Customer Ratings & Reviews

Item works wonderful, takes some getting used to and more videos explaining how to balance the phone would be helpful.

Very well made product very quick shipping i love this product

Very happy with my purchase!!!!!! Works great!!!!!!

You have to buy an app to use it on top of buying the actual gimbal.

I got this item and do to busy schedule never got to use it fast. When I finally got the chance to use it. The item does not work properly. Took it to best they can’t figure it out. B&H could not fix the issue contracted company they refuse to honor the warranty don’t buy this item get a DJI pocket three way better

The Zhiyun Smooth 5S is exactly what I have been wanting from my next gimbal. Not saying it doesn't have its quirks, but it definitely is easy to setup (read the directions!) and once all setup, its really easy to use. It gives that steady cam feel where viewers can feel the motion but the footage is still stable and viewable. It also comes with a tripod included which is a nice added bonus and gives the filmmaker more freedom to set up shots,frame, etc without hanging onto the gimbal. Be aware that it does operate through an app that syncs up with the gimbal, so if you have any wifi or internet issues I imagine that might be problematic; I have yet to encounter any such issues though. I have a friend who told me the fill light was low on this and hard to see outside, however I did not have this problem. The fill light may be small but it is clearly visible. Another note for those more familiar with gimbals --- most of the filmmaking apps stop at 4k 30, but my iPhone can go 4K 60 and in the experimental mode in the app, it frees me up to utilize this. Also the app allows you to focus and zoom using the side wheel, which helps flow during filming. Overall,I stil give the Zhiyun Smooth 5s five stars because it is clearly a high quality gimbal at an afforable price (most standard gimbals are kinda on the pricy side!)

I'm sure many of you have seen the video that a lot of streamers and youtubers post while walking that seems to have little-to-no bob or weave to the video while moving. Achieving this type of video requires a device such as this called a 'Gimbal stabilizer'. It uses motors and gyroscopes to stablize the camera or phone as much as possible to prevent as much camera movement as possible. I was apprehensive at first using a brand I was not familiar with to create such video, but I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised, but there are a few small drawbacks. First, I'd say initially the setup is relatively straightforward, that said, some of the caveats come with this. The english version of the app has a number of chinese characters which can make it an interesting experience to navigate. Second, due to the placement of the controls and shape of the handle, sometimes you need to hit some of the buttons with another hand, which is an unfortunate thing as gimbals such as this are designed to be operated one-handedly as much as possible. There's a slight learning curve as it relates to general operation of the device, and I'd recommend spending some time determining how everything works together before going 'out in the field' to actively use it. That said, once you get the hang of it, it can be fun and extremely useful to use. I've used this to record and stream both, allowing me mostly one-handed operation as previously stated while moving around an environment. The Gimbal does deliver on what it is designed to do, with that bit of a learning curve. All in all, I would recommend it if this is the price range that someone is looking at, but there are better options in the higher range.

great for doing video footage with a phone. Why I am giving a 4 star though. Mainly for me is that it's not the easiest to get setup. I highly recommend looking up YouTube for setting up. But you will have to balance the phone each time. Not too big a deal and once you do it a couple times, it gets faster and easier. However, one part that I wish was a bit better. The clip part that actually holds the phone. This can be a bit tough to get a phone in as there is no grip to help pull the piece apart. It would have been nice to either have it open up for both ends when you press the phone into one side, or just have it open up all the way, put your phone in and then be able to squeeze them together to hold the phone, and then a button that would open it when you need, or some kind of grip/handle that you can use to pull the part open. So that is probably my biggest gripe. That said, once phone is in place, downloaded the app, I was able to connect fairly easy. But, if you connect to another app, then try to go back to the suggested app, you had to disconnect the device from the Bluetooth and reconnect it. It has a wheel on the side and that has a red button that I always think it's to start/stop record but that just switches between allowing you to zoom in or out with your camera, or when you press that button, it changes to you can adjust the focus. The button to start/stop recording, I feel like I have to press a couple times for it to do what I want. Like I will be recording, then want to stop recording, press the button and it will still keep recording. I have to really press it for it to stop. Lastly, I use an iPhone 14 pro max and have a mag case for it. On the mag case I have the pop socket piece. This did not allow me to use my phone with the pop socket part. I had to remove that. But I just had to remove the magnetic pop socket part and not the whole case. So at least it will fit a slim case. My wife's Samsung phone fit with her case on as well and she has a pop socket that she placed on her case, and it was fine as her pop socket is more center to closer to her camera. If you enjoy doing videos with your phone, this kept it pretty study as you move around and move it up and down. You have a lot of options for how you want this to react with the mode button. So, default the camera will follow your hand movement when you turn it left or right but not up and down. Up and down will keep the camera study/straight. You can select a mode that will keep the camera in the same position regardless what you do, then you can have the camera do whatever you do so left right as well as up and down. Then another mode that you put the device vertical and then you can use the joystick and have camera go in a circle. Think another mode as well that you can do. It has a joystick so you can adjust the camera with that, and then there is a button that you can tap 3 times quickly that will re center your camera. Or you can press that same 2 times quickly and it will instantly turn the camera to face towards you. Seems to have a pretty good battery life. And you can plug in your phone and it will charge your phone. few things that I would like to see, like I mentioned, a better way to be able to put your phone in the phone holder part. Would be nice to have a carry bag with this. I would like to maybe see a button to allow just a picture as well as the record button. And I would like to see the side button that is on the wheel not have the red circle. Maybe blue or green. But having the red circle just seems like it will start/stop recording. Overall nice device to have if you do videos.

Missed the software installation, and you're not given another chance to install it,

When looking for a gimbal, you want to make sure it will work for your device, in this case a smartphone. I've tried a couple that didn't quite fit, or you needed to remove the case, until I came upon the Zhiyun Smooth 5S. A strange name, but it held my Moto One 5G quite well, so I figured I would try it. First off, I like how it felt in hand, well built and professional feel. It came with no parts to assemble aside from the tripod mount which attached at the bottom of the unit, where you can place it on a full-size tripod as well. It surprised me as to how cumbersome it was in locked position; certainly not something you can put in your pocket. Others I've seen had a much more compact fold-in with one having a pull-out tripod. The button layout and dials were mostly easy to reach with the exception of the power and function buttons which were quite difficult to press with one hand. Also, the dial on the opposite side was meant for use with the left hand, likely being awkward for a left-handed person to use. The built-in fill light is quite bright and finely adjustable brightness. The left dial allows for really smooth zooming (button in center does not record) which is always a plus with a smartphone. I like how you could charge the phone while on the mount, provided you have a short usb-c cable. What I didn't like was balancing the phone and spreading the tight clamp to lock it in. It was more time consuming than I expected and to switch it between landscape and portrait, the phone needs to be removed, the clamp twisted and the phone reinserted and rebalanced. The ZY Cami app has a lot of features like focusing with the object moving toward or away from the camera, object tracking, panorama. To access higher features, they want you to pay for a package (Prime or Prime+) yet, because the app is Chinese, it doesn't offer the option of live streaming with FB, IG, or Tiktok, but has what I assume to be Chinese social apps. There's also a substantial amount of Chinese lettering in the app, making me suspicious and insecure of any media processed by the app possibly using Chinese servers. Once the phone is setup and balanced, it does a great job of creating smooth, jitter-free videos, even zoomed in. The tripod is very sturdy and great when you're by yourself and use Follow mode; it's like having a cameraman. When you want to set a follow lock, simply line up the target in the center square and press the trigger once on the back of the unit. There are a lot of buttons on the unit and likely meant more for professionals than the average person. The menu button is a mystery as to the usefulness it has, as pressing it only brings up a tutorial page and pressing it again doesn't switch back. You have to go to the screen and exit out of it, quite useless button. This gimbal has a lot of high-end features and is well built. Had it been for a dedicated camera, it would've been perfect, but as a phone gimbal, it's just too cumbersome and a hassle to use or transport easily. I would recommend this for professional videographers, rather than average p[eople who want a stable selfie-stick.

I had never considered buying a gimbal for use with my smartphone and jumped at the chance to try one out when Best Buy offered to send me one for evaluation and review. I received the Zhiyun Smooth 5S 3-Axis Gimble Stabilizer a few days ago and was very impressed with the quality of the unit and the opportunity to expand the capabilities of my smartphone using the device. Upon opening the box, I found the gimbal, a handle that screws into the bottom of the device and becomes a short tripod making it easy to store upright and take still or video photos without having to hold on to it. Setting up the Zhiyun 5S gimbal was not a simple out-of-the-box set up. I read the manual provided by Zhiyun and found it to be quite useless other than it describing the switches and buttons on the handheld unit. I immediately turned to YouTube and found a number of videos providing much clearer instructions on how to set up, balance and use the gimbal, where to download the Zy Cami software that interfaces with the gimbal and demonstrates how to set it up and begin using it. If you thing this is a plug and play device, you would be incorrect. There is a learning curve involved with this (and any) gimbal device so be prepared to work with it learning more as you go. Some of the videos shown that were taken with the Zhiyun 5S-3 Axle Gimbal Stabilizer device were crazy good! With work, you too can learn how to produce creative cinematic quality videos! The smartphone will fit into the gimbal both vertically and horizontally depending on what your subject matter is and how you want to capture it. The gimbal is rechargeable using a USB-C cable. The gimbal comes with one hard-wired light that is dimmable as needed. Additional magnetic lights are available from Zhiyun. For the money, this is a quality gimbal device I will enjoy learning to use and should last me for years!

The Zhiyun-Smooth 56 Gimbal is a great option to include in your video equipment. I am a photo and video aficionado and over the last few years, I was thinking of introducing a gimbal to keep a more stable video recording and a more professional video. However, I feel that the learning curve for becoming a regular user is quite steep. I love that the Smooth 5 is coming with the gimbal and the tripod, plus the charging cable. I think that this is the bare minimum starting kit and all is there. Now, what I think is missing is a real manual for new users. The brochure for quick-first use is less than insufficient. To make sure that you can use it, I strongly recommend (in reality, I don’t see an alternative) Google for manuals and video tutorials. This will include the first balancing of your phone in the gimbal and the pairing. Thankfully, the videos are quite easy to follow, and the pairing is quite fast. Two elements need to be considered: Downloading the ZY seems to be a must. I observed over the last few days using the gimbal that a lot of future professional effects will be more intuitive using it. If your phone is an Android be ready for a less-performing app than if you are the owner of an iPhone. According to some videos available, seems that the Android app is not as complete as the IOs. After the three training videos: for pairing, for basic recording and to understand the different controls, I started to feel the power of the gimbal. Short videos and basic recordings are enough to see the big difference with the new equipment and I love it. In final reflection, I only had 5 days to discover the gimbal but is clear that you need to invest a significant level of hours to obtain the real potential. I dislike when the technology shows weaknesses in the first tests. The five available possibilities and modes of control for recording based on the operator's skills are an invitation to spend hours playing and discovering your investment. My opinion is that the gimbal is promising of great projects ahead and time to discover and enjoy the technology. I think however that a better user manual in the box is compulsory for a better first experience. I also hope that further development for the Android phone should be expected.

I have been super pleased and pleasantly surprised with this performance after testing it out with some skepticism. I just returned from a 10 day trip to Yosemite and really put this through the paces every day I was there while hiking, fishing, and climbing. Although the controls are not as intuitive as some other gimbals I’ve tried, the performance and functionality has been flawless and I’ve had 0 issues besides simply getting used to it. That brings me to my only real complaint, the end user experience needs work. The app and controls should feel more intuitive, but they can seem complicated and unclear. The app even has sections that were still in Chinese instead of English making it frustrating at times, but not unusable. I think that this device is meant for and should be marketed at the experienced user, but not someone who wants to try their first gimbal out. The hardware is solid and works, but the software leaves something to be desired. The good news is I’m sure this can be fixed with simple software updates! So I’m anticipating this device getting better and better for as long I have it!

The Zhiyun Smooth 5S Gimbal helps me to step my videography game up and you read about it below. [PROS] - The gimbal is sturdy and keeps my phone secure. I don't have a large phone, but it does have a bulky case that is held on firmly by the gimbal's clamps. - The app is super responsive when navigating and selecting different options through my Smooth 5S. - As I use the gimbal, my phone definitely rotates accordingly to the desired position I need at the time when shooting. - Website and app tutorials are useful if you feel overwhelmed. [CONS] - It did take some time to get my phone calibrated just right, but it eventually worked. - It seems that additional features are behind subscription services which can be discouraging. - Zy Cami is the primary app you're likely to use, but support also recommends (or at least instructs) you download the Sta Cam app as well. For basic shooting, you should be fine with Zy Cami, but it's best to download both unlock everything that the Smooth 5S can do. In conclusion, this gimbal can get the job done and takes some practice to get used to. After a bit of work from my end, it wasn't hard to obtain some high quality video shots that you typically see advertised.

I recently purchased a combo version of the smooth 5S. Battery life was great. It held my iPhone 14 pro max with the case.  I was able to balance my iPhone 14 was also easy.  I would highly recommend getting the combo version because they come with the lights in the lights came in handy on the license relations. I was able to record directly into my iPhone, using the record button on the gimbal, because my phone was able to connect via Bluetooth. Lastly, the reason I chose four-star’s is because this gamble kind of forces you to get a membership through the company.

I've been looking into a gimble for my phones to try out some video content creation. I've seen a bunch of these but never really got around to looking into them until now. Like most people, I'll hold my phone in hand for recording videos or what not. It works but, when recording videos, the choppy/bouncy shaking of the phone doesn't really equate to solid videos. I got the opportunity to review one of these units and I'm quite intrigued by it. Definitely a great tool to have and, possibly, a must-have for anyone creating video content. The first thing to note is that it should hold any smartphone. However, larger phones like my iPhone 14 Pro Max, with an Otterbox case, will not fit in the holder at all. I have smaller iPhones like my 6 and 4S that will fit just fine however you should know that not all phones will fit (depending on if you're using a case or not). Controls on this are sorta tricky TBH. For most things, it's pretty simple to figure out what button does what but this seems to be a more advanced; especially if you're not used to using things like this. If you're new to these things then you'll definitely want to watch a video or read a FAQ on these things first. After "training" then this becomes a great little tool to use for shooting video. Over time, I think it'll become a must-have for me but, for now, still in training mode but definitely finding great use for this.

Zhiyun Smooth 5 Gimble is a fantastic Gizmo for any videographer, from a social media influencer to a paid professional. I admit the learning curve was tough, but I watched a few intro videos, and I was off and going. They were very helpful in getting started with using The Smooth 5. It helped me know all the functions. They work well independently, but there are also some apps to get into the scenes. Set up was easy through my phone. I use a Samsung S22 Ultru, and it works fine. It's rated to work with phones weighing 150 to 300 grams. And the buttons along the gimbal shaft controlled my phone with ease. There are two apps to ZY Cami and the StaCam cam app. With very easy-to-navigate buttons, you have a power button on the side that gets the party going, a function button, and cycles through all the gimbal functions. The gimble comes with a fill light for dark shots with limited light. The status indicators show you have a low battery. A resolution selection button is in the front of the gimbal. The battery life is good on this one, and it also comes with a tripod for hands-free usage. I hated that you must manually power down the gimbal to switch from portrait to landscape mode. It would have been more fluid to change with a button alone. It has four panorama modes. This one is a winner to me. You won't be disappointed.

I've used a few gimbles for smartphone cameras and really think they add a great amount of quality to the overall videos shot on a smartphone. This gimbles as well adds stability, the ability to get amazing angles and perform shots that just aren't possible with a smartphone in hand. This gimbles though doesn't compare as well to others out there. With an awkward design and extremely confusing setup I really can't recommend this product to anyone. Setting up the gimble for the first time makes very little sense, the instructions walk you through it, but with all the separate locks to release and slides to adjust it's very hard to get it right. I had an even stranger problem where the gimble would just decide to shut off shortly after turning on. I still can't get it right and often leave one or more locks locked on accident. The next confusing thing 8s the button layout. When setting up there is an app you're told to download, but the problem is this app doesn't have any function for half the buttons on the gimble. Instead there is a separate "pro" app that isn't mentioned anywhere that utilizes the entire feature set of the gimble. Very confusing. Overall there are better options out there and for similar price points I can't think of a reason to get this gimble other than it does have a zoom knob that works really well.