The Ultimate Feiyu G6 Plus vs A1000 Comparison!

Although both the Feiyu G6 Plus and Feiyu A1000 are very old handheld gimbal stabilizers by today’s standards, we have noticed a steady number of people reaching out month after month asking for a dedicated Feiyu G6 Plus vs A1000 comparison article. Due to this, we have decided to make this the topic of today’s article in an attempt to help any of our readers who are considering adding either of these aging gimbals to their collection of camera accessories.

Now, in all fairness, both of these gimbals have been designed for different tasks for it’s not really fair to compare them. The A1000 has been designed to serve as a mirrorless camera gimbal and back when it was initially released, although it was overpriced, it did do a pretty solid job although it has suffered from a number of issues. The Feiyu G6 Plus has been designed to serve as a point and shoot camera gimbal and still does a pretty solid job at the task even today.

Now, as you can probably guess, there are some much better options available on the market right now due to the various advancements in technology over the last five years or so. In our opinion, if you are considering the Feiyutech a1000 then you should really be looking at the Zhiyun Weebill S as it is the best mirrorless camera gimbal on the market right now.

That said, due to it being the latest gimbal to hit the shelves it does have a higher price tag so if you were looking for a cheaper mirrorless camera gimbal then the Zhiyun Crane Plus can serve as a much better option than the A1000 in our opinion. Just like the more modern AK range from Feiyutech, their original A range of gimbals that includes the A1000 has had a number of issues over the years with much better options being available from brands such as Zhiyun as well as DJI with the Ronin SC.

Now, as we mentioned above, the Feiyu G6 Plus has been designed to serve as the flagship point and shoot gimbal for the Feiyutech range and in all fairness, they have done a solid job and the G6 Plus has managed to earn a solid reputation amongst the community over the years. That said though, in our opinion, the Zhiyun Crane M2 is a solid contender and does a great job with potentially better levels of image stabilization in some niches.

Now, our regular readers will be expecting our comparison table below to show the main features of both of the gimbals with a short break down below it. Throughout the rest of the article, we will be taking a more in-depth look at the two gimbals and going over the points that we like and don’t like about the in comparison to the tasks that they have been designed for.

Comparison Table

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

As you can see from the table above, the Feiyutech a1000 is very dated by modern standards with a lackluster battery life and maximum load capacity. Gimbals like the Zhiyun Weebill S and even the older Zhiyun Crane Plus blow it out the water and you would do well to consider either over the A1000.

Now, the Feiyu G6 Plus on the other hand has actually managed to age very well in all fairness to Feiyutech. This is partly due to the G6 Plus having a great design as well as the fact that very few brands have released specialist gimbal stabilizers for the point and shoot camera weight class. As we touched on earlier, the only real noteworthy competition for the G6 Plus is the Zhiyun Crane M2 and even then the G6 Plus can hold its own in most areas.

If you are using something like the Sony RX100 or the Canon G7X and are looking to add a solid gimbal to your collection of camera accessories then we feel that the Feiyu G6 Plus can still be a solid addition to your camera accessories. If you are a vlogger or amateur videographer it also makes an ideal first gimbal due to how easy the G6 Plus is to use too.

Performance And Functionality

Moving onto the performance of both the Feiyu G6 Plus and Feiyu A1000 as you would expect due to both gimbals having been designed for use in two different camera weight classes, their maximum load capacities are totally different from each other. The Feiyu A1000 comes in with a maximum load capacity of 3.74 pounds of camera payload weight whereas the Feiyu G6 Plus offers 1.76 pounds of payload weight.

Now, on paper, this looks like a clear win for the Feiyu A1000 but in reality, when you factor in the target camera bodies for each gimbal, the A1000 has fallen massively behind the more modern gimbals like the Zhiyun Weebill S and even the Zhiyun Crane Plus that offer almost double the maximum load capacity and much better image stabilization. That said though, back when the A1000 was initially released onto the market, a sub-four-pound maximum load capacity for a mirrorless camera gimbal was pretty standard.

Now, the Feiyu G6 Plus actually offers the highest maximum load capacity of all point and shoot camera gimbal stabilizers on the market right now. Even though newer competing gimbals like the Zhiyun Crane M2 have been released onto the market, they don’t offer a load capacity as high as 1.76 pounds. Now, on the flip side of this though, there really is not much need for anything over 1.5 pounds of payload weight due to the light nature of point and shoot cameras anyway.

It is only this latest generation of the Sony RX100 or the Canon G7X that offer an external microphone jack so earlier versions of these cameras are pretty much set at their standard weight due to the fixed lens and lack of a hot shoe. Even if you are getting the RX100 VII or G7X III, chances are that even with an external microphone mounted to the camera body, it will still be lighter than the 1.5-pound load capacity of the Feiyu G6 Plus’ competition anyway.

Moving onto the maximum battery life of the gimbals, the Feiyu G6 Plus offers a very respectable maximum of around twelve hours although vibration and movement heavy tasks can bring this down to around eight hours. Still, for a pound and shoot weight class gimbal, this is a solid battery life and we really can’t fault it. The Feiyu A1000 on the other hand definatley has some issues with its battery and only offers a maximum battery life of around eight hours and it can drop down to as low as five hours depending on what you are doing with the camera. The Zhiyun Crane Plus on the other hand offers better performance, is a similar price, and offers a maximum battery life of sixteen hours!

Unfortunately, one thing that Feiyutech has always struggled with is their batteries and even though the Feiyu G6 Plus offers som solid battery life, it can take as long as five hours to recharge back to full. The Feiyu A1000 battery has issues with recharging too and it seems to just decide on how long it wants to take with each recharge with reports coming in between four and seven hours to recharge the gimbal.

We love sharing sample video footage capture with the featured gimbals with our readers as we feel that it is one of the best ways to show off the level of image stabilization that any featured 3 axis gimbal can provide. The clips above have all been captured using a Feiyu G6 Plus and as you can see, it can easily provide you with some beautiful, butter-smooth image stabilization for point and shoot weight class cameras.

The clips are free from lag but can have some very slight hang now and then but in all honesty, we doubt that the majority of people will even be able to notice the hang as it is very slight. This is due to the detection and correction system used on the Feiyu G6 Plus and in all fairness to Feiyutech, they have absolutely nailed it with the G6 Plus.

The gimbal sensors are very sensitive and can detect even the slightest of movements in the gimbal head and then send that information to the G6 Plus’ balancing algorithm. The algorithm works out how the gimbal can best correct the movement and then tells the high torque gimbal motors how best to compensate to keep your camera body level. This keeps your video footage smooth and the whole process happens at lightning speed to ensure that you are getting the best image quality possible while recording.

The clips in the footage above have all been recorded using the Feiyutech a1000 in ideal conditions and as you can see, although it is an older gimbal with a low maximum load capacity, it can still provide some decent image stabilization although there are better options like the Zhiyun Crane Plus that are available at a similar price point.

The detection and correction system on the A1000 is not as good as the tech used on the Feiyu G6 Plus either meaning there can be hang and lag in your footage depending on what you are doing with it. On top of this, the image stabilization on the A1000 is not as responsive as the Feiyu G6 Plus or Crane Plus either. This can lead to the gimbal providing you with poor performance for any tasks with a lot of short, rapid vibrations such as safari landrover trips.

User Interface And Control System

The image above shows the control interface for the Feiyu A1000 but it’s not too much different from the system on the Feiyu G6 Plus. In all fairness, they are both very simple but this will likely play to the advantage of any point and shoot camera owner looking to add the Feiyu G6 Plus to their collection of camera accessories anyway. As most people who are using a point and shoot camera will be an entry-level videographer or vlogger, the simplicity of the Feiyu G6 Plus can make your life much easier.

Now, on the flip side of this though, when it comes to the Feiyu A1000, chances are that most people using a mirrorless camera rig will be more experienced and need more out of their gimbal. This is where the Feiyu A1000 falls behind the competition again essentially making it more of a hindrance for professional-level videography work. The Zhiyun Weebill S has one of the best interface systems to date and offers a ton of gimbal modes as well as quick and easy control of the gimbal head.

If you are looking at the Feiyu G6 Plus then the interface is fit for purpose and its target market in our opinion but if you are a professional level videographer or established vlogger using a mirrorless camera rig then we would not recommend the Feiyu A1000. Even the newer Feiyutech AK2000 that is intended as the successor for the A1000 is dated and we would not recommend it for anyone doing paid work or wanting the best quality possible.

Smartphone App

Unfortunately, the Feiyutech smartphone apps are essentially in a state of disrepair right now and need a major overhaul. They have a number of issues that make them frustrating to use and the issues with syncing and random disconnects make the whole process a total pain. Thankfully though, both the Feiyu A1000 and Feiyu G6 Plus can be used without needing the smartphone apps and offer their regular functionality via the physical control systems on the gimbal.

With the latest Feiyutech AK range gimbals having a bunch of problems that need a fair amount of time and effort to correct, we doubt that they will be fixing the issues with their smartphone apps anytime soon. That said, by the time you read this, the app may be working perfectly and be providing you with some quick and easy access to your gimbals settings as well as some wireless remote control functionality too.

Build Quality And Design

Both the Feiyu G6 Plus and Feiyu A1000 stick to the regular handheld gimbal design that brands have used pretty much exclusively over the last few years due to how efficient it is for a gimbal. Feiyutech has not provided any tweaks or innovation to the standard design for either gimbal and both gimbals look very similar to the competing gimbals from their competing brands for their time of release.

As we mentioned earlier in the article, there really is not much real competition for the Feiyu G6 Plus and its solid build quality, lightweight, and robust nature helps it stay such a popular option. Many travel vloggers use it due to the G6 Plus being so robust that it can take its fair share of knocks while in your luggage between destinations without breaking.

For when the Feiyutech a1000 was initially released, its build quality was pretty solid in all fairness but again, with the mirrorless camera gimbal weight class being so competitive it falls behind massively by modern standards. The Zhiyun Weebill S is much lighter and smaller making it much easier to travel with while also getting the best levels of image stabilization possible.

One thing that can hold both the Feiyu A1000 and Feiyu G6 Plus back is that their handles are not very comfortable to hold for long periods of time. Depending on what you are planning to do with your gimbal, this may lead to aches, pains, or cramps in your hands if you know that you will have to be holding your gimbal for long periods of time. That said, if you are doing show vlog recordings then you will be fine and one of the main customer bases for the G6 Plus seems to be vloggers in various niches.

Our Verdict

That brings our Feiyu G6 Plus vs A1000 comparison to a close but as we said back at the start of the article, it really is not fair to compare the gimbals to each other as they have been designed for different jobs. As you can probably guess, we can happily recommend our readers add the Feiyu G6 Plus to their camera accessories if it can support their cameras payload weight as it is a solid gimbal.

The Feiyu G6 Plus has a bunch of great independent reviews from the community that it has earned over the years. If you have some time free then skimming over some of those reviews can offer a great insight into its performance and what you can expect from it. Additionally, we also have our own dedicated Feiyu G6 Plus review that you can read but many of the points in our review have been covered already in this article.

When it comes to the Feiyutech a1000 we would highly recommend that you go with another gimbal. The A1000 has not aged well at all and there are much better options available such as the Zhiyun Crane Plus if you are on a budget or Zhiyun Weebill S if you want the best performance possible at the time of writing. We do have a dedicated Feiyu A1000 review online but we come to the same conclusion in it too and recommend you add a completing gimbal to your camera accessories over the A1000.