I Found A $170 Mobile Gimbal That Rivals My Dji - And It's Easy To Set Up

2 days ago

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra gimbal.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra gimbal is disposable connected Amazon for $169
This gimbal makes getting soft video connected your telephone a breeze
The AI travel connected nan iSteady V3 Ultra is nan champion I've tested.

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I do a batch of filming, successful various situations and for different needs. Most of my filming is done pinch a cinema camera, but each erstwhile successful a while, I tin get distant pinch shooting connected my phone. But moreover pinch Android's built-in stabilization, I can't get nan soft footage I request while moving.

That's wherever a gimbal comes into play. There are plentifulness connected nan market, but I've yet to spot a marque arsenic affordable and useful arsenic those made by Hohem, truthful erstwhile I received nan iSteady V3 Ultra, I was excited to put it done its paces.

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I've utilized different Hohem gimbals, truthful I knew precisely what to expect. But this exemplary is simply a sizeable measurement up from nan original iSteady V3, arsenic nan AI and stabilization person vastly improved.

The Hohem iSteady V3 ray and AI travel camera.

My experience

One point I've ever respected astir Hohem's gimbals is really easy they are to use. I tin unbox one, connect my phone, move it on, commencement nan Hohem app, and commencement filming. That's really each location is to it.

Of course, erstwhile you want to make usage of each nan features (such arsenic nan AI follow), you're going to request to publication nan speedy commencement guide. But moreover nan AI search characteristic is easy to use. Simply flip a switch, guidelines successful beforehand of nan phone, springiness nan awesome (an OK sign), and nan gimbal will commencement pursuing you.

The iSteady V3 Ultra includes extendable legs to service arsenic a stand, truthful you don't person to acquisition immoderate different equipment. There's moreover a ray that has 3 different colour fills, truthful you tin get nan correct footage successful little light.

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So really did this gimbal guidelines up to nan competition? Now, to beryllium fair, I mostly usage a DJI RS 4 Pro gimbal, which costs astir 10 times that of nan iSteady V3, truthful I won't t beryllium comparing this gimbal to my main tool.

Even so, nan iSteady V3 Ultra is impressive. I already had nan app installed, truthful it took maine little than 2 minutes from unboxing to using. That's beautiful impressive, arsenic I've utilized telephone gimbals that took considerably much clip and effort.

Let's talk astir nan smoothness

Beyond nan bells & whistles, nan azygous astir important characteristic of a gimbal is its expertise to nutrient soft footage. I'm happy to study that nan iSteady V3 achieves that extremity rather well. I was capable to nutrient speedy footage that was truthful smooth, you would deliberation I was a ninja. And nan telephone remains steady, nary matter if you're successful image aliases scenery mode. There was nary wobble aliases drift, it conscionable worked precisely really I expected it to, moreover while moving quickly.

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Without a gimbal, location would beryllium nary measurement I could seizure specified soft movements pinch a phone camera. I mightiness beryllium capable to negociate it pinch a cinema camera (for short distances and connected nan correct surface), but a telephone is overmuch much challenging to support steady.

Let's talk astir nan AI

Seriously, this is impressive. I've utilized different gimbals pinch AI follow, and nan iSteady V3 Ultra was arsenic meticulous arsenic I've ever experienced. No matter really accelerated nan activity is, nan iSteady stayed connected me, moreover picking up nan slightest movements. I've had akin gimbals that did a bully occupation of horizontal follow, but this 1 is arsenic meticulous for vertical activity arsenic it is horizontal.

The AI travel arsenic besides awesome pinch matching speed. There was ne'er immoderate over-correction for accelerated activity aliases jerkiness for slow movement, it was soft arsenic butter. Keep successful mind that this each comes astatine a $169 price, which is moreover much impressive. On apical of that, you get a removable remote, truthful you tin trigger grounds and moreover usage nan joystick erstwhile distant from nan gimbal.

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're looking to amended your mobile video shooting skills, nan Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is nan measurement to go. With very small setup clip and hardly immoderate complications, you tin beryllium filming pinch this point successful minutes, and you'll mightiness beryllium arsenic shocked arsenic I was astatine nan results.

I've tested acold much costly telephone gimbals and if fixed nan choice, I'll astir apt prime this 1 first because of nan results and nan simplicity of use. If you're a creator shooting for mobile, aliases conscionable connected a budget, do yourself a favour and acquisition this gimbal to commencement making outstanding videos.

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra tech specs

9-hour artillery life pinch a 2.5-hour complaint time
¼-20 screw spread and built-in tripod
iSteady 9.0 stabilization algorithm
Weight 15.1 oz
Max Payload - 14.11 oz
Acceptable telephone width - 2.28" ~ 3.86"
Controllable perspective - Pan 360 degrees, Roll -195-+135 degrees, Tilt -35-+45 degrees
AI search region 1.64 ~ 22.97 feet
Illuminance - 110 lux@.5 m
Color somesthesia - 6500 K, 5000 K, and 2700 K