The main question that we are seeing people asking is usually based around what we feel the best gimbal for Akaso v50 action cameras is. Thankfully, even though there are a number of different variants for the action camera range, they all come in at around 0.17 pounds of total payload weight. This means that the vast majority of the 3 axis gimbal stabilizers on the market right now can easily support the weight of the v50 action camera range.

That said though, the problem is that Akaso has used their own form factor for the v50 rather than matching the GoPro action camera dimensions. As the vast majority of action camera handheld gimbals on the market have been designed for use with the GoPro action camera range, this presents a problem as most action camera gimbals will struggle to grip any of the three v50 action cameras.

Thankfully though, there is a solution, the Snoppa Atom. Although the Atom is actually a handheld gimbal that has been designed for use with smartphones, its clip grip is one of the best that has been designed to date and its fully adjustable nature allows you to grip your Akaso v50 camera with it with ease. It does not matter what variant of the v50 you have, the Snoppa Atom can easily get a firm grip and hold it in place for you even in action sports where you are getting thrown around with tons of vibration.

On top of this, the Snoppa Atom has quickly managed to rightfully earn an excellent reputation amongst the community that just keeps on getting better and better as time goes on. Due to this, we are confident in saying that adding the Snoppa Atom to your Akaso v50 camera accessories will be a good investment and that it will be able to provide you with all the image stabilization you need for the best possible image quality.S

Performance And Functionality

As we mentioned earlier in the article, all three of the new Akaso v50 action camera variants come in at around the 0.17-pound mark meaning that the Snoppa Atoms 0.68 pound maximum load capacity ensures that you can easily mount your action camera without issue. On top of this, there is plenty of free load capacity available to ensure that you will be able to get optimal image stabilization out of the gimbal during use too as well as ensure you get the best possible battery life.

On top of this, with the vast majority of people owning a smartphone these days, you can also hot-swap between your Akaso v50 and your smartphone of choice when required. The load capacity of the gimbal is easily enough to support the vast majority of popular smartphones on the market right now with ease. This allows you to switch up the type of video footage that you are able to capture and potentially improve your overall vlog footage.

On top of this, at the time of writing the Snoppa Atom actually has the longest battery life available for a gimbal stabilizer of this size coming in at twenty-four hours per charge of the gimbals battery. As we mentioned, due to the lightweight of the Akaso v50, it is highly likley that you will be able to get as close to the maximum battery life of the gimbal with each full charge too.

On top of this, the Atom also supports two-way charging allowing you to charge your v50 or smartphone while in use and mounted to the gimbal. If you are a big fan of capturing your content in those higher resolutions like 4k with the quicker frame rates like sixty frames per second then this can be a godsend. We all know how quickly these footage types can drain the battery of your device so being able to siphon some juice directly from your gimbal helps keep you going while out and about.

You are also able to quickly and easily top up your gimbal if needed too by adding a decent USB power bank to your collection of camera accessories too. This is an ideal solution for anyone who is using their Akaso v50 for something like hiking or any other activity where you will be away from a regular power outlet from a wall for a long period of time. This, in theory at least allows you to stay out and about taking part in your activity of choice for as long as needed without running out of power and missing out on capturing content.

When your Snoppa Atom does run out of juice, it can be charged back to full in as little as four hours! This is six hours of usable four for each hour spend charging and at the time of writing is the best ration available of all gimbals. Not only does this minimize the downtime allowing you to get out and about quicker but if you are a travel vlogger and in an airport for an hour or so it lets you get some decent hours out of your charging opportunity even if you can only charge for half an hour.

In our opinion, one of the main reasons that the Snoppa Atom has proven to be such a big hit with the videography communities who use either smartphones or action cameras to produce their content is that it has one of the best detection and correction systems going right now. It easily stands out from the compeating gimbals and even puts the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 in its place.

The gimbal sensors on the Snoppa Atom are second to none and are probably the best available for this type of gimbal. Although the gimbal was primarily designed for use with a smartphone, the rapid detection of movement from the gimbals sensors also make it an ideal option for any action sports where you will be thrown around or taking a bunch of small knocks or vibrations.

This movement data is then thrown into the Snoppa balancing algorithm that is lightning fast and extremely accurate at working out how best to compensate for the detected movement without having to waste energy. This information is then packaged up and sent to the Snoppa motors in the Atom that actually implement the required counter-movement to ensure that your Akaso v50 stays stable and captures the best image quality possible.

This whole process happens so quickly that it is difficult to work out how Snoppa, a relative newcomer to the gimbal gave have managed to not only match, but actually beat the more established brands such as DJI, Moza, and Zhiyun. When you factor in what the compeating brands on the market are offering, it really is easy to see why the Atom has taken so much of the market share from the compeating brands while also earning all of the glowing reviews that the community have posted for it.

User Interface And Control System

One of our favorite features of the Snoppa Atom is that its user control system is absolutely outstanding in our opinion. As shown in the image above, everything has been ergonomically designed to ensure that you are able to control the gimbal with just one hand without running into any issues. Everything is placed perfectly to allow you to quickly and easily locate everything and tweak the performance of the gimbal as required during your activities.

All of the buttons are responsive with the gimbal processing the button press instantly and the multifunctional, omnidirectional joystick on the Atom offers some of the best manual control that we have seen. It doesn’t matter if you are wanting to actually capture your adventures in action sports with your Akaso v50, use the v50 for vlogging, or just to capture some content for your social media profiles, the control system for the Snoppa Atom ensures that you are able to do whatever you need with ease.

As the Akaso v50 is more of an entry-level action camera, there is a high chance that many of the people reading this are new to using a handheld gimbal stabilizer. If this is the case for you then there really is no need to worry, the whole system is extremely user-friendly and easy to learn. On the flip side of this though, Snoppa has also done a great job of ensuring that the Atom also offers some greatly advanced customization for an advanced gimbal user from the exact same control interface too.

All in all, considering Snoppa are such a new brand to the market, we feel they have done an outstanding job with the design and implementation of their interface for the Atom. We see a number of entry-level gimbals being released that are either too user-friendly that the advanced users don’t need it or too advanced that the entry-level users can’t use it. In our opinion, Snoppa has found the middle ground and has a rapidly growing customer base to show for it.

Smartphone App

Another area where Snoppa has impressed us is with their smartphone app due to the fact that it actually works and syncs with the Atom. Around half of the apps from the more established brands at the time of writing are not fit for purpose and are essentially in major need of a total rework. Even the Zhiyun smartphone app was in this state until its overhaul about a year back so we are pleased to see that the Snoppa app connects to your gimbal quickly and doesn’t randomly disconnect.

On top of this, the actual layout of the app is solid too making it very easy to find your way around as required and get to the app features that you need. Some of the key features from the app is its wireless remote control setting that can be handy if you are looking to vlog but our favorite setting is definatley the access to your gimbal settings.

Now, the default gimbal config that comes shipped with the Atom is fit for purpose and should be able to meet the needs of most of our readers. We know that we do have some tinkers amongst our readers though who enjoy trying to tweak settings to see how far they can push their gadget. The Snoppa smartphone app makes this quick and easy and it’s easy to understand layout allows you to tweak various settings to your heart’s content.

Build Quality And Design

As you can see in the image above, the Snoppa Atom has a very small and compact design for a gimbal that can provide you with the level of image stabilization that it does. You can quickly and easily store it away and its lightweight also makes it an ideal travel gimbal for your Akaso v50 allowing you to travel as light as possible without taking up much space.

On top of this, Snoppa has also managed to make the Atom pretty tough and robust without having to hike its price tag up or make it heavy too. Even in this day and age, this is rare, even from the more established brands on the market but Snoppa are up their with DJI with their Osmo Mobile 3 when it comes to how robust and tough the gimbal is. If you do travel around a whole bunch or take part in action sports then it is nice to know the gimbal can take plenty of bumps without breaking.

The handle on the Atom is also ergonomically designed to try and ensure that you can hold it for hours at a time if needed to capture your video footage. If you are into something like snowboarding then this lets you capture your whole route without getting aches and pains in your hand without having to take any breaks.

Our Verdict

That brings our article going over what we feel is the best gimbal for Akaso v50 action cameras on the market to an end. We are massive fans of the Snoppa Atom and feel that it is one of the better action camera/smartphone handheld gimbal stabilizers made to date. We have no doubt in our mind that purchasing it can make a great addition to your Akaso v50 camera accessories and that the gimbal should easily help improve the image quality that you can capture with its great image stabilization.

The Atom has a ton of great reviews from videographers who use the gimbal in a number of different niches too. You can skim over some of them if you like to see how people are reporting on the performance of the gimbal for what you have planned for it if you wish. Additionally, although we have covered most of the information in this post already, we have our own Snoppa Atom review online too.

Due to the Glidecam brand still holding so much power amongst the videography community, we often see a large number of people reaching out each month asking for advice on what Glidecam model they should be purchasing for their specific camera body. One popular question that we have seen with increasing frequency is based around the best Glidecam for Sony a6300 cameras. Due to this, we have decided to focus this article around what we feel is the best Steadicam for the a6300 to try and help as many of our readers who own the a6300 and are looking to add a Glidecam to their camera accessories as possible.

Now, if you are deadset on going with a manual camera stabilizer from the Glidecam range then something like the Glidecam Devin Graham Signature Series will definatley meet your needs. It will easily be able to support the payload weight of all popular Sony a6300 setups and provide you with some excellent levels of image stabilization. That said though, as we mentioned, we feel that Glidecam’s advantage of its great build quality and innovation has faded meaning that their premium price tag can often be a waste of money.

In our opinion, we would highly recommend that our readers seriously consider the Flycam Redking over anything from the Glidecam range for their Sony a6300. The Redking is an excellent bit of kit that provides some absolutely outstanding levels of image stabilization for its users. Additionally, the Redking is almost a quarter of the price of the Glidecam above while having managed to quickly grow its customer base and earn a great reputation for itself. due to it offering better image stabilization than units more than double its price.

Due to this, we are going to be taking a more in-depth look at the Redking throughout the rest of our article as we feel it should be the primary recommendation of our readers and presents an excellent opportunity to save yourself some cash. As we mentioned, its performance is outstanding in our opinion and it is worth every cent. Additionally, although it is priced towards the lower end of the intermediate level manual camera stabilizer range, it easily outperforms the competition at its price point as well as units at higher price points in the market too.

Performance And Functionality

Many of the cheap, more budget-friendly manual stabilizers on the market right now have issues with maintaining their center of gravity with any longer or heavier lenses but thankfully, Flycam has done a great job of ensuring that this does not happen with the Redking. Additionally, as this is a manual counterweight based stabilizer, there is no need for a battery either meaning that you are not constrained by the limitations of battery life allowing you to go out and not have to worry about a gimbal draining its battery mid-shoot.

Another excellent feature of the Redking is that it allows you to capture some of that beautiful, natural-looking panning video footage that many motorized gimbals still have issues with even today. Although the more expensive Glidecam range do have an excellent reputation for this, Flycam has ensured that the Redking performs very well too for almost a quarter of the price of a Glidecam depending on the retailer that you purchase it from. Although there are some excellent new gimbals like the Zhiyun Weebill S that offer some great manual mode control for this natural-looking panning, the manual cam stabilizers still have the advantage over the gimbals for the time being.

The actual central column of the Flycam Redking also has the guide scale markings down it to ensure that you are able to quickly and easily adjust your vertical balance for optimal performance. This ensures that you are getting optimal image stabilization during use and thus the best possible image quality available without having to waste your time to make tweaks.

Additionally, the Redking is also fully adjustable allowing you to take it from a working length of 11.5 inches at its shortest setting up to 15 inches at its longest setting. Although this is not the largest adjustable range available on the market, relative to its price point, build quality, ease of use, and performance, we feel that it is a great little addition. This allows you to quickly and easily tweak the height of your Glidecam alternative to meet the needs of your situation quickly and easily without having to waste excessive time.

With all of this factored in, it really is easy to see why the Flycam Redking has proven to be such a popular manual camera stabilizer amongst the videography and to some extent vlogging communities. It offers some excellent performance and blows the compeating Glidecam style stabilizers at this price point in the market out the water. We can definatley see why so many videographers who use the Redking as their stabilizer of choice have chosen to post so many excellent independent reviews online sharing their own insights into the performance of the stabilizer and how it meets their needs.

User Interface And Control System

Flycam has kept the balancing procedure for the Redking as simple and straight forward as possible too. This ensures that no matter what level of experience that you have with using these Glidecam style stabilizers, you can quickly and easily get it balanced for the best possible performance with your Sony A6300 without running into issues. If you are an entry-level stabilizer user then this is ideal as the process is easy and in the very unlikely event that you do run into issues, the user manual has a very detailed and easy to follow balancing guide in it.

The fully adjustable 3 axis gimbal handle on the Redking also allows you to easily operate the gimbal in the vast majority of situations commonly found while recording for your videography gigs without having to sacrifice image quality. The stabilizer also offers a full three hundred and sixty-degree panning with fully adjustable convergence too all in the same control interface that maximizes ease of use for you, the stabilizer operator.

Build Quality And Design

If you are a videographer or vlogger looking for a manual stabilizer that you can travel with then the Redking may meet your needs. One top tip that we would like to share with out readers is that if you are working in a niche where you have to travel around via plane then only take the counterweight plates you need plus a few spares. So many videographers take all sixteen counterweight plates that come in at 3.3 pounds of total weight on their travels with them.

With a camera as light as the Sony a6300, there really is no need to do this so only take the counterweight plates you need to be able to balance your camera rig on the Redking. With each plate coming in at around 0.2 pounds of additional weight, each of the sixteen counterweight plates you can leave behind and not have to pack in your luggage makes your life easier when it comes to sticking to your luggage weight limit.

Although the Redking is smaller and lighter than its predecessors, it is just as robust and tough due to being made from high-quality CNC machined aluminum. This has enabled Flycam to reduce the total weight of the body of the stabilizer as much as possible without having to make it weak or fragile. This is excellent news as a few compeating Glidecam style stabilizers at this price point in the market can be very weak and flimsy.

Another thing that Flycam has changed with the Redking is that it comes with both a quarter-inch mounting thread and a three eights mounting thread too. This allows you to mount pretty much any camera accessory or quick release plate you need to the stabilizer without issue. It also has sixteen additional mounting points around the body of the stabilizer to allow you to mount additional camera accessories to it such as a video light or field monitor if needed.

The final point that we want to make is that the handle grip on the Redking is comfortable but can slip with heavier payload weights being supported. We doubt that this will be an issue with something as light as even the heaviest Sony a6300 rig but it can cause the handgrip to rotate around the handle every so lightly. This can easily be fixed with a few drops of super glue though allowing you to quickly and easily fix the problem without having to folk out and waste a ton of cash.

Our Verdict

That brings our article going over what we feel is the best Glidecam for Sony a6300 and although the Glidecam Devin Graham Signature Series is an excellent bit of kit that will likley be able to meet all of your needs, it is around four times the price of the Flycam Redking that can also likley meet your needs and provide everything that you need from the stabilizer.

As we touched on earlier in the article, there are an absolute ton of independent reviews for the Flycam Redking online that have been published by third-party videographers. If you are still unsure if you should be going with this excellent, cheap Glidecam alternative we would highly recommend that you check a few of them out. We also have our own dedicated review of the Redking online but that majority of the points we raise in it have been published in this article anyway.

One of the most popular questions that we have seen people asking is based around advice for what the best gimbal for Fuji xt30 cameras owners actually is. Now, due to the XT30 coming in with a camera bodyweight of only 0.84lbs without any accessories mounted to it, you might be able to get away with something like the Feiyutech G6 Max. That said though, this will only be able to support the super light Fuji xt30 rigs so we would recommend that you consider the Zhiyun Weebill S as your gimbal of choice.

In our opinion, the Weebill S is one of the best gimbals made to date by far and offers some of the best features possible for its price point guaranteeing the best possible bang for your buck. Additionally, it has only gone from strength to strength since its released and just keeps on growing its already excellent reputation amongst the videography and vlogging communities with each passing month.

The Weebill S can also easily support the popular heavy Fuji xt30 rigs out there allowing you to mount some of the heaviest camera accessories on the market to it without running into issues. On top of this, its compact design and very lightweight making it very easy to store, pack, and travel with if needed. We have absolutely no doubt in our mind that it can definatley help to increase the overall image quality that you are able to capture via its excellent quality image stabilization.

Although the Feiyutech G6 Max can be a decent option if you know that you will always be using a super light Fuji xt30 rig, we feel that the Zhiyun Weebill S will be the best option for the vast majority of our readers. Due to the Weebill S being our primary gimbal recommendation for the Fuji xt30 we will be focusing on it throughout the rest of the article and taking a more in-depth look at the gimbal.

Performance And Functionality

On top of this, the design and higher torque gimbal motors on the Weebill S allow you to mount longer and heavier camera lenses to your Fuji xt30 while mounted to the gimbal without causing issues with its center of gravity. Even in this day and age this can still be a relatively common problem but in our opinion, the tweaks that Zhiyun made to the design of the Weebill S while also giving it 300% more torque have corrected the issue that their older Weebill Lab used to have.

This ensures that no matter what niche you are working in, you can mount the camera accessories that you required while also getting the best possible levels of image stabilization for the best possible price. Another advantage of the Zhiyun Weebill S is that it offers butter-smooth footage all the way up to its maximum load capacity without having issues with vibrations. So many gimbals, even units released in the last twelve months will list a maximum load capacity but have something in the small print that says the image stabilization will suffer if you mount over 75% of the listed load capacity to the gimbal. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more common with gimbal brands but thankfully the top three, Zhiyun, DJI, and Moza seem to be setting the standards and listing their gimbal’s true maximum load capacities when marketing them.

Another excellent feature of the Weebill S is that Zhiyun has been hard at work coming up with their next-generation gimbal battery that can provide you with a maximum battery life of fourteen hours of power per charge! Although there are a number of handheld gimbal stabilizers on the market that also offer this level of battery life, none are anywhere near the small size or tiny weight of the Weebill S. Zhiyun have really done an excellent job of managing to come up with a high capacity battery that is as small and lightweight as they have making it perfect for travel gimbals.

Once empty, the battery can also be charged back to full in only three hours. This results in almost five hours of usable battery life for each hour charging and is one of the best ratios available at the time of writing. Another thing that is becoming more and more popular in the vlogging and videography world is the use of high capacity USB power banks that allow you to recharge our gimbal and camera while out and about away from a power socket. This can help ensure you can recharge your gimbal while out on your adventures if needed without running into issues.

Being the latest gimbal from the Zhiyun range at the time of writing, it has all of the latest technology from Zhiyun including some of the best gimbal sensors and gimbal motors ever developed. In our opinion, these next-generation systems from Zhiyun really blow the DJI tech out the water and leave them for dust although Moza with their Aircross 2 have managed to come very close to the performance of the Weebill S.

On top of this, the Zhiyun balancing algorithm is probably the best available at the time of writing too with the DJI and Moza algorithms trailing ever so slightly behind it. This results in some super snappy image stabilization that is lightning fast to ensure that no matter what niche you are working in or what you are doing, the Weebill S is very fast to respond to any detected movement.

When you factor all of this in as well as the fact that the Weebill S is around two-thirds of the price of the closest two compeating gimbals to it performance-wise, it really is not surprising that it has managed to become the dominant mirrorless camera gimbal in a matter of months. On top of this, the vlogging and videography communities seem to agree with us with many of them having published their own dedicated reviews of the gimbal that offer some excellent, independent insights into how well it actually performs.

User Interface And Control System

The LCD screen on the Weebill S is extremely clear and bright making it much easier to tweak the gimbals settings during use. If you are an advanced level videographer or just someone who likes to tinker, this can really make your life easier as you can clearly see the gimbals menu, even in low light to make quick and accurate tweaks to adjust performance as required.

The joystick on the Weebill S is omnidirectional offering superior control over the gimbal’s movements when using in manual mode. If you are doing professional, paid videography work this makes it extremely easy to capture that natural looking panning video footage while in manual mode that can be a total nightmare to capture in the other gimbal modes.

If you are new to using a gimbal and have zero previous hands-on experience with a 3 axis gimbal then the Weebill S is a great stabilizer to start with. Zhiyun has decided to emphasize user-friendliness of their control system on their Weebill range of gimbals to make them as quick and easy to learn as possible. We are confident that the majority of our readers can pick the Weebill S up and use it right out the box without even having to give the gimbals user manual the once over. The balancing procedure for the gimbal is also very straight forward and easy too and after a little practice, you should be able to get your Fuji xt30 balanced in under a minute with ease.

Now, on the flipside of this, if you are an advanced videographer who has been using handheld gimbal stabilizers for years, Zhiyun has also ensured that the interface for their Weebill S offers all of the advanced features you may need as well as easy customization. This really does set Zhiyun apart from the competition and although the Moza Aircross 2 is similar to the Weebill S, many compeating gimbals either focus on entry-level or advanced level users but rarely both.

Smartphone App

It offers some solid wireless remote control functionality that can be very useful in some popular videography niches while also coming in handy for some vlogging styles too. It also allows you to easily tweak the settings of the gimbal within seconds too so if you are the type who likes to tweak to optimize the performance of their camera accessories the app is well worth downloading.

Now, we just want to quickly say that the default config that comes loaded in the Weebill S should be fine for use with the Fuji xt30 due to it being such a lightweight camera body. Even if you use some heavy camera accessories with your camera, you should easily be able to get excellent image stabilization out of the default config without having to tweak or adjust it at all.

Build Quality And Design

The gimbal is also extremely compact and for its maximum load capacity range, the Weebill S is the smallest gimbal released at the time of writing and is the perfect travel gimbal. In addition to its very small size, it is also very lightweight too so anyone in a travel videography or travel vlogging niche can easily pack it in their luggage without going over their baggage allowance.

Zhiyun has also added individual axes locks to each of the gimbals three axes that other gimbal brands have started to implement into their own stabilizers. In all honesty, we are actually surprised that it has taken this long for brands to start doing this but these locks allow you to lock the gimbal in place when not in use and stop its arms from moving. This removes the chance of it moving around when packed away and accidentally getting broken during transit.

Finally, the handle grip on the Weebill S is great and not only is it very easy to get a nice firm grip on but it is also very comfortable. If you are working a long videography gig then this works to your advantage as you can hold the Weebill S for longer sessions without getting cramps in your hands like you can with some other handle grips on compeating gimbals.

Our Verdict

That brings our article going over what we feel is the best gimbal for Fuji xt30 cameras to an end. As we mentioned earlier, if you are using a super light setup then you may be able to get away with the Feiyutech G6 Max and we have our own dedicated review of the G6 Max online that may be helpful to you. As we said above though, in our opinion, the Zhiyun Weebill S is definatley the best option at the time of writing and will likley be the better option for the majority of our readers.

If you are yet to make your mind up then we would recommend that you read some of these independent reviews of the Weebill S that have been posted by independent videographers since its release. We also have our own Weebill S review online but most of the points we make in that review have already been made in this article above.

With both the G7X and RX100 range being very popular options for the vlogging and travel videography community, it should be no surprise that we have seen an absolute ton of questions based around the best gimbal for each camera. In our opinion, at the time of writing, the Feiyutech g6 plus and the Zhiyun Crane m2 are probably the best gimbal stabilizers on the market for point and shoot cameras with the g6 plus being ever so slightly ahead of the m2 while also being a little cheaper.

Due to this, we have decided to publish our own ultimate Zhiyun Crane m2 vs Feiyu g6 plus comparison article to go over these two great gimbals for any of our readers who are considering adding either of them to their collection of camera accessories. Adding a great source of image stabilization to your camera accessories like either of these gimbals is a great way to quickly and easily improve your image quality requiring minimal additional effort on your part.

As usual, we have our comparison table below where we go over some of the key features for each gimbal and offer a short break down for any of our readers who are short on time and in a rush. After the comparison table section, we also have our more in-depth look at both of the gimbals where we will be comparing a bunch of their more in-depth features to try and help any of our readers with a little more free time available who want to know as much as possible about any potential purchase.

Comparison Table

Product

Better Option!

Feiyutech G6 Plus

Zhiyun Crane M2

Image

Load Capacity

1.76 Pounds

1.58 Pounds

Battery Life

8-12 Hours

7 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

3 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

-

Smartphone App

Dimensions

14.1 x 7.6 x 2.9 Inches

10.5 x 2.7 x 5.4 Inches

Gimbal Weight

1.48 pounds

1.1 pounds

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Better Option!

Product

Feiyutech G6 Plus

Image

Load Capacity

1.76 Pounds

Battery Life

8-12 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Smartphone App

Dimensions

14.1 x 7.6 x 2.9 Inches

Gimbal Weight

1.48 pounds

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Product

Zhiyun Crane M2

Image

Load Capacity

1.58 Pounds

Battery Life

7 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Smartphone App

Dimensions

10.5 x 2.7 x 5.4 Inches

Gimbal Weight

1.1 pounds

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2022-05-29 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

As you can see from our comparison table above, the Feiyutech g6 plus not only has the lower price tag but it also has the better maximum load capacity as well as the better battery life over the Crane m2. On top of this, the g6 plus has proven to be a very popular 3 axis gimbal stabilizer amongst the community over the years and has managed to earn itself an excellent reputation amongst the vlogging and videography communities.

Although its battery life per charge can fluctuate wildly depending on the camera rig that you have mounted to it as well as the activities that you are taking part in, its recent price reduction, larger maximum load capacity, and solid battery life push it out ahead as the obvious option in our opinion that should easily meet the needs for the majority of our readers.

Although the Zhiyun Crane m2 has the better technology with more modern gimbal motors and sensors we just don’t feel that it is enough to edge the Crane m2 out ahead of the g6 plus for most people. One area where the crane m2 is superior is if you are one bag traveling and absolutely have to keep the weight and size of your camera accessories as low and small as possible. It is 0.38 pound lighter than the g6 plus and although this may not sound like much, for a one-bag traveler it really does matter.

Anyway, the Crane m2 has also managed to earn itself a great reputation amongst both videographers and vloggers. Due to being the newer gimbal to market, its customer base and reputation are still growing at a rapid pace and getting stronger with each passing month two.

Although both of these great little handheld gimbals can make a decent addition to your camera accessories, we feel that provided the g6 plus is the slightly better option, especially if it is around fifty dollars cheaper than the Crane m2 like at the time of writing. Anyway, all that out the way, we will now be moving onto our more in-depth look at both of these gimbals for anyone who would like to know as much as possible about them and how they compare to each other.

Performance And Functionality

This kind of mixes the game up a little bit as the point and shoot camera weight class gimbals now have variable payloads as vloggers and videographers switch out the camera accessories to meet the needs of their session. Although it is highly likley that the Crane m2 with its 1.58-pound maximum load capacity will still be able to support the vast majority, if not all point and shoot camera rigs, the g6 plus takes the lead with its maximum load capacity of 1.76-pounds.

Although an advantage of only 0.18 pounds over the Crane m2, this can actually equal the additional payload weight of something like a Rode VideoMic Go depending on what else you are using with your camera rig. Due to this, we have to give it to Feiyutech for any advanced videographers who like to use a heavier camera set up while recording. If you are looking for a handheld gimbal for something like vlogging then this will likley not be an issue as even with an external microphone your total payload weight should be much lower than what the Zhiyun Crane m2 is able to support.

The maximum battery life of the gimbals is another area where the Feiyutech g6 plus pulls out ahead as it is able to support a maximum battery life of between eight and twelve hours depending on what you are doing with your gimbal. If you are using something light with your gimbal like a G7X or an RX100 then its safe to assume that you will be getting closer to the twelve hours per battery charge mark.

The Crane m2 on the other hand only supports a maximum battery life of around seven hours with each full charge of its battery. Now, this is actually commonplace in this day and age as the Feiyutech g6 plus is a few generations older than the Zhiyun Crane m2 and was released back when gimbal brands were placing a higher priority on battery life.

The Crane m2 is from the latest generation of gimbals at the time of writing and the trend is to put a smaller and lighter battery in the modern gimbals to keep their size and weight down and seems to be what Zhiyun have gone for with the m2. As some modern USB power banks are able to recharge your camera, gimbal, and other accessories, while out and about, more and more videographers and vloggers are adding them to their camera accessories. This can help off-set the lower battery life of the Crane m2 if you want to go with it over the g6 plus yet want the longest possible battery life possible.

Both of the featured handheld gimbal stabilizers come with the standard gimbal modes that you would expect on them such as pan, lock, follow, and manual mode while the Zhiyun also offers a few more gimbal modes than the Feiyutech but they are not as useful as the main four and will likley never be used by most people anyway.

User Interface And Control System

Both the Feiyutech g6 plus and the Zhiyun Crane m2 are based around the standard gimbal interface featuring an LCD panel, a couple of buttons and a joystick. Both gimbals have a solid joystick that offers some great control over the head of the gimbal when being used in manual mode. This allows you to manually pan the gimbal head if needed when in manual mode to get a more natural-looking panning rather than that slightly robotic panning motion that both of the gimbals offer.

The navigation menus on both of the gimbals are different to each other but both equally easy to learn and navigate through when needed. This ensures that if needed, you can easily flick through the gimbals settings to get to specific functions that you need to tweak to maximize performance during use without having to waste time. On the flip side of this though, the default gimbal configs that come shipped with each stabilizer have been optimized for use with point and shoot and lightweight mirrorless camera rigs so will likley be fine for most of our readers right out the box.

Both of the gimbals also have very clean, sharp, and bright LCD screens allowing you to see the information that they are displaying no matter the condition that you are working in. This ensures that you can get the most out of the gimbal, even when using it in low light conditions without issue. This is a common issue with some of the older gimbals with their LCD screens being close to useless when used in low light but these more modern gimbals perform well due to having a backlit screen.

Smartphone App

The Zhiyun app is very straight forward and easy to use allowing you to access your gimbals settings right from your phone to make any tweaks that you want. If you are more of an advanced videographer who will be tweaking their gimbal settings then this single feature alone may be the reason to take the Crane m2 over the g6 plus. Over the course of a videography session, the time saved by being able to quickly tweak your camera settings via your app adds up and can end up being a surprising amount of time.

The apps also offer some wireless remote control features too but although they work well, remote control features on gimbals are usually used by videographers doing wedding gigs and things like that. If this is the case, chances are that your camera rig will be too heavy to be mounted to either of these featured gimbals anyway. This minimizes the realistic use of the remote control functionality outside of just messing around and having fun.

Build Quality And Design

When it comes to the actual size and weight of the gimbals then the Zhiyun Crane m2 definatley beats the Feiyutech g6 plus as it is smaller and lighter. This makes it ideal if you are a travel vlogger and planning on having to do a whole bunch of traveling while keeping your baggage as lightweight as possible. As we touched on earlier though, the lighter weight of the m2 is largely due to it having a smaller battery that provides you with a shorter battery life so there is definatley a trade-off.

In our opinion, when it comes to the gimbal sensors, gimbal motors, and balancing algorithm, Zhiyun also takes the crown here too. The thing is that most people who use a point and shoot weight class camera will likley be a vlogger or amateur/entry-level videographer meaning that the snappy response time to movement on the m2 is not as much of an advantage as it is on their heavy lifting gimbals.

When it comes to the actual handle grips of the gimbal, we personally feel that they are close enough to each other to call it a draw. That said though, we have seen some people say that the grip on the Feiyutech g6 plus is annoying and irritating. This is a minority of people who we have seen say this though so we would imagine that both of the handle grips on these gimbals are comfortable enough to hold for longer periods of time without getting aches or cramps in your hands.

Our Verdict

And with that, we bring our Zhiyun Crane m2 vs Feiyu g6 plus comparison article to a close. As we mentioned back at the start of the article, in our opinion, both of the gimbals can make solid additions to your camera accessories and provide great levels of image stabilization. The Feiyutech g6 plus sneaks out ahead due to its lower price tag, higher load capacity, and longer battery life but the Zhiyun Crane m2 does have some advantages of its own with it being smaller and lighter. We also have a dedicated review of the Feiyutech g6 plus as well as a review of the Zhiyun Crane m2 online but we have covered most of the points in those articles throughout this one anyway.

Due to so many people making this switch and an increasing number of people deciding to use their iPad to capture their content each month, we have noticed more and more people reaching out for advice on the best Steadicam for iPad models on the market right now. Due to the nature of the iPad and its dimensions and lack of a mounting thread, an actual manual style stabilizer is a nightmare to find for the device but thankfully, there is hope!

The Melamount Stabilizer is a specialised case that has proven very popular with the community and has managed to rapidly earn itself a great reputation amongst the iPad content creating community. Not only does it come with two handles to help provide you with increased image stabilization during use but it also has a standard mounting thread to allow you to mount your iPad to an actual Steadicam style stabilizer if needed.

Now, in reality, we would imagine that the vast majority of our readers will be happy with the improved levels of image stabilization that they are able to get using just the handles on the case and will probably not need to purchase a Steadicam but this will depend on your needs. Additionally, and we can’t stress this one enough, you will have to ensure that you get the Melamount case that fits your specific iPad but this is easy enough as they are available for the majority of iPad models at the time of writing.

On top of this, if you do want to ensure that you are capturing the absolute best image quality possible with your iPad then we would highly recommend that you also consider adding a high-quality removable iPad lens like the Xenvo Pro Lens Kit to your collection of camera accessories. This can really help to improve your image quality as well as the angle of view allowing you to capture some epic landscapes in all their glory.

You are also able to improve your iPad videography skillset further by enrolling in this specialized iPad videography course. You are able to enroll on the course without spending a single cent via the Skillshare trial as it provides you with a premium, no-obligation subscription to all of their courses for free. The iPad videography course can easily be completed before your trial runs out too without having to rush through it helping you improve your technique with ease and without having to folk out any money.

Performance And Functionality

Melamount has emphasized ease of use and made the case as simple, straight forward, and easy to use as possible. This allows you to mount the case to your iPad and go about capturing your video footage as you wish with better levels of image stabilization to get some great image quality for your videos that are shake-free with that more professional level look. The case also fully supports both landscape and portrait use too ensuring that you are able to orientate your iPad as required to meet the needs of any situation you find yourself in instantly without having to waste time.

Another advantage that the Melamount stabilizer case for the iPad has over motorized gimbal stabilizers is that it does not require a battery to provide you with its image stabilization as it essentially provides you with a better grip to do everything yourself. This means that there are no problems with running out of battery life mid-way through your day and having to sacrifice your image quality until you are able to charge your stabilizer again.

With there being so few iPad camera accessories available on the market that offer you cheap, quick, and easy ways to improve the levels of image stabilization when recording it really is not surprising that the Melamount stabilizer case has proven to be so popular amongst the community too. From what we can tell, it has the largest customer base out of any iPad camera stabilizer on the market right now and many of the people who use the case have posted their own, glowing reviews of the case that you can read for some third-party opinions if you wish.

User Interface And Control System

The case also comes with four individual hot shoe mounts to allow you to mount a number of other popular camera accessories to the case to help improve the image quality that you can capture with your iPad too. As you can see from the image at the start of this section, this allows you to easily mount things like iPad lenses, video lights or microphones to the case with ease too. As the Melamount stabilizer does not have a maximum load capacity as it is handheld you are also able to mount some pretty heavy accessories without having much effect on the levels of image stabilization you can get too.

On top of this, all of the hot shoes on the case are metal threaded to help ensure that they will last for as long as possible too. We have seen a few low-quality cases try to enter the market to compete with Melamount but to date, they have all failed due to one main issue with these cheaper, lower quality cases being plastic threads that are ruined after accidentally cross-threading them once. This is not a problem with this Melamount case due to its metal threads being very touch.

Build Quality And Design

The majority of the case is made from reinforced ABS plastic too while it also has reinforced joints on its swing-out handles. This ensures that it is easily able to take any bumps or knocks during use or while in your backpack during transit without taking any long term damage. Although the case has a low price tag, this still offers some peace of mind that it will last you for many years to come.

As we touched on earlier in the article, Melamount has also added a standard quarter-inch mounting socket to the case so you are able to mount it to a tripod or Steadicam style stabilizer if needed. This further increases the level of image stabilization that you can get out of your case if you do opt to use a manual Steadicam style stabilizer too or mount it to a tripod when needed.

The case also has a bubble level for when you do mount it to a tripod to ensure that you are able to quickly glance down, check the bubble level and ensure that your rig is level. If you are using it as a handheld stabilizer then you can also glance down to the bubble level when needed to check how level your iPad is while recording too.

The final point that we want to make about the build quality of the case is that the handles are very comfortable. They allow you to easily get a firm yet comfortable grip on the case to ensure that your iPad is held firmly and will not be accidentally dropped while also preventing aches and pains in your hands for any long recording sessions.

Our Verdict

That brings our article going over what we feel the best Steadicam for iPads on the market right now is and we feel that the Melamount Stabilizer can make a great addition to your iPad camera accessories. It offers some excellent image stabilization as well as protection for your iPad while recording as well as a number of ways to mount additional camera accessories to the case to further improve the image quality that you are able to capture.

With a number of videographers, vloggers, and social media influencers using the d3400 as their camera body of choice, it’s not surprising that we have noticed an increasing number of people reaching out and asking for advice on the best gimbal for Nikon d3400 cameras. Thankfully, due to a few new releases over the last year or so, there are actually a number of excellent quality gimbal stabilizers on the market that you can pick up to improve your image stabilization.

As we always want to help as many of our readers as possible, we have decided to focus today’s article around gimbals that are suitable for the d3400. We are hoping that this will help as many of our regular readers who use the Nikon d3400 as possible as well as any other videographers who find our article via Google or social media too.

Now, in our opinion, the absolute best handheld gimbal stabilizer for the d3400 is the Zhiyun Weebill S and we would highly recommend that any of our readers who are in the market for a 3 axis gimbal seriously consider adding it to their camera accessories. In our opinion, it is the best gimbal made to date and this shows with the rapid increase growth of its customer base as well as the large number of excellent reviews that the review has received from the community since release.

That said though, we know that our readers all have different budgets available for their camera accessories so we also want to quickly touch on a more budget-friendly that we would consider the best cheap gimbal for the Nikon d3400. The Weebill Lab is actually the predecessor to our primary recommendation the Weebill S and is an excellent gimbal stabilizer that offers some solid image stabilization. Due to the release of the newer Weebill S, the Weebill Lab recently received a price reduction of just over one hundred dollars depending on the retailer making it an absolute bargain if you are on a budget.

With that out of the way, we will be focusing the rest of the article exclusively on the Zhiyun Weebill S as it is our primary recommendation for the Nikon d3400 and feel that it should be your primary consideration should you have the budget available. We will be taking a more in-depth look at the gimbal and going over why we feel this way to try and help any of our readers who like to know as much as possible about any potential new addition to their camera accessories.

Performance And Functionality

Unlike some other compeating gimbals on the market right now that can have a number of problems with their image stabilization the close you get to their maximum load capacity, the Weebill S remains smooth all the way up to, and including the 6.61-pound limit. This ensures that you are getting the best possible image stabilization no matter what you have mounted to your camera body to allow you to get the best possible image quality for your clients and content.

The Zhiyun Weebill S also comes with an excellent maximum battery life of around fourteen hours ensuring that it has plenty of juice for you to capture all the content you need before having to recharge it. This ensures that you should easily be able to go about your day without having to worry about your gimbal running out of battery and you missing out on any potential content.

The gimbal can also be recharged from empty back to full in around three hours when plugged into a regular wall base power socket. If you are working in a niche where you may be away from civilization for days at a time such as wildlife videography or travel vlogging then you may also look to invest in a solid, high output USB power bank to allow you to recharge all of your devices while on the go too.

The gimbal performs so well due to the various improvements that Zhiyun has made to their detection and correction system over the years to ensure that they hold their dominant edge over the competition. This starts with the new sensors that Zhiyun has been developing for the gimbals in their Weebill range that have some of the highest sensitivity that we have ever seen to date and are able to detect tiny movements that other gimbal sensors would likley miss.

The motion data from the gimbal sensors is then processed by the Zhiyun balancing algorithm that is side by side with the algorithms from DJI and Moza at the top of the pack at the time of writing. This quickly works out the best way to stabilize the detected motion in the gimbal head before sending the information on how best to stabilize your camera to the gimbal motors. At the time of writing, the gimbal motors in the Weebill S are the best available on the market and use next-generation technology to ensure that they are as small, lightweight, and power-efficient as possible while also being able to provide you with all of the torque required for heavier camera rigs.

This results in butter-smooth video footage that helps you capture the best possible image quality possible. If you are doing paid videography work or looking to record videos for sites like YouTube or to post on your social media pages this really adds that professional edge to your footage. It really is easy to see how the Weebill S has managed to get so many videographers and vlogger to post so many excellent independent reviews of the gimbal in the short time that it has been available for sale.

User Interface And Control System

As you can see, the basics of the system is based around the joystick, a handful of buttons, and the LCD panel and is essentially a very similar control system to the other gimbals on the market right now. The main advantage of the Zhiyun system over the competition is that it is very easy to use so if you are looking to purchase your first stabilizer and have never actually used one previously, you should easily be able to get to grips with the Weebill S without having to put a large amount of time into learning how to get the most out of your gimbal.

On the flip side of this though, if you are an experienced videographer and have been using gimbals previously then the advanced features of the Weebill S allow you to pull off a number of advanced movements with your Nikon d3400 with ease. This can really help your content stand out from what the competition is able to provide their clients and help you push ahead of the compeating videographers in your area or other vloggers in your niche.

One of our favorite things about the control interface that Zhiyun has decided to use on their Weebill gimbal range is that the joystick is excellent. It is one of the most responsive and sensitive joysticks on any gimbal that we have seen to date offering some of the best manual control that we have ever seen. No matter what niche you are working in, there is a high chance that you will be using your gimbal in manual mode with your d3400 mounted to it and the responsiveness of the joystick really shines.

Smartphone App

Now, the usefulness of the wireless remote control mode from the app is definatley going to depend on the niche that you are working in with your d3400 but in all honesty, it is surprisingly useful and tends to see more use than we would have initially expected. That said, our favorite feature on the app is the ability to tweak your settings on the gimbal within a matter of seconds helping you save a whole bunch of time while out and about.

We are fully aware that some of our readers will never have to tweak the default config that the Zhiyun Weebill S comes shipped with it due to having been optimized for mirrorless cameras and lightweight DSLRs like your Nikon d3400. We also know that some videographers love to tweak with their gadgets and although you can tweak its settings via the physical interface and by plugging the gimbal into your computer, the app is so much quicker.

Build Quality And Design

In addition to this major design change, Zhiyun has also made the Weebill gimbal range as small and as light as possible and make their popular compact gimbal design even smaller! This makes the Weebill S the perfect travel gimbal for your Nikon d3400 if you are working in a niche where you have to travel around on a regular basis, especially via a plane. The small size and lightweight of the Weebill S ensuring that you can easily pack it without taking up too much space or adding too much weight.

Our Verdict

That brings us to the end of our article going over why we feel that the Zhiyun Weebill S is the best gimbal for Nikon d3400 cameras and should definatley be considered. It offers excellent performance with a solid build quality and can make a great addition to your camera accessories without having to break the bank. On top of this, the gimbal has managed to earn a number of glowing independent reviews from the community that shows other videographers are big fans of the gimbal too. On top of this, we also have our own review of the Weebill S but most of the points have already been covered in this article.

If you are on a tight budget or are looking to purchase a cheaper gimbal for your Nikon d3400 then the older Zhiyun Weebill Lab is still a solid option and performs almost as well as the newer Weebill S. It also has a number of solid independent reviews and we also have our own dedicated review of the Weebill Lab too that you may find helpful.

Before going any further into our comparison between the Crane 2 and Weebill Lab, we just want to quickly mention that the newer Zhiyun Weebill S has now been released and is a better option than both of the featured gimbals. The Weebill S is the successor to the Weebill Lab and the Weebill Lab is, in turn, a sort of pseudo successor to the Crane 2. If you are a professional level videographer or an established vlogger then the Weebill S will make a better addition to your camera accessories than the two featured gimbals.

On the flip side of this though, although the Crane 2 has been kept with the same price tag, the Weebill Lab has received a price reduction from Zhiyun since the release of the Weebill S to keep it competitive. In our opinion, at the time of writing at least, this makes the Weebill Lab one of the best cheap handheld gimbal stabilizers available on the market right now by a long shot. Compeating units like the DJI Ronin SC are much more expensive and essentially left for dust due to the superior performance and much lower price tag of the Zhiyun Weebill Lab.

Now, our regular readers will know, we have our comparison table below that goes over the main features of each gimbal with a short break down just below for any of our readers who are short on time. After the comparison table, we will be taking a more in-depth look at both of the gimbals for those of our readers who prefer to know as much as possible about any new potential addition to their camera accessories. We feel that this is the best way to cover comparison content and help our readers who are short on time as well as those who have more free time and want to know as much as possible.

Comparison Table

Product

Best Option!

Zhiyun Weebill Lab

Zhiyun Crane 2

Image

Load Capacity

6.6 Pounds

7 Pounds

Battery Life

10 Hours

18 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

4 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

-

Smartphone App

Dimensions

11.8 x 7.5 x 2.8 Inches

23 x 12 x 6 Inches

Gimbal Weight

2.14 Pounds

2.76 Pounds

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Best Option!

Product

Zhiyun Weebill Lab

Image

Load Capacity

6.6 Pounds

Battery Life

10 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Smartphone App

Dimensions

11.8 x 7.5 x 2.8 Inches

Gimbal Weight

2.14 Pounds

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Product

Zhiyun Crane 2

Image

Load Capacity

7 Pounds

Battery Life

18 Hours

Charging Time

4 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Smartphone App

Dimensions

23 x 12 x 6 Inches

Gimbal Weight

2.76 Pounds

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2022-08-11 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Our comparison table above shows the key features that most people care about when looking at any new potential gimbal. As you can see, the Zhiyun Crane 2 does have a few advantages going for itself over the Zhiyun Weebill Lab but the Weebill Lab is our primary recommendation out of the two for our readers. In our opinion, its lower price tag, smaller size, and lighter weight beat out the slightly higher load capacity of the Crane 2.

Additionally, more and more videographers are adding USB power banks to their collections to recharge their devices while out and about. This negates the advantage of the Crane 2 having a longer battery life than the Weebill Lab. This is why, in our opinion, the Weebill Lab is a much better addition to your collection of camera accessories than the Crane 2 as both gimbals provide similar levels of image stabilization.

On top of this, the Weebill Lab is probably the fastest-growing gimbal stabilizer available at the time of writing with its customer base growing at an exponential rate compared to the other gimbals. Since its release, it has managed to earn itself an excellent reputation amongst the community that just keeps on getting better and better. That said though, the Crane 2 has also managed to earn a great reputation for itself amongst the community but it has been available much longer than the Weebill Lab to grow its customer base and build its reputation.

Throughout the rest of our article, we will be taking a more in-depth look at the various features of both the Weebill Lab and Crane 2 to try and explain why we feel that the Weebill Lab should be your primary consideration between the two featured gimbals. Again though, unless you are on a tight budget, you should seriously be considering the Weebill S over the two featured gimbal stabilizers.

Performance And Functionality

As we mentioned earlier in the article, the Crane 2 does have a slightly higher maximum load capacity coming in at around seven pounds of total payload weight to the Weebill Labs 6.6 pounds. In the grand scheme of things, the additional 0.4 pounds of camera rig payload that the Crane 2 can support is massively outweighed by the other advantages that the Weebill Lab provides you as well as its lower price tag saving you almost one hundred dollars.

Both of the featured gimbals have the maximum load capacity available to support everything from a point and shoot camera to the vast majority of mirrorless camera rigs as well as a number of popular light to mid-range DSLR camera setups too. With both gimbals coming from the world-renowned Zhiyun brand, one of the leading gimbal manufacturers going, it should be obvious that both gimbals also offer butter-smooth image stabilization all the way up to their maximum load capacities too.

Even in this day and age, with more recent gimbals than the Crane 2 and Weebill Lab, rival brands have issues with vibrations spoiling their gimbals. The latest AK range from Feiyutech, for example, is having an absolute ton of issues even though all of the technology in the gimbal is newer than what each of our featured gimbals has. It just goes to show how far excellent planning and the wealth of experience in the game space that Zhiyun has built up over the last decade can make for the end product.

Moving on to the maximum battery life of the gimbals and this is another area where, on paper at least, the Crane 2 has the Weebill Lab beaten with its eighteen hours of maximum battery life to the Weebill Labs ten hours. We would imagine that the vast majority of the people reading this and considering purchasing either of these articles will be able to capture all the video footage they need within ten hours before recharging their gimbal anyway.

In addition to this, as we touched on earlier in the article, if you are working in a niche where you may not be able to recharge your gear at the end of the day such as remote wildlife videography or travel vlogging, chances are that you will be using a high power USB power bank to recharge your devices anyway. This further reduces the actual usability of the massive maximum battery life of the Crane 2 allowing you to go with the smaller, cheaper, and lighter Weebill Lab instead.

The Zhiyun Weebill Lab takes just over four hours to recharge from an empty battery back to full while the Zhiyun Crane 2 takes just under four hours so they are relatively close to each other when it comes to recharging times. Just keep in mind that these times are for a regular, wall-based power socket and recharge times from a power bank will depend on the output levels of the USB power bank you invest in.

The clips are extremely smooth and professional looking with some of the best image quality that you are going to get from a gimbal in this price range with this level of image stabilization and general performance. In our opinion, this excellent performance at such a low price bracket is the main reason that the Weebill Lab is seeing so much exponential growth in its customer base while earning so many excellent reviews from the independent videographers and vloggers who are using it as their go to gimbal.

User Interface And Control System

The image above shows the control system for the Weebill Lab but the system on the Crane 2 is very similar other than the fact that the smartphone mount will not connect to the Crane 2. As you can see, the systems are based around the regular control interface of an LCD panel, a few buttons, and a joystick just like the vast majority of other popular moderns gimbals on the market right now.

The control systems on both of these featured gimbals are very easy to learn so if this will be your very first 3 axis gimbal stabilizer then there is no need to worry. We have seen countless videographers reaching out about how you actually use the gimbals but the whole process has come on a long way over the last three to five years and they are very user-friendly these days. This means that an entry-level videography can easily get to grips with any modern gimbal within minutes and get out and about capturing their video footage as they need without having to waste a whole bunch of time.

If you are an advanced videographer or vlogger with prior experience using a gimbal then the system on both the Crane 2 and the Weebill Lab will be familiar to you. In addition to being very user friendly for the entry-level videographer, the interface also offers a ton of advanced functionality to ensure an advanced user can get everything they need out of the gimbals too.

The joysticks on both of the gimbals are very responsive and offer the user excellent control over the gimbal head for manual control. This allows you to naturally pan your gimbal when capturing your video footage without having that slightly robotic feel that gimbals can have when compared to the manual Steadicam style stabilizers. This essentially brings modern gimbals up to par with the manual style stabilizers with their only remaining advantage, their natural-looking panning while also providing you with all of the benefits of a motorized gimbal at the same time.

Smartphone App

Both gimbals support the wireless remote control setting on the app allowing you to control the head of the gimbal remotely via your phone when needed. This can be great for something like wedding videography if you want to place your gimbal near the alter then control it via your phone during the vows so you are not interrupting the ceremony. The remote control system is very simple to set up and the apps easy navigation allows you to do it within seconds too.

The other main feature that both of the featured gimbals also support on the app is the ability to quickly and easily tweak your settings to meet the needs of your session as required. Although the majority of videographers and vloggers will never need to tweak the settings on their Zhiyun Crane 2 or Zhiyun Weebill Lab, there are a small number of people who do like to do so and it is much quicker and easier to do it via the app.

Build Quality And Design

The actual build quality of both gimbals is very robust meaning that they are definatley tough enough to take a fair few bumps without showing the signs or lowering their performance. Another area where the Weebill Lab beats the Crane 2 is in its net weight with the Lab coming in at 2.14 pounds while the Crane 2 comes in at 2.76 pounds. Although this may not seem like much, if you are holding the weight of your gimbal plus your camera rig for a long period of time you will soon notice the difference. Additionally, if you are working in a niche where you will be traveling around on a plane on a regular basis the lightweight makes your life much easier.

Next up we have the actual dimensions of the gimbal and again, the Weebill Lab coming in at only 11.8 x 7.5 x 2.8 inches smashes the Crane 2 that is 23 x 12 x 6 inches. The small, compact design of the Weebill Lab scores it a ton of points in our opinion, especially if you do travel around on a plane on a regular basis as you can easily add it to your bag without it taking up much space at all.

Our Verdict

That brings our article going over our ultimate Zhiyun Crane 2 vs Weebill Lab comparison to an end but just like we mentioned back at the start of the article, we would highly recommend that you seriously consider the new Zhiyun Weebill S over both of the featured gimbals. It offers the best performance out of a gimbal to date and builds on pretty much all areas of the original Weebill Lab too.

The Weebill S is going from strength to strength with each passing month and has managed to earn a large customer base and an absolute ton of glowing reviews from third party, independent videographers who use it. On top of this, we also have our own, dedicated Weebill S review that you can check out if you wish for more information.

Our of the two featured gimbals, we would highly recommend that you go with the Weebill Lab over the Crane 2 as it is just a much better gimbal in general in our opinion. Throughout the article, we have gone over the areas where each gimbal is stronger than the other and as we have explained, the advantages of the Crane 2 are not as useful as they appear on paper whereas the advantages of the Weebill Lab are much more practical and it also has the lower price tag too.

As we touched on above, the Weebill Lab has one of the fastest-growing customer bases at the time of writing due to it just having received a price reduction from Zhiyun due to the release of the Weebill S. Many of the people adding the Weebill Lab to their collection of camera accessories have chosen to post their own, independent reviews of them gimbal that offer some great insight into it too. On top of this, we also have our own, dedicated review of the Weebill Lab that might be helpful too.

With each new generation of smartphone trying to not only beat its own predecessor but also beat the latest smartphone from compeating brands, we can only see the camera sensors on future smartphones becoming better and better. This leads us to believe that the number of content creators switching over to just using their smartphone for their content creation needs will continue to grow at an exponential rate as time goes on.

Due to this, it is not surprising that we have noticed a rapidly increasing number of people reaching out with various questions about smartphone gimbals over the last few months. One particular question or request that we have noticed is people asking for a dedicated article going over a Vimble 2 vs Smooth 4 comparison. As we always try to help as many of our readers as possible, we have decided to make this the subject of today’s article to try and offer the best advice possible for anyone considering purchasing either of these smartphone gimbals.

Now, at the time of writing, the Zhiyun Smooth 4 is probably the best smartphone gimbal stabilizer ever made and it really is not surprising that it has an absolutely massive customer base and an excellent reputation to match. Zhiyun has built itself up over the last few years to be the dominant brand in the gimbal space and they have compiled all of their experience and knowledge into the Smooth 4 to produce an excellent little gimbal.

On the flip side of this, Feiyutech has definatley lost their way and although they were once one of the top three gimbal brands going, their last few gimbal releases have had a ton of problems and their latest flagship gimbals from their AK range have a bunch of problems. The Feiyutech Vimble 2 is in a similar situation too with a number of issues that hold it back and it’s not surprising that it has a controversial reputation and a much smaller customer base than the Smooth 4.

Comparison Table

Product

Best Option!

Zhiyun Smooth 4

Feiyutech Vimble 2

Image

Load Capacity

0.46 Pounds

0.46 Pounds

Battery Life

12 Hours

5-10 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

4 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Smartphone App

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Click To Read

Price

$99.00

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Best Option!

Product

Zhiyun Smooth 4

Image

Load Capacity

0.46 Pounds

Battery Life

12 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

Prime Delivary

Smartphone App

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

$99.00

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Product

Feiyutech Vimble 2

Image

Load Capacity

0.46 Pounds

Battery Life

5-10 Hours

Charging Time

4 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Smartphone App

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2022-08-11 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Although the two featured gimbals do look similar on paper in our comparison table above, we would always recommend the Zhiyun Smooth 4 to our readers over the Feiyutech Vimble 2 any day of the week. One thing that is hard to show in a comparison table is the actual performance and image stabilization and the Smooth 4 blows the Vimble 2 out the water in our opinion.

We will also be taking a more in-depth look at the two featured gimbals below going over some key points and where each stabilizer either scores or drops points over the other. If you are short on time, just go with the Smooth 4 and be done with it. If you do like to know as much as possible then feel free to keep reading as we go over our deep dive on these two smartphone 3 axis gimbals.

Performance And Functionality

This is down to the gimbal motors used in each gimbal that we will touch on later but in all fairness, we always recommend that you never use more than eighty percent of a gimbals listed maximum load capacity anyway. That means, in this case, you would ideally only be using smartphones that are 0.37 pounds or less although the Smooth 4 is fine with everything right up to its 0.46-pound load capacity anyway.

With some of the larger smartphones on the market being over the 0.46-pound load capacity of the two featured gimbals there are also alternative options that you can take. The is an excellent smartphone gimbal that is actually arguably just as good, if not better in some areas than the Smooth 4 but has a maximum load capacity of 0.66 pounds, the highest of any smartphone gimbal at the time of writing and can easily support those heavier smartphones.

One area where the Zhiyun Smooth 4 absolutely smashes the Feiyutech Vimble 2 is in its maximum battery life. The Smooth 4 offers a pretty constant maximum battery life of around twelve hours per charge no matter what you have mounted to it or what you are doing. The Feiyutech Vimble 2, on the other hand, has an advertised maximum battery life of around ten hours but we have seen reports from people saying they are getting as low as only five hours if they are using up a large amount of the gimbals load capacity.

As you can imagine, this can be a total pain, especially if you are planning a day of capturing a ton of content and are expecting ten hours of battery but only get five hours! This can throw a spanner in the works and potentially cause you problems with your footage, especially if you are in a travel vlogging niche and are unable to revisit the locations you were going to. This is just another reason to go with the Smooth 4 over the Vimble 2.

Once your gimbal does run out of battery the Smooth 4 can be charged back to full in around three hours whereas the Vimble 2 takes around four hours. Although this looks close you have to factor in the potential maximum battery life that you can get from your gimbals when used. With the Smooth 4, you get a pretty consistent twelve hours for your three hours of charging whereas you might only get five hours out of your four hours of charging your Vimble 2.

If you are involved in a niche with a large amount of movement and need fast and snappy image stabilization then the Smooth 4 is a no brainer as its detection and correction system blows the Feiyutech system out the water. The Zhiyun gimbal sensors on the Smooth 4 are extremely quick and sensitive and are able to detect even the slightest movement in the gimbal.

This data is then sent directly to the Zhiyun balancing algorithm that is probably the best available at the time of writing to work out how best to correct the detected motion. The algorithm then sends the relevant data to the high torque gimbal motors that Zhiyun uses in the Smooth 4 to ensure that it is able to correctly compensate for the detected movement. This whole process happens at an extremely fast pace and is essentially seamless providing the user with some of the absolute best image stabilization that we have ever seen.

When you take all of this into account it is easy to see how the Smooth 4 has managed to grow such a massive customer base and earn so many excellent, independent reviews from the community while the Vimble 2 has struggled to get off the ground. If you do have a few minutes spare then we would highly recommend that you check out some of those reviews from third-party videographers as they offer some excellent insight into how well the Smooth 4 performs in a number of situations.

User Interface And Control System

If you are looking at either of these gimbals as your very first gimbal then they are both very easy to learn but as you can probably guess, we would recommend the Smooth 4 over the Vimble 2 to our readers due to the points we have mentioned above though. On top of this, if you have used gimbals previously or are planning to do some of the more advanced things with your smartphone gimbal then the Smooth 4 is definatley the better option due to it supporting more of the advanced features.

Smartphone App

Now, the app is definatley not required but if you are planning on using some of the more advanced features on your new smartphone gimbal then it is a solid little addition to your kit. It offers a quick and easy way to access and tweak your gimbals settings within seconds rather than minutes. The other main function of the app is the wireless remote control setting but it is pretty much useless with a smartphone gimbal due to the fact that if you are close enough to use the app you can use the physical controls anyway.

Build Quality And Design

Both of the featured gimbals are also pretty robust for their price tags as well as pretty lightweight for their sizes too. If you are doing something like travel vlogging or are working in some other niche where you know that you will have to be traveling around on a regular basis, especially by plane then this can really help. The lightweight of the gimbals allows you to take it with you without having to worry about going over your luggage allowances.

One area where we feel that Zhiyun score points over Feiyutech is with their gimbals handle grip. The Smooth 4 is more comfortable in our opinion and allows for a firmer grip over the Vimble 2. As smartphones can cost hundreds of dollars a firm grip is essential as the last thing that you want is to accidentally drop your gear during use. Additionally, if you are going to be recording for long periods of time the added comfort on the Smooth 4 can help prevent aches and pains in your hands too.

Our Verdict

That brings our ultimate comparison between the Vimble 2 vs Smooth 4 to a close and as you can probably tell, we would highly recommend that our readers go with the Zhiyun Smooth 4 over the Feiyutech Vimble 2. It is just an all-round better gimbal and can make a great addition to your smartphone camera accessories and help ensure you get the best image quality possible due to its excellent image stabilization.

If you are yet to make your mind up then we would recommend that you check out some of these independent reviews as they offer a great insight into the performance of the gimbal. Additionally, we also have our own dedicated Smooth 4 review but in all honesty, we have covered the vast majority of points in this article already anyway.

Now, in our opinion, although great camera accessories, both of these gimbals are definatley starting to show their age. If any of our readers are considering purchasing the DJI Ronin S or the Moza Air 2 then we would highly recommend that you seriously consider the Zhiyun Weebill S instead. Although it is from a range of gimbals that was originally designed for use with mirrorless cameras, advancing technology means that the Weebill S is easily able to support many light to mid-weight DSLR rigs too. Since its release onto the market, the Weebill S has managed to go from strength to strength and earn a great reputation for itself amongst the community.

That said though, we know that many people will still want the low down on the Ronin S and Air 2 so we will still be covering both gimbals in full below. Now, the DJI Ronin S is definatley the stronger gimbal in our opinion. Although the Moza Air 2 does look like it beats the Ronin S on paper, the Ronin S is in a league of its own when it comes to the actual levels of image stabilization that it is able to provide for you.

That said though, both of the gimbals have managed to earn themselves a great reputation amongst the community since they were released. You can click here to read independent reviews for the Ronin S or  click here to read third-party reviews for the Moza Air 2. Those independent reviews can offer some excellent insight into the performance of the gimbals from independent videographers who have used them as their go-to gimbal stabilizers of choice for long periods of time.

As our regular readers will probably be expecting, we have our comparison table below that goes over some of the key features for both of the featured gimbals. As we touched on above though, on paper, it does look like the Moza Air 2 beats the DJI Ronin S and the comparison table has this same flaw. This is why we have a long, in-depth look at both of the gimbals below the comparison table making up the rest of the article to go into where each stabilizer scores points over the other.

Comparison Table

Product

Better Option

DJI Ronin S

Moza Air 2

Image

Load Capacity

7.94 Pounds

9 Pounds

Battery Life

12 Hours

16 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

4 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

-

Dimentions

7.3 x 8 x 19.1 Inches

9.1 x 9.4 x 18.5 Inches

Weight

4.08 Pounds

3.5 Pounds

Smartphone App

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Click To Read

Price

$699.00

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Better Option

Product

DJI Ronin S

Image

Load Capacity

7.94 Pounds

Battery Life

12 Hours

Charging Time

3 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Dimentions

7.3 x 8 x 19.1 Inches

Weight

4.08 Pounds

Smartphone App

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

$699.00

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Product

Moza Air 2

Image

Load Capacity

9 Pounds

Battery Life

16 Hours

Charging Time

4 Hours

Prime Delivary

-

Dimentions

9.1 x 9.4 x 18.5 Inches

Weight

3.5 Pounds

Smartphone App

Our Rating

Independent Reviews

Click To Read

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2022-08-11 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Performance And Functionality

Depending on what you are planning on doing with your 3 axis gimbal, one of the main areas that you may be focusing on is the maximum load capacity of the gimbals. Although close to each other, Moza does pull out ahead with a maximum load capacity of nine pounds whereas the DJI Ronin S comes in at just under eight pounds of total payload weight. Now, in all honesty, they are both close enough to each other to be able to support the vast majority of DSLR camera setups with ease.

Another area where the Moza Air 2 comes out ahead is in the maximum battery life of the gimbals with it providing its users with a maximum of up to sixteen hours of battery life per full charge of its batteries. That said though, the twelve hours of maximum battery life provided by the DJI Ronin S is still nothing to be sniffed at and can likley be enough juice for a large number of our readers to capture all of the video footage they need between sessions.

One area where the Ronin S does come out slightly ahead of the Air 2 is in the actual recharge times of the gimbals. The DJI unit takes around three hours to charge back to full from empty whereas the Moza unit takes around four hours. On the flip side of this though, the Moza gimbal is recharging those additional four hours of battery life that the Ronin S does not have available so it kind of balances out.

On top of this, in this day and age, the majority of videographers will have a high output USB power bank to their collection of camera accessories anyway. This can essentially let you charge some cameras and gimbals when away from a regular power outlet for an extended period of time. It can be a great way to keep your gear charged in some niches where you may be out and about, away from civilization for days at a time.

In addition to this, the detection and correction system on the DJI Ronin S is better than the system on the Moza Air 2 helping to score the Ronin S even more points and making it the clear option in our opinion. This is due to the gimbal motors and sensors that DJI used for the Ronin S being better quality than the ones that Moza put in the Air 2. On top of this, the DJI balancing algorithm was much better than the one Moza had at the time of release too.

Although it does not help the Air 2, Moza has definatley fixed this issues and they have done an excellent job with the Moza Aircross 2 (note that it is Aircross 2 and not Air 2) and we think that it is probably the second-best gimbal on the market right now just behind the Zhiyun Weebill S. Depending on your needs, the Aircross 2 may actually be able to meet your needs and perform better than both of the featured gimbals so if you are wanting to stay away from the Zhiyun range for whatever reason the Aircross 2 could be a better option for you.

As you would expect for two professional-level DSLR camera gimbals released in modern times, both the Ronin S and Air 2 come with the majority of modern gimbal modes that you would expect. Although some of the names of the gimbal modes are slightly different to each other they are essentially the same mode offering the same performance so neither brand score points over the other here.

User Interface And Control System

Although we do feel that the Air 2 takes the crown when it comes to the control interface, the system on the Ronin S is still decent and allows you to get everything done that you will need with ease. If you are looking to make your first ever gimbal purchase and have never used a 3 axis gimbal stabilizer prior to either of these products both of them emphasize ease of use and are very easy to learn. In addition to this, we have also seen some people say that they were not fans of the joystick on the Air 2 and actually preferred the DJI system so personal preference will also come into it too.

The main thing to focus on is that the buttons and joysticks on both of the featured gimbals are very responsive and easy to use. They will allow you to get some great manual control of even the heaviest DSLR camera rigs with ease and ensure that you can get the gimbal to do exactly what you need it to do. The navigation menus on both systems are slightly different but are both very easy to use too.

If you are planning on using your gimbal in colder locations then even if we put our personal preference aside we feel that the Moza Air 2 pulls ahead of the Ronin S as its joystick is much easier to locate and use. If your hands are cold and numb then this can help may your life just that little bit easier and help get your session in the cold weather done that little bit quicker.

Smartphone App

In our opinion, neither DJI nor Moza score points over the other one when it comes to their apps as they both perform well, are easy to navigate, easy to sync with and offer very similar functionality. Both apps offer some wireless remote control of our gimbal while also providing you with some quick and easy access to your gimbals settings during use. Considering that both of the apps are free we would highly recommend that you download the relevant app to your smartphone no matter what gimbal you end up going with.

Build Quality And Design

Both the Ronin S and Air 2 have a solid build quality resulting in a robust gimbal stabilizer but their age is showing at this stage as both gimbals are large and heavy compared to something like the Zhiyun Weebill S tat has a much more compact design and build quality. If you are working in a niche where you are going to have to be traveling via plane on a regular basis and weight and size of your videography gear will be a factor the Weebill S is the obvious option to consider.

On top of this, both of the gimbals have a comfortable handle grip ensuring that you can hold the gimbal for as long as needed without getting cramps or pains in your hand while recording too. This is a simple feature that it still often overlooked by some gimbal brands even to this day but thankfully both DJI and Moza have nailed it. As you can probably guess, the build quality of the gimbals is another area where we have to call a draw as they are both solid camera accessories.

Our Verdict

That brings our ultimate comparison of the Moza Air 2 vs DJI Ronin S to a close and just like we have said at various stages throughout the article, we would highly recommend that our readers check out either the Zhiyun Weebill S or the Moza Aircross 2 over both of the featured gimbals. Both of these are great bits of kit and have all of the latest technology available to ensure you get the best image quality possible from their image stabilization.

Our of the two featured gimbals we have to go with the DJI Ronin S as our primary recommendation as although the Moza Air 2 comes out on top in a whole bunch of areas, the movement detection and correction system on the Ronin S just pushes it out ahead of the Moza Air 2 and makes it the obvious option in our opinion.

Due to this, we have decided to focus today’s article on what we feel is the best cheap Steadicam style stabilizer available on the market right now. Although there are a number of different, cheap Steadicams on the market right now, many of them are essentially a waste of time and not worth the money. Our hope is that we will be able to help any of our readers who are on a strict budget but are looking to purchase a decent manual stabilizer without having to break the bank while helping you navigate the minefield of entry-level Steadicams.

Now, one of the main things that we see with any article that is based on “cheap” products is that cheap is a relative term. Due to this, we want to quickly touch on the Flycam Redking that is a very budget-friendly manual stabilizer and is very cheap for the build quality, performance, and levels of image stabilization that it can provide you. It is a great competitor to the much higher price point Glidecam flagship that has managed to quickly earn and excellent reputation for itself amongst videographers. If you are a professional level videographer doing any type of paid work then the Redking is definatley the cheapest Steadicam style manual stabilizer that we would recommend to our readers.

That said though if you are an amateur videographer then the Neewer 24 inch stabilizer is a very cheap Steadicam stabilizer that is absolutely outstanding for its price point. We know that Neewer has managed to rightfully earn the reputation of being able to deliver some solid quality, entry-level products without having to hike their price tag up and their 24-inch stabilizer is no different. For a sub-one hundred dollar product it offers excellent image stabilization and has rightfully managed to grow an excellent reputation for itself.

Due to this, we will be focusing the rest of the article taking a more in-depth look at the Neewer 24 inch stabilizer as we feel that it is probably the best cheap Steadicam going at the time of writing. It will easily be able to meet the needs of any of our readers who are looking for a cheap, entry-level stabilizer but as we said above, we don’t feel that it is suitable for paid videography work. If you are doing paid gigs then the Flycam Redking is definatley the way to go.

Performance And Functionality

Just like all other manual Steadicam style stabilizers, this Neewer rig has no need for a battery like its motorized gimbal counterparts meaning that there is no need to worry about running out of battery while out and about capturing your video footage. If you are using to using a motorized gimbal are and just wanting to add a cheap Steadicam style stabilizer to your camera accessories for the natural panning then it is definatley a breath of fresh air to not have to worry about running out of battery life while recording.

Speaking of the natural panning, this is one of the few advantages that Steadicam stabilizers still have over the majority of motorized gimbals at the time of writing and this Neewer rig is no different. Although some of the newer motorized gimbals like the Zhiyun Weebill S so have gimbal modes to help you get that natural feel when panning, they are very expensive compared to a manual stabilizer.

Neewer has actually done an excellent job of working out a way to add a very similar system with low friction joints and high precision ball bearings that higher price point Steadicams use without having to hike their price tag up. Now, you have to realize that the system is not as effective as something on a $600 Steadicam but in our opinion, this Neewer ball bearing setup blows the rest of the competition in the sub-one hundred dollars price point out the water with ease.

The unit has a fully adjustable central column allowing you to tweak the operating height of the unit from fifteen to twenty-four inches allowing you to tweak the angles that you can mount your camera for optimal coverage of your subject. Although this is only a distance of around nine inches and does not come close to the customization of the professional level stabilizers, it is a nice little feature to have as central column adjustment is often missed off the entry-level Steadicams.

The Neewer rig is also fully compatible with the Neewer vest to help add that additional layer of support if you need it during use. That said, at the time of writing and due to unexpected popularity, it is an absolute nightmare to find the Neewer vest in stores. We hope that Neewer is able to resupply retailers as soon as possible as it a great little camera accessory and the vest compliments the actual stabilizer well and increases the things that you can actually do with this great little cheap Steadicam too.

When you look at what the competition sub-one hundred dollar Steadicams offer you for your money, it’s easy to see why the Neewer unit has proven to be so popular amongst videographers on the hunt for a bargain. It blows the competition out of the water and can perform just as well as some units that are more than double its price tag. It’s not surprising to use at all that the community has decided to publish so many excellent reviews of the Steadicam that are well worth reading if you have the free time available.

User Interface And Control System

Due to this, outside of the balancing system that we will cover in the section below and the adjustable central column that we touched on in the section above, there really is not much you have to do for optimal performance and image stabilization. The balancing procedure is extremely easy too and the adjustable counterweights use the clump weight design to make the whole process even easier than most of the compeating entry-level Steadicams.

All in all, Neewer has done a great job of keeping everything as easy as possible so even if this is your very first Steadicam, you will be able to learn how to operate the unit within minutes without running into issues. We know that some entry-level Steadicam brands have tried to do some advanced tweaks to try and stand out from the crowd but in our opinion, they have been implemented poorly and make the whole thing confusing. We think that the straight forward and simple approach that Neewer have stuck to is the best way to go, especially if this will be your very first Steadicam.

Balancing

One tip that we would like to share is that if you use the same camera setup each time, work out how many counterweight plates that you need to balance the Steadicam. Then if you do have to travel around with the stabilizer, only take the counterweight plates you know you need as well as a spare or two. This can help drastically reduce the amount of weight that you have to carry with you and make your life much easier, especially if you have to travel via plane with a luggage weight restriction.

Build Quality And Design

The durable and solid construction ensures that you can easily pack it in your camera accessory bag for transit and not have to worry about it breaking from any bumps or knocks. The lightweight due to the aluminum alloy and carbon fiber build also ensures that the Steadicam does not take up too much weight in your accessories while also being light enough to hold for those longer sessions without you having to

The unit comes with a standard quarter-inch mounting thread as well as a three eights mounting thread too. This ensures that you are able to quickly and easily mount any device needed to the Steadicam with ease. Most units at this price point only come with a quarter-inch mounting thread so the Neewer Steadicam just keeps on scoring more and more points over the competition.

The handgrip on the gimbal join is also very comfortable and non-slip too. This allows you to get a firm grip of the unit, even if you are out and about in wet conditions to keep your camera rig safe while mounted. If you are recording for those longer, extended sessions then the comfort level of the handgrip can prevent any cramps or aches and pains setting in too.

Our Verdict

That brings our article going over what we feel is the best cheap Steadicam currently available on the market right now to a close. As we mentioned back at the start of the article, if you are doing any type of paid videography work then the Flycam Redking is probably as cheap as we would recommend you go without sacrificing image quality for your clients. The Redking has a a ton of great, independent reviews that offer some great insight into the excellent performance of the unit that may be worth reading.

On the flip side of this though, if you are a hobbyist videographer or on a very tight budget then the Neewer 24 inch stabilizer really is a great bit of kit. In our opinion, it is without a doubt the best sub-one hundred dollar Steadicam available on the market right now and its customer base just keeps growing with each passing month. As we mentioned earlier in the article, the Neewer Steadicam also has a number of reviews that we would recommend that our readers check out for some insight into its performance from other videographers.