This gimbal is the size of a bottle of water! Meet the Zhiyun Crane M3

(Image credit: Zhiyun)

Zhiyun has launched its latest "small yet mighty" gimbal, the Zhiyun Crane M3 – a three-axis gimbal that's the size of a 500ml bottle of water and features a built-in LED fill light and touchscreen control.

Designed for camera phones, action cameras and full-frame mirrorless cameras (with certain lenses), the Zhiyun Crane M3 claims compatibility with "over 90% of mirrorless cameras".

• Read more: Zhiyun Crane M3 review

Indeed, Universal TransMount Quick Release plates are available for the Sony A7 III, Sony A7C, Sony A6000, Sony A7S, Sony ZV-E10, Canon EOS M50 / Canon EOS M50 Mark II, Nikon Z fc, Fujifilm X-S10 and Fujifilm XT-4.

Promising a better user experience than the previous Crane, the M3's quick-release design facilitates seamless changing between camera types – as well as fresh batteries – without the need for rebalancing.

Upgraded motors with increased torque should deliver improved stability, with a new 1.22-inch full color touchscreen enabling granular adjustments to follow speed as well as settings such as portrait, go-mode and vortex mode.

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The built-in receiver at the base can be paired with a transmitter module for wireless Bluetooth control of certain camera bodies, with a control wheel and joystick (to manipulate roll, aperture, shutter and ISO) offer simple one-handed operation.

The Zhiyun Crane M3's built-in LED fill light, powered by heat generated by the device, is rated at 800 lumen – at its 6W peak it delivers 2600-5400K color temperature with a 90+ CRI. Magnetic light filter accessories are also available, adding further control to the illumination.

Professional microphones can be easily and directly connected to the M3's TransMount Expansion Base, removing the need to add cables or weight to the camera itself. The gimbal comes with TransMount Shotgun Microphone as standard, with a 6.5mm audio jack.

The Zhiyun Crane M3 is available now, starting at $369 / £369 (Australian pricing TBC) for the standalone stabilizer.

James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus / OM System, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras, too.

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