price

With two price options, at £485 (about $650) for the gimbal (including all the essential accessories like the battery grip, tripod base, quick-release plates ) and £619 (about $830) for the RS 5 combo I tested here, which adds the AI tracking module and briefcase handle this isn't the cheapest of gimbals, but DJI has always been a premium player in this space. The RS 5 also takes a high payload and, price-wise, is essentially the same as a Zhiyun Crane 4, for example, despite the RS 5's better features, so still seems like a value win.

RS5: Specs

RS5: Build and handling

The RS 5 feels suited to serious tasks right from the unboxing. Specifically I tested the RS 5 Combo edition, which arrived in an excellent zip-able hard case which has just enough flex in it that, when it comes to packing up at the end of a long shoot, you don't have to worry too much about getting everything just right, but also just enough padding that you can be confident of the RS 5's future (with pockets for your battery, tripod, and other screw-in parts).

After unboxing, you'll need to pair the device with your phone and camera, so don't expect to have things working immediately the first minute on set. Why your phone, you ask? Because this is the means of firmware updates.

I'm testing the combo with the RS Enhanced Intelligent Tracking Module, which includes a camera so the AI can watch humans (up to 10m away). It clips easily but firmly onto the top of the Ronin with two hinged clips, and contacts on its base do the rest. At the front a LED ring around the lens indicates whether it has acquired a tracking lock or not, so the talent can know what is going on.

The tracking module works via the 1.8-inch touchscreen, accessed via with a right-swipe (I found the size fine).

Thanks to gesture recognition, it also works the other way by holding your palm to initiate things (and you get a clear indicator light). You can shoot on your own and have the camera follow you – not something easily possible with a mirrorless cam before. Solo content creators were often forced to use either a tripod (no motion) or a clever gimbal on a phone for the lack of a tracking module. DJI has sovled this, and done so well.

Of course this is still a gimbal you need to take the camera on and off of. Balancing the camera is never the easiest part of life with a gimbal. Again it's something you need to follow the instructions for step by step if you're doing it for the first time.

Wouldn't it be awesome if DJI's plate fitted my tripod so I didn't have to unscrew it and swap when it came time to do tripod shots? Not a fault of the Ronin – there are a lot of different tripod base plates – just occurred to me!) On the plus side, it is easy to re-fit thanks to the supplied screws and the design with a lens center guide.

DJI also do a lot to make the balancing as easy as possible, too, with a video tutorial and the presence of DJI's crisp display which can indicate a lack of balance. The final stage is an automated auto-balancing which is fun to watch – just rest the camera on a surface, put the feet of the included tripod attachment out, and let it do its thing for a few moments.

The gimbal has a grip beneath and the option to attach a "Briefcase handle" at almost any angle you choose, yet it still has a working Gimbal and camera control (and one I didn't detect lag on).

That means, in practical terms, you can set it up to hold the RS 5 and your favoured camera like a top-held movie camera (say a Sony Venice) and get swooping cinematic shots from low to the ground.

The design's also replaces the battery grip from the RS 4, the new one charging in less than half the time – just an hour – and I found that I was able to shoot continuously for several hours, certainly a lot longer than my arm is happy supporting a camera, lens, and gimbal. I have little problem believing that it'll get close to 14h.

Performance

In terms of stability, I had very little by the way of complaints. I am, I admit, the kind of operator who will – from time to time – balance quickly and tolerate the orange warning or (as you'll see in the video) not even take the camera strap off. Despite this naughty laziness on my part (and so long as I ensured the strap had free movement), the DJI managed to cope with the extra strain.

This can be the advantage of a powerful device and a long battery life – the option to operate beyond the ideals for expediency.

The Intelligent Tracking impressed me a great deal when I was acting as operator and using the screen. The RS 5 was quick to identify humans (or pets or cars) near the camera for me to tap on and track.

Despite the screen size, it was also easy enough to draw a square around objects that the AI doesn't automatically suggest. This makes a nice walk past shot, like a close orbit, easy to achieve.

I also found essentially zero issues when it came to connecting my camera's Bluetooth and using the RS 5's record button.

Overall verdict

Strictly reviewing the 'RS 5 Combo', including the tracking module and briefcase handle, I feel like I'm reviewing the camera gimbal to replace all gimbals. Often products are just iterative steps along a product line, but here there is a genuinely significant improvement – combined with a series of iterations too. There is no previous generation that wouldn't benefit from the RS 5 as an update (though, to be fair, the tracking module can be bought for the RS 4).

Getting used to using a gimbal takes a little time, especially if your camera or lens are less able to communicate, but this is the easiest to balance and now supports Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Panasonic Lumix, and Sony. The AI tracking is incredibly intuitive, too. Admittedly, when you're thinking about your camera settings too, all the mode toggles can be overwhelming, but you'll welcome having simple physical switches rather than menus to tap through.

Ultimately, the RS 5 is a great gimbal, and the RS 5 Combo – with that handle and the tracking module – can empower an operator to achieve a lot more than they might have imagined. The reliable battery (a whole day's work is unlikely to be an issue) plus a firm mechanism make it close to perfect.

Alternatives

See our full guide to the best gimbals for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.
We also have separate guides for the Best gimbal for smartphones,
and for the best gimbals for GoPros

How I tested the DJI RS 5 Combo

I tested the RS 5 over a couple of weeks in different locations. For the most part, I used my Sony A7 III camera, connecting using the Bluetooth. This included attempting to move around a small studio and capture shots of Ariane X for a music video, by hand and using the AI tracking.

DJI loaned me the Combo kit to test.

The iSteady MT3 is a 4-in-1 gimbal capable of mounting smartphones, action cameras, compact cameras, and lightweight DSLR/mirrorless cameras. It's designed to be a versatile stabilizer for the modern content creator using lightweight camera devices rather than heavy and bulky cameras.

Professional users will benefit from choosing the iSteady MT3 Pro, which has a greater payload capacity, more AI tracking options, and an innovative remote control system. This remote is also capable of showing a low-latency live feed of what the camera sees, allowing you to frame shots even when you aren't behind the camera.

But not everyone needs these pro features, and that's where the MT3 comes in. Offering excellent stability and solid build quality, you're essentially getting a fuss-free entry-level gimbal without worrying about additional features and hardware that most people won't need.

Specifications

Price

The Hohem iSteady MT3 is priced at $329 in the US, approximately £270 in the UK, and $510 in Australia. This makes it $120 (US) cheaper than the Pro version, which features a higher payload capacity, a Spot Mini motor and gear ring, a detachable remote for flexible shooting, and more extensive tracking options. Direct competitors include the DJI RS 4 Mini and Zhiyun Crane M3S, or if you'd like a more budget-friendly alternative, then the Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra review is worth a look.

Design & Handling

The Hohem iSteady MT3 features a professional-grade hybrid build, combining aircraft-grade aluminum arms for structural rigidity with high-strength polycarbonates to keep the total weight at a portable 765 g. It feels solid enough to handle a few knocks and even low-level drops. It also looks the part with a two-tone color palette of dark grey and bright red.

The textured rubberized grip provides a secure, non-slip hold, but on longer shoots, I was left craving a softer rubber finish. Hohem could offer this as an additional wrap-around or bake it into the design of the handle. The axes are coated in Teflon, which delivers excellent friction-free balancing.

The payload capacity (1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs) and motor torque have both been increased and improved upon compared to the MT2. These are backed up by the iSteady 10.0 algorithm, which allows it to handle small mirrorless setups, like the Sony A7 series or Canon R10. If you have a larger payload, then the bigger brother, the MT3 Pro, supports up to 2.5 kg, 5.51 lbs.

The MT3 now boasts an integrated 2MP AI vision sensor rather than the detachable modules found in previous models. This built-in camera enables autonomous human tracking directly from the gimbal hardware, meaning you no longer need to rely on the Hohem Joy smartphone app. In addition to human tracking, this gimbal is capable of recognizing simple hand gestures to start tracking or recompose a shot.

Further improvements have been made in the area of mounting and switching between camera types. To support modern media production in various formats, Hohem has developed a new Multi 5.0 Quick Release System. This allows users to switch between horizontal and vertical orientation by loosening a knob and sliding the mounting base. Doing this on older models would have required a full motor recalibration, so this change is very welcome.

Despite these improvements, I still found operating the MT3 a little overcomplicated. There are so many latches, dials, and locks that it can be tricky to know which ones control what. After a while I became more familiar with how it worked, but the design meant that this took longer than it really needed to.

Performance

The iSteady MT3 is a lightweight gimbal designed to handle payloads up to 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs). I was keen to test this claim, so I dug out my Canon 6D with a 24-105 mm lens, which is almost equivalent to the maximum limit. I mounted it onto the gimbal, but it couldn't handle it at all, rolling forward on account of the lens. In fact, even with only the DSLR mounted (770 g), it was only just able to perform the necessary stabilization.

Interestingly, our reviewer had similar payload problems with the iSteady MT3 Pro, especially when he was attempting to perform roll movements using a medium-weight mirrorless camera setup. If your payload is anywhere near the advertised amounts, then I'd steer clear.

I therefore readjusted my expectations and mounted my iPhone. The gimbal was, of course, able to handle the weight of this, although it did initially judder and shake because it couldn't accurately detect the weight. This problem was quickly resolved, though, by performing a manual payload check. From then on, I had no issues.

The gimbal offers four different modes: PF (pan follow), OTF (pan, tilt, follow), L (all lock), and POV (all follow). Cycling through these modes is as simple as pressing the 'M' button. PF is ideal for walking shots, PTF for looking up at buildings or down at a subject, L for zoom or trucking shots, and POV for first-person-style footage where you want the viewer to "feel" every movement. Choosing the right mode is essential for capturing the type of movement you desire.

Every single mode performed excellently during testing. The correct locks were maintained, and movements were smooth with no micro-twitches experienced. It was possible to capture most shots with the built-in handle, although there were a few moments when the additional tripod grip proved invaluable. This allowed me to get more dynamic shots and reach about 15 cm higher/further than I would have been able to with just the built-in handle.

One of the standout features of this gimbal is the AI tracking, which supports human tracking (no object tracking, I'm afraid). It wasn't perfect, and at times it took an unnecessarily long time to "lock on", but I quickly adapted to its idiosyncrasies. In short, I wouldn't rely on it to perfectly track a human without keeping an eye on what it's doing.

In addition to AI tracking, the AI camera allows for hands-free operation courtesy of a series of supported gestures. I found the "shaka" gesture to be the most useful, with the gesture acting as a remote shutter. Second to that, using two thumbs for switching between landscape and portrait modes was also helpful.

Verdict

The Hohem iSteady MT3 is an entry-level gimbal that makes it possible to perform cinematic camera movements such as pan, tilt, and follow. It does this effortlessly, smoothly, and reliably. The advertised payload capacity is a little unrealistic, with testing proving that the gimbal is only suited to very lightweight mirrorless camera setups and smartphones.

Switching between camera types and between horizontal and vertical orientations is made possible through a new quick-release mechanism. It's perfectly functional, although unnecessarily fiddly on account of the overcomplicated design. That said, once the camera or smartphone is locked in position, the latches hold it firmly in place.

The AI camera makes it possible to track humans, although it's not perfect, with the gimbal sometimes taking a little too long to lock onto a face. It also couldn't handle more complicated human movements where the human wasn't nicely positioned in the shot.

Cheaper gimbals are available, but if you're looking for a reliable smartphone stabilizer that's built to last, then the iSteady MT3 is a safe bet.

Alternatives

I’m a fan of Hohem’s line of camera stabilisers (or gimbals), having tested and reviewed five models for Digital Camera World, starting with the Hohem iSteady MT2 back in 2023. Most of the gimbals in the Hohem iSteady range target the needs of smartphone content creators, though the original MT2 could carry a payload of a mirrorless camera and lens up to the weight of 1.2kg, and the new MT3 Pro has a maximum payload of 2.5kg.

It has been interesting to see the Hohem iSteady range evolve, and a key stage in this evolution appeared in July 2024, in the shape of a detachable remote control panel (that enabled you to tilt and pan the gimbal from a distance) on the iSteady V3. This detachable remote control panel got a major upgrade with the release of the Hohem iSteady M7 in March 2025, as you could now transmit a live video feed from the built-in camera on the gimbal’s front-mounted AI tracker to the detachable remote’s display. This useful feature enabled you to compose your shots more easily, especially when operating the tripod-mounted gimbal from a distance.

Fast forward to 2026, and the original iSteady MT2 has had several major upgrades, incorporating handy gadgets such as the detachable video-monitoring remote control panel introduced with the M7. The latest Hohem stabiliser is available in two versions - the Hohem iSteady MT3 and the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro. At first glance, the main difference is that the Pro kit ships with extra accessories, such as a Spot Mini Motor. This mounts onto the gimbal to enable you to adjust focus and zoom via the wireless remote. A gear ring, motor holder, and cable are also included. However, there are other differences between the Pro and standard versions of the MT3, as we’ll explain.

Specifications

Price

The MT3 Pro is currently available for preorder from $449, while the non-pro version - the iSteady MT3 - costs $329.99. If you shoot on a variety of cameras, from smartphone to mirrorless, then the Pro version is worth considering, especially if you want to control a mirrorless camera’s zoom or focus settings via the Pro kit’s Spot Mini Motor and gear ring. The iSteady MT3 Pro can also carry a heavier payload of 2.5Kg, 5.51lbs, compared to the cheaper iSteady MT3’s capacity of 1.4kg (3.1 lbs). So if you only shoot on a smartphone or action camera (or tend to shoot with your mirrorless camera set to auto focus), then you can save yourself just over $200 by going for the cheaper MT3.

Design & Handling

The newly released Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro and the cheaper Hohem iSteady MT3 differ in their build as well as their accessories. The Hohem iSteady MT3 has a maximum payload of 1.4kg (3.1 lbs), so you might think twice about buying it if you want to carry a mirrorless camera and a heavy lens that weighs close to that payload limit. The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro can shift a camera/lens payload up to a weight of 2.5Kg, 5.51 lbs, so I felt confident that it could smoothly carry my Sony A7 and a Sony FE 1.4/24 GM lens, which weighed in at 1.05kg - well below the stabiliser’s maximum payload threshold.

At the time of writing, I’ve tested 25 gimbals for Digital Camera World, varying from the smartphone-friendly Insta360 Flow 2 Pro to the heavy-lifting DJI RS4 Pro. I like shooting with smartphones because you can usually clamp your device in the gimbal and start shooting! With a heavier mirrorless or DSLR camera, you need to balance the payload on the stabiliser. This involves the time-consuming process of separately adjusting the pan, tilt, and roll axes of the stabiliser so that the camera is perfectly balanced. If the camera/lens payload isn’t balanced correctly, then this puts stress on the gimbal’s tilt, pan, and roll motors, which can cause a stabiliser to judder and shake instead of giving you smooth tilts, pans, and rolls.

It took me around 10 minutes to balance my Sony A7 on the Hohem MT3 Pro. This is about average when it comes to balancing a mirrorless camera on a stabiliser (once you know what you’re doing!). To get an axis arm balanced perfectly, you have to move its arm by a few millimetres. The pan and roll arms on the MT3 Pro were quite stiff to adjust, so I would often overshoot when trying to make alterations in tiny increments. The tilt arm, however, has a handy cog wheel that I could rotate until this axis was perfectly balanced. It would be nice to have similar wheel controls on the roll axis, especially for faster balancing.

Once you’ve manually balanced a camera on the MT3 Pro, you can use the 1.4” display’s auto calibration menu to check that the payload is balanced correctly. You also get a handy colour-coded diagnostic display that shows you if the tilt, pan, or roll axes are being strained by an incorrectly balanced payload. This is a very welcome design feature as there’s nothing more annoying than a gimbal starting to judder when you’re filming a model (and paying them by the hour!). I’m happy to say that I had no issues with the gimbal’s performance once I’d spent time balancing it.

A common mistake when using gimbals is to forget to unlock the tilt, pan, and roll axes before shooting. The MT3 Pro’s three axes each have physical sliders that you need to push to unlock them, so it’s possible you might forget to unlock one of them, leading to the gimbal not performing correctly. The DJI RS4 Pro has motorised axes locking/unlocking, so it’s ready to shoot without you having to manually check each axis, but that costs around $200 more than the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro. As they say, you get what you pay for, and automatically unlocking axes on a gimbal is a luxury item that you shouldn’t really need once you get used to unlocking them manually.

Performance

To test the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro, I took it to London’s Barbican Centre, a location with plenty of towers and corridors that made it perfect for performing a wide range of stabiliser-powered cinematic tilts, pans, and tracks. I was also there to test a wireless microphone (review to follow), and I planned to do that by interviewing Maryna about her job as a full-time model (Insta @gluecklichmarinalp).

I planned to use the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro to capture cutaway clips of Maryna trundling her suitcase full of clothes to the location and then performing a range of poses in different outfits. Maryna was booked for the shoot at 9:00 am, so I arrived at 8:00 am, which gave me plenty of time to rebalance my Sony A7 and Sony FE 1.4/24 GM lens on the MT3 Pro.

I used a prime lens because its wide f1.4 aperture would enable me to capture great-looking shots in low light and provide an attractive background bokeh to complement my model. I also used a prime lens because it couldn’t zoom in or out. When adjusting a lens’s focal length, it changes the way the camera is balanced on the gimbal, so you’d need to rebalance the payload every time you zoom in or out. To get closer to Maryna, I simply tracked (or dollied) forward. Because my lens was a prime lens with no zoom function (and I was shooting on auto-focus), I didn’t need to add the kit’s supplied Spot Mini Motor and gear ring to the stabiliser and camera during my test shoot.

Normally, when I shoot a model in the Barbican Centre, I don’t get moved on by security. This is because I tend to use a smartphone, which has a less ‘pro’ photographer profile. However, I have been asked to move on a couple of times at the Barbican when using a tripod. On this shoot, I was worried about being interrupted because I was shooting a pro model with a more serious-looking mirrorless camera and stabiliser rig, but the two-hour shoot went smoothly - even when filming in the private interior of the Barbican Centre, with its beautiful brutalist architecture as a backdrop to my posing model.

I found it very liberating to capture footage on the gimbal-mounted Sony A7. I was able to toggle easily between shooting modes by tapping the M button on the control panel. PTF (Pan, Tilt, Follow) enabled me to frame the top of a tower, tilt down to introduce Maryna, and then pan to follow her as she trundled her trolley full of outfits towards the shoot location. The horizon stayed perfectly level during the tilt and the pan.

The Hohem MT3 Pro ships with an attachable bidirectional Dual Twist Handle. This gives you a better and more stable two-handed grip in the gimbal. I especially enjoyed attaching it in briefcase mode so I could easily perform low-to-high angle crane shots while tracking my walking subject using the (PF) Pan Follow mode. I also experimented with the POV (Point of View) mode. This adds a roll to the pan and tilt to capture a more organic floating look. However, I found that my payload was just too heavy, and the camera would flop down when the gimbal tried to roll it. POV with a smartphone is smooth and gliding, but the Hohem MT3 Pro couldn’t perform this move, despite the 1.046 Kg payload weighing in at far lighter than its maximum 2.5. On the plus side, I rarely want the camera to roll, as I like to keep my horizon nice and level.

Another disappointing discovery on my test shoot related to the gimbal’s ability to let me swap from shooting in a horizontal (landscape) orientation to a vertical (portrait) one. I was easily able to slide the quickly releasing plate out of the gimbal and re-insert it so the camera was printed vertically. However, the camera would then slowly droop forward due to the fact that I couldn’t screw it tightly enough onto the Hohem’s tripod plate. Now, this could be a fault of the Sony camera’s thread or the gimbal plate’s screw. I don’t know for sure, but I failed to shoot any social media-friendly vertical reels. Personally, this wasn’t a big issue as I tend to shoot horizontally in 4K and then crop the footage in post if I need a vertical version.

As I said earlier, I tend to use gimbals to carry smartphones. The combined weight of the 1.046 Kg Sony camera payload and the 1.07 Kg was heavier than I was used to, but with the additional sling handle and the main grip, I could easily perform a wide range of moves with little effort.

I appreciate that describing gimbal-powered camera moves isn’t that helpful, so do check out my supporting video that shows a range of the MT3 Pro’s moves in action (once you’ve watched the advert at the start!). While most of the camera moves are relatively smooth, I did notice some micro ‘twitches’ on occasion, which is something that’s far less noticeable or prevalent when using a smartphone on a Hohem stabiliser.

A key strength of all Hohem gimbals is their ability to be deployed on their mini tripod so that you can get them to pan and tilt the camera using the gimbal’s built-in AI tracker. I asked Maryna to make an OK gesture to trigger AI tracking, and the gimbal smoothly tilted and opened to follow her every move. She then made the palm-up gesture to stop the tracking process and walked out of shot. Despite having to pan and tilt a relatively heavy payload, the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro did a smooth job, worthy of a human camera operator.

Verdict

The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro enables you to ‘run and gun’ with your mirrorless camera in any location, making it almost effortless to perform a wide range of professional camera moves such as pans, tilts, and tracking shots. The addition of pro accessories such as the Dual Twist Handle makes it even easier to manoeuvre (especially if you want to perform low to high-angle crane shots). The detachable remote control with a built-in video feed is also very useful in helping you compose shots (especially if you’re tracking a model while walking backwards down a flight of stairs), and it's a nice design touch that this remote can also be mounted on the end of the Dual Twist Handle for easier access to changing modes, for example.

This is the first time I’ve tested a Hohem gimbal with a mirrorless camera, and I found that the camera moves weren’t always as smooth as those performed with a smartphone. The occasional ‘twitch’ of the pan motor meant that some shots weren’t quite as smooth as I’d have liked, so this loses it half a star. And I was disappointed that my camera dropped when in vertical orientation. But as you’ll see from my supporting video footage, I was able to perform a range of pro camera moves while filming a model making hers!

Alternatives

Today DJI announces the new RS5 camera gimbal in the rest of the world, bringing the intelligent tracking module (first seen with the RS 4 Mini) to the 5th generation of gimbal.

This new module can track people, vehicles, pets, or any subject, and maintain locked focus on a human subject up to ten meters (32ft) from the camera. According to DJI, once the module has identified someone, it can follow them and re-acquire them even if they leave the frame, even in a crowded scene.

Significantly in the social era, the RS5 can switch to vertical shooting without needing extra accessories. Its total weight is 3.22lb / 1.46Kg including the quick-release plates and battery grip.

The gimbal also features DJI's 2nd gen automated axis locks, meaning the device automatically unlocks when the gimbal is turned on or lock the gimbal in position at sleep or powers off.

A new briefcase-style handle makes it possible to capture new angles above or below the subject, while remaining in control of the footage. There is also a new Z-Axis indicator on the display, which the operator can use to see whether the Ronin's sensors think they should adjust their gait and pace, or whether the device feels capable of absorbing the image shake on its own.

The battery life is stated at 14 hours with the included grip (which can be fully charged in an hour), or up to 30 hours with the BG70 High-Capacity grip. Bluetooth shutter now supports Panasonic and Fujifilm for the first time, as well as Sony, Canon, and Nikon.

The DJI RS5 is on sale from today in the UK and Europe for £485 including a mini-tripod, control cable and BG33 battery grip. In Australia, the RS5 will set you back AU$839 for the standalone gimbal and AU$999 for the Combo pack.

It will not be on sale in the USA thanks to the ban on new DJI products which use radio frequencies imposed by President Trump. (We're not expecting any developments in the USA v China trade dispute until at least after after Chinese president Xi Jinping and Donald Trump meet, currently scheduled for April.)

A phone can take on most content creation jobs these days, so why not give it the support it needs – that's the theory behind a gimbal which is a camera stabilizer that helps produce more professional content.

This is a device of many generations, but since the Osmo Mobile 6 – or OM6 – DJI has brought a professional feel with an analog control wheel as well as the joystick. This can, for example, use NFC to take control of the 'focus' effect in on the phone so the device gives you wider cinematographic controls.

This newest model has other updates too – a fill light and subject tracking system that can also help connect to any of the DJI Mics (not just the Mic Mini), as well as (new for this generation) an infinitely rotating pan, so you can be tracked continuously around the device if you need.

USB-C charging (and the ability to charge your phone via the same port) all add up to make a lot of appeal, but is this the right choice if you're looking for more stable phone video?

DJI Osmo Mobile 8: Pricing

The Osmo Mobile 8, or OM8, has relatively high end features but does not come at the highest price in this category, so I'd put it down as good value too.

The obvious competitor is the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro, which – at the time I tested the device – was one of the few other devices that offered Apple DockKit compatibility and 360-degree panning, but came in for slightly more cash than the OM8.

DJI Osmo Mobile 8: Specs

DJI Osmo Mobile 8: Build and handling

I've said it before (and I said it with the OM7) – DJI is very confident in building a convincingly professional-feeling product, even in this category, which is awash with cheap plasticky devices. There is a reassuringly robust feeling about this design, which has good ergonomics around the trigger (which activates the stabilization and some other functions).

Despite its compact size, the design manages to include a decent-length telescopic extension pole so you can get your phone camera above a crowd, and a built-in tripod that can pull out of the base and pop back in. That's a lot of physical functionality and in my testing over a few months it survived admirably.

Physical controls amount to a thumbwheel (handy for things you might tweak in a linear scale, like focus), a thumb stick (used for directing the phone/camera), and three simple buttons. These mean you can start and stop recording, even on an iPhone in the normal camera app, without reaching up for the screen.

DJI provides an app, Mimo, as well as letting you use the phone's own app, for that slightly more professional feel – or at least that's how I interpreted the experience. Mimo, to be fair, is also equipped with a host of filters and even beauty adjustments so perhaps it's just as Gen-Z as anything else out there, but if, like me, you are looking to access the premium features (or find features like D-Log from your drones) then Mimo is the place to look.

Mimo, of course, is also the tool which offers remote control of all DJI's action cameras, so if you have any of the OM8's siblings then the app might just need an update, and will already be familiar to you.

Finally, there is the clip-on, clip-off fill light (or should I say 'Multifunction Module' we have seen on previous Osmo Mobile devices. It has the fancy name because it also features a built-in camera used to help the system's AI spot people and pets (and gesture commands).

DJI Osmo Mobile 8: Performance

Whether I opted to use my phone's camera app (I was testing with an Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max) or the DJI Mimo app, I found the experience slick and straightforward.

Battery life certainly seemed to last well in my tests – I didn't run it out in any shoots – however whether it actually can last exactly ten hours seems somewhat unrealistic to ask.

The design allows for low-angle shots (holding the camera near the ground) and tracking pets as well as people.

The system is also pretty quick to get started, turning itself on when you open it up (especially prompt if you're prepared to leave the grip attached to your phone, though my phone case was a bit too big for it which is why you see my iPhone Pro Max very exposed in the test pictures).

When I tried it, I also found the system perfectly capable of lifting a small plug-in SSD drive in the USB-C socket.

DJI Osmo Mobile 8: Overall verdict

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8 has been good enough to help me turn my iPhone Pro Max into a professional shooting rig. I've shot music videos and lengthy 4K videos on it. Sure, some will look closely to tell-tale signs of depth of field that tend to give away phone cameras, but – as it turns out – for most casual viewers, the evidence comes more readily from the less-than-steady hold people tend to have on their phones.

The OM8 doesn't just provide a solution to that issue, but keeps doing so all the way up the scale of production, so while you get something that will help track you for a one-person shoot, you'll also be able to take advantage of the subject tracking when you're guerrilla shooting a music video in a London graveyard.

It's worth remembering, too, that if you're used to EIS – Electronic Image Stabilization – a gimbal like this gets you the full image resolution.

Alternatives

Hohem’s newest pro-grade gimbal designed to accommodate everything from mirrorless cameras to smartphones is now outfitted with a screen-clad remote for controlling advanced AI tracking. Announced during CES 2026, the Hohem iSteady MT3 is the accessory-maker’s newest pro-grade gimbal.

The iSteady MT3 will come in a standard and a Pro variant, with pre-orders beginning on January 20 in the US only. Hohem hasn’t yet shared international availability or pricing.

The iSteady MT3 has a handful of updates compared to the previous MT2, starting with the remote. While the earlier model was also compatible with remotes, the MT3 remote has a built-in screen for using the Live Feed to control the gimbal’s AI tracking capabilities. The touchscreen offers quick access to settings, including follow modes and speeds, from up to 10m or 32.8 feet away.

That remote also has a joystick and a Bluetooth-enabled camera shutter release. A toggle on the remote also supports remotely adjusting the zoom on supported PZ or power zoom lenses.

The gimbal uses a built-in 2MP camera to power AI-based object tracking. The company says the AI can track humans, pets, vehicles, and “any subject”. The AI tracking can be controlled from the touchscreen, the gimbal’s trigger-like button, or using gesture controls for human tracking.

The Hohem iSteady MT3 has a handful of other enhancements compared to the earlier MT2. The previous version had a 2.6lb capacity (1200g), where the MT3 supports up to 3.1 lbs (1.4kg), and the MT3 Pro up to 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg). Battery life also jumps from 17 hours to 20 hours.

The gimbal also updates with faster swaps from horizontal to vertical shooting positions. Hoehm says the new model also has a 40 percent increase in torque.

Like earlier models, the MT3 supports mirrorless cameras, compact cameras, smartphones, and action cameras. The accessories needed to adapt to different types of cameras are all included in the box, along with a quick-release plate kit.

The Pro Kit will also support a Spot Mini Motor accessory, which allows the gimbal to control either focus or zoom using the dial on the side of the gimbal handle. Six screw holes also allow for adapting and modifying the gimbal with a wide range of accessories, including twist handles, lights, and monopods.

The base model starts at $329, with the Pro at $449. The Pro Kit with the Spot Mini Motor support retails for $549. Pre-orders at B&H are expected to begin on January 20; international pricing and availability are not yet available.

The Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra is a 3-axis gimbal with a compact, foldable design that is incredibly portable. It boasts advanced stabilization, AI tracking, voice control, a detachable remote, and more. For the price, it's quite staggering how rich the feature set is.

This type of gimbal is an ideal solution for solo creators who need to be able to accommodate multiple setups. Its ability to flip between portrait and landscape modes also makes it a perfect fit for social media creators who crave versatility.

The Smooth Q5 Ultra competes admirably for a place in our guide to the best smartphone gimbals, with direct competition coming from the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro and DJI Osmo Mobile 7P. Zhiyun's offering features some innovative accessories and a fill light, which help to set it apart.

Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra: Specifications

Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra: Price

The Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra is available from Zhiyun's Official Store for $99.99 / £84.99. If you'd like the combo kit that includes the AI tracking module and wireless remote control, then that costs $119.99 / £99.99. Alternatives include the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P for $129.99 / £118.50 and the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro for $159.99 / £145. Each device offers a similar set of specs, with the Smooth Q5 Ultra proving to be the best budget-friendly option.

Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra: Design & Handling

Having unboxed the gimbal, AI tracker, and remote control, I was fully up and running in around ten minutes. Everything shipped fully charged, and all I had to do was clip my phone in, attach the AI tracker, and pair it with my phone, and I was away. It could not have been easier.

The gimbal itself has a primary construction of plastic, which contributes to the overall lightweight design, weighing approximately 390g / 13.8oz. Holding it, even for long periods of time, didn't result in any arm, wrist, or hand strain, and for that I was grateful. It's marketed as a compact gimbal, and even though it's foldable, unfortunately, it's not small enough to fit comfortably in a pocket.

The design includes an ergonomic grip for comfortable single-handed operation, and the exterior boasts a matt white finish that is both scratch and stain-resistant. I have no concerns that it'll stay looking new for a long time to come.

At the top of the handle is a color display that keeps the user updated on the current state of the gimbal. This includes the amount of battery left, whether it's connected via Bluetooth, if the AI tracking is enabled, and a host of other indicators.

The clamp that holds the mobile phone is sturdy and strong, so strong that I nearly trapped my fingers in it while removing my phone. Take this as a positive rather than a potential health hazard. Zhiyun has also included an abundance of rubber grips inside the clamp to ensure your phone stays scratch-free.

At the bottom of the gimbal is a 1/4-20 screw mount that enables the attachment of a tripod or similar compatible accessories. There is a small tripod included in the kit, which is ideal for positioning the gimbal on a tabletop or even on the floor. There's also a 215mm extension pole built into the center of the gimbal. You wouldn't immediately know it's there, but if you push on the top of the handle, it'll begin to extend. This was super useful for capturing more arty, unusual shots.

A final feature that is worth mentioning is the inclusion of a fill light on the back of the gimbal. Using it will significantly reduce the battery life, but it is a handy little addition, especially for creators who want a lightweight run-and-gun setup.

The gimbal has a companion app called the ZY Cami App, which includes more intelligent tracking, an editor, and a slew of other additional features. It's not required, though, with the gimbal functioning fine with any mobile phone's default camera app.

Further to the core gimbal, the combo kit of the Smooth Q5 Ultra includes a detachable remote and an AI tracking camera. The remote allows for long-distance control, including the ability to hit record. The tracking camera attaches underneath the clamp mechanism and includes an indicator light that keeps you updated on its status.

Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra: Performance

Overall, I was very impressed with the performance of the gimbal. As mentioned, it was very easy to set up, and I was quickly able to crack on with capturing photos and videos. The 3-axis operation was reliable and predictable 99% of the time, although there were a few occasions where it seemed to drift a little from what I expected. At that point, I was grateful for the ability to recenter the gimbal head with the quick press of a button.

Operating the gimbal was straightforward, and even my ten-year-old, who has no prior experience using a device like this, was able to quickly yield predictable results. The button and dial placement also meant that it was possible to change settings while operating the gimbal.

The AI tracker was able to track my face with no difficulty and yielded smooth results every single time. This tracker is able to pick up gesture controls such as an okay sign that enables tracking, double thumbs up to toggle between portrait and landscape orientations, as well as a peace sign to take photos or start filming. Unfortunately, the sensors' ability to recognise these gestures was so hit and miss that I wasn't able to use them predictably.

The small and handy remote control allows for operation up to 10m away from the gimbal. It works seamlessly and includes the ability to control the gimbal's orientation as well as start/stop recording. With the remote switched on, it's also possible to control the gimbal with voice commands. It was responsive and much more reliable than gesture commands. One change I would like to see in this feature would be a move away from direct commands towards an AI model that lets you use more natural language to get the same results.

In terms of battery life, the gimbal lasts up to 13.5 hours, although this is reduced to 5.5 hours with AI tracking enabled and the fill light turned on. This is just about sufficient for a full day's filming, and you can always turn the fill light off between shots. It only takes two hours to recharge, although it's not a removable battery, so you might find it hard to operate the gimbal while you're charging.

Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra: Verdict

The Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra is a lightweight gimbal that is quick to set up and generally reliable in its operation. With AI tracking and a detachable remote, the device offers several innovative features that elevate the user experience. I wasn't enamored by the gesture commands, but that aside, I found the gimbal to be reliable, predictable, and overall a joy to use.

Alternatives

I do enjoy testing and reviewing gimbals/stabilisers for Digital Camera World. Indeed, the Feiyu Scorp 3 is the 26th gimbal that I’ve reviewed to date since I took the Zhiyun Crane Combo kit for a spin back in April 2022. A gimbal encourages me to search out a subject (such as a model or a vintage railway line) and perform a range of cinematic camera moves such as pans, tilts, tracks, and cranes!

I’ve tested a wide range of gimbals - from the smartphone-friendly Hohem iSteady V3 to the professional heavyweight DSLR-lifting DJI RS 4 Pro.

The Feiyu Scorp 3 falls into the heavy-lifting end of the gimbal spectrum. It’s designed to let you manoeuvre a payload of up to 3.5 Kg (7.72 lbs), so it had no trouble carrying a Sony Alpha 7 III and Tamron 28-75mm lens, which weighed 1.37 Kg.

Feiyu released their original 3-axis Scorp-C gimbal back in late 2021. I tested the Scorp 2 in May 2024 and gave it four stars. More recently, I tested Feiyu’s smartphone version of the Scorp - the Scorp Mini 3 Pro and was so impressed with its performance that I awarded it five stars. To find out how 2025’s Scorp 3 shapes up against its predecessors, read on…

Feiyu Scorp 3: Specifications

Feiyu Scorp 3: Price

The Feiyu Scorp 3 kit can be purchased for $399/£439, or for $429.00/£469 you can buy the Scorp 3 Kit, which contains extra accessories such as a padded carry case, a weight-reducing shoulder strap, and even an LED fill light that you can slide into your gimbal-mounted camera’s shoe mount to illuminate close subjects (such as a selfie). These useful accessories are well worth the extra money - especially the protective case, which has webbed storage compartments to stop you losing small but essential accessories such as charging cables, a hex/allen key, and a quick-release plate.

At $399/£439, the Feiyu Scorp 3 kit is certainly cheaper than a DJI RS 4 Combo, and the Scorp 3 can manage a slightly heavier payload (3.5 Kg compared to the DJI RS 4’s 3 Kg). So if you’re looking at a more affordable alternative to the DJI RS 4, then the Scorp 3 is worth checking out. You can find a link to my review of the DJI RS 4 in the Alternatives section at the bottom of this page. I gave both the DJI RS 4 and the Feiyu Scorp 3 the same rating, too, which makes the Scorp 3 an attractive alternative to the RS 4 when it comes to price and performance.

Feiyu Scorp 3: Design & Handling

When I unboxed the Feiyu Scorp 3, I had a strong sense of déjà vu! This was because I had tested the Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit a couple of months earlier. As its name suggests, the Scorp Mini 3 is a diminutive smartphone-compatible version of the Scorp 3. Both gimbals share the same attractive design, with a distinctive underslung handle that enables you to slide the gimbals close to the ground and then sweep them up into the air for striking cinematic tracking to crane shots!

The underslung handle is my favourite feature on the Scorp range. On the Scorp 3, you can even remove the end of the handle and use it to operate the gimbal remotely via a joystick. This could be a useful design feature if you’re filming something dangerous, such as unpredictable wildlife on safari or a car rally from the roadside!

The Scorp 3 also boasts a remote control in the form of a detachable panel. The main difference between the Scorp 3 and the Scorp Mini 3 is that the payload of the smartphone-friendly Scorp Mini 3 is only 2kg / 4.4 lbs, whereas the Scorp 3 is designed to carry mirrorless/DSLR cameras up to 3.5 Kg/7.72 lbs.

At first glance, the Scorp 3 looked identical to the Scorp 2. It appeared to look and behave in a similar way during my test, too. It was only when diving into the Scorp 3’s specifications that I discovered a few differences.

The key difference between the Scorp 3 and the Scorp 2 is that the latter can carry a heavier payload of 3.5 Kg/7.72 lbs, compared to its predecessor’s 2.5 Kg/5.51 lbs. Surprisingly, despite being the more powerful gimbal, the Scorp 3 is slightly more compact than the Scorp 2 (but only by a few centimetres). However, at 1.36 Kg/3.02 lbs, the Scorp 3 is a fair bit heavier than the Scorp 2, which weighed in at 1070 g/2.36 lbs. This extra weight makes the Scorp 3 require a little more effort to handle, as you’ll see from this review’s Performance section.

Another important difference between the Scorp 3 and the Scorp 2 is that the Scorp 3 has an upgraded 4.0 tracking module. This was first introduced in the Scorp Mini 3. This improved tracking module has a 15% wider field of view than the Scorp 2’s module, which enables the Scorp 3 to track more quickly and more accurately than the older model.

As you’ll see from my supporting video in the Perforce section, the AI tracking module was able to perform skilled pans and tilts that followed my every move in a natural and organic way - just like a skilled camera operator (who works for free and doesn’t need a coffee break!).

Feiyu Scorp 3: Performance

Instead of heading to the city (like I usually do), I decided to test the Feiyu Scorp 3 by filming steam engines trundling up and down a retro railway line in the countryside at Nene Valley Railway. I packed my Sony A7 III and accessories such as an iPhone 16 Plus in my currently favoured backpack - the Wandrd Stratus Pho 18L. I used the tripod-mounted iPhone 16 Plus to film the gimbal when it was deployed on its mini tripod and was tracking me via its AI tracking module. Check out this section’s supporting video to see the Scorp 3 in action. I carried the Scorp 3 in its dedicated carry case.

My Sony Alpha 7 III with its Tamron 28-75mm lens weighed in at 1.37kg, which is well within the Scorp 3’s 3.5 Kg maximum payload range. The gimbal itself weighs 1.73 Kg, so I was carrying a combined weight of 3.1 Kg when filming with the camera mounted on the gimbal. This was quite a heavy package to carry around, but thanks to the angled design of the underslung handle (and the extra grip you get when you collapse the tripod into a rear extension handle), it was surprisingly easy to manoeuvre through a series of camera moves.

I prefer using smartphone gimbals such as the smaller Feiyu Scorp Mini 3 Pro because you can pop the relatively lightweight smartphone onto the gimbal and start shooting straight away. With heavy mirrorless/DSLR gimbals such as the Scorp 3, you need to spend time (around 5-10 minutes) balancing the camera on the gimbal, so that the Scorp 3 functions smoothly and you don’t add unnecessary wear and tear to the motors.

Balancing a camera involves adjusting the gimbal’s tilt, roll, and pan axis sliders in turn, so that the balanced camera produces less strain on the motors and you achieve optimum gimbal performance. I found that the Scorp 3’s roll axis was the trickiest to balance, as you need to push quite hard to slide it back and forth until you achieve a balanced position. The tilt arm’s slider has a more useful balancing knob that enables you to adjust the tilt balance with millimetre precision. It would be nice to see this balancing knob feature added to the other sliders in the future.

One really useful feature was a balancing guide accessible in the menu on the Scorp 3’s OLED screen. This provided a clear visual indication of which axes were balanced or unbalanced, allowing me to precisely adjust the balance of a problematic axis. Although I had balanced the camera at home, I still needed to go through the balancing process upon arrival at the railway to ensure optimal gimbal function. The Scorp 3 is aimed at professionals who will be happy to spend the time setting up their kit correctly, whereas the Scorp 3 Mini Pro is designed for smartphone content-creators who just want to run and gun.

Once my camera and the gimbal were set up, I enjoyed exploring the Scorp 3’s various shooting modes - PF (Pan Follow), PTF (Pan Tilt Follow), Lock, and FPV (First Person View). These could be set by tapping on an icon on the 1.3” touch-sensitive OLED screen, or I could toggle through each mode by tapping the physical Mode button on the control handle. My favourite mode was PF (Pan Follow) as this enabled me to crane from a low to a high angle while keeping the camera pointing straight ahead (instead of tilting up or down like it would in Pan, Tilt, Follow (PTF) mode). To see the Scorp 3’s various modes in action, check out this review’s supporting video. As you’ll see from the video, I was able to capture a variety of smooth tilts, pans, cranes and tracking shots to create a scenic montage of the vintage railways. There is one wobbly shot where I was walking quite fast to follow a moving train. At speed, the gimbal struggled to iron out the wobbles caused by my fast-paced movement.

I also encountered an issue when I performed very low-angle forward tracking shots. The camera would occasionally twitch to the left or right by a few millimetres as I walked forward, instead of smoothly pointing directly ahead. This occasional micro ‘twitch’ led to a few of my low-angle tracking shots being rendered unsuitable for inclusion in my montage sequence. My forward tracking shots were smoother when I held the gimbal and camera at waist height, but the occasional slight twitch on the low-angle tracks loses the Scorp 3 half a star. I must point out that none of the clips in the supporting video have had any post-production stabilisation applied, so you can see that the Scorp 3 is capable of making smooth pans, tilts, tracks and cranes, despite the occasional low-angle micro ‘twitch’ to the left or right.

The Scorp 3 also ships with a mini tripod. This functions as a useful handle when in its folded position, but when opened, you can stand the gimbal on the ground and use its joystick to perform smooth pans and tilts. There’s also a handy pair of A/B buttons that enable you to set a start and end point for a joystick-controlled camera move. You can then trigger the gimbal to perform the move between the chosen start and end points, which gives you a precise and repeatable camera move.

You can also control the gimbal via remote control by detaching the end of the underslung handle, or control it via the Feiyu Scorp app by swiping virtual controls on your smartphone’s screen.

Feiyu Scorp 3: Verdict

I enjoyed using the Feiyu Scorp 3 to make my relatively heavy Sony payload pan, tilt, track, and crane around the vintage railway location. By shooting with a handheld gimbal, I was able to move quickly and be ready to film steam engines when they arrived or departed. I could also shoot tripod-steady clips without cluttering up the busy station platform with a trip-hazard full-size tripod. The gimbal’s mini tripod was very useful as, in conjunction with the AI tracker, it enabled me to present to the camera as if I had a talented camera operator who could pan and tilt the camera to follow my every move.

If you need to film a live event with a DSLR/mirrorless camera, then the Scorp 3 will certainly enable you to move fast and capture a wide range of cinematic camera moves - but make sure that you give yourself time to balance the camera at the start of the shoot to enable optimal performance. The Scorp 3 gives you a much smaller footprint than you’d get with a traditional DSLR tripod, so it’s perfect for using in crowded locations such as a wedding (or a railway station platform).

Alternatives

The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is the 25th gimbal I’ve tested and reviewed to date for Digital Camera World. I’ve seen gimbals evolve to embrace the emergence of AI, turning them from a tool that enables a videographer to pan, tilt, and occasionally roll their camera/smartphone, to an effective robot camera operator that will follow their every move! More on that in the Performance section.

I’ve tested a wide range of stabilisers too, from budget smartphone shifters such as the Insta360 Flow 2 to heavy lifters like the budget-gobbling DJI RS 4 Pro review, which enables you to glide a heavy DSLR around almost effortlessly!

The subject of this review – the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra – is almost identical to the previous year’s iSteady V3, but it boasts an innovative design feature that first appeared on the 2025’s more expensive iSteady M7 – a video feed from the front of the stabiliser that you can view on the rear control panel. More on this useful new feature in the next section.

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra: Specifications

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra: Price

The Hohem V3 Ultra retails at $169/£189 and is available in Shadow Black or Arctic White. The iSteady V3 Ultra’s $169 price tag is cheaper than the iSteady M7 ($269/£269), but more expensive than the similarly specced iSteady V3 ($129/£129). This is because the iSteady V3 Ultra’s removable remote control panel features a 1.22-inch touch-sensitive screen that first appeared on the more expensive iSteady M7. The older iSteady V3 did have a removable remote control panel, but it lacked a screen, so you could only use its joystick to control the gimbal’s moves, trigger recordings, and swap gimbal modes with the tap of a button.

Or you can go for the iSteady M7 ($269/£269), which can lift a slightly heavier payload, has the upgraded detachable remote control panel, and can tilt through a wider range than the iSteady V3 series.

You can find my reviews of all of these stabilisers on this site, which should help you make an informed decision, but I did enjoy the freedom and ease the iSteady V3 Ultra’s touchscreen provided when it came to changing modes or swapping smartphone orientation between horizontal and vertical with a tap of an icon.

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra: Design & Handling

At first glance, the iSteady V3 Ultra looks identical to the previous year’s iSteady V3. And given that Hohem has kept the V3 prefix rather than calling it the V4, this indicates that it is almost the same device. There are some differences, however. For starters, the older model could only pan between a range of -120° - 210°. The Hohem V3 Ultra is free to pan through 360°, which means that when tracking you via AI, it will always keep you in the frame.

The new V3 Ultra has the same compact dimensions as the V3, but it is slightly heavier by a negligible 8g. The biggest difference between the V3 and the V3 Ultra is that the latter has a touch-sensitive screen that also doubles up as a video feed from the AI sensor at the front of the gimbal. This video feed is handy when shooting selfies using the higher-specced cameras on the front of your smartphone.

When the iSteady V3 appeared in July 2024, it enabled the stabiliser to be more compact by storing its mini-tripod legs inside the main handle. Prior to this, many gimbals had a separate tripod that needed to be attached via a thread. The new V3 Ultra has the same compact tripod design as the older V3. Simply slide the three legs out of the handle to deploy the gimbal in free-standing mode. You can then walk and talk hands-free while the gimbal uses AI to track your every move.

While this tripod design is innovative, it’s not perfect. The tripod’s three metal legs are quite spindly, so when you extend the gimbal’s selfie stick to its full length, your gimbal-mounted smartphone might sway a little when being panned and tilted in tripod mode. Another gimbal that stores its tripod inside the handle is the Insta360 Flow 2, but this model’s built-in tripod legs are chunkier (and therefore sturdier).

The other key feature of the iSteady V3 Ultra is its detachable AI sensor. When filming via the Hohem Joy app, you don’t need to turn on the AI sensor. Simply draw a square around your subject on the screen of your smartphone, and the app will control the stabiliser to keep the subject in the centre of the frame.

You can also use gesture control to make the gimbal follow you when it’s deployed in tripod mode, as you’ll see in the Performance section (and its supporting video).

The cool thing about the AI sensor is that when it’s turned on, it will track your face when you are using a third-party app, such as the iPhone’s Camera app. This enables you to enjoy being tracked while filming in the iPhone Camera app’s Cinematic mode - something the Hohem Joy app can’t do. More on the app in the next section.

Oh, and the AI sensor also doubles up as a mini key light! By tapping a button on the side of the V3 Ultra, you can activate the sensor’s light and rotate the dial to control its intensity. It can also be set to three colour temperature presets: 6500K(Cool), 2700K(Warm), and 5000K(Neutral). The AI sensor’s built-in LED is only 2W, but it’s still powerful enough to illuminate a selfie when you’re holding the stabiliser at arm’s length.

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra: Performance

To test the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra, I took it into London so that I could film my usual model, Maddy (@runway.voguish), while making a range of camera moves. But first, I stopped off at the Barbican Centre to test out the gimbal’s AI-powered face tracking feature.

I popped the V3 Ultra on a step and deployed its mini tripod legs so that it could stand on its own. I fired up the Hohem Joy app on my gimbal-mounted iPhone 16 Pro. The app connected the iPhone automatically to the iSteady via Bluetooth. To record audio, I plugged the Boya Magic mic’s tiny receiver into the USB-C port on my iPhone. On some smartphone stabilisers, the tilt axis prohibits the use of a wireless mic receiver, but the iSteady V3 Ultra has plenty of clearance between the iPhone and the tilt motor.

I was then able to stand in front of the gimbal-mounted smartphone and make an OK gesture to make the iSteady track my face. By extending two fingers vertically, I was able to start recording footage. Thanks to the combination of the built-in tripod legs and the AI-powered face tracking, I was able to walk and talk freely while the iSteady V3 Ultra panned and tilted my iPhone 16 Pro to keep me in shot. By placing my palm towards the camera, I should have been able to stop the gimbal from tracking me so I could walk out of shot, but for some reason, it didn’t always recognise this particular gesture.

I also powered on the AI tracker and used it to control the gimbal while I recorded some Cinematic mode footage from the iPhone 16 Pro’s native camera app. This shooting mode added a nice background blur to my footage. The AI tracker is quite handy as a little status light helps you see when it has recognised a gesture by turning green.

When I tapped the trigger on the front of the iSteady V3 Ultra, the camera panned through 180º so I could film myself in selfie mode using the iPhone’s superior front-facing cameras. As a result, I couldn’t see the iPhone’s display. I was, however, able to see my face on the 1.22” screen on the rear of the gimbal, thanks to a video feed from the AI tracking module at the front of the gimbal. This enabled me to ensure that my face was in shot. I was even able to tap on my face on the display to trigger face tracking, which made it even easier to capture self-footage.

This video feed is a game-changer for the self-shooter who needs to talk to the camera while on the move. I was also able to wipe the remote control panel’s screen to leave the live video feed and access icons that enable you to change working modes (such as PF - Pan Follow) or zoom in and out using + and - icons. This electronic zoom only worked when I was shooting video in the Hohem Joy app.

The touchscreen was also very handy for fine-tuning the gimbal’s level. I noticed that the spirit level in my iPhone’s Camera app was indicating a slightly tilted horizon. I was able to use the touchscreen to tweak the roll axis’s angle by 0.5º to make the horizon perfectly level. A nice touch! As I’ve already mentioned, you can detach the control panel and use it to control the gimbal remotely (up to around 30 feet). I’ve not really encountered a shooting scenario where a remote control would be useful, but at least it’s an option.

I then popped across the river to meet up with Maddy so I could test out various gimbal modes, such as Pan Follow (where it pans to follow my hand movements without tilting up or down too much). I also used PTF (Pan, Tilt, Follow), where the camera also tilts up and down while panning. In both of these modes, the horizon stays completely level, which is hard to do when filming handheld without a gimbal. I also used the POV (Point of View) to make the gimbal pan, tilt, and roll. This mode captured more organic-looking moves that simulated Maddy’s point of view of the local architecture as she walked through an industrial area. Check out my supporting video to see the V3 Ultra and Maddy in action.

As a filmmaker who is long in the tooth, I really don’t like shooting video in vertical (portrait) orientation. However, I notice that vertical view reels in Instagram get a lot more love (and screen space) than horizontally shot footage. Normally, I shoot horizontal footage and then crop it in Final Cut Pro to create a vertical version. With the iSteady V3 Ultra, it was quick and easy to shoot vertical and horizontal versions of a scene by simply tapping an icon on the display. This caused the gimbal to quickly rotate the iPhone from portrait to landscape orientation and vice versa.

Talking of gimbal rotation, I did encounter an issue when trying to shoot a sideways tracking shot of Maddy walking down the street. Occasionally, the gimbal would roll my iPhone through 180º, which in effect turned Maddy upside down. This happened a few times, but only in one particular location. I guess it might have been a balancing issue where the gimbal was trying to find the optimal orientation for my iPhone. I needed to turn the iSteady V3 Ultra on and off a few times and re-attach the iPhone before I could get it to perform my desired tracking move, which was a little frustrating as I was working with a model who is paid by the hour!

The Hohem Joy app is designed to help you get more from the iSteady V3 Ultra. Some of the app’s extra modes are a bit gimmicky - such as the option to add raindrops to your footage that you can ‘control’ via gestures (if your subject gets the timing of their hand movements right!).

I did like the app’s one-tap Inception mode though, as it causes the gimbal to slowly rotate the camera via the roll axis as you track forward through a location. Check out my video to see that mode in action. The app also has a TimeWarp mode that captures high-speed ‘hyperlapse’ footage as you walk through a city, but in practice, this only captured a jerky, slightly sped-up version of the footage. The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro produced much faster and smoother hyperlapse footage when used in conjunction with its Insta360 app.

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra: Verdict

I did encounter some issues with the iSteady V3 Ultra, such as it flipping 180º to suddenly capture upside-down footage (see video). I also found that the tilt angle had a relatively limited range of -35° to +45° (compared to the Insta360 Flow 2’s wider tilt range of -99° to 231°). However, on the whole, the iSteady V3 Ultra performed well, and I was able to record a wide range of cinematic camera moves such as pans, tilts, and POV shots when filming a model exploring the streets of London. I also enjoyed the freedom the V3 Ultra gave me to walk and talk to my gimbal-mounted iPhone 16 Pro while it panned and tilted to keep me in shot, courtesy of a very effective AI-powered face tracking module.

The detachable remote-control panel with its ability to send a video feed from the front of the gimbal makes the iSteady V3 Ultra stand out from the stabiliser crowd, especially as this feature was only previously available on the more expensive Hohem iSteady M7. If you already own an iSteady V3, then I don’t think the upgraded control panel makes the iSteady V3 Ultra a ‘must buy’, but if you’re looking for your first compact and affordable smartphone gimbal to take your camera moves to the next level, then the iSteady V3 Ultra is certainly recommended.

Alternatives

Insta360 is perhaps more famous for their action cameras, and as the ‘360’ in the company name suggests, many of their action cameras - such as the Insta360 X4 - capture a 360º field of view in photos and video clips. Insta360 also gives GoPro and DJI a run for their money in the shape of a wide range of action cameras, including the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 (which can shoot up to 8K).

Insta360 also produces lightweight and highly portable gimbals for the smartphone market (both iOS and Android). The Insta360 Flow 2 is the updated version of their entry-level Insta360 Flow. Insta360 also sells the slightly more sophisticated Flow 2 Pro, which has a few extra features such as a selfie-mirror that enables you to compose your clip while using your smartphone’s high-res rear cameras. The Flow 2 Pro is marketed as a ‘flagship-level’ gimbal compared with the ‘entry-level’ Flow 2.

The original entry-level Insta360 Flow stabilizer was released back in March 2023. The Flow 2 was released in June 2025. Two years is a lot of time in ‘gimbal years’, so we’d expect to see a range of design improvements and extra features in the Flow 2. Read on to discover if the Flow 2 met our expectations.

Insta360 Flow 2: Specifications

Insta360 Flow 2: Price

The Insta360 Flow 2 retails at the affordable price of $109.99 /£99.99 /AU$179.99. This is a reasonable price for an entry-level smartphone stabilizer, especially given its AI-powered ability to track individuals or groups. The Insta360 Flow 2 costs a little more than the similarly specced entry-level DJI Osmo Mobile 7 (which retails at $89 / £85 / AU$159). However, the DJI model lacks the extendable selfie stick found on the Flow 2, which is a very useful feature, especially for self-shooters and travel vloggers who want to film themselves walking and talking in a variety of locations.

The entry-level Insta360 Flow 2 costs approximately a third less than the flagship-level Insta360 Flow 2 Pro, but in my opinion, it can perform almost as well as the more expensive Flow 2 Pro model. The cheaper Flow 2 lacks the selfie-mirror found at the back of the more expensive Flow Pro 2, and unlike the Flow Pro 2 model, it can’t pan infinitely through 360º, but these extra ‘pro’ features are merely useful rather than essential.

If you’ve yet to purchase a smartphone gimbal and are on a tight budget, then the Insta360 Flow 2 will give you value for money and open up a wider range of shooting options that will improve your YouTube channel or Instagram reel’s production values. If you need to full 360º tracking while the gimbal pans, then save up a little more for the Flow Pro 2.

Insta360 Flow 2: Design & Handling

When I unboxed the Insta360 Flow 2, I felt a sense of déjà vu, having tested and reviewed the Insta360 Flow Pro 2 six months earlier. Initially, I thought I had been sent the Flow Pro 2 by mistake, but then I noticed some subtle design differences in the more affordable Flow 2 model. Firstly, the tilt arm of the Insta360 Flow 2 has its name embossed along its length in grey (whereas the Flow 2 Pro’s name is embossed in black). The Flow 2 also lacks the selfie mirror found on the rear of the Flow Pro 2. Additionally, when manually rotating the Flow 2’s pan axis, I discovered that it wouldn’t rotate completely through 360º like the Flow Pro 2 could. Apart from these few minor physical differences, the Flow 2 and the Flow Pro 2 looked and handled in similar ways.

By looking at the side-by-side specifications of the Insta Flow 2 and the Flow 2 Pro, I discovered a few more subtle but negligible differences. The extendable selfie stick is shorter on the Flow 2 (but only by 3mm!). The end of the Flow 2 Pro’s selfie stick can be physically rotated to a Free Tilt orientation, which enables you to capture very low-angle shots. However, you can also rotate the end of the Flow 2’s selfie stick to capture similar low angles (as you’ll see from our supporting video in the Performance section).

Like the Flow Pro 2, the Flow 2 supports NFC One-Tap Pairing. By tapping my iPhone 16 Pro on the NFC icon above the pan axis motor I was able to launch the Insta360 app. This app is packed full of tools and features that give you extra control of the gimbal (such as performing a dolly zoom effect - more on that in the Performance section.) The more expensive Flow 2 Pro enables you to use the NFC feature to launch either the Insta360 or the native iOS Camera app and face track people using either app. With the cheaper Flow 2 you are limited to using the Insta360 app rather than the native iOS Camera app if you want to use features such as face-tracking. However you can still enjoy using the Flow 2 while filming in the iOS Camera app as you can change modes (such as Pan Follow) by tapping the gimbal’s physical mode buttons. You can also use the Flow 2’s physical red recording button to start/stop recording when filming via the iOS Camera app.

Insta360 Flow 2: Performance

To test the Insta360 Flow 2, I popped it into my currently favourite camera backpack - the Wandrd Stratus Photo and took it with me to Normandy, France. My brother John is a WW2 re-enactor, so I wanted to film him in his vintage GI uniform exploring old bunkers for some cinematic-looking footage. As a side note, do let Passport Control know that you’re carrying a genuine WW2-era army bayonet in your car before you plan to travel, as it’ll save you a lot of time and hassle (but that’s another story).

I didn’t spend much time checking out the Insta360 Flow 2 before my shoot, as I like to test gadgets on location. However, this lack of pre-production preparation did lead to some snags! To get the most out of the Flow 2, you need to use the Insta360 smartphone app. It took me a while to realise that the app adds, by default, an ‘Insta360’ watermark to each clip by default. This watermark is fine if you’re sharing a quick clip on social media, but as I planned to create a cinematic WW2 sequence, I definitely didn’t want to see a watermark on every clip! Fortunately, I spotted this issue quite quickly, and as the watermark was at the bottom of the frame, I was able to crop it out in the edit without losing too much of the frame’s edge. I was able to toggle off the watermark for the rest of the shoot.

One problem of shooting with a gimbal-mounted smartphone is that you might get a text or notification during the shoot that you need to respond to. In a smartphone gimbal such as the Hohem iSteady M7, you need to unclamp the smartphone from the gimbal’s spring-powered mount, respond to your message, and then re-attach the phone to the gimbal. File under fiddly! The Flow 2’s smartphone spring-mount has a magnet so you can whip it off the gimbal in an instant and then re-attach it with a quick click. This is a very useful and welcome design touch as you can more easily switch between using your phone as a camera and a phone!

The Flow 2 has a circular control panel on the rear that makes it much easier to use your phone as a camera when filming via the Insta360 app. You can tap one of the four points on the circular panel to adjust the gimbal’s behaviour. For example, press the button in the 6 o’clock position to toggle between modes such as Pan Follow (where the gimbal pans to follow your hand movements but doesn’t tilt as much). The Follow mode tilts and pans (but keeps the horizon level). FPV allows the gimbal to tilt and roll for more organic POV-style footage.

A little light on the circular panel illuminates a label telling you what gimbal mode you’ve chosen. However, the labels are far too small to read! Fortunately, a larger icon appears in the app’s workspace to tell you which mode you’ve chosen! Around the edge of the circular control pattern is a wheel with a ribbed edge. When using the Insta360 app, you can rotate this wheel to electronically zoom in and out (or you can set it to manually roll the gimbal to fine-tune the horizontal tilt).

As well as using the Flow 2 to perform classic camera moves such as tilt, pan, crane and dolly, it can also be used as your personal camera operator. I pulled out the built-in tripod legs from inside the shaft of the gimbal and popped it onto the ground. By extending the built-in selfie stick, I was able to shoot from a higher angle. By activating gesture control, I was able to use hand gestures to make the gimbal follow my every move, courtesy of AI-powered face tracking. I was also keen to see how successful the group tracking feature was. As you’ll see from my supporting video, it took me a while to trigger group tracking (you have to tell the gimbal to stop face tracking first!). However, once group tracking was activated, the Insta360 Flow 2 did a great job of keeping three people in the centre of the frame at all times.

As the Flow 2 is a small and compact stabiliser, it does have some limitations in relation to making certain camera moves. It can only pan between -210° to 120° (rather than the full 360° range of the more expensive Flow 2 Pro). It is also limited in its ability to tilt - between -99° to 231°. I found that when set to Pan Follow mode, it did still tend to tilt up a bit when it should only pan horizontally. However, as you’ll see from my supping footage, I was able to capture a range of smooth moves when holding the gimbal as well as have it keep me and my friend in shot when summoning the Insta360 app’s AI camera operator. On the downside, I couldn’t use AI-powered face tracking in third-party apps such as my iPhone’s Camera app (though you can use iOS apps and face-tracking if you pay extra for the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro.

Insta360 Flow 2: Verdict

The Insta360 Flow 2 is an effective entry-level smartphone gimbal. It does a great job of keeping the horizon level at all times as you pan, tilt, and track your subject when filming via a gimbal-mounted smartphone. I like the fact that, thanks to the built-in AI tracker, it can act as a camera operator and pan and tilt the smartphone smoothly as you walk and talk on location. This will make it a useful device for travel vloggers as they can film themselves exploring a city, for example. Unlike DSLR gimbals, you don’t need to spend any time balancing your smartphone on the gimbal. Simply clip the spring-mount onto your smartphone and snap it on or off the gimbal via a strong magnetic attachment! This makes it easier to switch between using your smartphone as a camera and a phone!

As the entry-level gimbal from Insta360, the Flow 2 performs a more limited range of tilting and panning angles when compared to the flagship-level Flow Pro 2, but it still does a great job of producing stabilised footage for a cheaper price.

Alternatives

Many cameras and smartphones use a combination of hardware-enabled OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and software-powered digital stabilization to smooth out bumps and shakes in handheld footage. OIS uses a gyroscope to detect camera movement, which it then counteracts by physically moving elements in the lens or camera sensor. Digital (or 'enhanced' stabilization) crops the shot slightly and then transforms the image to counteract shake frame-by-frame. Indeed, with a modern smartphone, such as the iPhone 16 Pro, you can produce tripod-steady pans and tilts when filming handheld, or capture smooth tracking shots as if using a camera mounted on rails. So why bother buying a gimbal, such as the FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro?

Well, for starters, a gimbal enables you to use the full frame of footage (without it being cropped around the edges by digital stabilization). It can be a challenge to hold a camera level while making a move, leading to tilted horizons (which you then have to straighten in the edit). The roll motor on a gimbal automatically rotates to keep the horizon level at all times, so you can focus on making the right camera moves and capturing an aesthetically pleasing composition.

What I really like about using gimbals is the way that they free you to make cinematic camera moves, such as pans, tilts and tracking shots, as well as more creative POV (Point of View) shots, where the camera can tilt, pan and roll in a more organic ‘floaty’ way! Check out the video in the Performance section below to see how the Scorp Mini 3 Pro can help you unleash your inner Kubrick!

The Scorp Mini 3 Pro is designed to carry smartphones, action cameras, and mirrorless cameras up to a payload (camera and lens combination) of 2kg (4.4lbs). If you have a particularly heavy DSLR payload, then check out our heavy-lifting gimbal buying guide. Alternatively, we also have a buying guide dedicated to smartphone gimbals.

FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit: Specifications

FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit: Price

The official retail price for the FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit that I tested for this review is US$299 available on the Feiyutech store. The Kit version contains extras such as a padded carry case, an LED to mount on the gimbal, and an extension pole for capturing higher-angle views when performing moves such as a low-to-high-angle crane shot. However, the extras shipped with the Kit version aren’t essential, so you can save $30 by purchasing the standard Scorp Mini 3 Pro for US$269.

The Scorp Mini 3 Pro costs US$70 more than the older Scorp Mini 2, but I think that the extra cost is well worth it. The newer model features a range of upgrades, such as the ability to carry a heavier payload (4.4lbs on the Scorp Mini 3 Pro versus a punier 2.7lbs on the Scorp Mini 2). The newer model’s version 4.0 AI tracking module is more effective than the tracker on the Mini 3, too – see the Design and Handling section below for more information on that useful feature.

If you’re on a budget and are primarily a smartphone user, then the older Scorp Mini 2 is worth considering. It has the same-sized 1.3-inch OLED touchscreen found on the Mini 3, though a slightly shorter battery runtime of 10 hours (compared to the Mini 3’s 14 hours). For alternatives to the Scorp Mini 3 Pro, check out my Alternatives section near the bottom of this review.

FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit: Design & Handling

Let’s start by comparing the FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro with its predecessor, the Scorp Mini 2. The newer model can carry a heavier payload of up to 4.4lbs compared to the 2.7lbs of the Mini 2, which should make the Scorp Mini 3 Pro more attractive to mirrorless camera users as well as smartphone filmmakers. The Scorp Mini 3 Pro should perform for longer, too, with a claimed runtime of 14 hours (compared to 10 on the Mini 2). I performed two test shoots with the Scorp Mini 3 Pro, one of which spanned a day-long event, and there was never any issue with it running out of juice!

You control both Scorp Mini models with an identically sized 1.3-inch OLED touchscreen. This enables you to swipe and tap to summon a range of shooting modes (such as Pan/Follow), or make the gimbal perform an auto-tune to ensure that the pan, tilt, and roll axes are perfectly balanced with your camera.

Both Scorp Minis have a built-in AI sensor that causes the gimbal to pan and tilt to follow your every move. However, the newer Scorp Mini 3 Pro has the upgraded 4.0 AI sensor (compared to the Scorp Mini 2’s version 2.0). The version 4.0 sensor can keep on tracking you up to a distance of 18 metres, whereas the version 2.0 sensor only has a range of 8 metres. The Scorp Mini 3’s AI sensor also has a tracking range that is 15% wider than the Scorp Mini 2’s tracker. One really useful design feature that has been added to the Scorp Mini 3 Pro is a collection of status lights that help you more clearly see what mode you’re shooting in, as well as showing Bluetooth and battery status. Nice touch!

The Scorp Mini 3 Pro is a slightly heftier bit of kit than the Scorp Mini 2. When you take it out of the box, it feels satisfyingly solid and heavy, courtesy of its synthetic macromolecular resin and aluminum alloy build. The Scorp Mini 3 weighs in at 1kg (2 lbs), which is a little heavier than the 852g (1.9lbs) of its predecessor. However, once the camera is mounted on the gimbal and you hold it with two hands – one grabbing the grip and the other supporting the weight via the underslung handle – then it’s almost effortless to move the gimbal-mounted camera through a range of moves. Indeed, with my iPhone 16 Plus attached to the Scorp Mini 3 Pro, I was able to comfortably hang the whole rig from one finger via the underslung handle.

The hook-shaped underslung handle is a great design feature as it enables you to perform really low-angle tracking shots or crane up from a low to high angle. It also has a joystick built in and a touch-sensitive OLED screen to adjust various modes and presets. Unlike the underslung handle on the Scorp Mini 2, the newer model’s handle can be completely detached. This enables you to use the joystick to remotely pan and tilt the gimbal-mounted camera from a distance when it is standing on its mini-tripod. This is another innovative design improvement for the Scorp Mini 3 Pro, though admittedly, I didn’t encounter a situation where I needed to control the gimbal remotely during my testing of it.

FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit: Performance

I started my Scorp Mini 3 Pro test at one of my favorite haunts – the Barbican Centre in London. Here I recorded the intro to my video review: by popping the Scorp Mini 3 Pro onto its mini tripod, I could talk to camera from a distance.

The gimbal ships with a universal smartphone mount that slides into the main device via a quick-release mount. I was intrigued and pleased to see that the smartphone mount had a built-in fan that is powered when you plug it into the gimbal via the mount’s USB-C cable. When shooting on my iPhone 16 Pro on previous occasions, it has occasionally overheated and temporarily stopped working, so the smartphone mount’s built-in fan could save the day, especially in a heatwave! To record my voice clearly from a distance, I plugged in a receiver from the Boya Mini Kit into my iPhone. The receiver is so small and light that it didn’t cause any balance problems when the iPhone was mounted on the Scorp Mini 3 Pro.

After making an OK hand gesture to the gimbal, the Scorp Mini 3 Pro was able to pan and tilt to follow my every move, courtesy of its built-in AI tracker. This gave me the freedom to walk and talk while the gimbal acted as a camera operator, moving the camera in a smooth and organic way, though the AI sensor did have a tendency to put my face in the centre of the frame, when I would have preferred to have less space above my head. I tried manually tweaking the angle of the gimbal with the joystick, but this composition was overridden by the AI tracker. I’ve since learned that you can train the AI-sensor to accept a re-framed comparison by making a ‘Double-L’ gesture, though I didn’t know this on my shoot.

To make some cinematic moves with the Scorp Mini 3 Pro, I met up with a regular model I work with, Maddy, at Canary Wharf in London. I was a bit nervous about shooting in Canary Wharf because, unlike the Barbican Centre, it is not a public location, so I was more likely to be ‘moved on’ by security personnel. Security guys are usually ‘triggered’ by seeing larger mirrorless or DSLR cameras – especially on a tripod or stabilizer – so I decided to mount my more-discrete iPhone 16 Plus on the Scorp Mini 3 Pro.

My first shot involved Maddy walking backwards through the crowds of commuters. I planned to reverse the footage so that she would be walking forwards while the world walked backwards, like in the movie Tenet! I set the Scorp Mini Pro to PTF (Pan, Tilt, Follow) mode so that it would easily tilt up to a skyscraper at the end of the shot. When the footage was revised we started on the skyscraper, then tilted down to walk backwards while Maddy walked towards the camera. Check out the video to see the shot.

I performed a variety of classic camera moves while filming Maddy in a range of locations. These included sideways tracking shots, dollying forwards or backwards, and dramatic cranes from low to high angles. As well as PTF, I tried out various modes such as POV. This causes the camera to roll as well as tilt and pan, so it captures an effective Point of View clip. You can change modes by tapping and swiping on the sling handle's OLED screen, but I found it quicker and easier to tap the physical mode button. Little icons on the body of the gimbal lit up to indicate which mode was currently selected. I also found the little joystick very useful for fine-tuning composition, especially when I was shooting very-low-angle shots of Maddy walking under a huge steel crane.

I have often noticed, when filming with an iPhone mounted on a gimbal, that the little horizon level indicator in the Camera app is slightly tilted. This can be annoying, as I know that I’ll have to rotate the clip slightly in Final Cut Pro to straighten the horizon. The Scorp Mini 3 Pro has a handy control wheel that you can program to fine-tune the tilt, roll or pan axes. I set the wheel to control roll via the touchscreen menu, so I was then easily able to keep the horizon level. You can also control a wide range of gimbal properties via the companion Feiyu Scorp smartphone app, such as changing modes or fine-tuning balance. You can even remotely control the pan and tilt axes by panning and tilting the smartphone!

After shooting Maddy in London, I took the Scorp Mini 3 Pro to film a classic car event in Scotland. The location was very crowded, and I noticed one videographer struggling to lug a large tripod and chunky camera around in the baking heat. By using my iPhone mounted on the Scorp Mini 3 Pro I was able to move around the location without getting in the way (or breaking into a sweat!). Check out this review’s supporting video to see my gimbal-assisted cinematic footage of Maddy and my documentary-style footage of the car event. I’m sure that you’ll be impressed with its performance!

FeiyuTech Scorp Mini 3 Pro Kit: Verdict

I loved using the Scorp Mini 3 Pro. It enabled me to perform a range of cinematic camera moves effortlessly, such as pans, tilts, rolls, tracks, and cranes with my iPhone Pro Max. This freedom of movement inspired me to get creative on location and capture a collection of clips that I could edit together to tell a story in a cinematic way. My model, Maddy, also enjoyed contributing ideas for composition and camera moves. I found that having the freedom to make a range of smooth camera moves was a springboard to creative experimentation.

The Scorp Mini 3 Pro was also useful for capturing more conventional videography, such as recording ‘talking head’ interviews. By not being constrained by a chunky tripod, I could add subtle camera moves to make conventional interviews look more interesting. Thanks to its mini tripod and AI-tracker, the Scorp Mini 3 Pro can also act as an independent camera operator, which is great if you like to work alone when shooting intros for your social media channel. Some gimbals can be a struggle to balance but the Scorp Mini 3 Pro was up and running in seconds, and there was no hint of judder or shake at any time during my multiple test shoots.

Alternatives

Insta360 has unveiled the Flow 2, a fold-up smartphone gimbal that promises “creator-friendly” stabilization and AI smarts at a price that is easier on your wallet than the brand's Flow 2 Pro.

The second-generation Flow keeps the series’ hallmarks of three-axis stabilisation, a built-in selfie stick and tripod, plus a 10-hour battery that can also function as a power bank to top up your phone on the move. Yet the Flow 2 manages to shrink (fold) down small enough to slip into a jacket pocket.

New to the Flow 2 is NFC one-tap shooting, which skips Bluetooth pairing with an instant connection, while an Android-only Quick Launch option opens your native camera the moment you unfold the gimbal.

The Flow 2 also benefits from Deep Track 4.0 – Insta360’s latest AI engine to lock onto multiple faces, re-identify subjects when they’re briefly obstructed, and even keep full groups centred using a Golden-Ratio-inspired Pro Framing Grid. Apple users can also now remotely control their phone using an Apple Watch or a second paired device.

For Android users, and apps that don’t support native tracking, the Flow 2 can be paired with Insta360’s AI Tracker, a clip-on attachment (sold separately or in a bundle with the Flow 2) that can recognize and track faces as well as gestures to start and stop recording.

Designed as an “all-in-one companion”, the Flow 2 also taps into Insta360’s growing ecosystem. The Flow 2 can be paired with the newly announced Mic Air wireless mic, and Insta360's AI Editing Suite that auto-trims clips.

The Insta360 Flow 2 makes a strong case for great value, with the Standard Bundle starting at just $109.99 / AU$239, or $129.99 for the AI Tracker Bundle (Australia gets a Creator Bundle for AU$259).

Power users can step up to Flow 2 Pro, which adds hardware treats such as a selfie mirror, tracking ring-light, and transparent motor design, plus advanced moves like 360° infinite-pan tracking and a free-tilt mode.

Co-founder JK Liu says the goal was to “make smartphone shooting that much better… while remaining portable and accessible,” and on first inspection, the Flow 2 looks to have nailed the brief. With its mix of pocketability, long-life power, and genuinely useful AI, this could be the gimbal that finally convinces casual shooters to leave shaky footage behind.

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Check out more of the best smartphone gimbals for iPhone and Android in our guide.

There was a time when gimbals felt a little like a niche product, but any content creator should now have one in their arsenal, and DJI has stepped up with a range of straightforward yet powerful devices which are able to communicate with a surprising number of cameras and track subjects with AI. The flagship is the RS 4, and this includes a lot of the same tech for a much lower asking price.

The fact that the device supports phones (using an optional holder) as well as cameras means it's suited to influencers, solo creators, and freelance videographers who tackle jobs like weddings. It can comfortably support popular pro video-friendly mirrorless cameras like the Sony A7 III that I was testing with, not just compacts.

In essence, this is a professional gimbal which can cater to 'prosumer' grade equipment. The giveaway is the arrival of automatic axis locks and physical switches for the gimbal modes, the former making for quick operation, and the latter putting practicality ahead of economy in terms of construction. Sure, it's not as powerful and has a lower payload than other Ronin gimbals but, for most, this is likely to be all that you need and more.

Price

The RS 4 Mini launched at $369 / £339 / AU$539 on February 20, 2025 – no increase against the RS 3 Mini despite the upgraded locks. That does include the mounting plates and the tripod base, but not the RS Intelligent Tracking module.

To get that, you can stump up for the Combo Kit for $459 / £419 / AU$659, which also gets you the 'Briefcase Handle', allowing you to easily hold the camera from above and run close to the ground.

You can get the tracking module as an accessory (so a later upgrade if you choose), and/or the phone holder separately. Don't forget if it is only a phone and AI tracking you want, then DJI also offers the Osmo Mobile 7P, which I have reviewed separately.

Specs

Build and handling

The RS 4 Mini is a bit of a visual surprise – a light-colored gray featured in the design alongside the aluminum alloy is very coherent. Personally, I think this color feels a tiny bit less 'professional' than the all-black of the previous edition, but that's really looking for problems!

Beyond that, though, everything feels a lot better. Lifting it out of the box, you see the gimbal motors, and it's immediately apparent that you're holding a serious product.

Either side of the 1.4-inch touchscreen is a physical mode switch, which makes for very quick, natural mode switching.

The tripod base screws in and out with a standard thread. The quick-release plate is easily attached to your camera's tripod thread then (after a slight fiddle the first time if you've never used a gimbal before) you're quickly ready to shoot.

On the subject of first-time irritations, the gimbal will insist you download the Ronin app and pair to a phone within 5 uses. This isn't a bad thing, per se, but I never like taking orders from devices and it might be inconvenient in the field (though it does at least display the QR code on the screen to make the irritation as painless as possible).

Connecting the AI module is simple and reassuring, and the whole rim around the sensor turns to indicate a subject lock. Gesture control will activate this.

Subject tracking

Performance

The screen is very responsive, and DJI have managed to use the 1.4-inches well so I never felt controls were too small. You'll need it because of the aforementioned compulsory setup but, to be fair, this is just DJI's way of making sure you use all the features. Probably.

Gimbals like this still need to be balanced, which takes a few moments (several more the first time you do it, but this is a task that becomes second nature). The arrival of Teflon coating means sliding the parts into place is all the easier than before, and the locks are satisfying and trustworthy.

Switching to vertical is now much easier than before – you can now reposition the camera without detaching and remounting the plate. Social creators rejoice!

Overall Review

The DJI RS4 Mini is not the cheapest camera gimbal – especially if you're only thinking of using it with your phone. DJI themselves can help you out there for a significantly smaller investment. Despite the 'Mini' moniker, this is now a premium product, limited only by its maximum payload of around 2kg, which is still enough for most workaday mirrorless cameras and lenses.

Personally, given the investment for the device, I find it a bit irksome that the Intelligent Tracking Module is an additional cost. I imagine it'd be simpler and cut down on some costs to make one version of the device with the sensor folded in, but there may be some users for whom the potential $69 / £59 / AU$99 (or, presumably, slightly less) is worth saving. If there are, well done to you, but you're missing out – I'd strongly urge you to add this on day one.

Less useful, in my view, is the DJI RS 4 Mini Phone Holder – better to use a phone in a smaller dedicated phone device like DJI's excellent Osmo Mobile 7, since it is more discreet. But it's an option if you're gonna do both and your budget is stretched.

Whether you're shooting run-and-gun at a wedding or making pop videos, I found it easy to understand DJI's "next gen" claims simply because of the locking mechanisms; this is a marked improvement on bringing convenience and flexibility to the RS 3 Mini (a device which already contributed to smooth footage).

How I tested the RS 4 Mini

I tested the RS 4 Mini over a couple of weeks in different locations. For the most part I used my Sony A7 III camera, and my iPhone 16 Pro Max.

DJI provided me with the Combo kit and the Phone Case to test.

Supply issues of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 may have left those itching to get out vlogging looking to other cameras and FeiyuTech’s Pocket 3 is a tantalising proposition, not only because it’s half the price of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 but because it has an utterly unique party trick – the ability to detach its gimbal head from its remote handle.

The Feiyu Pocket 3 is the third pocket vlogging camera from FeiyuTech and is the world’s first vlogging camera with a detachable and cordless gimbal. Its predecessor, the Pocket 2S offered a similar functionality as its head could be taken on and shot away from the remote but this was over a limiting wired connection.

The Feiyu Pocket 3 takes this concept one step further as its gimbal head can now be used completely independently, plugged into the handle for more functionality or use both separated from each other via a WiFi connection. You can even ditch Feiyu's handle altogether and use the screen on your smartphone instead.

Feiyu Tech was established in Guilin, China, in 2007 and its group of engineers have created one of the longest-established manufacturers in the stabilizer/gimbal industry. The company created the world’s very first 3-axis handheld gimbal "G3" for action cameras and took 70% of the global GoPro handheld gimbal market in recent years.

In 2015, in partnership with Apple Inc., the "G4 Pro" smartphone gimbal was released and sold at Apple Stores worldwide. So it’s fair to say they know a thing or two about gimbal cameras and stabilization.

The FeiyuTech Pocket 3 costs half the price of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and has some pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve, so in this review I test it out and discover whether it’s worth your attention.

Feiyu Pocket 3: Specifications

Feiyu Pocket 3: Price

The Pocket 3’s life began on Kickstarter back in May 2023, which had an overwhelmingly positive campaign with 2,740 backers pledging 200x the amount of cash FeiyuTech was asking for. Those keen to get in early were able to snap up the Pocket 3 gimbal for $199 and $99 for the handle, but it is now $329 on Amazon and FeiyuTech's official website.

The biggest competition that FeiyuTech is going up against is DJI with its Osmo Pocket series, and the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 being the newest model, which retails for $519 in the US or £489 in the UK. It’s also worth noting that the DJI Pocket Osmo 3 can be purchased as a Creator Combo kit, which costs a little more but comes with an extra add-on battery grip and microphone, whereas there is no such bundle for the Feiyu Pocket 3. It’s worth noting there are fewer accessories in general for the FeiyuTech Pocket 3, though I did find some ND filters on AliExpress.

The Feiyu Pocket 3 isn’t a cheap copy of the successful Osmo Pocket 3, however, it comes from global gimbal market leader FeiyuTech and has an innovative detachable head design, which gives you more choices when you’re out filming. Let’s see how it all stacks up…

Feiyu Pocket 3: Design & Handling

Feiyu, already experimented with a detachable head design back in 2022 with its Pocket 2S, though the connection from handle to gimbal was restricted by a wired connection. The Pocket 3 builds on this and offers a completely wireless connection over built-in 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. This unique approach means the Pocket 3 gimbal itself can be bought on its own and used with your phone to remotely control settings and composition, or for a more traditional handle grip you can get the handle which plugs into the gimbal head and also extends battery life and offers an 1.3” IPS display for you to compose and navigate menus – the gimbal itself has a 0.42” OLED display to show some very basic settings.

I do have some rather big reservations when it comes to build quality. Let me first say, it all looks to be built to a high standard, with quality materials and feels great in the hand. However, one issue I have is that it’s not weather sealed so you really don’t want to use it in drizzle or rain, and my other sticking point is the connection between the handle and the gimbal head as the male USB-C connection is very exposed and it’s all-to-easy to accidentally misalign the two parts when connecting them which can bend the USB connection if you’re not careful. This is a weak spot users will need to take great care with when attaching the two devices.

I also would have preferred a small locking lever to really cement the two together, as it uses just the USB-C connection and a small ball bearing to keep the two together which works well enough, but I would have liked a little more peace of mind that the two aren’t going to accidentally come apart.

The most obvious comparison for the FeiyuTech Pocket 3 is going to be the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, although in terms of specs and price, it’s probably closer to DJI’s Pocket 2. We can likely expect an updated and specced-up Pocket from FeiyuTech to land at some point in the near future, but as the Pocket 3 is what we currently have, let’s compare it to DJI’s latest offering.

Both Pocket 3 models are vlogging cameras with a three-axis gimbal for handheld stabilization, which looks much more pleasing than the digital stabilization you can do in editing software, which relies on cropping and losing information.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 uses a large 1” sensor, while the chip inside the FeiyuTech is smaller at 1/2.3”. This may not sound like much, but in reality, it means the DJI’s sensor is four times the size of that found in the FeiyuTech and one of the first indications of why the DJI model costs so much more.

DJI has really doubled down on pixel size rather than pixel quantity to deliver better low light performance, so even though the DJI sensor is about four times larger, it actually uses fewer, bigger pixels with just 9.4MP for stills, compared to the 12MP of the Feiyu crammed on to that smaller 1/2.3” chip. Pixels act a bit like buckets for catching light, so the DJI's larger pixels should deliver significantly better image quality, particularly in dim conditions, compared to the FeiyuTech, though I’ll cover that in more detail in Performance, where I'll share some video footage I took in London.

Both the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and Feiyu Pocket 3 are capable of shooting detailed 4K footage, though the DJI tops out at 120 fps, where the Feiyu maxes out at just 60fps. The bit rate is also slightly faster on the DJI at 130Mbps compared to the 120Mbps of the Feiyu. More importantly, the DJI can shoot 10-bit log for significantly higher amounts of color data compared to the Feiyu’s 8-bit flat.

The FeiyuTech Pocket 3 has an ultra-wide 16mm (35mm equivalent) focal length, whereas the DJI model is a bit more zoomed in at 20mm, though this can be widened to around 15mm with DJI's magnetic adapter. Both vlogging cameras share a bright f/2 aperture which is ideal for sucking in loads of light in low light environments, though the ISO range of the Feiyu is rather limited at just 100-3200, whereas the DJI is much more expansive at 50-16,000.

The remote for the FeiyuTech Pocket 3 boasts a 1.3” IPS display which is quite small and hard to view, it’s also fixed in place. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3’s party-trick is that its larger 2” display can be flipped by 90º instantly changing the camera between landscape and portrait orientation recording, with landscape being ideal for Youtube videos and the like, and portrait recording being better for things like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram reels for social media.

When it comes to accessories and peripherals, DJI absolutely trumps the FeiyuTech and this can feel limiting. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is available to buy as a Creator Combo, which comes with accessories like a battery grip to provide extra juice, as well as an external microphone. By comparison, the FeiyuTech doesn’t officially support external mics at all – so you’re very reliant on the built-in microphone.

There are also fewer accessories being made for the Feiyu by third parties – for example, there’s a set of ND filters for the DJI model from PolarPro. Accessories that you can buy for the Feiyu Pocket 3 include an expansion base, mini tripod, phone holder, extension pole, and waterproof case.

One cool trick of the Feiyu Pocket 3 is its magnetic base, which allows you to attach it to magnetic metal surfaces such as a lamp post or railing and this is a really neat feature as it means you don’t need to worry about bringing a tripod with you on shoots. Though this obviously works best in urban locations.

Feiyu Pocket 3: Performance

Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the quality of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, but in comparison the FeiyuTech Pocket 3 felt a little average. It’s not bad by any means, but footage doesn’t quite ‘pop’ the same way it does on the Osmo, though this is most likely due to the Osmo's 1" sensor which is four times larger and really helps it excel in low light.

For my tests I took the Feiyu Pocket 3 to Trafalgar Square in London at sunset and then to Frameless art gallery for Claire Luxton's latest art installation – both quite dark and contrast heavy scenarios that really put the Feiyu's image quality to the test. Check out my video here with loads of test footage samples including 4K and slow motion at Full HD, both indoors and outside.

The 16mm focal length is nice and wide and makes it really easy to hold the Pocket 3 at arm’s length when attached to the handle, though you can also put it on an extension stick and also ditch the handle altogether and instead use an accessory that allows you to use your phone as the screen – the neat thing about using the Feiyu Cam app to pair it with your phone is you can use your phone’s built in gyroscope to control the direction the gimbal moves in – pretty cool!

There’s no direct way to change the focus, so you have to rely on the Feiyu getting it right, but in my tests, even in low light, the focus always looked pretty spot on. What I would say is that once the light levels dropped, my face did look a little dark when the camera was facing towards me in comparison to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. This could be down to its larger sensor, in-camera software cleverly giving it a boost, or a mixture of the two.

I had good fun playing with the slow motion capabilities, which top out at either 4x Full HD or 8x 720p, though it is disappointing that this is quite lo-res as it doesn’t gel very nicely with the other slick 4K footage it can record. This is yet another area where the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 trounces the Feiyu as it can indeed impressively shoot 4K at 120fps. But I have to keep reminding myself that the Feiyu is half the price of its DJI competitor, so it’s fair to expect it not to be as feature-packed.

One area that impressed, however, was battery life. It’s worth noting that there is a separate battery in the camera gimbal end and another one in the handle if you’re using it. FeiyuTech claims that when using just the camera on its own, you should get about 30 mins when shooting 4K at 60 fps, or 80 mins with the handle attached. I found that to absolutely be the case as my clips from my afternoon vlogging in London (shooting at 4K 60) totted up to 49 mins, and that was just the recorded footage – it was obviously on for a lot longer than this whilst I was wandering around looking for interesting things to record. And when I got home, the battery was still on one-third power. Rather than running two USB-C cables to charge the gimbal and handle independently, you can plug them together and charging just the handle will actually charge up both devices at the same time and should take around 1.5 hours to charge fully with a red LED light turning green to indicate when charging is complete.

The built-in microphone will be your main source of audio as it doesn’t officially support an external mic – even the USB-C to 3.5mm audio adapter which worked with previous Feiyu Pocket versions is not supported here which is a real shame and another area where the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has one up on its competition. You can even buy a DJI Osmo Creator Combo, which comes with one of DJI’s high-quality wireless mics for superb audio. Considering audio makes up half of your video, I found this to be quite limiting when using the Feiyu.

The design of the Feiyu Pocket 3 isn’t weather-sealed, though it’s not alone in this regard – in fact I can’t think of many sealed gimbals on the market. Presumably, the bearings around the 3-axis control need to be as smooth as possible and potentially adding seals around these points could introduce friction. Regardless, it’s a weakness not just for the Feiyu, but for many gimbal devices like these – though the Feiyu is perhaps a little more exposed to the elements than others as it has that extra USB-C connection point between the camera gimbal head and handle. The microSD card slot also looks like another weak point where water could get in. That said, there is a waterproof case for the Pocket 3 so you can take it underwater, though it’s not cheap at $150.

Speaking of the microSD port – I was surprised to learn that the Feiyu only supports up to 512GB microSD cards, though this is apparently the norm as it’s the same on the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 too. With 1TB and even 2TB microSD cards now on the market, I would have liked to seen support for these higher capacity cards to really make use of all that 4K video which eats up memory card space like no tomorrow, hopefully we’ll get this on the Feiyu’s next generation Pocket when it comes out.

So we’ve covered most of the big stuff – now I’ll quickly run through some of the things I didn’t like on test... The zoom is digital only (up to four times) and is often locked off depending on what shooting mode you’re in, the screen is very small on the handle and it can be difficult to see what you’re doing, touch support is also a bit unreactive and the menus on the interface are a little unclear on what settings can be swiped to be adjusted – a few arrows on each side of settings to show they can be pulled up or down would greatly clear this up. I couldn’t find an easy way to flip between landscape orientation and portrait for recording reels – on the DJI Osmo you just flip the screen which is really easy, and I also found the gimbal movement to be a bit jerky and hard to achieve a smooth action with it, I couldn't see a setting in the menu to reduce the sensitivity of the joystick so it always panned a bit too quickly. It’s also a little slow to turn on at get going, taking six secs with the camera and handle connected, but a slower 17 secs when they’re separated as they have to be connected over Wi-Fi.

Okay so those were my quickfire pet peeves and I’ll end on some quick positives that really impressed me. The ability to detach the camera from the handle isn’t just a gimmick – it’s genuinely useful for quick guerilla-style filmmaking without the need for a tripod and its magnetic base makes it easy to attach to a metal lamppost, railing or even the roof of a car! The wireless range impressed and when using the camera away from the remote the connection always stayed strong in my tests. The face tracking also impressed as it always appeared to make sure I was in focus with the camera pointing towards me and it has a wide set of modes to choose from in the menu to change it from follow mode to panning and pressing the M button cycles through them quickly, pressing it twice recenters the gimbal and pressing it three times flips the camera around 180º so it's easy to operate.

Feiyu Pocket 3: Verdict

Whilst the Feiyu Pocket 3 shares a similar name with its competition from DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3, it’s a completely different proposition. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is over twice the price, but you are getting more for your money – its larger sensor, microphone support, wide gamut of accessories available for it and low light performance all go some ways to justifying the extra spend.

However, what the Feiyu Pocket 3 lacks in image quality, dynamic range and audio options, it makes up for it with its unique design that sees its gimbal head completely detachable from its handle and a magnetic base that allows you to position it on a magnetic metal surface like a lamppost or car roof – opening up some pretty creative framing choices in urban locations. It’s also half the price of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, so if your budget can only stretch to $279, or a stricter budget of just $199 if you want to use your phone as a screen instead of the Feiyu handle, then that might be the factor that helps you make up your mind.

Feiyu's Pocket 3 will be a great budget-friendly entry point for those just starting out in vlogging to get some experience recording and editing videos together and also allow you to get creative compositions you simply can't do with even more expensive gimbals on the market.

Alternatives

While the Pocket series has a unique portable quality, we also have guides to the best gimbals for phones and the best gimbals for mirrorless & DSLR cameras.

Rumors on Chinese social media network Weibo have pointed to "Xiaohongshu girls" as having snapped up 80 million yuan (around $11 million / £9 million / AU$17 million) worth of DJI Osmo Pocket 3s and left global supplies of the popular vlogging camera hard to come by.

But just who or what are Xiaohongshu girls?

Xiaohongshu is an online platform, known as RedNote, but the name translates literally as 'little red book'. Even though this Chinese platform has the same name as Chairman Mao's famous book, this is not a reference that the platform owners are especially keen on.

It is in fact a reference to a Hong Kong shopping guide, which some say is why the platform's user base is still 70% female and born after 1990 (it was over 90% female). The name Xiaohongshu is often considered to be associated with truth and wholesomeness – at least in China.

Xiaohongshu – now a $17 billion / £13 billion / AU$27 billion platform in value – extends well beyond the former British colony of Hong Kong. It is a social networking and ecommerce platform popular not only across China but, interestingly, increasingly in the West as well (after the US government floated a ban on TikTok and users looked for an alternative).

Xiaohongshu has also made some notable missteps in its time. When it wanted to grow by attracting males, it allowed an advertising campaign that suggested it was a place to see "Beautiful ladies… without spending any money!" Inevitably, there were some harassment concerns and the campaign was withdrawn and apologized for.

Nonetheless it is understandable that, should a device become popular with this consumer base, it could become difficult to get hold of – which is exactly what people said had happened to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, at least according to Hard Krypton Analysis.

Its writer, Hu Yi, posted on Weibo (a Chinese messaging platform a little like Twitter) noting that Xiaohongshu had hosted 1.2 billion views of videos from Osmo Pocket 3 cameras, and that supply was "insufficient". The writer connected this supply issue in Chinese stores to the view count, noting that before these views the sales were at around a quarter the level.

He suggests the increase in sales to Xiaohongshu's base has come because the Pocket 3 is relatively small and light compared to pro cameras, still boasts a large image sensor so can be used in difficult lighting, and is easy to use (a threshold "out of the circle" of pros, in his words).

In other words, it is desirable but not cheap – or easy to get hold of, which has apparently caused some, to draw comparisons to the Chinese liquor Moutai (which goes for up to $5,000 / £3,800 / AU$7,900 a bottle in some Western shops!).

Asked for comment, a DJI spokesperson said: "It's fantastic to see that the demand for our Osmo Pocket 3 has far exceeded our expectations. We're working as quickly as possible to make sure that everyone is able to get their hands on it and sharing their content with the world."

This isn't the first time we've reported on the success of the Pocket 3, either – the device has also had an 11-month reign in Japan, easing DJI to the top of that country's video camera market.

Read more

An alternative to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is to use one of the best camera phone gimbals – I recently tested the new DJI Osmo Mobile OM7P, for example.

Another day, another gimbal to review! A gimbal (or stabilizer) is designed to enable you to perform professionally smooth tilts, pans and crane shots with your smartphone. Most smartphones are capable of shooting tripod-steady clips and making smooth moves but a gimbal gives you a better grip, plus it can be used hands-free when on a tripod to follow your every move (like having your own camera operator with you on location!).

The Hohem iSteady M7 is the fourth Hohem-branded gimbal that I’ve tested and reviewed for Digital Camera World. Established in 2014, Hohem is a Chinese company that primarily produces gimbals aimed at the consumer video-making market - content creators who primarily use a smartphone (though the Hohem MT2 can carry certain full frame mirrorless cameras). Hohem’s brand statement is ‘Make the Moment’, and to help you capture day-to-day events all their gimbals are supported by ‘intelligent technology’ in the shape of detachable AI trackers.

Until 2023 I’d not encountered a Hohem product (though I was very familiar with other gimbal makers such as Zhiyun and DJI), so I was keen to put the Hohem iSteady MT2 gimbal through its paces and it earned a 4-star review - again a 4 star product and followed that in July 2024 with a lower-specced budget gimbal in the Hohem range - the iSteady V3.

2025’s Hohem iSteady M7 marks a leap in the evolution of the iSteady range thanks to one key feature. The detachable AI tracking module featured in the other gimbals has been updated to contain a camera - and the feed from this lens appears on the display screen on the shaft of the gimbal. This new feature is a game changer for the content-creating self-operator as I’ll explain during my review.

Hohem iSteady M7: Specifications

Hohem iSteady M7: Price

At $269 / £269 / AU$459, the M7 is the most expensive stabilizer in the Hohem range but you get what you pay for. When using your smartphone’s higher-quality rear-facing cameras on a stabilizer you can’t see your phone’s display, but the M7’s interactive touchscreen video display enables you to choose a subject to track and monitor composition - something you can’t do with any of the other gimbals in the iSteady range.

Hohem iSteady M7: Design & Handling

When it comes to the basic design of smartphone stabilizers Hohem hasn’t re-invented the wheel with the iSteady M7. However, it does have something unique up its sleeve (which I’ll get to shortly.) Like all gimbals, it uses three motors to tilt, roll and pan your smartphone which is mounted in a universal spring clip that expands to attach your device to the gimbal.

A physical Mode button (or icons on the touchscreen display) enables you toggle between classic gimbal moves such as PF (Pan Follow - where the gimbal pans the smartphone to match your wrist movement but keeps it level with the horizon), PTF (Pan, Tilt, Follow - where the camera pans left or right and up and down while maintaining a level horizon) and POV (Point of View - where the camera combines tilts, pans and rolls for a more organic floaty move).

What makes the Hohem iSteady M7 stand out from the stabilizer crowd is the addition of a mini camera lens to the magnetic AI tracker that clamps to the top of the gimbal. The live feed from this lens can be viewed on the touchscreen display at the rear of the gimbal. In the past, I’ve been forced to use my iPhone’s inferior front-facing selfie camera so that I could check the framing of my footage while the phone was mounted on a gimbal.

I can now use the camera feed from the AI tracker on the M7’s rear to monitor the composition when shooting selfies from the iPhone’s superior rear cameras. You can also double-tap on a subject on the M7’s touchscreen display to start AI-tracking them. This built-in live video feed is not something I’ve encountered on other stabilizers and I found it genuinely useful as a self-shooting content creator.

Oh - as well as being a live camera feed, the AI tracker also features a built-in mini LED fill light. Its RGB and CCT credentials mean that you can adjust color temperature to match available light sources or dial in something more creative (like adding a Red or Blue gel for example).

As a smartphone self-shooter, I like to travel light, so I tend to pack a mini tripod in my kit bag. The Hohem iSteady M7 ships with an attachable tripod and its height can be extended by 193mm thanks to a collapsible built-in selfie stick. This means I can leave my mini tripod at home and use the tripod-mounted M7 to pan and tilt to track my every move like a camera operator (who doesn’t need to be paid!). The iSteady M7 ships with a padded and water-resistant case to keep the gimbal and accessories secure during transport and this case fits comfortably into the Gomatic 25L Camera Backpack alongside other accessories (I don’t think we’ve reviewed this).

Hohem iSteady M7: Performance

To test the Hohem iSteady M7 I took it to London’s Barbican Centre so I could enjoy making some camera moves in the location’s long Brutalist design corridors. Before meeting up with Maddy the model (Insta @runway.voguish) to help me capture some gimbal footage, I tested out the stabilizer’s classic handheld tilt, pan and roll modes with my iPhone 16 Pro attached to the M7 via its universal spring clamp.

Normally you don’t need to balance a relatively light smartphone on a stabilizer, but the Hohem M7 does have an adjustable roll arm that you can slide to fine-tune smartphone balance for optimum gimbal performance. My iPhone 16 Pro worked fine without needing to be balanced, but I noticed that - when tilting the phone down steeply - the top of the gimbal’s roll motor sometimes came into the frame. I had to adjust the roll arm’s slider to move my iPhone to the left to minimize the amount of roll arm that appeared when performing a low-angle tilt. A small section of the roll arm still appears during my test video - check it out to see the M7 in action. The roll arm is only in danger of making an appearance when shooting via the iPhone’s rear cameras. I couldn’t see it when shooting selfies via the front-facing camera.

When shooting a selfie with the iPhone’s rear-facing cameras I couldn’t see the iPhone's display, but I was able to make sure that I was always in the center of the frame courtesy of the live video feed on the gimbal’s rear touchscreen display. The footage on this display is from the AI sensor, not the smartphone and it has a 4 x 3 aspect ratio rather than the iPhone’s 16 x 9 footage. The highlights in the M7’s display looked a but clipped too, but that didn’t apply to the footage being recorded by the iPhone. I found the M7’s built-in live video display was very useful as it helped me know that I was in the frame when shooting my selfie ‘talking head’ intro.

After testing the gimbal handheld I screwed it onto its supplied mini tripod legs and popped the magnetic AI tracker on the top. I was then able to walk and talk freely while the M7 tilted and panned to follow my every move. I also enjoyed using gestures to make the gimbal start and stop AI-tracking, as well as changing the framing of the shot so that I was standing to the right of the frame instead of the default center position. The AI tracking was as fast and smooth as a pro camera operator would have been.

Finally, I met up with my model Maddy and shot a series of clips that demonstrated a variety of camera moves such as pans, tilts, tracks, and even a point-of-view shot that rolled, panned, and tilted. I finished with a low to high-angle crane shot - check out my supporting video to see the M7 and Maddy make beautiful moves together. Despite shooting in a public location the Hohem M7 enabled me to quickly capture lots of clips of Maddy on the move without cluttering up the corridors with lots of camera gear. To light Maddy in the gloomy corridors I held a lightweight Harlowe Blade 10 in one hand while filming her with the handheld Hohem iSteady M7 in the other. I was delighted with the cinematic look of the footage. Check it out.

Hohem iSteady M7: Verdict

Having reviewed over 20 gimbals to date I was impressed by the Hohem iSteady M7. I especially enjoyed the ability to view the AI sensor’s live video feed on the touchscreen at the rear of the stabilizer. It reassured me that I was still in the frame when shooting a selfie with the iPhone’s rear camera.

The supporting Hohem Joy app gives you access to a range of creative shooting modes including Timelapse. You can use this in conjunction with the gimbal’s physical A/B buttons which enable you to set a start and end point for a gimbal move such as a pan and tilt. You can also adjust the duration of this move via the touchscreen’s menu and record a smooth panning/tilting timelapse sequence with ease. This feature should appeal in particular to creators of stock video as the additional gimbal-powered camera moves will make their timelapse footage be more attractive to buyers.

The AI sensor was able to follow my every move, so this will prove very useful to self-operating content creators who want to add pro camera moves to spice up their travel vlogs. I was also pleased (and surprised) that while recording footage in the Hohem Joy app I was able to capture the audio from the Apple AirPod Pro that I was wearing. Normally when shooting via a gimbal I need to plug a receiver into a separate iPhone just to record my audio (though there’s enough space between the iPhone and M7’s tilt motor to plug in mini receiver into the iPhone’s USB-C socket - such as the receiver in the Hollyland Lark M2S kit.

I particularly enjoyed using the Hohem iSteady M7 to film a model walking through the corridors of the Barbican. It was an effortless task to pan, tilt, crane, and track Maddy as she walked and the versatility of the M7 prompted her to point in various directions to make me pan left, tilt up, and pan right, which added a fun creative touch to our test video.

In an earlier review, I gave the older Hohem M6 4 stars, and given the extra specifications on the M7 - namely the live video feed from the AI camera to the rear touchscreen display - then I would like to give the M7 5 stars, but given that the roll motor occasionally appeared when I did a steep tilt the Hohem iSteady M7 isn’t perfect, so 4.5 stars it’ll have to be.

Alternatives

DJI has just announced the new RS 4 Mini gimbal, the lightest of the Ronin series of gimbals at 890g (under 2 pounds) and capable of capable of carrying a camera of up to 2kg (4.4 pounds).

Interestingly, though, that isn't the only striking thing about this version of the three-axis, which has a host of upgrades over the RS 3 Mini. These are designed to accelerate the workflow with an AI tracking module and the option of acting as a gimbal for a smartphone as well as a camera.

DJI is calling this a "next-gen design for a more efficient workflow" and, having personally used the RS 3 Mini I can understand the significance of the upgrades on offer here. The manual locks for each axis were time consuming and cumbersome compared to the auto-locks.

The designers have also investigated a survey in which 20% of users indicated they'd prefer it if the gimbal could pack flatter for storage.

While the RS 4 Mini retains the built-in battery design (unlike the RS 4 and RS 4 Pro, which have detachable batteries) this new version – built from aluminum alloy with Teflon™️ interlayers – offers much of the same functionality as its siblings.

Camera and lens control are available via Bluetooth for zoom and shutter, or a wired shutter connection can be used.

• Quick Release for the tracking module – new magnetic mount makes the tracking module easier to attach (DJI reckon just one second).
• Better battery life than RS 3 Mini – DJI say up to 13 hours (though of coure this depends on balancing etc.
• Auto-locking mechanism for each axis – switch it on, it unlocks, switch it off, it locks.
• Phones and Cameras – though it might be overkill for a phone, you can use this gimbal for it.

DJI's Ferdinand Wolf said: "We have rounded out this generation of stabilizers to cater to every level of creator, from professional filmmakers to independent commercial videographers and content creators."

That approach, then, is no doubt why a phone accessory is an option!

The RS 4 Mini is priced at $369 / £339 / AU$539, which includes the gimbal, quick-release plate, and the mini tripod. The RS 4 Mini Combo $459 / £419 / AU$659. The Combo includes the AI tracking module and the Briefcase Handle.

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As this news comes out, I've already got the RS 4 Mini and am working on the review, but you can check our guide to the best camera gimbals for mirrorless and DSLR cameras. If you're only looking at phones, perhaps consider the new Osmo Mobile 7 launched a couple of days ago!

As phones have become a bigger part of the content creator's workflow, gimbals like the Osmo Mobile 7P have risen to the challenge of helping creators deliver slick professional content.

The previous DJI Osmo Mobile 6, or OM6 as most know it, represented a landmark by bringing an analog control wheel to the design. At once something which felt a little like an overgrown selfie stick became a pro tool capable of navigating focus pull effects and zoom as well as keeping movement smooth.

DJI aren't alone though – there is plenty of competition to deliver the best phone gimbal now, not least from Insta360 with their recent Flow 2 Pro. Some might say that got a hasty add-on timed as it was one day before the release of this new gimbal. It, too, offers additional pro features like assistance for the AI tracking and a fill light – but DJI is lanching both variants of their OM7 at once.

That's right – both variants. The line has also been split into two editions (OM7 and OM7P, the latter including the 215mm extension rod and the multifunction module, which includes the light). Here I'm testing the 7P, and I've taken it out on some serious jobs (creating content for the digital camera world TikTok); this is what I've found.

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P: Specifications

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P: Price

The Osmo Mobile 7P – which I test here – launches at $149 / £135 / AU$219. The cheaper OM7 (without the extension arm) comes in at $89 / £85 / AU$159. This puts it in pole position against the obvious competition it had to beat – the Creator Bundle of the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro with AI accessory (the add-on cheekily announced one day before this launch).

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P: Build & handling

DJI know how to build a convincingly professional feeling product, even when they're distinctly in the consumer space. This is no exception, with a robust feel. I also found it a little heavy for long use, but to be honest that is reassuring. That's 368g plus the weight of my iPhone 16 Pro Max and it's comedically big case. You can save weight by opting for the 7 rather than the 7P but I'd choose the version with the extension rod every time!

Sticking with the darker tone, the OM7P instantly feels more like a serious bit of kit than some competitors. It has a pull-out tripod in the base and a fairly stiff pull-out extension rod (mini selfie stick) in the top. Neither feel especially vulnerable though because of the robust construction.

The new feature (in the OM7P) is the multifunction module, which isn't much bigger than my thumb but includes a tracking sensor and a light. It must be turned to face the direction of shooting, requiring a press-button release (don't worry, it won't just fall off) and a magnetic catch to slot into place again. It's fiddly the first couple of times, then very logical.

There is a USB-C port on there too, and a little connector cable and (because of my drone instincts) I found myself leaving them connected as I do my phone to a drone controller. It draws its power and does its job without the need for this – but when connected it can also deliver audio (you can connect a mic receiver to the gimbal) and top up the phone battery.

The module does allow for gesture-based controls – palm gesture to start or stop intelligent tracking, for example, or the classic 'V' to take a photo. Personally I find these more of a gimmick, but I know many love them, and they're there and work!

Operation is clearly geared to the right hand, though I found I could use it in my left too (I am right-handed, but thought it worth checking!)

Another feature Apple users might enjoy is an Apple Watch app for remote control of the gimbal (via the Mimo app).

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P: Performance

In terms of stabilization, my only concern is that it sometimes didn't seem as quick as I'd like, but shots were stable.

I did also try using the device with my slightly silly phone case (it has stick-out corners in case I decide to drop my phone onto concrete from several meters). They proved problematic when I tried to rotate the phone, but in a 'normal' case, or naked, there were no such problems.

DJI Mimo is the best way to use the device because you can use ActiveTrack 7.0 – DJI's subject-tracking tool. You can simply drag to draw a box around your subject and, so long as you aim roughly, the device will do the rest of the work. This works brilliantly, and I used it to get a ton of very active B-roll shots.

Another thing to note here – it's easy to tap and swipe on the phone screen without feeling any kind of worry about the gimbal's motors resisting the force or not coping; this is a much more mature and robust technology than earlier or cheaper phone gimbals you might have encountered!

Overall verdict

Overall I found the OM7P to be an ideal choice for getting a more professional look to my contributions to DCW's growing TikTok account. It's great to have features like the light and the ease of compatibility with my preferred microphone, and the tracking is so good now I almost depend on it (users of the best camera drones from DJI will be familiar with the idea, but it works even better this close up).

It's worth remembering that using a device like this does make for smoothing footage, but will slow you down compared to just hand-holding your phone – it's best thought of as quicker better footage for serious purposes than just every day (the acceleration of your workflow happens because your footage is on the phone already, and for many that's now the editing platform of choice).

With that in mind, I like the DJI Mino app's seamless pushing of output straight into Apple's photos app. Despite the battery power-sharing features, my advice is still to think like a pro and remember your phone will be trying to upload video to the cloud so think ahead and get one of the best battery packs for your phone too. (If I had a wish list, I'd love a plug-in battery for the base like DJI's Osmo Pocket 3).

Overall, though, with a device like this in your bag, your phone is one step closer to replacing a cine cam and Steadicam!

Alternatives

DJI has just announced the new Osmo Mobile 7 and Osmo Mobile 7P gimbals for smartphones. These are, as the name suggests, the 7th generation of handheld gimbal for iPhone and Android, and offer powerful stabilization in what is an increasingly competitive market for best phone gimbal.

Both devices offer a 3-axis gimbal, but the premium Osmo Mobile 7P (OM7P) distinguishes itself with a reversible 'Multifunction Module' which enables automatic tracking of subjects and includes a light and USB port. The latter makes it possible to connect to the gimbal for battery top-up and audio pass-through (say, if you wanted to use a DJI Mic Mini while shooting with your gimbal).

"Capturing beautiful, professional content with a smartphone has never been easier” said Ferdinand Wolf, Product Experience Director at DJI.

The tracking sensor in the module enables not just AI tracking – one of DJI's signature features on its drones too – but gesture control. You can now use your palm to enable or disable automatic following of yourself, the V sign to take a photo (or start/stop video), and the 'double L' director's framing gesture to adjust the zoom.

The 7P also has a 215mm extension rod – like a selfie stick – so you can use it to hold the camera above a crowd and still keep it steady.

The cheaper 7 is lighter, at 300g rather than 368g, and dispenses with the module and the extension rod, but still offers DJI's side-wheel for cinematic control (which I first tested on the Osmo Mobile 6). This can now also control the fill light on the module on the 7P, as well as zoom and focus on both.

As before, the DJI Mimo app offers control and shooting within a DJI-like environment, or you can use the gimbal with your preferred photography app. DJI's software has plenty of tutorials to help out too. Apple Watch fans will also appreciate that there is a remote control feature for the device.

The Osmo Mobile 7P – the premium option – is on sale now (see the DJI store) for $149 / £135 / AU$219. The OM7 (without the extension arm) comes in at $89 / £85 / AU$159. This is extremely competitive when compared with yesterday's announcement about the AI accessory for the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro which adds some broadly similar functionality.

You might also like

The Osmo Mobile 7 gimbals might feature Active Track 7.0, but you can find similar technology in the best camera drones or at least the best DJI drones.

Also, I had an early sample, so you can check my initial review of the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P (and check my TikTok about the BSC cinematography show shot entirely using one).

Insta360 has released a new AI accessory – an AI Tracker – to the still very new Insta360 Flow 2 Pro phone gimbal (which we reviewed recently). With its Android-friendly smarts, the company is calling it "the ultimate add-on."

Insta360 made a big thing about the ability of their Flow pro gimbals to operate with the iPhone, but the AI device is designed to enable support across Android phone models and more apps – allowing users to hop on a video call or live-stream as well as gimbal-steadied smooth footage hands-free.

The AI Tracker works seamlessly as an extension to our latest and greatest AI-powered gimbal, Insta360 Flow 2 Pro.

This unlocks new features, making it easier to keep subjects perfectly framed, even in tricky environments. The AI is able to handle obstructions – like someone walking in front of your shot – and remember the subject (or more than one subject) so it can re-frame on them when they're visible again.

With the AI tracker, it is able to recognize people and pets – including cats and dogs.

The tracker also features a built-in spotlight with three settings, so you can give yourself a twinkle in the eye or even enough fill light in low light or daylight according to Insta360 (though we'll let you know for sure once we've tested it!)

Side-stepping the need for a remote control all the time, a palm gesture can be used to activate tracking. This is a technology seen on some of the most popular gimbal-based cameras, not just the best phone gimbals but the best 4K webcams (like Insta360's Link 2 that competes with the Obsbot Tiny 4K).

It is available for order starting from today. If you've already picked up the Flow 2 Pro, you can get the AI Tracker standalone for $39.99 / £39.99 / AU$72.99 (on the Insta360 store now), or purchase it with Flow 2 Pro as part of the AI Tracker Bundle for $179 / £179.99 / AU$239.99.

If you’re a DSLR/mirrorless videographer then having the best gimbal (or stabilizer) is an essential piece of kit. You can of course pan, tilt and zoom when your DSLR/Mirrorless camera is mounted on a tripod but thanks to a gimbal’s tilt, pan and rotate motors you can perform a wider range of camera moves while on the move - such as performing dramatic tracking shots that follow your subject or low-to-high angle crane shots that reveal your subject in a cinematic way. However, a tripod can take a while to set up or reposition (plus it might get in the way in a busy location.) A gimbal such as the Cinepeer Crane 4E enables you to be much more mobile as a videographer and have a smaller footprint when on a shoot.

The name Zhiyhun is synonymous with camera gimbals. At the time of writing Zhiyun offers twelve stabilizers capable of carrying DSLR/Mirrorless cameras. These include the heavy-lifting Crane range and the lighter Weebill models. Zhiyun also produces a range of mobile phone-compatible stabilizers in their Smooth range. This range features five different models including the Smooth 5S AI, plus late in 2024 they unveiled an entry-level (and very low budget) mobile gimbal in the shape of the Cinepeer CQ5.

Back in 2023 I tested and reviewed the predecessor of the Cinepeer Crane 4E - the Crane 4. The new Crane 4E is almost identical to the more expensive Crane 4 but it lacks a couple of key features including a built-in LED fill light - though arguably that’s not an essential feature for a stabiliser. However, one key feature that is missing from the newer and cheaper Crane 4E is the Crane 4’s balance indication lights. These shine white when a particular motor’s axis is balanced or red when it’s unbalanced. I’ll go into more detail on this missing key feature in the Performance section.

Zhiyun Cinepeer Crane 4E: Specifications

Zhiyun Cinepeer Crane 4E: Price

The Zhiyun Crane 4E launched with a price of $499/£529/AU$699 but if you shop around you should be able to find a discounted version. For example, as I write up this review Zhiyun’s official store has dropped the price by 20%.

Compared to the Zhiyun Crane 4, the Crane 4E’s cheaper cost should make the gimbal an attractive purchase to DSLR/Mirrorless filmmakers, but unlike the older Crane 4 there is no option to purchase a Combo kit that ships with a very useful sling grip and wrist support. So if you want the benefit of these extra (and I’d say essential) MasterMove accessories then you’ll need to buy them separately - which could add $149/£149 to your costs. We couldn’t see the MasterMove sling grip and wrist rest on the Australian Amazon Store.

Zhiyun Cinepeer Crane 4E: Design & Handling

Back in 2023, I enjoyed testing and reviewing the Zhiyun Crane 4, so I was interested to see how the cheaper but very similar Cinepeer Crane 4E fared in comparison. At first glance, the differences between the two stabilizers appear to be cosmetic. The original Crane 4 is constructed of a slick black and grey mix of plastic and metal that echoes the look of other professional heavy-lifting gimbals such as the DJI RS 4. The Crane 4E has a lighter grey pistol grip with a black metal roll arm adorned with its name. The label “Cinepeer Crane 4" is a bit of a squeeze to fit onto the roll arm and it looks messier than the clean bold ‘Crane’ that is printed on the roll arm of the Crane 4.

At a net weight of 1630g, the Cinepeer Crane 4E is 43 grams lighter than the older and more expensive Zhiyun Crane 4, but I’d say that this difference is negligible when it comes to handling the gimbal with a camera mounted on it. I attached a Canon EOS 650D with a Canon lens to the Crane 4E. The combined weight of the payload and gimbal was 7lb (3.18 Kg). Without the MasterMove wrist support and sling grip that shipped with the Zhiyun Crane 4 the Crane 4E felt heavier, especially when performing low-angle camera moves that put more strain on my wrist.

A key difference between the Crane 4 and the Cinepeer Crane 4E is that the latter lacks the three balance indicator LEDs that help you know when the camera is balanced on the gimbal for optimum performance. This makes balancing a trickier and more time-consuming affair on the Crane 4E. The Crane 4E is also missing the Crane 4’s built-in LED but that’s a welcome trade-off for a cheaper price.

Zhiyun Cinepeer Crane 4E: Performance

Prior to testing the Cinepeer Crane 4E, I reviewed a smartphone stabilizer - the Insta360 Flow Pro 2. The key attraction of smartphone stabilizers is that you don’t need to balance the lighter camera on them. Simply clip the smartphone into a magnetic holder, attach it to the stabilizer, and start shooting!

Compared to the speed and convenience of smartphone stabilizers, balancing a Canon DSLR on the Crane 4E took me around 10 minutes (and this is the 10th DSLR/Mirrorless gimbal that I’ve reviewed for Digital Camera World so I’ve had lots of practice!). The tilt, roll, and pan axes all have units of measurement on them so you can take note of the optimum settings once the balance has been achieved. However, I found it quite a fiddle to adjust the position of the three axes as they were quite stiff to slide to get a perfect balance.

After balancing the camera I unlocked and powered up the gimbal, only to find that the Crane 4E was vibrating. After much tinkering, I delved into the menus and found that the motor torque had been set to a custom value by a previous user to suit their particular payload. Once I reset the torque to default my balanced camera tilted, panned, and rolled smoothly. I did miss the balance indicator lights found on the more expensive Crane 4, but if you dip into the Crane 4E’s OLED screen menu you diagnose a particular axis’s balance problems from there and then fine-tune its position.

After achieving an optimum balance (which puts less pressure on the three axes motors and therefore extends their life) I headed out on my first test shoot. Normally I pop an iPhone on a tripod to film myself using the gimbal to perform different modes such as Follow, Pan Follow, Lock, Selfie, POV, Go, and Vortex (and you can see all these modes in action in my supporting video). However, I decided to lob my new DJI Flip into the sky in Spotlight mode so that I could film the gimbal from a higher angle. Having the drone as an aerial tripod also gave me a target to tilt up and pan away from when using the gimbal.

Going back to balance, the Crane 4E has a quick-release plate that enables you to slide your camera into a vertical position to shoot portrait-oriented footage suitable to be shared as Reels on Instagram. Although it’s a quick process to swap the camera from landscape to portrait orientation you will still need to perform the time-consuming balancing process from scratch (whereas a quick tap on an Insta360 Flow 2’s button instantly rotates the smartphone between portrait and landscape mode).

I used the Cinepeer Crane 4E’s vertical configuration to film some portrait-oriented social media footage for a Scottish horse riding school on my second test shoot. I was grateful for the gimbal as it enabled me to keep up with (and out of the way of) the ever-moving horses (and it also avoided getting a tripod covered in mud and horse poo!) Talking of tripods the Crane 4E ships with a handy mini tripod that you can use to make the gimbal stand on its own while you perform smooth pans and tilts with its joystick. You can also fold the tripod into a handle which helps you grip the gimbal more effectively and spread the weight when you’re making your camera moves. The mini tripod isn’t as comfortable as a dedicated sling handle and wrist grip, but it helps keep the price down.

Zhiyun Cinepeer Crane 4E: Verdict

Compared to the original and more expensive Zhiyun Crane 4 the newer and cheaper Cinepeer Crane 4E should be an attractive purchase if you don’t mind losing the useful (but not essential) motor balance indicator lights and the built-in LED fill light (which is a nice touch but again not essential to the gimbal’s performance). What is lacking is the option to purchase the Crane 4E as a Combo kit (like you can with the Crane 4) so that you can enjoy the support of a wrist rest and the extra low-angle maneuverability offered by the sling grip.

However, you can purchase these essential accessories in the form of the Crane 4 MasterMove kit. Even with this extra expense the combined cost of a Cinepeer Crane 4E and the MasterMove sling and wrist rest accessories is still cheaper than buying the older Crane 4 Combo kit.

After my initial challenge of getting the camera and lens payload balanced, I was able to tilt, pan, and even roll my Canon DSLR smoothly, making moves that would be impossible if I were tethered to a tripod. I also enjoyed the freedom and flexibility to shoot in a public location without a tripod getting in the way of the public.

I’m not a fan of shooting vertical footage (see my grumpy Generation X perspective on that topic). However, it was an easy enough procedure to detach my horizontally-mounted camera and slide it onto the Crane 4E’s vertical support arm to capture portrait-oriented social media footage.

Unlike other manufacturers, Zhiyun doesn’t share a maximum payload weight for their gimbals, but you can find a wide range of supported cameras if you head over here and scroll down to the Camera Compatibility List.

Alternatives

The newest gimbal from Zhiyun is designed to be both more ergonomic and more affordable. Announced on Tuesday, December 03, the Zhiyun Crane 4E is a new gimbal for filmmakers that sits at a lower price point and with lighter ergonomics over the Crane 4.

While the 4E version is only a few grams lighter than the 4E, Zhiyun claims the stabilizer improves weight distribution to reduce wrist strain by 25 percent. The company also says the new design makes it easier to use two hands.

The Sling Grip is a key feature for the gimbal that the company says allows for adjusting angles as well as opening up a dual-handle mode. The wrist rest was also redesigned for the 4E, the company notes.

The gimbal uses a built-in control wheel for quickly adjusting camera parameters like shutter speed, aperture, or ISO without moving hands from the gimbal to the camera. Another control wheel towards the front of the grip can be customized to adjust settings like electronic zoom or focus.

The new gimbal allows for videographers to use both a servo zoom and focus motor simultaneously. The company notes that, using added Trans Mount accessories, the gimbal allows creatives to use the tools for smooth manual focusing and zoom. Cameras can be locked into vertical or horizontal shooting positions as well.

The gimbal's specs don’t list a maximum weight but rather a list of compatible cameras and lenses, including options like the Canon C70 with the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 IS USM lens.

While the 4E model offers ergonomic improvements, the pricier Zhiyun Crane 4 (which earned a 4.5 star review) still offers a few features that the 4E does not. That list includes a 10W fill light as well as a balance indicator light.

The Zhiyun Crane 4E is expected to list for $499 and is already in stock at Amazon. In comparison, the Crane 4’s list price is about $670 / £529 / AU$ 1,033.

Read more with our list of the best gimbals for DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

“The best advice I can give you if you want to work with gimbals is preparation.” 

Those are the words of filmmaker and wildlife photographer, Libby Penman, speaking with veteran wildlife cameraman Gavin Thurston at Wildscreen Festival last week. The pair were hosting a masterclass on gyro-stabilized systems and gimbals.

“Big set-ups obviously take prep, but there are loads of things you can do beforehand with big and small set-ups, even in your flat before you leave for a shoot.

“Take all the lenses and balance test. It’s a process of trial and error, and it might seem obvious, but these are always the things that we forget when we’re starting out. Each lens needs to be perfectly balanced before you get to a shoot, it looks more professional and saves time when the client is on the clock.

“Take into account differences in weight and space changes when you zoom in and out, and store all the information on your phone for future reference. Another tip is if you do need to balance on a set, make sure you tell the client or talent, because it can look like the gimbals are unbalanced and you’re just sitting on your phone.”

One of the incredible aspects of an event like Wildscreen is having first-hand access to the wealth of experience of such incredible experts – along with their insider tips and knowledge.

“Don’t fall over,” advised Thurston, referencing the many videos on YouTube of people falling over with gimbals, hurting themselves or writing off kit.

“If you ever work with me my main rule is, if it’s you or the kit, chuck the kit. Don’t think twice about trying to save the camera or the lens. If you’re a freelancer and you break an arm or a leg, that’s the amount of money as buying another gimbal. Don’t get a Darwin award for falling over.”

A key piece of kit brought out on stage and heavily praised by both experts was the DJI Ronin 4D-8K.

“One of my pet hates with gimbals is the Z-Axis,” Thurston told the audience, “You’re now shooting for viewers with UltraHD televisions, and it’s very technical and difficult to get rid of the bobbing.

“The clever thing about the DJI Ronin 4D-8K is that it has 4D stabilization.”

For the audience's benefit, Thurton then demonstrated the live shot while deliberately shaking the camera.

“It really takes out most of that movement, it’s revolutionary – cinema rock steady, and the only camera I know that I know of that can do this at the moment.”

Both experts concluded that filming with a gimbal is both a skill and an art.

“The skill needs to come first,” said Thurston, “It needs to become second nature, akin to driving a car for those of us that do, and if you grew up playing video games you should be able to work a joystick.

“But the most important thing is then using those skills and mastering the tool to tell the story. Getting glossy high-quality images is all well and good, but unless you’ve got a fantastic story attached, it’s just a magazine and people will get bored of it.”

Take a look at our guides to the best gimbals for mirrorless and DSLR cameras, the best smartphone gimbals for iPhones and Android phones, the best gimbal heads for tripods.

Canon is revisiting its plans to challenge DJI with a handheld gimbal camera, designing a new product that looks eerily reminiscent of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. 

This is not, however, Canon's first attempt to design such a product. 

Canon's aspirations to produce a handheld gimbal camera date back to at least 2021, which is when the first patents and designs were spotted. 

Back then, the company was working on a camera that differed in one key way to the Osmo line: rather than having a fixed lens, Canon's initial designs featured an interchangeable lens mount. 

In 2021 it was speculated that this could be the EOS M system, supporting the EF-M lenses employed by Canon's first mirrorless system (which included popular cameras such as the Canon EOS M50). 

That said, it looks to me like the earlier diagrams (such as the one below) show a mount with 12 electronic contacts, which would suggest the RF mount (since the EF-M mount only had 9 contacts):

Either way, the latest design shows that these plans may have changed. Whether it's because the EOS M system has now been discontinued, the throat of the RF mount is too big, or because Canon has simply decided against interchangeable lenses of any kind, the most recent version looks to feature a fixed lens – albeit a zoom one. 

"Canon has been exploring this type of camera for some time, but it seems to be gradually moving towards a design similar to the Osmo Pocket," writes Asobinet, which spotted the latest patent. 

"Canon seems to be considering installing a zoom lens, rather than a fixed focal length lens like the Osmo pocket. This type of camera is fixed to a wide-angle fixed focal length, so it would be convenient if it could use standard or telephoto lenses. 

"It is unclear whether this will be realized, but it seems that they are considering a camera unit structure that has less center of gravity movement when zooming (making it easier to balance with a gimbal)."

Whether this latest design comes any closer to production than its predecessors from over three years ago, it's hard to say. However, with the DJI Osmo Pocket line being more popular than ever, it's certainly a fertile market for Canon to tap into.

You might be interested in the best Canon cameras, as well as the best gimbals for cameras and the best smartphone gimbals.

Released in 2024, the Cinepeer Weebill 3E is the latest camera stabilizer in Zhiyun’s Weebill range. I tested and reviewed the older Weebill 3S back in June 2022. The range presumably takes the name ‘Weebill’ from the smallest bird species in Australia and like its namesake, the Cinepeer Weebill 3E is compact but highly maneuverable. 

Despite its relatively small stature - Zhiyun compares its profile to a sheet of A4 paper - the Weebill 3E is a powerful heavy lifter. It can carry a full-frame camera and lens combination up to a weight of 3kg. However, I got the payload information from Amazon as Zhiyun doesn’t make it easy to find that particular specification information on their site for whatever reason. A capable gimbal, with lots of features, a heavy payload, and a decent price, it sets the Weebill 3E up as potentially one of the best gimbals and stabilizers for DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

Cinepeer Weebill 3E: Specifications

Cinepeer Weebill 3E: Design & Handling

Unlike its jet-black Weebill 3S predecessor the Weebill Cinepeer 3E is constructed from a light grey plastic body with metal axis arms to support a heavy payload.  Although it’s a newer release in the Weebill range, the Weebill Cinepeer 3E lacks the built-in fill light and microphone of its Weebill 3S predecessor. Interestingly the space where the fill-light used to be is still visible as part of the design but is filled in with plastic. 

The Cinepeer is also down to one USB-C camera control port (instead of the Weebill 3S’s two ports). However, as the Cinepeer Weebill 3E can connect and control camera functions via Bluetooth the loss of one camera control port isn’t crucial.  We plugged the supplied USB-C cable into the Cinepper’s remaining camera control port and we were able to start/stop recording on our Sony Alpha 7C’s by pressing the dedicated Record button on the gimbal’s shaft. The lack of some of the older Weebill 3S' features in the newer model is reflected in the Weebill Cinepeer 3E’s cheaper price. 

A key design feature of the Weebill Cinepeer 3E is its support for Sling Mode 2.5. This enables you to attach a Zhiyun MasterMove sling handle sling to the gimbal. The sling handle (with its adjustable wrist rest that spreads the weight of the gimbal and payload) makes it easier to capture low-angle tracking shots. 

But here’s the downside - the basic Cinepeer Weebill 3E kit doesn’t ship with the MasterMove sling handle. That essential accessory will add $/£139 to the cost of the Cinepeer Weebill 3E. I say ‘essential’ because there’s a lot of wrist strain to endure if you support the gimbal with one hand. I’ll go into more detail about that issue in the Performance section. 

As with most gimbals, there’s a physical mode button on the rear of the handle that you can tap to change between modes such as F (Follow), PF (Pan Follow), and L (Lock). You can view the chosen mode on the Weebill 3E’s 0.96-inch OLED screen. 

When you expand the mini tripod you can rest the gimbal on a flat surface and use the joystick to perform smooth pans and tilts. The speed of the moves can be varied depending on how far you use the joystick which is useful for slow atmospheric pans or faster moves to keep up with a moving bus for example. 

You can also assign a shortcut to the trigger at the front of the gimbal to toggle between modes. The adjustment wheel enables you to tweak the tilt of particular axes or you can set it to control camera properties such as ISO. 

Cinepeer Weebill 3E: Performance

To test the Cinepeer Weebill 3E I drove to the Amberley Heritage Museum in England’s county of Sussex. The museum featured a vintage bus that drove around in a circular route. This made it easy for me to film the attractive old vehicle from different angles using a range of stabilizer-assisted camera moves. I could then cut the various tracking, moving, panning, and craning shots together into a seamless sequence (as you’ll see at the end of my supporting video). 

I popped a Sony Alpha A7C and a -105mm Sony lens on the Weebill 3E. The payload weighed 1.274 KG and the gimbal itself was just over a Kilo, so the combined weight was 2.284 KG. This doesn’t sound like a lot but maneuvering this weight with one hand put a lot of strain on my wrist and even caused it to shake on occasion. Zhiyun states that the MasterMove sling handle accessory reduces wrist fatigue by 40%, so it’s well worth considering a purchase of one. I didn’t have a MasterMove sling on my test shoot but 

by holding the gimbal in one hand and the supplied mini tripod with my other hand I was able to extend the length of the gimbal and spread its weight between both arms. This made it easier and more comfortable to maneuver. 

With a heavy payload, you need to balance a DSLR gimbal. As this was my 18th gimbal test for Digital Camera World I’d become aufait with the art of balancing the tilt, pan, and roll axes so that there was less strain on them (and therefore gimbal better performance and longer battery life). The locking and unlocking knobs on each axis were easy to operate, though the tilt axis was a little stiff when I tried to slide the payload into the optimum balanced position. Unlike the DJI RS4 and the RS4 Pro the axes don’t lock and unlock automatically, so occasionally the gimbal would flash up a lock warning on its OLED screen. I’d then have to find and unlock the relevant axis before I could use the Weebill, which could cause me to miss a shot.

I balanced the camera with the lens set to 24mm so that I could capture the widest angle of my subject. When I decided to shoot the approaching bus from a distance I changed the lens to 105mm. However, by extending the lens the payload became unbalanced and the gimbal shot down to protect its motors. This caused me to miss the shot though as the bus was on a circular route I was able to re-balance the gimbal and get the shot later! When testing smartphone gimbals I can move and shoot more quickly. My iPhone 15 Pro Max can switch from an optical 13mm to 120mm without requiring a gimbal rebalance, which is why I prefer shooting video these days on a lighter smartphone rig.

The physical Mode button enabled me to switch to F (Follow). In this mode, the camera would both tilt and pan depending on my wrist movement. For most of the shoot, I stayed in PF (Pan Follow) mode. This enabled the camera to pan but it wouldn’t tilt up or down. This was perfect for craning up from a low to a high angle as the bus approached during my test shoot. The cable-linked record button was useful in triggering a recording on the Sony Alpha A7C, though sometimes I had to press it a couple of times to make the camera beep and start recording. 

As you’ll see from the montage at the end of my supping video I was able to make a heavy camera and long lens float smoothly through a range of tilts, pans, tracking shots, and cranes and I enjoyed using Weebill 3E. It was also useful when mounted on its tripod to capture smooth pans via the joystick. 

Cinepeer Weebill 3E: Verdict

If you’ve got a heavy DSLR and want to free it from the limited pans and tilts of a static tripod then the Weebill Cinepeer 3E will give you complete freedom of movement, though we highly recommend the additional purchase of the Zhiyun MasterMove sling arm to help alleviate wrist strain and make complex camera moves (such as cranes) easier to perform. During our test, there was no axis juddering or shaking due to strain on the motors which should give you confidence that this heavy lifter can take the strain of a full-frame camera and long lens. The Weebill 3E lacks some of the features of the older Weebill 3S, but do you really need a fill light and built-in mic in a gimbal? 

Alternatives

If you're a solo filmmaker who often produces productions either on your own, or joins in on mid-sized productions, DJI has announced an outstanding wireless video transmission product targeting you. It has brought pro-grade features from its Hollywood transmission products into a compact, affordable package that any filmmaker can take advantage of on set. 

DJI has unveiled its DJI SDR Transmission Combo, tailored for stable and high-quality video transmission on small-to-medium-sized shooting sets. It utilizes DJI's proprietary video transmission technology (something it's spent some time on as the company behind most of the best camera drones). Its transmitter and receiver offer long-range footage transmission up to 1080p60 resolution. 

The SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology features a tri-band system with automatic frequency-hopping across DFS, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz, ensuring high penetration and a range of up to an astonishing 1.9 miles (10,000 ft). 

This makes it ideal for transmitting footage from a camera rig to an unlimited number of receivers or mobile devices, even in environments crowded with obstacles that would typically disrupt conventional consumer Wi-Fi solutions. In other words, perfect for a mid-sized "video village" for clients to sit back and watch the action without getting in the way!

DJI SDR Transmission transmitter employs SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology to accommodate wide and dynamic filming areas. This tech means software on processor chips – rather than dedicated analog components – handle most of the load. It boasts a minimal latency of just 35ms, ensuring smooth and extended monitoring. 

The system supports video transmission at up to 1080p60 resolution with a high bit rate of up to 20 Mb/s, which ensures smooth monitoring and collaboration with high image detail, crisp audio, and vivid colors. SDR technology’s ability to seamlessly auto-frequency hop across various bands further enhances its reliability in complex environments with numerous obstacles.

In Broadcast mode, the transmitter can connect to an unlimited number of receivers, providing a high-quality monitoring experience for multiple collaborators. This meets the independent monitoring needs of various professional roles on set. The SDR Transmission system supports PTP control over cameras, allowing users to display and adjust aperture, shutter, ISO, and trigger the camera’s photo-taking and video-recording functions through the app. 

It also supports CEC control for Sony cameras in Mirror Control mode, and additional camera compatibility can be checked on the DJI SDR Transmission Camera Compatibility list.

When connected to a gimbal, the system supports advanced functionalities such as Force Mobile, virtual joystick, and gimbal recentering via the app. Additionally, in SDR Control mode or Wi-Fi mode, users can manually switch channels within the app and monitor channel quality in real-time.

This robust suite of features makes the DJI SDR Transmission system a powerful tool for professional filmmakers and videographers who require reliable, high-quality video transmission in challenging shooting environments while looking for an affordable solution.

DJI offers the SDR Transmission as a Combo pack (with 1 receiver and 1 transmitter) currently for $549 / £519 / AUD $959 or you can buy them separately for a respective $309 /  £285 / AUD $549 making these a great option for solo filmmakers who want to offer a professional service to clients.

When we think of 3-axis gimbals (or stabilizers), the first brands that probably spring to mind are ZHIYUN and DJI. However another Chinese company - Hohem Tech - has been perfecting its line of smartphone gimbals since 2014 and claims to have produced the first face-tracking gimbal back in 2016. Prior to the iSteady V3, I’ve tested and reviewed two Hohem gimbals - the iSteady MT2 and the iSteady M6.

The Hohem iSteady V3 is the latest version of Hohem’s budget smartphone gimbal range, but it has a few new tricks up its sleeve that should make it attractive to vloggers and videographers who shoot on their smartphones. Indeed its innovative design features could give it the edge over more expensive smartphone gimbals as I’ll explain. 

Modern smartphones are great at applying in-camera stabilization to your handheld footage to capture smoother gimbal-like moves, but a gimbal does add an extra level of control. Check out my opinion piece to discover why a gimbal deserves a place in your kit bag even if you have the latest smartphone.

Hohem iSteady V3: Specifications

Hohem iSteady V3: Design & Handling

The first thing you’ll notice about the Hohem iSteady V3 is that it ships in a very small box, so you might not expect there to be a gimbal inside your package! Once you’ve unboxed it you can fit the folded gimbal in your jean pocket (though you’ll need to remove the clip-on AI sensor from the unit first). 

This is the smallest gimbal that I’ve tested (it’s my 17th gimbal review to date!), but despite its diminutive stature, it had no trouble maneuvering my iPhone 15 Pro Max to perform smooth tilts, pans, and rolls. 

One reason that the gimbal (and its packaging) is so small is that it doesn’t ship with the usual screw-on mini tripod that other smartphone gimbals have. This is down to an innovative design feature where the tripod legs are built into the base of the gimbal ready to be extended when required. I’ve not seen this feature before. At first glance, the three slim metal tripod legs look very spindly, but they were strong enough to keep the gimbal standing steady with an iPhone mounted on it, as you’ll see from our supporting test video in this review’s Performance section. 

Another innovative design feature is the iSteady’s detachable control panel. You can unclip it from the rear of the gimbal and still control its movements remotely - such as using the panel’s joystick to make the gimbal pan and tilt, or trigger your gimbal-mounted smartphone to start and stop recording with a press of the panel’s record button. The joystick only has one speed when panning and tilting, but this is a budget gimbal after all.

Hohem iSteady V3: Performance

When taking the Hohem iSteady V3 to film in London I was keen to travel light (due to a planned trip to the pub in the evening), so I dug out the smallest kit bag I could find - the McKinnon 8L Sling. I was easily able to fit the iSteady V3 inside the bag along with a mini tripod and an extra iPhone so that I could film the gimbal in action while it filmed me via another iPhone. 

I also brought along a wireless mic kit - the Godox WES 2 - so I could record my voice nicely and clearly from a distance when talking to the gimbal-mounted iPhone 15 Pro Max. Usually, when I record using an iPhone mounted in a gimbal I can’t plug a receiver into the iPhone. This is because the iPhone’s USB-C port is usually pressed up against the gimbal’s roll motor. However, due to its compact design, I could plug the WES 2’s receiver into my iPhone 15 Pro Max while it was clamped into the gimbal, enabling me to capture great quality audio during the test shoot. 

To test the AI sensor I deployed the iSteady V3’s mini tripod, fired up the Hohem Joy app, and then performed a rather tricky-to-master hand gesture to get the app to start recording footage. The other hand gestures were much easier to implement. An OK gesture caused the AI-sensor to flash green and then the gimbal panned and tilted to follow me as I walked and talked. This movement added energy to what would have been a boringly static ‘talking head’ shot. A palm-to-camera gesture stopped the AI tracker from following me so I could then walk out of the shot. 

By default, the gimbal places you in the center of the frame but you can make a framing gesture so that it re-frames to keep you at the left or right of the frame if you desire. I’ve found the re-frame gesture tricky to implement on other gimbals (such as the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI), but it worked well when applying it to the iSteady V3.

Talking of gesture control - if you do a double thumbs up the gimbal will swap between a horizontal landscape orientation to a vertical portrait orientation. In theory, this could be handy but in practice, I found that when I accidentally did a double thumbs up the gimbal swapped orientation during a take. I tend to wave my hands about as I talk and sometimes the AI-sensor would mistake my hand gesture as a double thumbs up and change orientation (thereby spoiling the take). This happened quite a lot which became annoying (as you’ll see in the supporting video).

As I said, I was using the Hohem Joy app for my test, but most of the gesture controls can be triggered when using your smartphone’s native Camera app. The Hohem Joy app enables you to enjoy an extra level of control, such as pressing the control panel’s zoom buttons to make the app zoom in or out. I was also able to use the Hohem Joy app to capture a wide-angle panoramic shot of myself and my friends when we hit the pub later on. 

The AI tracker has a built-in LED fill light. You can press the orange dial on the side of the gimbal to toggle between three color temperature ranges - a warm 2700K, a neutral 5000K, and a cooler 6500K, though at only 110 Lux you’ll need to be shooting a selfie in low light to enjoy the benefit of this feature. 

Hohem iSteady V3: Verdict

If you’re a mobile phone videographer then you’ll want to travel light, and the iSteady V3 won’t compete for much space in your kit bag as it's the lightest and most compact of the 17 gimbals that I’ve tested for Digital Camera World. Despite its small size it enables you to make a large smartphone such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max perform cinematic tracks, tilts, and pans as well as follow your every move via the clip-on AI tracker.  The extension rod gives you more composition room when shooting a selfie, though due to the gimbal’s limited tilt range between -60 degrees to 60 degrees, it’s not easy to capture very low-angle tracking shots. The detachable remote control panel is very handy, though the built-in LED fill light only makes a difference in very low-light locations. 

Alternatives

The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is a 3-axis gimbal (or stabilizer) that enables you to produce cinematic camera moves with your smartphone such as tilts, pans, and cranes (from low to high angles) as well as gliding sideways tracking shots and forward/backward dolly moves. It’s an updated version of the Zhiyun Smooth 5S that we reviewed back in 2022 - the main change being the addition of an AI sensor that enables the tripod-mounted gimbal to tilt and pan so that the attached smartphone follows your every move. AI sensors are becoming very prevalent in gimbals these days, especially with smartphone gimbals such as the Hohem iSteady M6 gimbal. 

Established in 2015, Zhiyun has a well-established reputation for designing a series of gimbals, from the smartphone-compatible Smooth series to the high-end Zhiyun Crane series for full-frame camera stabilization.

Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI: Specifications

Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI: Design & Handling

Since April 2022 I’ve tested 16 gimbals for Digital Camera World including the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI. Like all gimbals the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI ships with attachable tripod legs that enable you to rest the gimbal on the ground and use the joystick to perform smooth pants and tilts. When you fold the legs this increases the length of the gimbal so you can perform low-angle tracking shots close to the ground and then crane up to a high angle in the same clip. 

The key difference between the Smooth 5S AI and the previous Smooth 5S that we reviewed in 2022 is the addition of a magnetic AI sensor. This small sensor attaches to the top or bottom of the spring mount that holds your smartphone. The sensor can recognize a range of hand gestures that cause the gimbal to track your movement (even if you aren’t filming using the ZY Cami app).  If you do use the app you can get the sensor to follow additional hand gesture commands such as triggering the app to start/stop recording.

The gimbal is constructed in a black glossy plastic, which blends nicely with my black and grey iPhone 15 Pro Max. The handle is wrapped in textured silicon which means you can keep a firm grip on the gimbal when you’re making complex moves with it. The control panel at the rear has a translucent panel that gives an intriguing glimpse into the gimbal’s electronic interior. The control panel features a Mode button that toggles the gimbal between modes such as PF (Pan Follow), L (Lock), F (Follow) POV (Point Of View), and V (Vortex). A thin icon panel illuminates the currently selected mode’s initials, though these are too small to see on a sunny day. More on shooting modes in the Performance section. 

There’s a chunky and tactile wheel on the left side of the handle. When operating the gimbal through the ZY Cami app you can use the wheel to perform a digital zoom between a wide 0.5x and a 6x close-up. You can use the control panel’s red record button to trigger the ZY Cami app to start/stop recording. 

The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is relatively compact compared to others on the market. When I first attached my iPhone 15 Pro Max to the spring-mounted universe clamp the phone looked very off-balance due to the shortness of the arm. However, you can slide the roll-axis arm to balance any smartphone and the gimbal handled my iPhone with ease. Unlike high-end gimbals where you have to adjust the pan, tilt, and roll axes to balance the camera, you only need to balance the roll axis on the Smooth 5S AI. This means you can get the stabilizer up and running very quickly.

Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI: Performance

To test the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI I took it up to the windswept craggy rocks of the Derbyshire Peak District. I also brought my wife along so that I could have someone to track with the gimbal. Despite the very rocky and hilly terrain I was able to test the stabilizer’s various shooting modes and produce smooth gliding footage as I followed my wife’s ascent up the hill. The most useful mode was PF - Pan Follow. This kept the horizon tilt-free at all times. The gimbal would keep the phone pointing forward so that you could perform a low-angle dolly shot close to the ground or crane the phone above head height for a dramatic reveal of the distant countryside. 

 Check out my supporting video to see the various modes in action. The Smooth 5S AI had no trouble maneuvering my chunky iPhone 15 Pro Max and as you’ll see from my footage there was no vibration or shaking caused by an unbalanced payload. 

As well as producing the usual pans, tilts, and rolls (which you get when in POV mode) I wanted to test the new AI sensor, which clips to a magnetic mount above the smartphone. After popping the gimbal on the ground using its mini tripod legs I fired up the iPhone’s native Camera app to keep my gimbal footage looking consistent with other clips shot via that app. 

You don’t need to use the ZY Cami app to enjoy most of the AI-sensors features. By making an OK gesture to the AI sensor I was able to get the gimbal to pan to follow me as I jumped from rock to rock or tilt to keep me in the shot when I crouched down low. A palm gesture stopped the gimbal from tracking, so I could walk out of the shot when I’d finished talking (and cut to myself in a new location).  If you do use the ZY Cami app to film you can also make a ‘Yay’ gesture (two fingers in the air) to start and stop the recording. 

By and large, the AI sensor did a great job of keeping me in the shot. It only got confused a couple of times when I was standing in front of a very bright sky, but on the whole, there were no major problems with its tracking abilities. 

I also enjoyed popping the gimbal on its mini tripod and using the physical joystick on the handle to pan to follow my wife’s movements as she explored the top of the cliff. The joystick enables you to perform smooth pans and tilts at varying speeds. There’s also a button on the control panel that activates the LED fill light on the front of the gimbal’s tilt arm. You can dial in various levels of brightness to help your subject stand out, though as it was a sunny day and I was a couple of meters away from the gimbal I didn’t use this LED feature.

Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI: Verdict

Thanks to the AI sensor you can treat the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI as a skilled camera operator who can follow your every move. This is a very attractive feature for solo vloggers or documentary presenters who want to add some movement to their ‘talking to camera’ sequences without needing another person to film them.  The various shooting modes enabled me to perform a wide range of smooth professional camera moves (despite moving over rugged terrain). The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI doesn’t ship with a carry case but as it's nice and compact I was able to pop it into my 25L Gomatic McKinnon Camera Backpack along with the mics, tripods, and other accessories.

Alternatives

Insta360 has just announced its new 'Flow Pro' AI tracking stabilizer – the first gimbal which makes use of Apple DockKit for iPhone. This feature allows the gimbal to take advantage of Apple's subject-tracking AI to help cancel out shakes and wobbles for smooth shots using the iPhone's native camera app.

It also, of course, means you can use around 200 third-party iOS apps which follow Apple's developer guidelines and still take advantage of the device, plus the convenience of one-tap pairing and automatic reconnection.

I'm still working on our review of the Insta360 Flow Pro (but I've got an early one and am already testing it, so check back very soon to see if it's added to our list of best phone gimbals).

What I can say is that the 3-axis gimbal is capable of full 360-degree rotation, and is powered by Insta360's Deep Track 3.0 algorithm. It has 4 main modes – Auto, Follow, Pan Follow and FPV.

This isn't Insta360's first foray into the gimbal market. Last year we reviewed the Insta360 Flow, which boasted the same algorithm (but lacked the advantages of Apple's direct developer tools).

This might give it the edge over similar premium products like the DJI OM 6 which also has an extending selfie-stick, but was launched before Apple's WWDC this year in which the DockKit tools were launched to developers (the same event that we saw a lot of Apple Intelligence features announced).

So what's new? "Flow Pro builds upon the sophisticated, innovative design of Flow, our first gimbal that broke us into this new market. Flow was praised for its all-in-one design, portability and best-in-class AI tracking, but we wanted to enhance it to meet our users' needs for unparalleled efficiency. By integrating DockKit, Apple's cutting-edge subject-tracking technology, and continuing to improve our leading AI technology, Flow Pro offers an even more seamless way to track, edit and film." said JK Liu, founder of Insta360.

To re-assure you that the tracking has found a subject, a new feature is a LED indicator which is easy to see at a glance.

The device has obvious appeal for creators looking for a streamlined workflow – TikTok is an obvious example – but it also has the potential to improve FaceTime and Zoom calls.

It charges via USB-C, has a built-in selfie stick of 215mm (8.5 inches), and the 2900mAh battery can run for up to 10 hours according to Insta360. 

The Insta360 Flow Pro is available immediately via the Insta360.com site, or other retailers, for $149 / £139 / AU$229

$183 / £172 / AU$279 buys a tripod bundle which adds a tripod base, case and accessories.

The DJI RS 4 is a three-axis stabilizer that automatically tilts, pans, and rolls the mounted camera to keep it moving smoothly and level. You can also set the gimbal to follow your hand movements so that it pans and tilts smoothly between subjects. Stabilisers (or gimbals) come is a wide range of sizes (and prices). The DJI RS 4 fits into the pro section of the gimbal range (rather than the smartphone gimbal section). 

The DJI RS4 was released in April 2024 alongside its more expensive and higher-specced sibling - the DJI RS4 Pro. For more professional gimbal purchase recommendations check out guide to the best gimbals for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

The considerably more expensive DJI RS4 Pro is designed to fit in with DJI’s professional movie-making ecosystem, so it includes a 2nd-generation LiDAR focusing system and vehicle mount. The RS 4 Pro also supports a wider range of professional camera and lens combinations thanks to its 4.5 Kg payload, whereas the cheaper RS 4 supports mirrorless camera and lens combinations up to a weight of 3kg. 

Both versions of the RS 4 benefit from evolved hardware and software, such as Teflon-coated axis arms (more on that later) and a 4th-Gen RS Stabilization Algorithm. The rest of this review will focus solely on the RS 4 kit, testing the Combo kit that comes with additional accessories such as the Focus Pro Motor, Briefcase Handle, and Carrying Case. If you’re interested in the DJI RS 4 Pro version you can read its 5 star review here. 

DJI RS 4: Specifications

DJI RS 4: Design & Handling

I’ve tested 15 different gimbals for Digital Camera World in the last two years. One issue that I’ve encountered with various gimbals is a slightly tilted horizon, even when you double-tap the trigger to set the gimbal to its default position. The DJI RS 4 has a programmable dial at the front. You can use the 1.8” OLED touchscreen to customize the dial to perform a variety of moves, such as operating the rolling access to counteract any horizontal tilt. Fortunately, the RS 4 Pro didn’t require any horizontal tweaks, but it’s a welcome feature to have this programmable dial. 

One of the biggest challenges gimbal users face is getting the camera balanced on the gimbal’s roll, tilt and pan axis arms. If the camera (and lens) isn’t balanced then the gimbal’s motors will have to work harder (draining power more quickly and shortening shooting time). An unbalanced camera rig can also cause a gimbal’s arms to vibrate, and in worst-case scenarios, the gimbal will power down to prevent damage to its motors. The RS 4’s aluminum alloy axis arms have smooth Teflon-coating, making it easier for you to slide them into an optimum balanced position. The tilt arm benefits from an additional fine-tuning knob that makes it easier to slide the arm back and forth in tiny increments until perfect balance is attained. 

Another welcome design touch is the option to Auto Calibrate the camera once you think it’s balanced. You can trigger this operation from the 1.8” OLED touchscreen at the red of the RS 4. This causes the camera to check each motor and axis arm in turn to ensure optimum performance. We did encounter an issue with keeping the RS 4 balanced on a long shoot which we’ll cover in the Performance section.  

When tapping the record button on a mirrorless camera this can put pressure on the axis arms of a gimbal and potential unbalance it. Fortunately you can connect the RS 4 via Bluetooth to a supported camera and trigger a recording by tapping the gimbal’s physical record button. On our test shoot we connected the RS 4 to our Sony A7 MkIII via the gimbal’s supplied short USB-C to USB-C cable and triggered the recording via that physical connection.  

I also liked the fact that I could change the gimbal’s mode between Pan Follow, Pan Tilt Follow and FPV via a physical mode switch (which is easier than swiping between modes on the OLED touchscreen.)  This switch was harder to access when I’d attached the supplied sling handle to the gimbal, but that useful accessory enabled me to shoot low-angle clips with ease and then swing the gimbal up high for a crane shot. 

The Combo kit that I tested also supplies a Focus Pro Motor that you can connect to your camera’s manual lens and adjust focus via the gimbal. It also contains a Ronin Image  Transmitter which enables you to control the gimbal movement via a mobile phone using the Force Mobile feature in the DJI Ronin App. 

DJI RS 4: Performance

Above video: see the DJI RS 4 in use

To test the DJI RS 4 I used it to film a day long conference. This involved capturing highlights from the main conference room followed by recording activities in 8 separate workshops that were running parallel with each other. I also had to squeeze in some vox pop interviews with conference attendees! I was shooting with a Sony A7 Mk III mirrorless camera with a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III G2 lens . I also used a Rode Wireless Pro mic system. The RS4 has an extended tilt axis compared with the RS 3, which gave plenty of space for me to mount the Rode receiver on the camera’s shoe mount without the receiver hitting the roll axis motor when I performed a tilt. This extra space is a welcome design improvement.

Traditionally I’d have used a tripod to film a busy conference event, but with activities scattered across a large location, I was glad to have a lighter and easier-to-maneuver stabilizer. Plus a tripod would have obstructed the movements of the many conference attendees. The camera stayed on the gimbal for most of the day so I was ready to record anything at any time. When I did need to detach the Alpha 7 to change its battery, the RS4’s quick release plate made it a doddle to do so. I could then re-attach the camera via the quick-release plate, knowing that it was still balanced on the RS 4. Thanks to the RS 4 I was able to record tripod-steady interviews with delegates as well as capturing cinematic pans, tilts and tracking shots of the beautiful conference location (see supporting video). 

I did encounter one issue with the RS 4’s performance.  On the gimbal’s LCD screen a helpful camera icon indicates balance status. After balancing the camera on the gimbal at the start of the day (8-30am), the camera icon was green. As the shoot progressed I noticed that the balancing icon would turn orange and eventually red, indicating that the camera was no longer balanced for optimal performance. I therefore had to re-balance the camera.  I noticed that only the roll-axis was unbalanced. It had slowly slid from its original balanced position despite being locked. It took me a while to diagnose the cause of this issue. When you power down the gimbal the whole rig rotates into a closed and locked position. The attached camera also rotates with a clunk and I think this repetitive clunking caused the roll access to slowly slide and become unbalanced during the day. My camera and lens set-up was only 1.4kg but this weight would have been momentarily increased by the camera’s momentum each time the gimbal’s arms rotated into the closed/off position, the resulting brief hammering movement adding pressure on the roll arm’s locking mechanism.  Multiple opening and closing movements may have caused the arm to shift in tiny increments, leading to a balance issue over a long period of time. Once I identified that this as an issue it was a quick and easy matter to re-balance the roll axis and carry on shooting.

I enjoyed using the RS 4 to capture vox pops and perform tracks, tilts, cranes and pans throughout the duration of the conference. While filming between 0830 and 1700 the rig did get heavier during the day - or I got more tired! However despite the long day the battery had 15% power left in it so I was very I impressed with the RS 4’s performance and I got all the footage that the client required. 

DJI RS 4: Verdict

The RS 4 enabled me to tackle a long shoot without worrying about the gimbal’s battery performance, so I captured all the assets that my client required. As well as enabling classic camera moves such as tilts, pans, tracks and cranes I was also able to shoot tripod-steady interviews without the burden of lugging a tripod around. The combined weight of the gimbal and payload was just under 3kg, so the entire rig was light enough to carry around and use all day. The slight sliding of the locked roll arm over a long period of time was my only criticism and this was easy to rectify, but it does lose the RS 4 half a star.

Alternatives

For a lighter-weight stabilization solution, see our guides to the best gimbals for smartphones, and the best gimbals for GoPros

Gimbal manufacturers Zhiyun have jumped on the ever-expanding bandwagon and released a gimbal with artificial intelligence modules. 

Designed for today’s larger smartphones, the new smooth 5S Ai smartphone gimbal can hold up to loads of 300g (10.5 ounces), and has three strong axes that can handle orthogonal movement. 

This means that phone content creators can take advantage of 360-degree rotation and get smooth and stable shots, even when capturing fast-paced action or Sophia Coppola-like serene landscape shots.  

This could prove useful to professional mobile filmmakers looking for high-quality integrated video solutions on their phones, such as travel vloggers or live-streamers who need stable footage, good lighting and intelligent tracking on the move. 

We’ve previously written about and rated the best smartphone gimbals for iPhone and Android, and how Insta360 added AI features to its phone gimbal. We’ve also  commented on its shortcomings: the vertical support on the Insta360 Flow can mess with the tilt axis range, and integrated tripod legs are flimsy and unsupportive. 

So, can the new offering from Zhiyun with AI assistance give Insta360 and its associates a run for their money? 

According to Zhiyun, the Smooth 5S AI gimbal features intelligent algorithms that deliver “unparalleled precision in multi-target recognition and tracking” and promises that users can create “professional-grade video effortlessly—always in focus and blue-free.” 

The magnetic AI tracker supposedly allows for rapid and responsive target tracking and is “unaffected” by strong light interference “allowing users to re-identify and recover object tracking even after reframing.” The magnetic attachment also allows the gimbal to be quickly rotated between the smartphone's front and rear camera.

According to Zhiyun, “Traditional 3-axis gimbals – which often do not have such complete movement flexibility – unexpectedly freeze and let users down when they want to create the most powerful and dramatic professional effects like low-to-high transitions, 360° barrel shots, and so on.”

The tilt axis is also equipped with a high-power fill light with 650 lux peak illuminance, and two additional magnetic fill lights, which, combined with the built-in unti, provide 2040 lux at peak.

The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is now on sale and retails for $249 / £249. 

Check out our guides to the best gimble heads for tripods, the best GoPro gimbals, and the best gimbals for mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

Zhiyun is a leading manufacturer of gimbals and LED lighting for videography and film production, offering products for both amateurs and professionals. The new Zhiyun Weebill 3E is designed for both, offering users a lightweight gimbal option with enhanced stabilization that's ideal for video content creation. 

Designed for creators on the move, the Weebill 3E weighs just 990g and folds down into a compact form measuring just 361 x 121 x 265mm – a key feature when traveling.

The ergonomic design is another key factor here, offering comfortable shooting over extended periods. 'Sling Mode 2.5' facilitates users further comfort and control by introducing an attachable wrist rest and adjustable handle, "alleviating over 40% of fatigue while maintaining stability even at extremely low angles".

Feeling comfortable to use is only half the battle, as the main purpose of a gimbal is to aid in the production of a smooth and stabilized image. The Weebill 3E combines pro algorithms and potent motors to create smooth camera movements in several shooting scenarios.  

A customizable trigger and function wheel enable the user to control camera settings such as the ISO and the gimbal axes from the handle of the gimbal grip. This is helpful when shooting on the move, and offers more versatility in creating camera movements. This can also be conveniently monitored via an integrated OLED display. 

As with all things portable and electronic, power is vital as you do not want to find yourself losing assisted stabilization mid-shoot! Zhiyun states that on a full charge, the Weebill 3E can run for 16 hours without needing a top-up – more than enough time to cover even the longest video shoots. However, if your shoot does run a little longer, the integrated 2650mAh batteries can be operated while charging via USB-C. 

Other notable features include Bluetooth shutter control, a native portrait switch, a quick-release plate and an attachable tripod. 

Although we haven't had a chance to get our hands on the Weebill 3E yet, Zhiyun has a great reputation for producing great stabilizers so I am eager to test this one out. 

The Zhiyun Weebill 3E is available now for just $249 / £249 / AU$ 389. It is compatible with most mirrorless cameras, but always double-check that this includes your model before purchase.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best camera for video, the best cine lenses, and the best stabilizers. 

The SpeediGimbal is a monopod/tripod head that is designed to offer instant support to take the weight of a camera with large lens attached. Unlike other tripod heads it is not designed to provide a secure attachment – but offers unrivalled manoeuvrability for capturing moving subjects.

It’s the brainchild of wildlife photographer Colin Brister, who developed it after having spent many years handholding heavy lenses, but found standard gimbal heads didn’t offer the manoeuvrability he needed.

It consists of a two-part ball-and-cup design, with one part mounted to the lens bracket and the other fitted atop a monopod or tripod. Both parts have 3/8in UNC threads, and come with standard 1/4in UNC adapters, too. 

Manufactured from Black Nylon 66, it’s a high-performance product designed to withstand long-term wear and tear effects. The device is perfect for sports, wildlife and macro, and also works with spotting scopes, making it ideal for birdwatchers too. The lightweight, compact head is less than three inches in size, enabling it to be easily stashed in a spare corner of a camera bag. 

The SpeediGimbal is available directly from Colin Brixter's website and the £79 price (around US$100 or AU$150).

3-axis gimbals like the Feiyu Scorp enable you to perform smooth panning and tracking camera moves with a range of cameras. I have previously written about the camera cage v gimbal debate, modern cameras and smartphones have effective built-in stabilization features that enable you to capture gimbal-smooth footage using the of the best phone grips, but gimbals enable you to perform much more complex camera moves with ease, such as a low-angle tracking shot.

FeiyuTech released the original 3-axis Scorp gimbal back in late 2021. Since then a steady flow of gimbals has hit the market, ranging from professional DSLR heavy lifters such as the DJI RS 4 Pro to the much more affordable smartphone-friendly Hohem iSteady M6. 

Since 2022 I’ve reviewed 14 gimbals for Digital Camera World and I’ve noticed that they continue to evolve, especially in the area of using AI to track a subject’s movement. Some smartphone gimbals such as the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 use an app to make the gimbal pan and tilt to follow your face. Others, such as the Hohem iSteady M6 have a clip-on AI sensor that causes the gimbal to follow your every move without using an app. It’s in the area of AI tracking that we see one of the key improvements to the Scorp 2.

Feiyu Scorp 2: What’s changed?

The original Scorp 1 required the purchase of an additional AI tracking module to make that gimbal pan and tilt to track your face. The Scorp 2 has a built-in tracker that enables you to use gesture control to stop or start AI tracking. 

Another key change is an evolved L-shaped quick-release system that enables you to swap from a horizontal to vertical-mounted camera so that you can shoot portrait-oriented clips for social media smartphone consumption (if you must!).  I’ve been shooting video since the late 80s so it still pains me to film vertically (especially when viewing a narrow band of video surrounded by large ‘pillar box’ black bars on a widescreen TV!)  But I digress - on with the review…

FeiyuTech Scorp 2: Specifications

FeiyuTech Scorp 2: Design & Handling

The Feiyu Scorp 2 ships in a robust padded carry case to keep the kit safe (and to stop smaller accessories such as plates and screws getting mislaid). With smartphone gimbals such as the Hohem iSteady MT2 - you can clip your smartphone onto the gimbal’s mount and start filming straight away. The Scorp 2 is designed to carry a much heavier payload - up to 2.5 Kg - so you need to spend time balancing a mirrorless camera with its heavy lens. If your camera isn’t balanced on the tilt, roll, and pan axes then they will be put under strain. At best this can wear out the motors. At worst an unbalanced camera may cause a gimbal to vibrate and go to sleep to protect the motors, rendering it useless on a shoot. Fortunately, the supporting Feiyu Scorp smartphone app has a collection of well-made videos that take you step-by-step through the balancing process. 

I’ve balanced many gimbals in my time and it still took around 10 minutes to get a Sony A7RV and lens (weighing just under 1.5 Kg) balanced perfectly on the Scorp 2. This is an average duration for a typical balancing session. Balancing involves unlocking each axis in turn and pushing and pulling the camera back and forth until it is balanced in that particular axis. Each axis arm can be slid back and forth and I found it took a bit of pressure to slide the stiff arms into the optimum position. When it comes to balancing the Scorp 2 has no new features to speed up the process, unlike the DJI RS4 Pro which has a handy knob that makes it much easier and quicker to balance the tilt axis. Still, once you’ve balanced the gimbal you’re ready to travel to your shoot (and you can easily attach and detach the balanced camera via the quick-release plate).

The 1.3” OLED touch screen is the same size as on the Scorp 1 and it’s an easy job to tap and swipe to choose different shooting modes such as PF (Pan Follow) or PTF (Pan Tilt Follow). For optimum performance, you can use the menu to calibrate the motors of each axis so that the balanced camera will pan, tilt, and roll smoothly. All of the OLED screen’s menu options are available in the Feiyu Scorp app, and I found it much easier to fine-tune the gimbal’s behavior (such as slowing down the joystick’s pan and tilt speed) by using the app on my iPhone’s larger display. There’s more on the app’s strengths in the Performance section…

FeiyuTech Scorp 2: Performance

To test the Scorp 2 I took it to a local forest to capture some low-angle tracking shots of a beautiful carpet of Bluebell flowers. The Scorp 2’s sling handle enables me to ‘float’ and glide the Sony A7RV a few inches from the ground. Despite a combined camera and gimbal weight of approximately 4 Kg I could hold and maneuver the gimbal with ease - and even support the rig with one finger! There’s no way I could have performed camera moves such as those featured in my supporting window using a camera mounted in a handheld cage. The Scorp 2 tilted, panned, and rolled my payload effortlessly without a shake or judder. As well as tilting the camera with the joystick I could also tilt it with the large control wheel on the front left of the gimbal’s body. This button can be programmed to perform other moves.

Thanks to the Scorp 2’s built-in AI sensor I could make it track my movements without using the app. The sensor quickly recognized my ‘OK’ hand gesture and immediately set the gimbal to tilt and pan to follow my every move. Another gesture (thumbs pointed inwards) caused the Scorp 2 to stop tracking so that I could walk out of shot. By default the gimbal’s AI tracking operation places you in the center of the frame but you can use two hands to make a ‘frame’ gesture that re-positions the gimbal to place your frame right (or frame left if you prefer). I found the ‘start and stop’ tracking gestures worked very time but the re-frame gesture was harder to master, with ‘hit and miss’ results. 

In theory, you can also trigger the camera to start and stop recording via a gesture, though we struggled to get the gimbal to talk to the Sony A7RV via Bluetooth. This isn’t necessarily the fault of the gimbal and it was a simple matter to manually trigger the camera’s record button before using a gesture to trigger the Scorp 2’s AI-tracking mode. As I could rotate the Sony A7RV’s viewfinder to face the front I could easily view my shot’s composition as the camera tracked me.

After testing the gimbal’s ability to pan, tilt, and roll smoothly using different shooting modes (and using the AI sensor to track me), I fired up the Feiyu Scorp app. This gave me access to customize the gimbal’s behavior (such as joystick pan and tilt speeds). It also provided me with a virtual joystick so I could pan and tilt the camera by swiping my iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen. The app also provides a remote control feature that uses your smartphone’s gyroscope to tilt and pan the gimbal as you tilt and pan the iPhone. This ability to organically control the Scorp 2 could be handy if you need to control the gimbal from a distance, but it is quite hard to master (as you’ll see from my wobbly camera work in the supping video). 

FeiyuTech Scorp 2: Verdict

All in all the Scorp 2 is a great gimbal if you need to perform cinematic ‘Steadicam’ style moves with a mirrorless camera set-up. We found that its 3-axis arms moved our relatively heavy (1.5 Kg) payload smoothly and effortlessly. The Scorp 2’s built-in AI tracker should make it appeal to solo YouTube content creators who like to walk and talk while the camera follows their every move. It’s like having a skilled camera operator with you on location (and one who doesn’t need a tea break!). The free Feiyu Scorp app gives you additional self-filming control as you can tilt and pan the gimbal-mounted camera via your smartphone. 

Alternatives

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is, as the name implies, the third in a line of a small camera, though it doesn't look a lot like you might imagine a pocket camera to. Nor, to be honest, do we think it'd fare well in a lot of trouser pockets. Instead, it takes the form of a handle-supported gimbal, a bit like a grounded version of one of DJI's drones. (We'd say – if you're devoted to the 'Pocket' name, it'd be safer to keep it in a jacket's inside pocket, like James Bond does with his pistol.)

Not long ago DJI one-upped GoPro by putting a bigger, better sensor in their GoPro-shaped Osmo Action 4. The Pocket 3 seems to bring the same sensor – and with it the same low-light abilities – to the device we've never quite been able to categorize:  the Pocket series. This is the third generation of what is essentially a drone's gimbal camera you can hold in your hand – it isn't an obvious category but vloggers, tourists, and perhaps now serious pros might all find uses for the 4K 120FPS camera with 10-bit recording and HDR.

The gimbal makes it physically less rugged than a typical action camera, of course, but brings the ability to track a subject, and introduces automated panning effects. DJI's ActiveTrack 6.0 is included, a technology which has the advantage of being refined over many generations of drones with gimbal cameras. Indeed the device shares a lot in common with its flying as well as its grounded siblings from DJI. It can, of course, also be operated via an app which will handle livestreaming too.

In fact, creators and streamers for vertical format (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts) have clearly been on DJI's mind with the Pocket 3 which has a rotatable 2-inch monitor (that also acts as a power switch), while the device can connect directly to one of DJI's new DJI Mic 2 Bluetooth microphones for good quality sound as you live broadcast on the go.

DJI Pocket 2 vs Pocket 3

DJI Osmo Pocket 3: Build & Handling

DJI lent me the full Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo, which includes a mini tripod, battery handle, case, and the DJI Mic 2 atop the camera and standard goodies, so I'll look at the whole bundle but bear in mind that if you don't need the microphone or other accessories there is a— well, not cheap, but less expensive route to ownership.

On looking at the Pocket 3's predecessors, it's been tempting to dismiss it as a gimmicky or novelty device, but DJI has gone some way to address this in the form, even before we get to function. The device is designed to be flexible, not just with the signature rotating display, but with a variety of handle lengths and weights.

The camera itself looks a little insubstantial (what we call 1-inch, remember, is a curious standard from the history of broadcasting, which is actually about 15.9mm across – also true, of course, for traditional vlogging cameras with "1-inch" sensors from Sony and the like). On the plus side, it's lost the slightly tacky red rim of the Action 2's lens, and the gimbal is definitely a bit more rugged than that found on DJI's lightweight drones.

The handle has gained a professional-feeling dark grey panel with a diagonal texture to serve as a grip. The two-tone approach also looks very classy, and is repeated on the various grips for a consistent look.

When closed the display sits very flush with the body, with a slight lip in the lower right to make rotating it (which also serves as the power switch) easy, even with gloves. Beneath the display are the joystick and record buttons in their own small panel – their surround is rubberized while the rest of the device is high-quality plastic.

On the base of the device is a USB-C socket which plugs into the various adapters that extend the length of the handle. You can use it without, though you'll want dainty hands. In the standard kit you get a light "grip," – basically a 1-inch cube – and at the base of this is a tripod thread. It also has a USB-C socket on the front so it doesn't block the USB connection if needed. (It can also be used as a webcam via this connection, at up to 4K 30fps or 1080p 60fps.)

The 950mAh Battery Handle is a little longer (and, of course, somewhat heavier), but does offer more than the standard 166 minutes. The device and battery grip can both take a fast charge, so get up to 80% in a matter of minutes. Both adapters connect with claw-like locks at the sides and come off with a press of a central button.

The flexibility is not limited to the base. Despite being on a gimbal the lens has magnets so the camera can accept ND filters or a wide-angle lens adapter. There is also the option, like the Pocket 2, of an Expansion Adapter for wearing the device.

DJI Pocket 2 vs Pocket 3

In summary, we're looking at a consistently-designed and very flexible system. Control comes through the joystick/button and record button or via the phone app which is also reasonably logical – swipe in from the sides of the display to bring up various menus. The camera will insist on being paired with the Mimo app early in its life, but that is a handy tool (and essential for streaming).

DJI Osmo Pocket 3: Performance

If you've used the Pocket 2, you'll know that the compact display was an issue; the new rotating 2-inch screen solves this for all but the biggest of fingers, though I honestly found one of the signature features genuinely difficult to get my head around – the rotating screen/switch.

Rotate the display to horizontal, and on comes the camera. Rotate it back to vertical and – within 2 seconds – it powers down, unless that is, you can get your finger to the 'Continue' button in time. Actually switching to vertical shooting is done (by default) through the menu which you swipe down from the top of the display which doesn't seem obvious, especially for vertical shooters. Though you can make it automatic, you'll still need to dissuade the camera from switching off (all of which is a long-winded way of saying that switching the camera on for the 3K vertical shooting mode is 'click, click, tap' not 'click').

Still, it only takes a few moments to get shooting, and given the range of functions to explore the organization is logical – swipe pages in from the side of the display. It'll certainly be familiar to those used to DJI's touchscreen Osmo Action camera series. It is also an interface which smacks of experience; features like 'start on switch on' are available as options, and you can choose the preferred gimbal startup direction (selfie or away). The device, in other words, can be tailored to your needs and the software understands that people have a variety of uses for this flexible device.

The Mic 2 is excellent too, and we saw 32-bit float was an option in the settings (the mic has 8GB storage on board). It records audio as a track into the video and as separate audio files on the mic for editing, and it is genuinely difficult to get it to clip in 32-bit mode.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3: Camera Performance

I tried the device in light and dark, indoors and out, though I have to be fair, I was testing in the UK so not in much sun! That would have been a challenge for the older model (or pretty much any action camera), but the 1-inch sensor makes light work.

The subject tracking is quick to select a subject and holds onto it well; the all-pixel focussing is very quick and in the sample video, you'll see a clip of my son trying to trick the camera tracking on a cloudy day. It nevertheless follows him quickly with only the briefest of lags. (The focus does have trouble once he gets closer to it than the 20cm focal range.)

It's difficult to express how much better the ActuveTrack 6.0 is than ActiveTrack 3.0 (in the DJI Pocket 2), but the easiest way to put it is that the older model looked, well, a bit robotic whereas for the most part this is smooth and natural. It's not perfect, especially with obstacles, but it is surprisingly reliable.

The presence of the gimbal means that, in comparison to other easily transportable cameras like the best action cameras, it is easier to choose a shutter speed as low as 30/25fps without obvious issues in motion footage. This is the massive advantage of the gimbal.

You'll need the Mimo app to make the most of the TikTok-friendly Glamour Mode (skin cleansing, lip enhancement, and the like) since a phone screen gives more room to describe the feature and tweak the settings, but you can still turn it on and off on-device and achieve a lot with the built-in menus, unlike some compact cameras.

The option to record in 10-bit D-Log gives possibilities in grading for serious creatives, and DJI make a LUT (Look-up Table) available for download – a very accurate one too (not that there is much wrong with DJI's 8-bit files). 4K slow motion can also now be shot in 10-bit (up to 120fps) following a post-launch firmware update.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3: Video Samples

The video includes samples shot on a cloudy day and the evening (sorry, no bright sun). The crispness of my untidy hair and sharp focus are impressive. The camera tracking's ability to follow the small train is also notable (as well as the enthusiastic child)!

DJI Osmo Pocket 3: Stills Samples

The stills are unlikely to be of much interest to Pocket 3 buyers, though the camera does have a Jpeg+RAW shooting mode. There is also the Panorama feature – which automatically rotates the camera and stitches multiple shots. This is lifted straight from the drones, and is brilliant, if rather somewhat 'fish-eye' like.

The standard Jpegs, when caught in the light and dark of the station, showed a lot of digital sharpening, though perhaps no more than most phone owners are used to. Tones were good, and the range is impressive, with detail in the shadow areas and only areas very near lights completely blown.

DJI OSMO Pocket 3: Overall verdict

On purely technical grounds, the Pocket 3 is fabulous, providing the perfect device for all kinds of shooting scenarios. For YouTubers at 4K or 'grammers & TikTokers at 3K this is great, and the bigger display & sensor make a huge difference over the previous generation. It's hard to understate how good gimbal-stabilized video looks without much practice, and that is helped even more by the simple but generally reliable tracking tools.

Would we actually put it in our pocket? Yes, but not a vulnerable one. Definitely not in my phone or wallet pocket, or near my keys – better to use the case! But crucial question: Is it something you'd put your hand into your pocket for? For all sorts of reasons "Yes," with the proviso that your pockets are deep enough.

This is a pricey device and, unless the content you are creating will benefit from the features, there are cheaper routes. Even its predecessor isn't a bad shout in good lighting (and it can also do the Mic thing with the right accessory). If money is an object, it is worth bearing in mind that action cameras and even some phones have digital image stabilization, and gimbals can be acquired for both as accessories.

Where this shines is by being both complex and simple at once – like a system camera. It is the center of a vlogging universe and you can buy most of that universe in the Creator bundle. Video on the move, or video where the subject moves, will stand out (and we'd recommend the Creator Combo for most users to be honest – especially as it's still the only way to get the brilliant 32-bit float DJI Mic 2 at the moment).

Thought of that way, too, you realise that it isn't actually that expensive. What initially seems expensive is actually a good price compared to a high-end vlogging camera like a Sony ZV-1F – which might look more traditional but don't have a gimbal, and require mics to be attached rather more inelegantly.

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While the Pocket series has a unique portable quality, we also have guides to the best gimbals for phones and the best gimbals for mirrorless & DSLR cameras.

Gimbals come in a wide range of categories, from heavy lifters such as the DJI RS 3 Pro which can carry a 4.5 Kg payload to the smaller and cheaper Hohem iSteady MT2 which has a payload of 1.2 kg.  Both of these 3-axis gimbals take a while to set up as you need to make sure that the payload’s lens and camera are balanced in the tilt, roll, and pan axes. 

The cheaper and lighter Hohem M6 is a smartphone-only gimbal that’s designed to get you up and running much more quickly, as you only need to balance the roll axis. This makes it an excellent entry-level gimbal for smartphone users who want to improve the production values of their video camera work. The M6 has a smartphone-compatible payload of 400g, which was adequate for my chunky iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Hohem iSteady M6: Specifications

Weight: 551g
Payload: 400g
Main material: High-Performance Composites
Smartphone Width: 58mm~98mm
Tilting range: 335°
Rolling range: 335°
Panning range: 360°
Battery life: Up to 18 hours

Hohem iSteady M6: Key Features

The Hohem M6 costs around $/£100 less than the Hohem MT2 but it still ships with the excellent magnetic AI vision sensor that enables the gimbal to tilt and pan to follow your every move. This sensor is compatible with any smartphone video app and it also doubles up as a mini fill-light.  This enabled us to get the gimbal to track our movement while shooting footage in the iPhone’s native Camera app. The more expensive iSteady MT2 can carry a mirrorless camera or a smartphone, whereas the cheaper iSteady M6 is for smartphones only. We tested the iSteady M6 with a chunky iPhone 14 Pro Max and the gimbal carried it smoothly and effortlessly.  

The iSteady M6 can also be controlled via the free Hohem Joy app. This is packed full of features such as gesture control (which enables you to make the gimbal track your moves without using the AI vision sensor). You can use also the app to make the gimbal track specific objects (though this feature was a bit of a hit-and-miss affair as we’ll discuss in the Performance section). The app also enables you to fine-tune gimbal properties such as the angle of the horizontal tilt (which can be handy if the smartphone’s horizon isn’t perfectly level). 

Hohem iSteady M6: Build & Handling

Compared to the more expensive Hohem iSteady MT2 the cheaper M6 feels more like a budget gimbal. The MT2 consists of many metal components whereas the M6 has a composite plastic construction. As with most gimbals, the M6 has a Mode button that enables you to quickly toggle through classic gimbal modes such as PTF (Pan, Tilt, Follow), POV (Point of View), and L(Lock). The chosen mode is displayed on a 0.91” OLED display. 

Thanks to the M6’s pistol grip design it is very comfortable to hold and the grip’s trigger can be used to recenter the gimbal with a double tap. Three taps on the trigger cause the gimbal to rotate your smartphone smoothly via 180º so you can switch seamlessly from a front-facing view to a selfie in a single take (or vice versa). Check out our supporting video in the Performance section to see the M6 in action.

Hohem iSteady M6: Performance

To test the iSteady M6 I took it to a windy rocky location. I attached the supplied mini tripod legs to the gimbal so I could pop it on the ground and use the AI vision sensor to track my movement as I walked and talked (see supporting video). Even when shooting into direct sunlight the vision sensor smoothly tilted and panned the gimbal to keep me in shot at all times  (as if I had a camera operator with me on location.)  

Due to the large size of my iPhone 14 Pro Max the magnetically attached AI sensor could catch on the roll motor when performing a low-angle shot, but you wouldn’t need the sensor to be attached when performing this type of manual camera move so that’s not a big issue.

When carrying it handheld the M6 performed classic moves such as pans and tilts smoothly and effortlessly.  By closing the gimbal’s mini tripod legs I could extend the length of the gimbal and position it close to the ground for dramatic sweeping tracking shots. These types of moves would be much harder to do with a handheld smartphone. 

Thanks to the mini-tripod I could place the gimbal on the ground to get a dramatic low angle. I could then use the joystick to perform smooth pans or tilts to manually follow my subject. By using the tripod I didn’t need to always carry the gimbal, which was especially handy when shooting a World War 2 re-enactment event that took ages to unfold. During this event, I tested the Hohem Joy app’s object-tracking feature. This involves drawing a box around a subject such as a vehicle. The app then attempts to pan the gimbal so that the chosen vehicle stays in shot. 

However, I found that the app soon got confused and the gimbal would start whip-panning left and right leading to unusable footage. As the military vehicles were camouflaged against a green background it’s possible that this was too challenging a test.  On the whole though I found that the gimbal made it very easy to for me perform a wide range of camera moves and I enjoyed using the physical record button to trigger the capture of clips and stills. 

Hohem claims a battery life of 18 hours. I found the battery performance was excellent and the gimbal was still running after two days of testing. In fact, my iPhone ran out of power before the gimbal did.

Hohem iSteady M6: Verdict

The iSteady M6 is a great gimbal for documenting events as its pistol grip shape enables you to carry your smartphone comfortably. The gimbal’s physical record button enables you to quickly capture the action as it unfolds. The gimbal pans and tilts to follow your hand moves, making it perform like an organic extension of your arm. The mini tripod enables you to film from ground level with no effort and you can use the joystick to perform smooth tilts and pans to follow the subject. We also liked the fact that you can pop your smartphone onto the gimbal’s clip mount and start shooting quickly (without wasting time balancing 3 axes). If you’re looking for your first smartphone gimbal then the Hohem iSteady M6 will do the job nicely.

Read more: get steadier videos with our picks for the best smartphone gimbals and the best DLSR gimbals for mirrorless and SLR cameras.

These digital days most action cameras and smartphones use software algorithms to stabilize handheld footage. Devices such as the iPhone 14 Pro Max also use a mechanical optical image stabilization system to iron out handheld shakes and wobbles.  So do you need to cough up your hard-earned cash to buy a gimbal like the Hohem iSteady MT2?  If you’re a serious videographer who wants to add some creative camera moves to their repertoire then my answer is a definite ‘yes’.  The iSteady M2 does much more than simply keeping your footage looking smooth and steady as I’ll explain…

Hohem iSteady MT2: Specifications

Weight: 653g
Payload: 1.2kg
Main material: Aircraft Grade Aluminum & High-Performance Composites
Camera Width: 60mm~97mm
Tilting range: 290°
Rolling range: 200°
Panning range: 360 °
Battery Life: Up to 17hours

Hohem iSteady MT2: Key Features

The iSteady is a typical 3-axis gimbal that enables your smartphone, action camera, or mirrorless camera to perform professional-looking camera moves such as pans, tilts, rolls, and also Steadicam smooth tracking and dolly shots. Thanks to an attachable mini tripod the iSteady can also become an autonomous camera operator. Simply pop the tripod-mounted gimbal on the ground and set the Hohem Joy app to Gesture control. You can then use a hand signal to trigger the gimbal to follow your every move as you walk and talk freely on location. It will even tilt down to keep you in the shot if you crouch. Another hand gesture will cause the gimbal to stop following you and the recording will be saved. Check out our supporting video to see this cool feature in action. 

The Hohem Joy app enables you to unleash a range of creative shooting modes such as Inception mode. This causes the gimbal to position the camera horizontally and rotate it through 360º to capture the types of shots made popular by the movie Inception. We had fun with this mode on our test shoot as you can see from our video. You can also trigger Inception mode by tapping the Mode button three times. The mode button will also toggle through classic gimbal shooting modes such as PTF (Pan, Tilt, Follow), POV (Point of View), and L (Lock).

The Hohem Joy app is very handy, though you can use the gimbal while filming in other apps such as the iPhone’s Camera app. This enables you to shoot using the iPhone’s Cinematic mode (which you couldn’t access if you were filming in the Hohem Joy app.)  However, if you shoot in your smartphone’s native app you won’t have access to the Hohem Joy app’s motion tracking features. 

This problem is solved by the purchase of an additional Fill Light with an AI Vision Sensor. The sensor clips onto the MT2 gimbal magnetically. You can then use gesture control to make the gimbal follow your every move without having to operate via the Hohem Joy app. If you press the physical control dial’s button on the side of the gimbal you can activate the sensor’s fill light and then rotate the control dial to adjust brightness, color temperature, and even mimic colored gels by adjusting RGB values. 

Another key feature is the iSteady’s quick-release plate. I tend to shoot video in horizontal landscape mode so my footage will fill a widescreen TV, but if I did have a burning desire to quickly capture a vertical portrait-oriented clip for an Instagram reel I could slide the l-shaped bracket out of the gimbal and then re-insert it in a vertical orientation (as you’ll see from our supporting video).  

Hohem iSteady MT2: Build & Handling

The iSteady has a tactile pistol grip which has a ribbed surface that gives you a strong purchase on the gimbal. The three-axis arms and motor housings are constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum which gives the gimbal a reassuringly solid feel (which is reflected in its relatively expensive price). 

The control dial on the side has a ribbed rubber ring that makes it easy to rotate with precision.  This enables you to perform operations such as pulling focus when using the Hohem Joy app.  When using the app you can also take advantage of the physical zoom dial below the OLED screen to re-frame from a close to wide composition.  You can also re-assign this dial to pull focus instead.  The OLED screen gives you useful information such as the current shooting mode or the color temperature of the optional fill light.

One unusual feature that I’ve not encountered on a gimbal before is the option to fine-tune the angle of your smartphone’s default tilt angle by manually pulling the motor into the desired position. When you hold the smartphone at the desired angle for two seconds the tilt motor remembers this position.  This goes against my natural instincts to manually apply pressure to a gimbal motor but the technique works without harming the motor. You can also of course manually position the tilt axis using the more conventional approach of pushing the joystick up or down. 

Hohem iSteady MT2: Performance

As you’ll see from our supporting video the iSteady performed relatively well on location. My model Paulina had no trouble activating the Hohem Joy app’s face-tracking feature using gesture control and it caused the gimbal to follow her every move (even when her face turned away from the camera).  But when I recorded my intro to the supporting video the Hohem Joy app struggled to follow me. I think this was because my face was backlit against a bright white sky. However, by clipping the magnetic AI tracker to the gimbal I was able to get the gimbal to pan and tilt to follow me while filming in the iPhone’s native Camera app. 

Confusingly you need to use different gestures to make the gimbal auto-track you when using the app or the AI sensor. The sensor requires an OK gesture to get started. The app requires you to make a 'Victory V' style gesture to start auto-tracking. Both the app and the AI sensor are happy with a raised palm to stop the tracking.  

One downside of the AI sensor is that it won’t start or stop a recording - you have to remember to tap the record button in the camera app of your choice.  If you use gesture control in the Hohem Joy app then it will start and stop recording as well as tracking you.

This is the eleventh gimbal I’ve tested for Digital Camera World and I thoroughly enjoyed using the iSteady MT2 to capture a variety of smooth pans, tilts, and tracking shots while filming actress Paulina Cherry walking through a crowded city location.  The additional Inception mode also inspired me to shoot a couple of cinematic rotating angles that I enjoyed cutting together in Final Cut Pro. 

The Hohem Joy app is packed full of social media pleasing tricks such as a Dolly Zoom. This attempts to mimic the elastic spacial distortion caused by zooming in on a subject while tracking away from them. I tried using this mode five times without capturing a convincing dolly zoom, so I’ll file that under 'gimmick'.  However, the CloneMe mode was excellent. This causes the gimbal to pan and take three separate shots. It then stitches the shots seamlessly together.  This gave me the idea of capturing my actress having a row with herself which was fun to shoot and the result looks great, so that creative panorama went straight up on my social media feeds. 

Hohem iSteady MT2: Verdict

The Hohem iSteady MT2 is relatively expensive when compared with a similar smartphone gimbal such as the Zhiyun Smooth Q4. Both of these gimbals feature the option to track a subject via their supporting app and you can also use a physical dial on each gimbal to zoom in or out. They both feature a magnetic fill light attachment too.  

However the Hohem iSteady MT2’s black and orange aluminum body looks and feels much more like a professional gimbal compared with the light grey plastic body of the Smooth Q4, and this quality and design is reflected in the higher price. The iSteady’s magnetic AI sensor also enables you to track a subject using your smartphone’s native camera app (whereas you need to use the Smooth Q4’s Zy CaMi app to perform object tracking). 

Read more: find the best gimbal for steadying your smartphone footage with our guide to the best smartphone gimbals, or to step up your content production check out our guide to the best DSLR gimbals for mirrorless and SLR cameras.

To date, I’ve tested and reviewed nine gimbals for Digital Camera World, with the Crane 4 being my tenth. They all do the same job of enabling you to track, dolly, pan, tilt and occasionally roll your camera or smartphone without the need for a cumbersome tripod or tracks.  

On the gimbal spectrum, the Crane 4 fits into the heavy-lifting category, so smartphone users needn’t consider it. If you’re a smartphone filmmaker check out my ZHIYUN Crane M2S and Smooth Q4 reviews. I tested the Crane 4 with a mirrorless full-frame Lumix S5 sporting a Lumix 20-60 mm lens, though I'm confident it could handle a heavier payload.  ZHIYUN doesn’t specify a specific payload weight for the Crane 4 but you can find a list of compatible cameras here. 

Zhiyun Crane 4: Specifications

Weight: 1.673Kg (without mini-tripod)
Tilting range: Max: +142°, Min: -72°
Rolling range: Max: +71°, Min: -251°
Panning range: 360 °
Bluetooth: 5.0
Touch screen size: 1.22 inch
Battery Life: Up to 12 hours
LED: 3200 Lux

Zhiyun Crane 4: Key Features

All gimbals feature tilt, roll, and pan axis motors that enable you to perform a range of smooth handheld camera moves and these motors are of course present and correct on the Crane 4. However, there’s a welcome new key feature relating to these motors that I’ve not seen in the other nine gimbals that I’ve reviewed! 

To make a gimbal perform smoothly you need to adjust the position of its arms so that the camera is perfectly balanced. If the camera and lens aren’t balanced then this puts strain on the motors which causes the arms to judder and invariably the gimbal will go into sleep mode to protect the motors.  The Crane 4 helps you ensure that the camera is perfectly balanced thanks to warning lights on each of the three-axis motors. If a motor is happy with the balance then it displays a white light. If a motor is under strain then the light changes to red. 

This enables you to quickly diagnose where the camera is out of balance so you can slide the appropriate adjustable arms until the relevant motor light displays as white. These diagnostic balancing lights reduce the ‘hit and miss’ approach of trying to work out where the balance problem lies so they should reduce the time it takes to perform the often tedious task of balancing the camera and lens. 

The Crane 4 also boasts a powerful fill light (up to 3200 Lux) which could come in handy for capturing better-quality clips in low-light locations. You can trigger the light with a press of a button/dial on the pistol grip and then dial in a range of brightness levels. You can also use the dial to change the LED’s color temperature in degrees K (between 2700K - 5500K) so that the light matches the warm or cool available light in your location.  The selected color temperate is displayed on the gimbal’s 1.22-inch touchscreen in degrees Kelvin. 

Another welcome key feature is a small attention to detail that could also save you lots of time setting up your camera on the gimbal. For the gimbal to perform correctly you need to make sure that the camera is securely attached to the quick-release plate.  Just below where the camera sits is a mini magnetic wrench that’s always at hand to let you tighten the screw that attaches the camera to the plate.

 Now there’s no longer any need to rummage around in your pocket for a coin that you can use to attach the camera to the quick-release plate. The quick-release plate can be quickly removed from the tilt axis’s tripod plate and mounted vertically for portrait-oriented shooting, which is handy when shooting reels for Instagram for example. 

Zhiyun Crane 4: Build & Handling

If you’ve used an older Crane model such as the Crane 3S then you won’t recognize the Crane 4 due to a complete re-design. The Crane 4 has incorporated many of the design features of ZHIYUN’s Weebill 3S. 

Like the Weebill 3S the Crane 4 now has an easier-to-hold pistol grip design on the main body. The Crane 4 also boasts the Weebill’s sling grip, which you can use to make the gimbal perform dramatic close-to-the-ground tracking shots. The sling grip can be swung vertically alongside the pistol grip so that you can use it as a second grip handle for maneuvering heavy payloads in comfort. 

A Weebill-like adjustable wrist rest also helps you carry the gimbal single-handed with less strain on your wrist.  Both the sling arm and wrist rest can be attached via an Allen (or hex) key to suit left or right-handed operators. If you compare a Crane 4 and a Weebill 3S side by side they look very similar in size apart from the Crane 4’s considerably longer arm length which enables it to accommodate larger cameras. 

While balancing the gimbal you need to lock and unlock the three-axis arms in turn. The tilt axis has a raised ridge along the edge of the motor. As I rotated the tilt axis my finger got pinched between the motor’s raised ridge and the gimbal’s LED which gave me a bit of a nip. This isn’t a major design flaw and it didn’t happen again once I became aware of the nipping hazard. 

Thanks to the balance warning lights on each motor the Crane 4 is easier to balance, though like the Weevil 3S the arm’s adjustable sliders need a fair bit of pressure to push them into the optimum position. Sometimes you apply so much pressure to make a stiff slider move that it overshoots the desired balance point. What would give the Crane 4 an extra half-star is the cog wheel found on the DJI RS 3. This enables you to rotate the cog wheel to fine-tune the balance of that gimbal’s 3 axes arms with ease and precision. 

Zhiyun Crane 4: Performance

Once we got our Lumix S5 with its 20-60 mm lens balanced the Crane 4 performed smoothly in all of its shooting modes, without the dreaded take-ruining vibration caused by motor strain. The combination of the sling arm and the wrist rest enabled us to tilt, pan, roll, track, and dolly with the minimum of effort as you’ll see from our supporting video. 

Thanks to the smartphone ZY Play app you can mount the gimbal on its supplied mini tripod and then control it remotely.  The app’s Sync Motion feature enables you to pan and tilt the gimbal by panning and tilting the smartphone courtesy of a Bluetooth link and you can fine-tune the speed of the pan, tilt, and roll axis using sliders in the app. This isn’t a unique feature to the Crane 4 but it could be very handy when you need to perform camera moves remotely (such as panning to follow a fast car that drives by close the the camera).  

If your camera is paired to the gimbal via Bluetooth then you can also use the app to trigger the camera’s record button.  The Crane 4 model that we tested had a damaged touchscreen so we couldn’t change shooting modes by tapping it. Fortunately, the adjacent mode button enabled us to toggle between PF (Pan Follow), Follow (F), Lock (L), and Point of view (POV). We could also access all these shooting modes with a tap on the app’s screen, so we could put the Crane 4 through its paces as you’ll see from our supporting test video. 

Zhiyun Crane 4: Verdict

If you’re a DSLR or mirrorless shooter who is new to the joys of gimbal operation then the Crane 4 is well worth considering, especially as it reduces the time taken to balance the camera on the gimbal courtesy of the motor warning lights on its 3 axis. The option to control it remotely via the app will also give you extra shooting opportunities. The incorporation of a Weebill 3S-style sling grip and adjustable wrist rest makes the Crane 4 a comfortable gimbal to maneuver smoothly even with a heavy payload. 

Read more: find out more about the best DSLR and mirrorless camera gimbals in our guide. You can also find out more about filmmaking with our guides to the best camera for video and the best 8K and 6K cameras.

Fresh off the back of releasing upgraded Crane M3S and Weebil 3S models just last month, ZHIYUN isn’t resting on its laurels and is back with an upgrade to the biggest and badest gimbal in its range with the new Zhiyun Crane 4.

The Crane series encompasses both the Crane-M range of smaller and lighter gimbals for small to mid-sized mirrorless cameras and also the regular Crane series, for larger and heavier camera setups. The last Zhiyun Crane we saw in the latter category was the Crane 3S back in 2020, and Zhiun has shown that two years is a long time, with the new Crane 4 coming with a raft of updates.

The feature that grabs my attention most is Zhiyuns new built-in balance indicator lights, giving you at-a-glance calibration status for each motor on the Crane 4. This seems like a game-changer for gimbals, as one of the most frustrating aspects is getting a gimbal perfectly balanced, and then keeping it that way! Gimbals have a bit of a learning curve to them, but if this feature comes to lower models then will surely encourage more people to use a gimbal for the first time.

Zhiyun claims they have made the Crane 4 lighter than the previous generation and you can work one-handed or two-handed, although this will strongly depend on your camera setup and upper body strength as I find holding even smaller gimbals and cameras hard to maintain for long periods of time. The Crane 4 does have an ergonomic wrist and an adjustable sliding grip which Zhiyun claims allow for more comfortable operation and faster switching between sling and two-handed modes.

The Crane 4 doesn’t seem to have an official payload, but Zhiyun says it is able to take heavier full frame DSLR cameras and compact cinema cameras, such as Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K, ZCAM, and SIGMA FP series. It sounds like the Crane 4 will comfortably take a lot of modern camera setups, but there will be a tool launched on Zhiyun’s website to see if your camera setup is compatible.

Other new features include an integrated 1.22-inch color touchscreen, which allows you to change the different stabilization modes, see feedback from the gimbal such as balance, as well as fine-tune the motors. Zhiyun has used this touch screen on their most recent models when reviewing the Crane M3S, I found it the easiest way yet to control a gimbal, although it did register a lot of accidental touches, so we will have to see if the Crane 4 screen is less sensitive. The Crane 4 can connect via Bluetooth wirelessly to your camera (so long as it is compatible) and allows you to have direct shutter control and start and stop recording directly from the handle.

Another feature making it over from Zhiyun’s content creator-focused gimbals is a first for a pro Crane series gimbal, the Crane 4 includes a built-in 10W fill light mounted to the side of the camera. The light has a max illuminance of 3200 lux, a CRI of 95+, and a CCT between 2700K-5500K.

The Crane 4 is powered by four high-capacity 18650mAh batteries that provide up to 12 hours of runtime (although expect this to vary based on your camera setup, gimbal settings, and movement) The Crane 4 can be fully recharged in under two hours via USB PD fast charging using any PD charger, although Zhiyun doesn’t list the maximum fast charge wattage.

The Crane 4 will be available in two options, with the Crane 4 alone costing $669 / £669, and a second Crane 4 Combo kit will be available with MasterMove accessories and a storage bag for $749 / £749. Both are available to order right now.

Looking for the right stabilizer for your camera, check out our guides for the best camera gimbals. Or if you are looking to change up your filmmaking equipment, then check out our guides to the best camera for video or the best camera for filmmaking. 

In August 2022 I tested and reviewed Zhiyun’s Weebill 3 DSLR and mirrorless camera stabilizer and was impressed enough to give it 4.5 stars. 2023 sees the release of the Weebill 3S. The fact that this incarnation isn’t called the Weebill 4 might lead you to think that there’s not much difference between the 3S and its predecessor. Indeed the differences between the 3 and the 3S may be relatively subtle but they are still welcome upgrades and improvements on last year’s model as we’ll explain.  

Like Australia’s smallest bird (the Weebill), the aptly named Weebill 3S has a compact profile. In fact, at a net weight of 1.05 kg/2.33 lbs, it’s even lighter than the 1.13kg/2.49 lbs of 2022’s Weebill 3. Despite its smaller stature, its motors are powerful enough to enable your mirrorless or DSLR cameras to perform a range of smoothly cinematic moves (as you’ll see if you scroll down to watch this review’s supporting video).

Zhiyun Weebill 3S: Specifications

Product Size (W*D*H): 305*210*72.5 (mm)
Weight: 1.05Kg/2.33lbs 
Tilting range: 310°
Rolling range: 340°
Panning range: 360 °
Battery Runtime: 11.5 hours
LED: 2600k-5500K, CRI: 90+

Zhiyun Weebill 3S: Key Features

One of the chores faced when using a gimbal is getting your camera balanced in the tilt, pan, and roll axes. An unbalanced camera makes the stabilizer’s motors work harder, leading to a shorter life span for the device. The performance of an unbalanced gimbal will also be adversely affected, leading to shot-ruining shakes.

Fortunately, the Weebill 3S is relatively quick and easy to balance thanks to the adjustable and lockable sliders.  You sometimes have to put a bit of pressure on the roll, tilt, and pan arms to move them into a balanced position but once you’ve got the balance right you can unclip the camera via the quick-release plate, transport the gimbal and camera to your shooting location and then re-attach the pre-balanced camera via the quick release plate in seconds so that you can start shooting quickly. 

The Weebill 3S Combo kit ships with a backpack that stores the locked and folded gimbal in the top section and your camera and other accessories in the bottom. This makes the Weebill 3S relatively quick and easy to transport and deploy.   

A welcome new key feature is the ability to trigger the attached camera’s shutter button via Bluetooth (if your camera supports Bluetooth that is!).  You can make the camera start recording by pressing the red Record button on the gimbal. This saves you the hassle and inconvenience of attaching the camera to the gimbal via cables (which could hamper its performance).  

The Sling Mode 2.0 on the Weebill 3 has been upgraded to Sling Mode 2.5. Like the old sling handle, the new sling enables to sweep the camera along a few inches from the ground. However, the new sling can also be rotated the run parallel with the main grip, in effect giving you a two-handed grip that provides more control when maneuvering a heavy payload.  The quick-release plate can be redeployed so that you can quickly switch between landscape and portrait-oriented compositions. 

The Weebill 3S also features a built-in dual-color Fill light. This LED emits up to 1000 lumens to illuminate closer subjects such as ‘talking heads’.  Magnetic clip-on filters enable you to change the color temperature of the LED.  A dial on the gimbal’s handle also functions as a button. You can turn on the lamp with a press and then rotate the dial to adjust its brightness.

Zhiyun Weebill 3S: Build & Handling

Zhiyun doesn’t mention the maximum payload in their Weebill 3S specifications, but their website does have a comprehensive list of compatible cameras and lens combinations. You’ll then need to click on the Weebill 3S thumbnail. 

With a weight of only 1.05Kg the Weebill 3S is not too heavy to hold, even with the additional 1.42 kg payload that we used in our test.  The adjustable wrist support acts like a lever and really does make it easier to carry the gimbal one-handed while reducing fatigue during a long or complex camera move.  

At the base of the gimbal is a little plate that you can use to attach the optional sling grip and wrist support. Initially, this plate rattled and wobbled a little but the problem was solved by a few twists of an Allen key to tighten two fixtures. The upgraded Sling Mode 2.5 grip can be re-configured to act as a second support handle, providing a two-handed grip. You can adjust the length of the sling to make it easier to hold during a shoot and easier to stow in its bag.

Zhiyun Weebill 3S: Performance

Initially, I tested the Weebill 3S with a Canon 650D DSLR carrying an L-series 24-70mm lens. This payload weighed in at 1.48 kg.  After balancing the camera we were pleased to see that there was no sign of vibration or shake and the stabilizer performed any move we made nicely and smoothly.  

For our location test shoot, we used a payload of a Sony A7 III mirrorless camera sporting a Tamron 28-77mm lens. Again this similar payload was carried smoothly and effectively by the Weebill 3S with no signs of strain on the motors. 

We tried out a range of shooting modes that were easy to access by tapping on the Mode button. The relevant mode appeared on the gimbal’s 0.96-inch non-touch Single-color screen. In F (Follow mode) the Weebill 3S would pan and tilt to follow the movement of our arm. In PF (Pan Follow) mode the gimbal would pan but not tilt up or down. Using Lock mode we were able to keep a subject in the same part of the frame when tracking left or right or craning up and down. Check out our supporting video to see the various modes in action. 

The joystick on the gimbal was also very effective at enabling us to pan and tilt as smoothly as we could if we were using a heavy-duty tripod’s fluid head. The supplied mini tripod legs enable us to shoot with a small footprint. The Combo kit’s backpack makes it easier to carry all your gear to a location (rather than lugging a heavy gimbal carry case and separate camera bag).

We also liked the fact that the adjustment wheel on the front of the gimbal could be customized via the menu button and the OLED screen. We set the wheel to control the tilt axis so we could fine-tune our shots’ starting positions. We were then able to film some background video clips during a graduation ceremony. The portability of the Weebill 3S meant that we could quickly move between a range of locations at the venue and capture professional camera moves without the need for a heavy-duty tripod. 

Zhiyun Weebill 3S: Verdict

We loved the Weebill 3 when it was released last year and the lighter but equally powerful Weevil 3S gives us even more to love thanks to some nice evolutionary touches.  The upgraded sling-grip 2.5 can be rotated alongside the grip handle to enable a two-handed grip which is useful for managing heavier payloads.  It also carried a DSLR and mirrorless camera with ease, making it an attractive purchase for videographers who need to shoot on the move without cluttering up a location with a heavy tripod (plus it’s harder work to lug a tripod around, especially if you’re shooting an event with multiple locations such as a graduation or a wedding). 

Read more: find out more about the best gimbals for mirrorless and SLR camera users, or to up your phone photography game, find out more about the best smartphone gimbals.

Zhiyun Crane series of handheld camera stabilizers has rapidly gained widespread popularity among videographers and filmmakers. Launched only in 2016, they have quickly become renowned for advanced features and compact design, with a more wallet-friendly price than other rivals.

Versatility is a key characteristic of the Zhiyun Crane series, as it is compatible with a broad range of cameras, from smartphones, to mirrorless cameras to lightweight DSLRs. Zhiyun has continuously refined and expanded the Crane series, introducing models with improved capabilities and ergonomics. With its affordability, user-friendly interface, and impressive performance, the Zhiyun Crane has become a go-to choice for videographers of all levels of expertise.

The Crane-M 3S comes in as a replacement for the Crane M3, the newer model keeping the general design of the Crane M3 but expanding on its performance with improvements in battery and load capacity. 

Zhiyun Crane-M 3S: Specifications

Load capacity: List of compatible cameras
Dimensions: 284.2 x 74.5 x 163.5 mm (54.01 x 2.93 x 64.37 in)
Weight: 705g (1.55 lbs)
Battery life: up to 7.5 hours
Charging time: 2 hours USB-C PD
Operating temperature: -10 to 50 ºC (14-113 ºF)
Features: built-in 1.22-inch touchscreen display, built-in bi-color LED fill light, 360-degree pan, 305-degree tilt, 314-degree roll rotation, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0 shutter control

Zhiyun Crane-M 3S: Key Features

The Zhiyun Crane-M 3S offers an array of impressive features for filmmakers and videographers. Its three-axis gimbal system ensures stability and balance, allowing for smooth footage even during movement. Designed with portability in mind, the Crane-M 3S is compact and lightweight, weighing just 705g including the battery.

The Crane-M 3S has a strong payload capacity capable of carrying a wide range of mirrorless camera and lens combinations, including popular configurations like the Sony A7 III and 24-70 f/2.8 lens. Its strength and size can accommodate a lot of different devices, from phones to mirrorless and even lightweight DSLR cameras. Setting up the Crane-M 3S is quick and easy, thanks to Zhiyun's use of its simple and efficient lock and balance adjustment system.

The Crane-M 3S offers multiple shooting modes, including pan follow, locking mode, following mode, and POV mode. The M 3S also offers a number of manual controls including a multi-directional joystick, and a panning wheel. There are also options in the settings for photographers looking to create automated panoramic images or time-lapses.

The built-in rechargeable battery of the Crane-M 3S delivers a runtime of up to an estimated 7.5 hours when used with a camera and lens of a similar weight to a Sony A7 III and 24-70 f/2.8, and can be charged in 2 hours using USB-C PD. Additionally, it supports wireless control through the dedicated ZY mobile app, enabling remote control and customization of settings, as well as wired or Bluetooth shutter control with compatible cameras.

Zhiyun Crane-M 3S: Build & Handling

The build quality of the Crane-M 3S is much better than its relatively affordable price tag would suggest, it feels solid and really well designed, the main body is made of a sturdy feeling plastic with a soft grip, while the 3-axis stablizer is made of metal. Like other Zhiyun gimbals, you can lock the axis in place when travelling, which also helps when initially balancing the camera during setup, these locks are strong and secure, and didn’t come loose as I carried it around in my backpack. 

The sliders for balancing the gimbal are thankfully less stiff than previous gimbals, in the past I have had trouble moving them the minute amounts needed to perfectly balance the gimbal as they wouldn’t budge, which then caused me to exert too much force and move them too far. The Crane-M 3S sliders are all much more forgiving and slide back and forth with minimal effort. All the sliders lock with thumb-press levers, which are good at staying put while shooting, but did all easily get unlocked while transporting the gimbal in a bag.

There are several function buttons on the main handle, these control the different shooting modes available on the 3S, there is also a wheel on the side to control the fill light brightness and color, and a custom wheel on the front for smooth panning. These buttons and wheels feel a little plastic-y, with a bit of a rattle and mushy feedback when pressed, but they all have worked flawlessly in my time with the gimbal, they just don’t feel especially premium.

The touchscreen is a really nice little feature, it is by far the easiest and most intuitive way I have controlled a gimbal yet. The menu system is really easy to follow, and although the choices of settings aren’t overwhelming for this gimbal, there is an in-depth level of customization available for anyone wanting absolute control. My only issue with the touchscreen is that it is very easy to accidentally touch it while using the gimbal, I found several times when putting down the gimbal I had managed to go several pages deep into the menu system or had started changing settings. A lock screen might be a useful addition to a future model.

The looks of the Crane-M 3S might be divisive, while I think it looks great, I love the look of Zhiyun’s products and the 3S is cool and very stylish and fits the brand perfectly. However, I also am torn as it doesn’t look as professional as I might want for every shooting situation. The gimbal is clearly designed for vloggers and content creators first, with a noticeable stand-out design, but I also wish it was available in a sleeker and more demure all black version, it would just be nice to have the option. If you opt for the combo bundle, you will also be treated to a carry case/backpack, which although surprisingly premium quality, it’s quite feminine/childish and not my thing at all, I wish I just had a regular case option.

Zhiyun Crane-M 3S: Performance

I honestly cannot fault the Crane-M 3S performance, from initial setup the gimbal is an absolute breeze to use. The setup processing is incredibly simple, you lock the axis in place, attach the camera and then unlock one axis at a time balancing the camera weight until each is perfectly aligned. Admittedly I am an experienced stablizer user, but I managed to have my Fujifilm XT-5 balanced in less than a minute after taking the gimbal out of the bag. Once you have the camera all perfectly aligned, the 3S can then run a calibration check to fine tune the motors for your particular camera load.

Above: watch how the Zhiyun Crane-M 3S performs against the camera's handheld IBIS when walking and running.

During shooting the M 3S is comfortable to hold, and one handed shooting is possible depending on your camera and lens combination. I found with the Fujifilm XT-5 and Fujinon 24mm f/1.4 lens I could hold the gimbal in one hand, but only for short bursts, for the majority of the time, I used a two handed setup with the tripod attached to the bottom as an additional grip. If you plan to shoot with something lighter, or a smartphone, then you should have an easier time of one-handed shooting. You can also attach the tripod grip (or anything with a ¼ inch screw) to the side of the gimbal for an alternative way to hold the gimbal steady.

Footage shot with the Crane-M 3S is superb. My camera has decent in-body image stabilization and lenses with optical stabilization, but I could not get anything as smooth and stable shooting handheld as I could when the camera was on the gimbal. Panning shots are silky, but where the gimbal really shines is during more heavy movement like walking or running where the gimbal takes the worst of the jolts and bumps.

The stablization modes including pan, pan follow, POV and lock all work exactly as expected, for inexperienced gimbal users, it might take a while to fully be at one with each stablization mode as they offer very different control, but for anyone familiar with gimbal shooting you will be able to jump right in and start creating. The Crane-M’s joystick also provides smooth movement, with three speed settings. I found it easy to get a smooth sweep, although the wheel on the front of the gimbal is my favorite method to to get a slow and steady pan while static.

Finally, a quick mention of the fill light, the light is actually deceptively powerful for such a tiny little light. The variable color temperature is super useful, and the light can be dimmed too. The light is quite harsh, and will cause some shadowing, especially on faces, but having any light in low-light situations is better than having nothing.

Zhiyun Crane-M 3S: Verdict

The Zhiyun Crane-M 3S is one of the best gimbals you can buy if you are a vlogger or content creator looking for an effective and affordable way to step up to more professional looking footage on your mirrorless camera or even your phone. The gimbal is light, yet powerful, capable of taking most mirrorless camera and lens combinations. The controls are also intuitive, with plenty of buttons and dials for quick controls and a really useful mini touch screen for settings, it is a great gimbal to start with if you are not an experienced user.

Footage is smooth and a step up from handheld shooting, even with in-body and lens stablization, results from the M 3S were just more stable, especially with heavier movement. However, one handed operation with mirrorless cameras is very straining. The Crane-M 3S is very well built and looks very modern and stylish, although I do wish it was available in a darker option too.

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The biggest competition Zhiyun has in the gimbal space is from DJI, with the closest version to the Crane-M 3S being the DJI RS 3 Mini, which offers a similar set of features and functions for around the same price. 

There are also several brands on Amazon that sell gimbals and stabilizers, although when you are attaching a very expensive camera to a piece of equipment, it is often wise to go with a reputable brand.

Read more: Find out more about the best DSLR gimbals for mirrorless and SLR cameras or the best smartphone gimbals for iPhone and Android.