Zhiyun - Crane 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer

Buyer Beware that this gimbal malfunctions as the camera mounting plate was designed to large. The plate physically hits and damages the motor assembly. This is a poor design and will damage your gimbal when using it. I have contacted Zhiyun through FB Support and they ignore the problem and demand videos, photos, etc., but this issue is well documented online with their support and they are well aware of it. Otherwise, the product does function good and does provide stable video....just be aware that you will incur damage from its own poor product design. I have yet to resolve this issue with them, so support is not great either.

So, for all 5D canon users. I have a 5D mark iv and I tried balancing just the body and it barley worked. When the box comes in, it says that it holds up to 3.3lbs compare to the description online. Also, I know you're supposed to do the update in order for it to work for the 5D (for those that don't know much about this product). When I went to the website to get the update for the 5D, it wasn't on there and I looked everywhere! So, I ended up returning it last week. I'm hoping that they get one that holds more weight, or I'll get it somewhere else. For Sony people, I know that you'll love this thing! It's just not for me.

At first I had a really difficult time balancing the camera on the gimbal. It helped having a pattern on a wall that could be viewed on the camera's screen. It worked well with my Sony A6000 and a SEL1118 lens. Then I put a Canon Vixia HF-G40 on board. That was a little tricky. The camera's eye cup rubber impeded the motion of the gimbal until I bent the eye cup towards the lens. After that it managed the camera just fine. It really smoothes your movements when shooting. The resulting video was nice. You almost need to use a monitor when shooting because when you flip out the camera screen, it changes the balance. I was able to adjust for that however. I think it could be handy to attach to a tripod for DSLR still shots that are totally level no matter where you move the tripod. I like the build quality. It feels very solid. The case is a great accessory and the batteries last a LONG time.

Using this with Canon 5d mark IV and 24 - 105 L f/4. Total weight about 1500 grams. Works beautifully. But, you must get the latest firmware and go into the Zhiyun Gimbal Tools App and set the motor power to "high". This allows the higher weight of the canon DSLR. I used a iMacPro and the Mac version of the Gimbal Tools. Works great. Amazingly smooth and stabilized video for a steal of a price. I'm sure the new DJI and new Zhiyun products have more features, but bang for the buck is great on this one.

I bought this, seemed to work well but flashing light and turning off ended up being a fault in the unit. Best buy wont replace it as it took more than 14 days to troubleshoot. Zihyun USA are not the suppliers. You have to contact Zihyun asia and try to get a return for repair, Still trying 3 months later. I believe I have to pay shipping too. Another bunch of cash to the cost of this unit. I have just updated my studio with computers and I have first line pro cameras bought due to ease of service and return with best buy. Not this item, it is a nightmare.

As for being a gimbal, it does a great job. It is light weight, it has a fantastic battery life, and it was really easy to balance my camera on it. However, I am not very impressed with any of the other smart features. The app on my iPhone X doesn't run very smooth, it didn't have compatibility with my DSLR (even with an update), and pairing to my phone didn't work very well. I took this gimbal back for one with more smart features that work with newer DSLRs. I would only recommend this gimbal to someone that is looking for a gimbal motor setup, and not anything else.

As a cinematography & video production professional, 3-axis motorized gimbal systems are a must. After purchasing the big, Hollywood-esque DJI Ronin, I loved having the smooth stability for my Sony mirrorless DSLR cams, but the Ronin has a pretty technical and involved setup process. The Crane, however, was simple and easy to balance within minutes. I recommend the crossbar accessory, which adds a more comfortable grip and is easier to use for longer periods of time. I also got the Sony cable, allowing my Crane to interface with the camera, giving the user the ability to shoot photo, video, and even zoom directly from the Crane. Sweet product. Strong motors, great case.

I was leaning towards getting a DJI Osmo but since I already owned DSLR cameras and since they do better in lowlight settings, I took the plunge on the Crane v2. I owned a previous "stabilizer" that was a pain to get balance, but the Zhiyun Crane v2 made balancing as simple as mounting and pushing a button. Would buy this 100 times over. It takes a little getting used to but it is an awesome device. Have used it already a few times on shoots and look forward to mastering my skills with it.