Best Phone Gimbals in 2020

Best Phone Gimbals iMore 2020

• Best Overall: Zhiyun Smooth 4
• Best Value: Hohem Isteady Mobile Plus
• Best Battery: DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Combo
• Best Entry Level: Moza Mini-S
• Best Extendable: FeiyuTech Vimble 2S

Best Overall: Zhiyun Smooth 4

Beloved by professional videographers, vloggers, and enthusiasts, the Zhiyun Smooth 4 is a must-have piece of photo gear in my bag. The Smooth runs for 12 solid hours per charge and outputs rock-steady footage no matter the weather or your movements. Sliders on the side of the handle operate as a control panel, allowing you to switch between gimbal modes, flip on a fill light, record, pause, and more.

If I have to nitpick, it's that this gimbal balances most accurately without a phone case. Since the Zhiyun's grips firmly hold your pricey phone in place, this isn't an issue, but for the inconvenience of having to pull your case off to shoot and replace it again when you've finished.

Features worth bragging about include object tracking, focus and zoom capability, a shutter trigger, and advanced shooting techniques like time-lapse, hyper-lapse, motion lapse, slow-mo, and more. Whether you're an advanced filmmaker or just learning the ropes, this is the phone gimbal that gives you smooth video in every situation.

Best Value: Hohem Isteady Mobile Plus

The Hohem Isteady Mobile Plus is an affordable phone gimbal with advanced features you'll adore! Included with this model is a newly released 3D inception mode that lets you vertically rotate your phone 360 degrees while filming. Fun to use! A sports mode kicks 3-axis stabilization into overdrive, ensuring movies are never shaky, even when you're running down the stairs or biking over rugged terrain.

Battery life on the ISteady Mobile Plus is an admirable 12 hours, and the unit can charge your phone if necessary. This model has four panning modes, various time-lapse features, and can do minor retouching during post-processing with the included app.

My only gripe is with the software. Both iPhone and Android apps are clunky, at best, challenging to navigate, and hard to learn. The app is continually being updated and gets better with each release. But those feeling overwhelmed may want to stick with their phone's video and camera software to start. All in all, this is a pro-grade gimbal at a bargain price.

Best Battery: *DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Combo *

You don't want to run dry in the battery department while filming! The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Combo is a packable handheld smartphone gimbal that boasts 15 hours of battery life. The Mobile 3 is lighter than previous generations and comes with a redesigned handle and ports.

The DJI Mobile 3 supports all phones up to 3.5-inches wide, which is pretty much any modern phone on the market today. New ActiveTrack 3.0 technology, gesture control, and an abundance of creative modes give this model a nod of approval from us.

The combo pack includes a few extras that you won't get in other kits. You'll get the Osmo Mobile 3 with a built-in battery, the power cable, a soft storage pouch, a wrist wrap, and four anti-slip pads. Also included, an Osmo Grip tripod that's ideal for snapping stills and selfie videos, plus a hard carrying case, which is a must-have if you travel. The only con in my book is that if you're using an iPhone 11 Pro, the ultrawide angle lens captures a bit of the gimbal in the corner of footage. The solution is to avoid taking wide-angle shots, which is a disappointing fix.

Best Entry Level: Gudsen Moza Mini-S

When size matters, the Moza Mini-S performs like no other. This phone gimbal has a slim, light body that folds down to five inches in length, small enough to fit nicely in a backpack, drawer, or even your glove compartment. A built-in sensor and brushless motor do away with the shake that turns good videos into vertigo-inducing nightmares. This is also the easiest to learn gimbal on our list, making it the right choice for newbies.

This little gimbal automatically detects and tracks objects and people, in addition to panning, tilting, and rolling. Footage stays crisp thanks to 3 axis stabilization. The handle on the Moza Mini-S is equipped with one button zoom and focus controls for smooth operation.

If there's anything to complain about, it's the variable battery life that sometimes stretches eight hours while other times are barely making it to the five-hour mark. Also, you'll need to remove the case from your phone for the clamps to grip your smartphone adequately. Despite these minor quirks, we love this tiny powerhouse for its size and competitive features.

Best Extendable: FeiyuTech Vimble 2S

The FeiyuTech Vimble 2S is perfect for anyone who could benefit from a little extra reach. Shooting selfies, action high above eye level, or motion slightly out of arm's reach is possible with this lightweight gimbal that extends to 18 centimeters. The Vimble 2 can do movies vertically or horizontally, as well as face and object-tracking. And 3-axis stabilizers give anyone steady hands when they're on the move.

Controlling the Vimble 2 is as simple as pushing buttons on the handle. A joystick gives you total control, in addition to a Bluetooth shutter button, trigger button, and focus key. Tilting, rolling, and panning is silent and works beautifully.

Built-in filters are fun to use with the Vimble 2, and your work is editable with the free app. The only drawback is the battery life, which lasts a tad under 5 hours. If you don't mind that, the Vimble 2 is the ideal piece of photo gear for any phone owner.

Bottom line

When it comes to playing favorites, the hardest working tool in my bag is the Zhiyun Smooth 4. I love the easy-to-hold handle that functions as a control panel and lets me adjust settings and change focus on the fly via a handwheel. Object tracking is dead-on accurate, and footage is stable and in focus whether I'm climbing the side of a mountain, running on a trail, or shooting from a car.

The Zhiyun's only fault is that it operates best when your phone case is stripped off. Leaving it on works, but it never seems to balance correctly, and operation is clunky. So, be forewarned, to get the most out of the Smooth, it's case off when working!

No matter what your skill level, you'll be impressed with the 3-axis stabilization and tilt, roll, and pan rotation options on this smartphone gimbal. The Smooth is a standout product that's sure to keep your creative juices flowing.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide