Is the Zhiyun SMOOTH 5 the BEST iPhone Gimbal Yet?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 14 фев 2022
- In this video I take a look at the Zhiyun Smooth 5 smartphone gimbal - especially as it relates to how it works using larger phones (iPhone or Android) and 3rd party accessories like filters & lenses.
Check out POND5 and SAVE 20% on your first purchase:
geni.us/Pond5 (affiliate)
▶︎ FEATURED GEAR:
Smooth 5 geni.us/aTW7wj6 (Amazon)
Moondog MCFM & Filters geni.us/4p8aE
Moment Lenses & Filters geni.us/ShopMomentLenses
LEARN MOBILE FILMMAKING!
▶︎ Smartphone Cinematography 101 (SAVE 10%): bit.ly/SmartCineSave10
▶︎ The DIY Short Film Guide geni.us/DIYShortFilmGuide
▶︎ The Complete Guide To FiLMiC Pro V6 (SAVE 10%): bit.ly/FPGuideYT10
▶︎ The Complete Guide To Smartphone Audio: bit.ly/SmartAudioGuide
▶︎ LumaFusion Color Grading 101: bit.ly/LumaFusionColor101
🎥 Making movies with FiLMiC Pro? Check out our LUT Packs!
bit.ly/filmicproluts
▶︎ MUSIC We Use (get 2 months free): goo.gl/RcMx4N
▶︎ EDITED with Adobe Premiere Pro bit.ly/2P0I7zJ
▶︎ FAVORITE Apps & Gear:
FiLMiC Pro (camera app) apple.co/2LhbG15
LumaFusion (editing app) on iOS: apple.co/2zL3sJW
Hybrid Gimbal geni.us/6dkF
Large Gimbal geni.us/Apf3K
Universal Camera Cage/Grip geni.us/QdB1
Tripod Mount geni.us/v3pto
Mini Tripod geni.us/DbUyG
Bendy Tripod geni.us/of3vKAt
Battery Pack geni.us/NSmbd
Small LED Light geni.us/EVZoEA
Camera Mount Mic geni.us/DkD8TAv
Anamorphic Lens bit.ly/ShopMoondog
Sandmarc ND Filters/Lenses (works with Ultra Wide) bit.ly/ShopSandmarc
Need more smartphone filmmaking gear ideas?
www.iphoneographers.tv/apps-gear
▶︎ JOIN this channel to support it and access cool perks:
/ @iphoneographers
▶︎ CONNECT:
/ ifilmmakers
/ watchifilmmakers
/ iphoneographers
▶︎ SUBSCRIBE & listen to my PODCAST bit.ly/AlmostProPodcast
If you’re new to the channel it's all about taking mobile & DIY filmmaking to the next level. I share tools, tips & techniques to empower indie filmmakers, RUclips creators, mobile journalists and really anyone who wants to create better videos and movies. I primarily use iOS devices - but most of the tips will work with any smartphone - so if you're an Android user there's plenty of good info here for you, too! :)
Disclaimer: Some links used are affiliate links from Amazon, B&H and more. We get a small commission on any sales which helps support our channel - and it costs you nothing extra.
This video is sponsored by Pond6.
#iphone #gimbal #filmmaking
Thanks for watching!
©2022 Splashbox Studios 
Кино
If nobody else got the Office Space reference with the destroying the old equipment to rap slow motion.... I did sir and kudos 👍🏾
I purchased the Smooth 5 a month ago but prior to the purchase I watched too many reviews of gimbals and your intro resonates with how I feel 😬. But I’m glad I endured watching your review to get your perspective. I think the Smooth 5 is a great first gimbal! If I need support for a heavier payload, I’ll look into the Crane M3. Awesome intro btw!!!
Thanks for watching! Glad you like the Smooth 5.
Very informative review. I’m getting it.
This man is amazing. Gracias! I liked the video.
Thanks for watching!
Your reviews of gimbals are more practical than most.
Thanks!
great in-depth review Blake
Thanks!
Just got mine for my Samsung galaxy s21+ it works pretty well even though the app could use some more work. I did play around with mine a little to much so I might buy another or different one but in my opinion its great and affordable especially if your starting it does keep the footage nice and steady. just got to get use motions and setting it up right so that the gears don't work against each other.
other than that its a great gimbal
The StaCam app is a good pro camera app by Zhiyun that allows full functionality from the gimbal.
Cool will check that out thanks.
I really appreciate your video and how you clearly demonstrated the use of the Smooth 5 gimbal regarding the payload. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome "Office Space" call back 😂😂😂
Excellent, Thanks
Enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing. Do you recommend any lenses for shooting sports?
- IPhone 13 pro
I do like to use lenses and especially telephoto on the iPhone telephoto for sports - but unfortunately the 13 Pro 3x Tele doesn’t work well with external lenses (soft images). They do fine on previous phones though. So until I figure out a solution the native 3x is what I’d use. I do like to use telephoto & wide too on the standard main camera because it’s the best quality with the fastest aperture. So if you’re in low light especially you should use lenses to get the best results (and don’t use the 3x Tele as it’s not good in low light). Hope that helps!
Hello, thanks for the review.
When you use the gimbal, do you turn off the internal stabilization in Iphone?
No I leave it on.
#1 fan!
What about when using counterweights to balance out the load? I just upgraded from the Smooth 4 to the Smooth 5 and besides the lack of current Filmic Pro integration, I’m impressed.
Yeah I’ve played with a counterweight but didn’t include it in this video - they can definitely work and be helpful depending on the setup.
This is a great video breakdown of this gimbal.
Personally, I have leaned into this gimbal based on the interface usage ie: zoom/focus wheel. But specifically the integration now with Filmic Pro, this is such a solid affordable entry into shooting with iPhone. I've done multiple food ads, vent documentation, and reels for instagram with a bit of post production, utilizing this gimbal and my iPhone 13 pro max.
Again great video, i think the gimbal is great by now, April, 30th 2022 with Filmic Pro
I did a follow-up video looking at the FP integration and agree with what you say. Thanks for watching!
Great review. Quick question, I use a wireless microphone which simply plugs into the charging port of your Iphone, would this cause a balancing issue with the phone & gimbal as the phone would be somewhat more offset in landscape mode compared to what I see in your video?
It should work fine. You just balance after it’s on, but most likely it’s light anyway. Main thing is leaving space for the Lightning cable connection or you might potentially flip the phone.
I received my Moment Case lens mount a couple weeks ago now (Yes, after several delays) and couldn't wait to see if the Moondog MCFM V2 would work. And I can say for me it appears to work fine on my iPhone 13 pro. Have been dissappointed that, even as of today, Moondog hasn't updated any info on this issue since October on their website. Was checking often and couldn't be the only one. Might be a topic for you since you seem to use it often. Enjoy your videos and learn a lot. All the best.
That’s good news. I finally got my Moment case too and things appear to work ok, but I need to do more testing - especially w the 3x Tele. That has been pretty soft using other rigs w the 13 Pro Max. I actually am looking to do a video about this topic too. Moondog says the 13 Pro works, but they haven’t done the 13 Pro Max yet. Thanks for watching!
No link to where I can get the lenses to by an can it fit 😤 Samsung phone not a iPhone fan 😒
so for smartphone smooth 5 or feiyutecg g6
Do I have to calibrate the gimbal via XY Zhiyun app before I begin shooting on FilmicPro? The gimbal modes aren’t so controllable for me in filmicPro!
Filmic Pro hasn’t added integration yet but you can just simply shoot with the app and hit the record button. Use the ZY Cami app to calibrate & adjust other gimbal settings.
Hi,sorry for bothering. Which one do you prefer?(smooth 5 or Freefly movi)
Smooth 5 because it holds the weight of bigger phones and it’s being updated unlike the Movi (which I still like though).
do you know if Zhiyun 2S / 3 have same movement effects as Zhiyun SMOOTH 5 ? What about OSMO 6 , will it hold ?
The Crane gimbals are much more robust than the Smooth 5. So if you want to add accessories, that’s a good option. The OM6 is fine for a smartphone only set up, but nothing more, just bare-bones. ruclips.net/video/S304iLKg0kE/видео.html
Can you make a video explaining all the modes in great detail and which shots they are used for pls
Thanks for the suggestion will take a look at that.
You can use a counter weight to be abble to us the heavier lenses.
My favorite gimbal is FeiyuTech G6 Max. Strong and you can use cellphones, action cameras and small mirrorless cameras
Counterweights here get pretty dicey due to the payload capacity. With smaller phones they’d be better in my experience. The G6 Max is the one I use too for most for heavy setups.
What would the next step up be to handle the iPhone Pro Max with the 18mm lens and maybe a variable ND filter on that? Would you have to bump up all the way to an M3?
Yeah the M3 would be ideal. Or the M2S will handle that too, it’s more affordable than the M3 but similar payload & features set, just not quite as nice.
Is this good for walking and talking vlog style video capture? Using the rear camera to face myself?
Definitely especially if you want to add a few accessories like a filter or small mic.
Moment sells a counterweight for this gimbal. The counterweight has 60g, 90g, and 120g options. It means all lens and filter combinations work on this gimbal.
I have counterweights and they are really too heavy and don’t work that well with larger phones like the 12 or 13 Pro Max (with heavy lenses) - they can stress the motors. Smaller phones though they can be helpful.
@@iphoneographers Good thing I have the 8 Plus :)
I have the 4. The trigger switch on the front, half of it quit working. Not sure why?? It just doesn’t feel like you are pressing the button anymore. The other half of that trigger works. So it’s still usable, just doesn’t have full functionality. I may give it to my son and see about moving into a 5.
Yeah sometimes that happens with other gear I’ve used as well. Just wear & tear over time. Overall it’s been pretty reliable though. The new one is excellent I’m finding so far.
Haha I like the Office Space homage at the begining, if that's what you were going for
Yes that is it! 😎
@@iphoneographers Lol nice, I thought so!
Fun intro! But how do you record sound without access to the iPhone’s port? I use the COMICA Boom wireless receiver that attaches to the phone directly. I can use with OM4 but with this design… doesn’t look like there’s any access at all to the lightening port. Love to hear how you capture audio
I don’t typically record production sound into my gimbal setup as I would use double system sound (using an external recorder) or just the camera mic for nat sound… But, depending on the setup you can just slide the phone out and access the lightning port or flip the phone upside down and then you have full access to it on the opposite side. Here’s a video I did on that topic if you’re interested… ruclips.net/video/K8d9TOX5A0Q/видео.html. I might also do a follow up on this gimbal versus the DJI… Thanks for watching!
Get a right angle cable and then attach the mic you want. Works fine. BTW - the gimbal holds way more than 300 grams and it works fine.
A couple other thoughts.
The app seems to drain the battery life pretty fast on my IPhone 13 Pro.
Zhiyun has a 2nd app all users of this gimbal should check out - Stacam. Gives manual controls and buttons and wheel work well with it.
@@iphoneographers Thank as always for the replies and links. Sliding out and fitting a right angle cable - or flipping the phone upside down look feasible. I'm waiting for the DJI Mic to be released and then I plan to attach that receiver to my iPhone 13 Pro Max (no wires) on a OM5 - which I think will have enough clearance. I'll let you know once the mic arrives.
@@thefourthquarter7429 Thanks - good to know you can use right angle cable.
I’ll have to check out that other app you’re the second person who’s brought it up. Hadn’t seen that one before, they don’t promote that it seems, which is kind of odd. Thx
I noticed that you have your phone in the case. I have the Smooth 4 and I don’t know if you can add an accessory to hold a phone in the case. Are the clamps, on the Smooth 5, able to fit a phone in the case?
Yes. It’s a more robust setup than the 4 and holds a lot more weight.
@@iphoneographers - Thank you. For me that is very important as I loathe removing my 13 Pro Max from the Otterbox case just to use the Smooth 4.
It is a big shortcoming that the Smooth 5 does not have the firmware for filming in Apple ProRes with an iPhone 13 pro.
how in vertical mode is the payload is held better in vertical?
I didn’t test vertical with these setups… You have to setup the gimbal differently to shoot that way - there’s no button to push just to go into that mode like there is with other gimbals. However, I’m sure most if not all of these would work fine.
Hi, how can I get long exposure for light trails on filmic pro? Thanks
You really can’t do that with Filmic Pro. Moment has a slow shutter video mode and so do some timelapse and other photography apps though.
@@iphoneographers Thank you so much for your reply. Much appreciated! I just finished the online iph film making course from Tomorrows filmmaking taught by you. But on that website they don't reply. Thanks again.
Sure thing! Hope the course was helpful.
Do you know of a "hybrid" gimbal that has a pro smartphone app to control with the gimbal?
The main ones I’ve been recommending are the FeiyuTech G6 Max, Moza Mini-P, DJI Ronin SC and the new Zhiyun Crane M3. However, none of their apps are that great IMO. I tend to use FiLMiC Pro.
@@iphoneographers I'm in the same boat. Sometimes I use my Ronin SC for heavier loads, but it would just be nice for a large gimbal to work with a smartphone app for filming. But I guess that isn't a big enough market yet. I have the Smooth 5 and like it, but am disappointed by the payload. I tend to use the Cinema Robot more, but that can get clunky with all the extra weights. Oh well.
The thing that drives me insane about the Zhiyun Smooths is the blocking of the port. So if you're using a lav or shotgun, you gotta finagle it to get it to work and it pushes it so far off the center. If there was an offset or even a channel in the section to allow a right angle cable to connect it would be damn near perfect for run and gun shooting/streaming.
Yeah I personally rarely record audio when I’m using a gimbal, but in those cases I either push the phone out as you say or just flip the phone upside down and then the Lightning port is on the other side fully accessible.
My moment lens mount and case for the 13 Pro max just showed up on the Monday
Mine too! Will be testing it soon…
@@iphoneographers my goto is the 18mm ~ I am also using the Moment counter weight to help balance out the weight of the lens
I just purchased this gamble and I'm having issues of it looking slightly to the left and slightly back to the right as I move forward or backwards. It's unsettling how the edges of the frame keep changing. What am I doing wrong? It's like driving down the road and swerving left and right.
Sounds like the phone isn’t balanced properly or you might need to calibrate. The other possibility is if you’re using the ultra wide lens you might be seeing distortion as you walk. Last thing is maybe the way you’re walking… for best results make sure you do heel - toe - heel - toe, which is often called the “ninja walk”.
@@iphoneographers thank you for your efforts and helping. However after going through balancing and recalibrating again it still does not work properly. I'm an avid photographer so I know about wide-angle lenses and what it can do to the edges and this is not it. The gimbo turns slightly to the right then back slightly to the left. I'll package it up for return. I've also noticed that it fails to hold a charge overnight.
Ah ok, sounds like you might’ve received a lemon. Hope you get it resolved.
I spent a lot of time with this problem of weight and a gimbal. switch to SIRUI lenses and the result is the same as at the moment with the advantage that they are lighter. I recommend them SIRUI LENS
I’ve used them in the past and they’re nice, but I’ve mainly invested in the Moment ecosystem. Are those lenses bayonet mount?
@@iphoneographers yeah is working with the moment case. 🙏🏼
Ok nice! 👍🏻
DJI Mobile 6 is coming out tomorrow
Yes, indeed it is out now.
I think latest Crane m2s is far better weight capacity wise and also lighter than this which is astonishing.
Especially with 13promax and smallrig cage+moment lens the weight easily exceeds 300g.
Yeah that’s an interesting new release. Not sure what the difference between it and the M3 is yet, but looking into it. It is more expensive than this Smooth 5 of course, about $100 more. Great to have options.
Which one is more reliable in actual life?? Smooth 5 or OM5????
Which better with Android device? (Redmi note 10 pro)
What's about after sale service??
Feedback please
Would call it pretty much a draw for reliability, both are solid. The major difference is the Smooth 5 is more robust and will hold more weight and so if using accessories it’s the one to go with. If you want a smaller form factor and maybe better for travel then go with the DJI.
@@iphoneographers and what's about connect with Android? I mean all function is usable with the Android?
@@iphoneographers also after sales service and all for smooth 5 and OM5?
Both gimbal apps work on Android, but I have no experience using them there. You’re much better off using a third-party app like FiLMiC Pro and both gimbals work with it.
Why are you destroying these just give it some creator
LOL, really? 😂😂😂 It’s called movie magic.
That was heart-wrenching watching the destruction of poor, defenceless gimbals! The humanity!
Seems as though mobile gimble makers will have to start incorporating the heavier weights of phones with lens accessories. While having the hybrids will def take care of the weight, it won’t help with the weight of your wallet feeling lighter lol. Thank you for the great review and showing what this rig can do.
Yes agreed. And they’re starting to now, which is good!
I can't imagine how the DJI OM 5 or 6 would do with this weight, it would probably snap lol. Smooth 5 is a mutant!
Yeah the OM 5 definitely can’t. Haven’t tried the 6 yet, but it’s rated at 290g, so probably not happening!
@@iphoneographers indeed! Sad to see that many reviewers aren’t bringing this up. I’m sure its cause they’re affiliated so they don’t want to lose the partnership but none mention it’s the same payload as the 5. I think it would benefit those with bigger phones to know this.
Nice intro but why didn't you give them away.. ?
Because they’re not actually broken. 😃 The white one was a dummy and the others are in my equipment closet right now. It’s called movie magic. 🎥 Thanks for watching!
@@iphoneographers :D good magic! :) keep going with good videos!
Can you send Zion Smooth 5 for free hahahaha
Big problem is you can’t have a mic on it.
You can by either pushing the phone out a little bit for access to the lightning port (depending on the setup weight) or flipping the phone upside down and then the lightning port is on the opposite side.
First!!!
Intro made me cringe. I’m on disability from an accident and been struggling to figure out a way to afford a gimbal. I only hope those were broken and not just older products you tested and no longer have use for.
Sorry for the sob story.
Good review BTW
Movie magic! No actual gimbal was hurt during the production of this homage to Office Space. :)
Good for iPhones but not for Android and I'm very disappointed
I believe you can use the Stacam app with it on Android. I don’t have one to test it out, but that’s what I’ve heard.
@@iphoneographers I've used it sir but it's trash