One essential tool every professional filmmakers must possess is a Stabilizer or Gimbal. These tools helps in keeping your video footage as stable as possible.
Another big advantage of these devices is that it allows you to control smoothly the transitioning of cameras in different directions; something which would nearly be impossible if you’re using your hand.
There are numerous gimbal out there from big brands like DJI, Zhiyun and even Gudsen. One interesting thing about the numerous Gimbals out there is that some lack some essential features which are really interesting and great for whosoever wants to try them.
Zhiyun Weebill S
This is an awesome 3-axis compact gimbal that is designed in a rather unusual way. It has a shorter tail and then a handle.
As a powerful device, it can be used with popular Mirrorless cameras as well as standard DSLR cameras with massive lenses considering its powerful build quality.
Despite these features, The Zhiyun Weebill S is very lightweight and isn’t as heavy as it might seem. It is even small and fits well thanks to its neat body design and unique Sling mode.
The gimbal serves as both a great Stabilizer for any shooting mode something which might not really be easy to achieve using other gimbals with longer tail as you’ll have to always bend them around.
Another interesting thing about the Weebill S is that it has an upgraded algorithm and much stronger motors as well as an intelligent ViaTouch 2.0 system and also features an ultra-low latency HD image transmission module.
It’s a device meant for professional filmmaking and can also be used by beginners as it’s not very hard to use.
Letus Helix Jr. Aluminum 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
The next on our list is the new compact handheld gimbal which actually requires to be held with both hands as it allows more stability.
The Letus Hekiz Jr Gimbal has a flat bottom that can be placed on any flattened surface and it offers professional features for filmmakers and can be a great tool for shooting documentaries and events.
One other great advantage of this device is how great it can maw life easy when shooting a longer hour videos considering its amazing battery life which is really impressive.
And certainly something to keep in mind when searching for the best gimbal for DSLR.
DJI Ronin-M
The Ronin-M is our first DJI gimbal on the list and its not just some common kind of gimbal as it offers an incredibly powerful feature which makes it really interesting for those that wants to make professional films.
The design of the Gimbal makes it very compact and can be held by both hands or even one ha d considering the lightweight aluminium. Installing your DSLR on the DJI Ronin-M is super easy and fast to do as the entire process can be done under 5 minutes.
The DJI gimbal never disappoints when it comes to making awesome devices for professional filmmaking. The Ronin-M also feature an upgraded AUTO tune Stability technology which makes balancing your camera more precise.
One important thing to note is of course the battery capacity which is really massive and awesome. Unlike the mobile DJI gimbal, the professional Ronin-M can work for about 3-hours straight but then it offers a very quick battery replacement compartiment.
Overcharge and over depletion protection is built in, as is individual cell charge balancing. Remaining power is shown by clear LEDs and in the Assistant mobile app.
The Ronin-M can be used by a single videographer while being controller using the mobile app to monitor and change the modes and movements of the gimbal.
Moza AirCross 2
What is the list of best and professional gimblals without mentioning the AirCross 2. I personally love this gimbal as it offers lots of features. It’s also designed in a very simple but sleek manner.
Weighing just 950 Grams or 2 lbs, the Moza AirCross 2 is built with a magnesium-alloy integrated technology which enhances its robust performances.
In terms of the design, the AirCross 2 has a quite normal length tail by default and so it can be held with just one hand but if you’re a fan of balanced Stabilizer, you can install the rig for a more compact grip of the Gimbal with both hands as it all comes out of the box.
As for its capacity, the AirCross 2 can be used for any mirrorless and professional DSLR camera in the market even with a giant lens combo because it offers a powerful motor and smart balancing technology that makes installing your camera and the actual filming process as fast as possible.
Another great thing about the Moza AirCross 2 is that it has a mini OLED screen where you can monitor the actions of the Gimbal without necessarily needing a smartphone.
As for power efficiency, the AirCross 2 comes with a 3000mAh high capacity battery that can make it work for 12 hours for real despite 1.5 hours of charging because it comes with an 18W fast charger. The battery features its own USB charging interface and can be charged by the external power supply. Simple and convenient, it can be utilized anytime, anywhere. Three Multi-CAN outputs with a 7.8V power supply can supply power to cameras and other accessories.
Came-TV Optimus
Another compact and tailed gimbal on the list is the not so popular but rather interestingly awesome Came-TV Optimus gimbal which is a 3-axis satbilzer.
One downside of this gimbal is that it can’t carry a giant camera with massive lenses instead a light weight or medium size DSLR or better still smartphones.
The Came-TV Optimus made it on the list because it offers outstanding features while just being a lightweight device that is easy to maneuver very easily.
This is the kind of device you want if you’re a beginner filmmaker with a medium sized gimbal. It’s designed to be operated with just one hand and operates in the underslung and inverted positions as well. It has a flex range of 360 degrees.
As for the power capacity, it has a massive battery that’s can last you a long 10 hours of filming and can easily be recahergwd using its USB port.
Tilta Gravity G2X
A rather rugged and heavy duty gimbal that can carry a camera up to 3KG, the Tilta Gravity G2X is an interestingly great 3-azis handheld gimbal with a really great build quality.
Tilta is a well known company making really awesome camera cages and we’d expect the same build quality from their gimbal as well. If placed beside the Moza Air Cross 2, the Tilta Gravity G2X feels more robust and offers a nice grip as though you’re holding a gun.
At about $790, it offer a great performance and it’s battery capacity is long enough to last you during the days of filming.
Even though it offers a really great performance, one downside would the buggy application that accompanied the Gimbal. Aside these bugs, it’s also been reported that the Tilta Gravity G2X usually display some errors such as calibration errors, motors shutting off or even poor localisation. But if you’re an optimist, you can try out the G2X and enjoy the great performance else you can opt for other interesting gimbals out there.
DJI Ronin-S
The next on the list is another DJI gimbal called the Ronin-S which is built to be held with a single hand and its powerful enough to carry whatwvee mirrorless or DSLR Camera you mount on it.
Designed in a single-handed form factor for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, the Ronin-S empowers creators to shoot with the freedom of stabilized shots on the move.
With a maximum operating speed of about 75Kph, this is a true heavy-duty gimbal for the absolute professional filmmakers. It has a tested payload capacity of about 3.6Kg while its battery life can last you for 12 hours long which is really interesting.
This is the kind of gimbal that gives you the indeoendce of showcasing your talent in many ways. Features such as SmoothTrack applies to all its 3-axis and it gives you lots of modes to shoot from with the latest being thr Sport Mode which allows you to caorure insanely fast moving scenes and objects effectively.
The detachable, modular design of the Ronin-S makes it easy to fit inside a backpack on your travels. Thanks to the industry standard quick-release plate design, you can easily mount the camera onto the gimbal for tracking shots or on a tripod for stills.
Zhiyun Crane 3 Lab
The Crane 3 Lab is the second Zhiyun gimbal on the list. Even though its a really expensive Gimbal, it’s a really awesome stabilizer for both DSLR and Mirrorless cameras.
The Crane 3 Lab is a true heavy-duty gimbal that is very easy to setup and use. The desing just like thr Weebill S is also very unique as it has a super-short tail but then a handle that can be used to carry it.
The design of the Zhiyun Crane 3 Lab makes it easy to be held with one hand upside down which can be more convenient while shooting most scenes.
With a starting price of about $899, this can be one of the most expensive gimbal in the market but there are loads of advantages to that price point.
Because of the way its designed, it easily fits into a briefcase. Of all the handheld gimbal ot there, the Crane 3 Lab offers the most payload of about 4.5KG (10 lbs) which gives filmmakers an incredible option to attach whatever they want on their cameras without straining or overstretching the 3-axis motors of the Gimbal.
As for features, it offers a wireless image transmission system which makes it super easy to stream whatever you’re filming directly on your smartphone over WiFi. This could serve as a monitor and controller at the same which can be attached as a rig on to the base of the Gimbal.
The Crane 3 Lab might be expensive even more than the Ronin-S but it’s but it still feels and work absolutely great and one of the best gimbal of 2020.
iKan Beholder DS2
Not your typical gimbal with all the massive payload or fancy technology but this is a Beholder DS2 is a nice 3-axis brushless gimbal stabilizer which works awesomely great with mid-sized DSLR cameras.
One important thing is the stabilization performance which is handled perfectly fine by the device. It might not really be able to compete with the likes of the Ronin-S or the Zhiyun Crane 3 Lab but this is a simple mount and calibrate and shoot gimbal with the entire process taking few moments.
For $439, the Beholder DS2 might be too expensive considering how old it is, but it offers massive quality over some Other brushless handheld gimbal. It’s battery capacity is about 12 hours and it’s payload dilevery is around 2KG making it a really great choice for beginning filmmakers who don’t have all the expensive gears and attachements.
Feiyun Tech AK4000
The next on our list and probably the first from Feiyun Tech is the AK4000 which is an awesome flagship from the company.
It features high-end technology and interesting performances combined with an anti-shake algorithm. Although it’s not designed in any unusual way like the Zhiyun Care 3 Lab, the Feiyun AK4000 can carry a camera up to about 4KG (8.8lbs).
Its a very professional device with a touch panel along with a multi-functional magnetic induction knob that provides a more precise control of both the camera and the stabilizer. Any attachments can be rigged on to the Gimbal to provide more functionality for a more professional filmmaking considering its battery capacity that lasts for nearly 12 hours.
MOZA Air 2
This is the next Moza gimbal on our list of best professional gimbals for the year 2020.
The Moza Air 2 was announced last year during the CES and offers a 3-axis design for panning, tilting and rolling which all enahbces filming au gets from angles to angles.
Being a heavy-duty gimbal, the Moza Air 2 has a maximum payload of about 4.2KG (9.3lbs) despite having a lightweight body and simple handheld design. The gimbal also feature a four high-rate replacement batteries that gives it a 16 hours maximum juice to burn during filmmaking.
Swapping out batteries can be done very easily and conveniently making you work on your filming projects all day long. There are about 8 following modes in the Gimbal that allows you to be as creative as you’ll ever be. It also offers an angled motor arm which gives you an unobstructed view of the camera’s screen.
Accsoon A1-S
Is a relatively new company offering outstanding product in the Gimbal arena. The new A1-S is quite affordable as the new company tries to entice new customers into its base.
The Accsoon A1-S features an auto-tunning system through its in-built AI Machine learning algorithm that could help in adjusting the settings of the device in less than 19 seconds anytime you connect a new camera or even a lens.
Its very lightweight but that doesn’t mean it can’t carry as much as a 3.6kg (7.9lbs) of camera be it a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
And for the record, the AS-1 is the first gimbal to feature a motion control system that allows you to create a cinematic footage effortlessly. You could also use it for shooting time-lapse, panorama and wide-angle. As for power, it can work for a maximum 15 hours nonstop and can balance almost any DSLR or compact camera with minimal effort.
Conclusion
Gimbals will forever keep evolving and won’t stop because they’re very important in the lives of anyone who wants to be recording videos for a living.
While there is no absolute winner in the race for the most perfect gimbal in 2020, almost all Gimbals have their ups and downs because one gadget cannot essentially fill in all the holes and do all the jobs. That’s why high production professionals would have about 2 or more camera stabilisers depending on what they’re trying to achieve.
The most important thing to always consider with gimbals is that they’re not 100% all-purpose. They have somme little hole to fill and they do it perfectly. Depending on why you want a gimbal yourself, you might have to cherry pick which one is perfect for you right after going through a long array of gimbal options out there.
Meanwhile the scope of this long list to provide you with the essentials which the perfect gimbal must possess in order to make the cut. For example, compatibility is one thing I find to be important..
Being able to carry your gimbal around and transport it whenever you want is a very important factor which is based on the design choice of the gimbal. Take the Zhiyun Weebills S for example the design is far different from the rest on the list.
Rather than approaching the popular selfie-stick design which almost everyone follows including the new DJI Ronin, the Weebill S is designed in another manner which makes it very great for low angle shots. But that’s not all, the DJI Ronin also perfects the handheld and motion captures just like the Moza AirCross 2.
But as for performances which is definitely the most important, the DJI Ronin comes on top ahead of the Zhiyun Weebill S while I’ll rank the Moza AirCross 2 as the third. They all also offer incredible battery performances and other gear and add ons that makes them truly interesting and performs more.
Pricing varies among these devices and that might be another factor when shopping for the best Gimbal in 2020 but that doesn’t stop the fact that others are useful as well which is why this list is so essential helping to sort out the best among the best.