Stability is a mark of excellence: 5 handheld smartphone gimbals

A three-axis stub from Gudsen, sharpened for use in conjunction with smartphones, is interesting not only for its faithful service in guarding the smoothness of the picture when recording videos, but also for one important highlight that makes the steadicam unique.

Directly in the process of video filming, the user has the right to use the useful function of wireless smartphone charging, for which the sensor is located in the holder of the mobile device. If the “mobile phone” is deprived of support for over-the-air charging, you should not get upset ahead of time, since you can replenish the energy reserves of its battery in the “old-fashioned” way — through a regular USB port placed on one of the faces of the gimbal. The steadicam's own battery has a capacity of 2100 mAh, which is enough for a 10-hour marathon of continuous video recording.

At the disposal of the mobile operator, there are a lot of scenarios for the work of Gudsen MOZA Mini-MI: from completely blocking the position of the smartphone to tracking on each axis with a combination of settings purely for themselves. You can switch between modes by pressing the buttons on the navigator, supplemented by a joystick to rotate the camera.

Significantly "pump" the level of user interaction with the stabilizer helps a proprietary application, available at the start only for owners of "apple" gadgets. In it , video recording parameters are subject to change (shutter speed, ISO, white balance, frame rate, etc.), a choice of different shooting modes (photo, video, time-lapses, light painting) is provided, and using the scroll wheel, it becomes possible to zoom in on the picture or control focus. The meager equipment and a large storage case slightly smooth the positive impression of the model, but due to the adequate price tag, these minor flaws close their eyes by themselves.

You won’t surprise anyone with an electronic device for stabilization. Therefore, manufacturers of such devices go to all sorts of tricks in order to attract the attention of potential buyers to their products. So, the brainchild of FeiYu Tech with the Vimble 2 model index is notably equipped with a telescopic handle (183 mm), thanks to which the device combines the functions of a steadicam and a selfie stick in one bottle.

Even a person who is not used to communicating with equipment on “you” will be able to master the principles of gimbal control. Judge for yourself, from the controls on the "body" of the model are a joystick for turning the "head" of the stub, a function key and a shutter button. They are accompanied by a mechanical zoom zoom and a trigger on the “loin” part of the handle, by pressing which the smartphone ’s position lock mode is activated, and by double clicking, the “head” returns to its original position. The purpose of all control buttons is clear on an intuitive level.

In the process of shooting, the fixed smartphone rotates in all axes within 320 °, in parallel with which it can be powered from the built-in steadicam battery. That's just the volume of the battery tanks leaves much to be desired — if you do not share the accumulated energy, then the gimbal will stay "afloat" for up to 5 hours in a row. When charging a smartphone via a USB port, the battery life is significantly reduced.

As usual for a good stub, for FeiYu Tech Vimble 2 there is a mobile application called Vicool, in which many photo and video shooting parameters can be adjusted. In particular, the operator is given quick access to the choice of flash modes, head rotation, face tracking, and advanced video recording settings. An additional ace in the sleeve of the model is an extended package, which includes a case with a pen, a mini tripod, a wrist strap, a charging cable and a trio of wires with microUSB, USB-C and Lightning connectors.

The Zhiyun Smooth-4 stub is ready to go right out of the foam case. The maximum that will have to be done on the eve of the shooting is to fix the smartphone in the standard fixture and screw a miniature tripod onto the base of the steadicam handle (if necessary).

A scattering of gimbal controls is concentrated on the plastic handle. Under the thumb on it is a slider for switching panning and locking modes, and under the index finger (from the rear) there is a two-position switch for instant camera activation and tracking of the subject. In order not to touch the screen of the smartphone once again, the key parameters of the stub can be changed using the function buttons and the wheel on the side, which is responsible for zooming and focus.

Additional options become available to the user when downloading the ZY Play application to the smartphone. For example, it provides manual photo settings, as well as the ability to change exposure and set video recording parameters. In addition, the mobile operator gets the right to use one of a number of special shooting modes — 180-degree panorama, time-lapse, slow-motion video, etc.

Without recharging, Zhiyun Smooth-4 “lives” for about 12 hours. Moreover , the gimbal is able to share its own charge with a smartphone on board via a full-sized USB port. There are practically no bad words about the steadicam, which once again confirms its high quality and scrupulous attitude to the obligations to stabilize the picture.

The ball in the field of electronic stabilization systems is ruled by a trinity of major players from the Middle Kingdom: the permanent leader DJI, as well as Zhiyun and FeiYu Tech. In the lineup of the last brand, the gimbal with the SPG prefix stands apart, which is compatible with both different-sized smartphones and action cameras of the GoPro format.

For fixing devices in the seat provided for this case, a universal frame is used that fixes the device from above and below. If the smartphone turned out to be too heavy, the mobile cargo system, represented by three washers of different weights, comes to the aid of the operator. They, in turn, create a counterbalance and allow the gimbal to keep the "head" straight.

Stabilization through FeiYu Tech SPG is carried out along three axes, as, indeed, with most colleagues in the shop. By default, the steadicam works in panning mode, turning the installed smartphone or action camera following the handle and maintaining the position of any of them when the gimbal is tilted. Double-clicking the function key turns on the pan-tilt mode, triple-clicking it flips 180 °. Also , the user has access to the lock mode and the ability to change the position of the device in the "pincers" of the steadicam using a joystick.

A separate control on the handle of the gimbal is a shutter button, which is activated when the smartphone is paired with the stabilizer via Bluetooth. It is not necessary to install third-party applications for the remote shutter release to work correctly, however, the device manufacturer has provided such an opportunity — in the Feiyu ON programme for mobile gadgets, you can fine-tune the Steadicam settings and set the video quality. However the maximum resolution for recording videos will be limited to FullHD format, even if the smartphone can shoot in 4K.

According to the passport data, the battery life of FeiYu Tech SPG reaches 8 hours. In fact, it all depends on the load on the motors — the larger it is, the sooner you will need to charge the 3000 mAh battery by connecting to the steadicam via the microUSB port. Another argument in favor of the model is its light weight (about 350 g), due to which the device in running order does not burden the mobile operator's hand at all.

DJI gimbals are true role models for the lion's share of electronic stubs. The second coming of the popular gimbal DJI Osmo Mobile has received a worthy update package to be considered one of the best in class external stabilization systems for mobile devices.

The model is "packed" in a housing made of shock-resistant plastic of reasonable thickness, which ensures a comfortable grip of the steadicam in the operator's hand, regardless of the size of his palm. Of the innovations on board the device of close interest, a mechanical zoom slider and a full-size USB port are bothered, through which it is possible to power the smartphone during video shooting. The battery in the new generation of gimbal has a quite ordinary capacity (2600 mAh), but is famous for its "survivability" — the claimed battery life of DJI Osmo Mobile 2 reaches 15 hours.

To get used to recording videos with a steadicam, it is enough to give it 15-20 minutes. attention during the dating phase. The electronic "brain" of the gimbal is trained to work in two main modes: blocking the position of the smartphone regardless of the rotation of the "head" of the gimbal and tracking following the turns of the handle. In the last role of the stub, you can set an object for active tracking, which is done in the DJI Go mobile application.

Steadicam offers to record video both with the smartphone horizontally and with its vertical orientation(relevant, for example, for shooting Instagram stories). And most importantly, at the start of sales, its price tag is more than 2 times lower than that of the first-born of the line. The availability of the model at times increases its attractiveness and contributes to the introduction of a mass of new users to the ranks of mobile videographers.