Hohem iSteady MT3 review: great for phones and compact cameras, but mind the payload promises

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

Zhiyun Smooth Q5 Ultra review

If you're only ever going to be filming with a smartphone, then this gimbal from Zhiyun will do the job perfectly. Its feature set is a little more basic, and it won't work on action or mirrorless cameras, but at only $99, it's incredibly affordable.