Buy Osmo Mobile 3 combo kit at Amazon – $119

The biggest difference between the Osmo Mobile 3 and the OM4 is that the latter lets you attach your smartphone to it magnetically instead of using a traditional clamp mount. The OM4 comes with a magnetic “pop socket”-like attachment that you can leave on the back of your phone as well as a magnetic clip that breaks free from the gimbal and can be left on your smartphone in between uses. These options are much easier to use and more elegant than clamp mounts, even if they require you to keep an extra accessory on your smartphone for a while.

DJI also added some new features to its mobile app with the launch of the OM4, including Dynamic Zoom. However, it’s likely that the Osmo Mobile 3 will gain the new app-based features in due time. So unless the magnetic mounting options will make your life a whole lot easier, you can stick with the Osmo Mobile 3 without missing too much of the OM4 experience.

DJI has the most name recognition in the smartphone gimbal space for good reason: both the Osmo Mobile 3 and the OM4 will cradle and stabilize your smartphone while you take the most cinematic videos possible. The company made huge updates to the device with last year’s launch, making it more compact thanks to its foldable design. It’ll shoot up to 15 hours of video before it needs to be recharged, and it has all of DJI’s sold capture features including Story, Sport, TimeLapse and Slow Motion capture modes, ActiveTrack for keeping a certain subject center in the frame and easy access triggers for zooming and flipping your smartphone around to shoot in selfie view.

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As the name suggests, the camera and gimbal setup can fit in most pockets. The device weighs in at 119 grams (about four ounces) and has a 140-minute max battery life. 

In addition to video clips, you can take regular 12-megapixel single shots and four- or nine-image panoramas. The wide-angle lens is powered by a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Osmo Pocket isn’t waterproof, but you can shoot underwater with the optional waterproof case. There’s a magnetic strip for pairing other accessories (yes, there is a selfie stick), and DJI made a set of ND filters that attach directly to the wide-angle lens.

The companion app Mimo will help you edit and share footage. It lets you control settings, and it offers features like Story Mode that turn individual clips into a mini movie. The app works with both Android and iOS, and Osmo Pocket doubles as a gimbal for your smartphone, which could be especially useful if you’re livestreaming.

In early March, Osmo Pocket dropped to $279. At the time, that was the lowest price we’d seen. Obviously, this deal drops the price even further, making it the best deal yet.

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Specifically, this micro gimbal mechanism consists of a magnetic frame controlled by voice coils (similar concept to conventional OIS but further refined), along with a suspension bracket connected to the base with double ball bearings. Together, these enable X- and Y-axis tilt angles of up to 3 degrees each, which is apparently three times that of traditional OIS.

Vivo

Another challenge here is that the sensor’s ribbon has to be extended and folded into a dual-S shape, in order to ease any tension from twisting during stabilization. Hence the extra surface area (363mm²) taken up by the entire module, though Vivo and its supplier managed to keep the thickness at 4.5mm.

The main benefit of this micro gimbal camera is obviously the more powerful optical stabilization, especially when shooting videos in low-light conditions — the combination of the dual-axis micro gimbal and 3-axis electronic stabilization vastly reduces shakiness. You can see for yourself in Vivo’s demo clip.

Likewise, still photos apparently work a lot better in the dark as well thanks to this technology, with Vivo claiming that a 1/50-second shutter speed here closely matches the results of a 1/8-second setting with traditional OIS. That’s a 6.25-time boost in capture speed under that test condition. Vivo added that even when extended to 1/4 seconds, the X50 Pro’s shots looked just as good as the 1/8-second shots with traditional OIS. And when pushing to 1/2-second long exposures in the same low-light condition, the X50 Pro still maintained a 64-percent performance, whatever that means.

The Osmo Pocket isn’t waterproof and lacks a built-in 3.5mm jack, so this won’t be your first pick if you’re recording a whitewater rafting expedition or just want pristine sound for the built-in camera’s footage. Its 140-minute claimed battery life is decidedly longer than the “hour or so” you get from an action camera like GoPro’s Hero 8 Black, though, and this is clearly meant to be handheld instead of strapped to your body. And of course, the Osmo Pocket’s ability to double as a smartphone gimbal makes it a good option if you’re livestreaming or just want to take shots DJI’s camera can’t manage.

Why you should trust us

I am a lifelong photography enthusiast and journalist who has spent the past six years writing about emerging camera technology such as drones, 360-degree cameras, and light field cameras. I’ve spent hundreds of hours flying drones, and I’ve seen the benefits that a gimbal can provide for stabilizing footage.

Who should get this

Smartphones that shoot 4K video are now common enough that even amateur videographers can capture high-quality videos. A gimbal—a pivoting suspension device that mechanically stabilizes a camera—can replace an expensive tripod or dolly to make cinematic video effects accessible to anyone. Primarily, gimbals smooth out hand tremors or a bumpy gait if you are filming while walking. They can also make pans look smooth and consistent, or automate time-lapses and other tricky shots. Additionally, they can serve as souped-up selfie sticks that allow you to hold a phone farther away from your face for better framing.

Gimbals consist of two parts: On the bottom is a handle, which you hold much as you do a selfie stick. The handle usually includes a mix of buttons, joysticks, and wheels. The gimbal sits on top of the handle and looks like an arm with a gripper that holds your phone or attaches to a built-in camera. When you wiggle the handle, the phone or camera stays in place.

If you like filming video with your existing smartphone and don’t mind spending around $100 to achieve more professional-looking results, a gimbal can be a good choice. It’s a nice tool to bring along for filming scenery on vacation or for an active hobby like snowboarding. The ability to film yourself also makes it useful for social media and live streaming.

Though a gimbal for a smartphone is likely to be less expensive, gimbals are available for nearly every type of camera, including DSLRs and GoPros. If you use a different type of camera more than your phone, consider investing in a gimbal for that camera instead.

For this guide we also tested the DJI Osmo Pocket, a camera with a built-in gimbal, and the GoPro Hero7 Black action camera, which approximates a gimbal’s performance digitally (rather than physically); we plan to look into more cameras like them in the future. We like the Insta360 One X, which we recommend in our guide to 360-degree cameras. It lets you shoot spherical videos that you can edit into shake-free regular videos, complete with gimbal-like pans. This type of setup costs a bit more but could be a good option if you don’t have a high-quality camera in your smartphone or if you want something you can pull out of your pocket and start using. It can also be a better option if you don’t want to risk damaging your $1,000 smartphone while filming.

How we picked

We read Amazon and B&H reviews to find the most popular smartphone gimbals currently available. We also watched YouTube reviews and footage shot with different gimbals to find promising options. Going by what we learned, and keeping our own habits in mind, we determined that the following features are most important:

• A three-axis gimbal: A three-axis gimbal provides stabilization superior to that of a two-axis gimbal because it stabilizes on the pitch (up and down), roll (rotation sideways), and yaw (left and right) axes. A two-axis gimbal usually forgoes the yaw axis. We skipped testing stabilizers that did not have a true three-axis gimbal.
• Autonomous modes: Preprogrammed shooting modes make getting some types of shots, including time-lapses and dolly zooms, dead simple. Many gimbals can also autonomously track a moving subject.
• Great customer service: Reaching a customer service representative and receiving a response should be easy; the faster, the better.
• Warranty coverage: Manufacturers should be willing to repair or replace gimbals that develop problems outside the owner’s control. A yearlong warranty is standard.
• Easy setup: An instruction booklet or a link to a video that shows how to set up and operate the gimbal is essential, as every gimbal operates differently. If the gimbal needs adjustment so that the phone balances correctly, it should take just one or two steps. The gimbal, phone, and app should all connect to one another without much fuss.
• Compatibility with a wide range of phones: Companies usually list a range of phone sizes and weights that work with their gimbals. We looked for options that worked with a wide selection of phones, but especially with our top iPhone and Android picks.
• A great app: The best apps are easy to use thanks to clear design, and they should come with lots of options for customizing camera settings. The app should be available for both iOS and Android devices.
• Easy-to-use buttons: Whether you prefer more or fewer buttons on a gimbal’s handle, each button should have a clear purpose and be relatively easy to learn and use. However, if you dislike a gimbal’s buttons you can usually accomplish the same tasks by touching your phone’s screen instead.
• Long battery life: Unless you’re especially worried about weight, a longer battery life is better because it means you have to charge the gimbal less often. Gimbals can usually charge a phone too, so a bigger battery means a longer life for your phone.
• Comfortable design: A light gimbal with an ergonomic grip is much easier to hold during lengthy shoots.
• Accessories: It’s nice, but not essential, to get useful accessories such as a carrying case and a small tripod along with your gimbal.

How we tested

Many gimbals performed similarly, so app design and button placement became of extra interest to us during our testing. Photo: Signe Brewster

In 2018, we tested five smartphone gimbals by filming videos with an Apple iPhone 8 and a Samsung Galaxy S8. We used the front-facing camera while walking down a street and used the back-facing camera combined with the gimbals’ object-tracking modes to film a moving drone. We examined the footage for its smoothness.

We also timed how long it took to set up each gimbal, ranked how much we liked the iOS and Android apps, noted our experience using the buttons on each handle, recorded how easy (or difficult) it was to balance each gimbal, and noted any included accessories. Finally, we asked customer service at each company how to balance the gimbal, and we recorded how long a representative took to respond and how helpful they were.

In early 2019, we tested the DJI Osmo Pocket, a gimbal that has a built-in camera, against the GoPro Hero7 Black and its electronic image stabilization. We tested the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 in late 2019.

Our pick: Zhiyun Smooth 4

Photo: Signe Brewster

The Zhiyun Smooth 4 creates stable video that will elevate any hobby videographer’s style. It has a nice selection of autonomous shooting modes and the best-designed videography apps. We liked using the large number of buttons on its handle (once we learned their purposes) because they integrated so flawlessly with the apps.

The footage we shot with the Smooth 4 while filming a drone looked shake-free and smooth. The gimbal autonomously tracked the drone’s movement; it also comes with other preprogrammed shooting modes such as motion-lapse and hyperlapse.

Compared with our also-great pick, the Smooth 4 has more buttons, which we preferred because we did not have to touch the phone as often. Photo: Signe Brewster

Our Smooth 4 came with a slip of paper that directed us toward a YouTube tutorial. The piece of paper didn’t look professional, but the video is well done and helpful. It clearly lays out how to set up the gimbal and use its many buttons. Setting up the gimbal for the first time took us only about three minutes, as it came already balanced.

The iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 fit in the Smooth 4 gimbal’s gripper without issue. The gripper is also compatible with modern phones such as the iPhone XR, iPhone XS Max, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 3 XL. While iOS users should have no problem using Zhiyun’s ZY Play app, we recommend that Android phone owners download the Filmic Pro app instead because the Zhiyun app does not currently support filming in 4K on Android devices. We preferred the Filmic and Zhiyun apps to DJI’s app because we could more easily find different features and quickly adjust settings.

While the Osmo Mobile 3 has a minimal amount of buttons on its handle, the Smooth 4 is packed with buttons. This array can be overwhelming at first, but over time we found ourselves using the buttons more. Not having to touch the phone screen when the phone was oriented at an awkward angle was nice, and hitting a physical button when your thumb is already on the handle is faster. The buttons are well placed, and they integrate with the app seamlessly. We recommend watching the video tutorial a few times to learn the basics of how to use each button. If you’re still overwhelmed, you can always interact with the digital buttons on the phone screen instead.

Zhiyun says the Smooth 4’s battery lasts up to 12 hours; that’s a few hours shy of the Osmo Mobile 3’s battery life, but it still ranks among the longest-lasting batteries of the gimbals we came across in our research. The Smooth 4 also comes with both a carrying case and a tripod. Made of Styrofoam, the carrying case felt cheap compared with the cloth cases some of the other gimbals came with, but it fit the Zhiyun gimbal just fine. The tripod is just a few inches tall, which works if you plan to place it on a table but is mostly useless if you don’t have a raised place to set it. You may want to invest in a full-size tripod.

The Smooth 4 comes with a one-year warranty. Just make sure to buy directly from Zhiyun, as its warranty covers only devices that it sells directly.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

In customer service, Zhiyun fell short of DJI. We reached out via email and Zhiyun’s support page on Facebook. In both cases a representative took about 10 hours to respond, as the company is based in China and responds only during local business hours. Instead of helping us troubleshoot our problem directly, the representatives linked us to a relevant tutorial. The response was helpful—just not as personal.

Although we found the Smooth 4’s handle comfortable enough to hold, its flatter shape made it feel less ergonomic than the Osmo Mobile 3’s rounded handle. This model is also heavier than the Osmo Mobile 3 (547 grams versus 405 grams), but we didn’t really notice the difference. If you plan to shoot many hours of video a week, the handle could be something to consider before you make a purchase.

As with any gimbal, it takes some time to learn all of the vocabulary associated with operating the Smooth 4. We recommend watching the tutorial and experimenting with modes you don’t fully understand to improve your skills.

Also great: DJI Osmo Mobile 3

Photo: Signe Brewster

We liked using the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 almost as much as using the Smooth 4, and we found that it benefits from the best customer service of any gimbal we tested. If you expect you’ll need some help due to inexperience or heavy use, the Osmo Mobile 3 could be a safer choice. It also shoots smooth-looking footage that makes your videos look more professional. It has a nice selection of autonomous shooting modes, a straightforward app, and a comfortable handle with just a few buttons, so it’s one of the easiest gimbals to learn how to use.

The Osmo Mobile 3’s three-axis design allowed us to shoot footage that looked smooth and shake-free, similar to what we got from the Smooth 4. We also liked the selection of autonomous modes, including ActiveTrack, which cues the gimbal to automatically track a moving object (or a still one while you move around it with the camera). The gimbal can also help you make a time-lapse or keep the camera steady while you zoom or film in slow motion. The hyperlapse and motion-lapse options combine the camera moving with a time-lapse, making for even more sophisticated shots. We also thought this model’s rounded handle was more comfortable to hold than the Smooth 4’s flatter shape, and the buttons are all within easy reach of a thumb.

Most people have never used a gimbal because until recently the devices cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. As a result, easy access to helpful customer service, a decent warranty, and easy-to-follow instructions for setup and operation are especially valuable. When we reached out via live chat on DJI’s website, a customer service representative responded almost instantly. They also walked us through steps to diagnose our stated problem, instead of just pointing us toward a tutorial as the other gimbal companies did. Like all the other gimbals we tested, the Osmo Mobile 3 comes with a one-year warranty.

The Osmo Mobile 3 has only a few buttons, which makes it easier to learn how to use but also requires you to touch the phone screen more often. Photo: Signe Brewster

DJI offers a quick-start guide for the Osmo Mobile 3 plus a more thorough instruction manual. You can also find a wide variety of DJI and third-party tutorial videos online. Overall, this gimbal comes with the most thorough set of documentation of any gimbal we tested. Setting up the Osmo Mobile 3 for the first time, including connecting the phone and gimbal via Bluetooth, took less than a minute. The gimbal was already balanced, and we were not able to unbalance it (not even purposely).

DJI says the Osmo Mobile 3 is compatible with phones ranging from 58.6 to 84.8 mm wide and up to 8.4 mm thick. It fit our iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 without issue, and it can accommodate larger modern phones such as the iPhone XR, iPhone XS Max, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 3 XL. Like the Smooth 4, it has a weakness when it comes to Android phones: Users of the Android DJI Mimo app can shoot a max of 30 fps, while iOS users can shoot at up to 60 fps. Finding different features and setting up shots was easy, but even so we preferred the ZY Play and Filmic Pro apps because they allowed us to more easily make quick adjustments to the settings. Filmic Pro is also compatible with the Osmo Mobile 3, so if you’d like a slight upgrade for less than 20 bucks, that app could be worth purchasing.

The Osmo Mobile 3 has a trigger, two buttons, a joystick, and a slider, which amounts to few buttons compared with the assortment on other gimbals we tested. Fewer buttons equals a shorter learning curve, which is nice if you are picking up a gimbal for the first time and prefer to use the easier-to-decipher digital buttons in the DJI Mimo app. One button allows you to turn the gimbal on, and once it’s on you can press it one, two, or three times to select different camera modes. Press the other button to take a photo or start recording. The joystick moves the gimbal to point the camera left, right, up, or down. The slider lets you zoom in or out without touching the phone. You can complete any other tasks by manually moving the gimbal or navigating within the DJI Mimo app. Although learning how to use the few Osmo Mobile 3 buttons is easier, we discovered that as we grew more comfortable with the gimbals we preferred having the large array of buttons on the Zhiyun Smooth 4. Touching the phone screen when the phone is at an odd angle can be annoying, so we opted for a gimbal’s physical buttons when possible.

DJI says the Osmo Mobile 3’s battery lasts up to 15 hours, which is the second-longest battery life of any gimbal we tested. It beats that of the Zhiyun Smooth 4 by three hours.

The base version of the Osmo Mobile 3 comes with a cloth bag. A more expensive bundle includes a tripod and a nice carrying case. We think the bundle comes at a good price (at this writing) for what it offers, but for the money it might make more sense to buy a more versatile smartphone tripod or a taller travel tripod. The Osmo Mobile 3 folds up to the size of a sandwich, and we think it’s sturdy enough to toss into a backpack or camera bag without a specialized case.

Upgrade pick: DJI Osmo Pocket

Photo: Signe Brewster

If you want the benefits of a gimbal in a standalone package, consider upgrading to the DJI Osmo Pocket, which has a built-in camera. Its pocket-friendly form and its ability to begin filming in seconds brings back memories of the Flip Video camera era, with the bonus of video stabilization and autonomous modes. In our tests it was as good at stabilizing video as the Smooth 4. We also think its portability makes it an interesting competitor to the GoPro Hero7 Black action camera: We found that the Osmo Pocket is a better stabilizer, though people who are more concerned about a device being waterproof or are interested in live streaming might still prefer the Hero7 Black.

The videos we filmed with the Osmo Pocket looked shake-free and smooth. We were able to use features such as ActiveTrack, where the camera autonomously follows a moving object, and MotionLapse, which condenses long shots into short, smooth videos. The built-in camera is capable of capturing 4K, 60 fps videos. We noticed that the raw videos from the Hero7 Black had brighter colors (not to mention GoPro’s signature wide-angle look), but you can make adjustments to your Osmo Pocket videos in the DJI-built Mimo app.

As we found with the Osmo Mobile 3, DJI’s customer service is easy to access and responsive. We almost didn’t need an instruction manual to get started with the Osmo Pocket. The gimbal has just two buttons: one that turns on the device and one that starts and stops filming. You can access other features, such as adjusting the video quality, by swiping the Osmo Pocket’s touchscreen. The smartphone app also lets you control more specialized settings such as white balance and noise reduction.

DJI says the Osmo Pocket’s battery lasts up to 2 hours, 20 minutes. That’s not very long compared with the battery life of our top smartphone gimbal picks, but it’s longer than the Hero7 Black’s 45 to 90 minutes. Thanks to the smaller battery, it weighs a slight 116 grams—nearly identical to the Hero7 Black. It comes with a plastic case that is still small enough to slide into a pocket or purse.

The competition

We tested five gimbals, including two that turned out to be identical. Photo: Signe Brewster

The DJI Osmo Mobile 2, our previous also-great pick, is still a nice gimbal for most of the same reasons as the Osmo Mobile 3. If you see it significantly discounted before it goes out of stock, it could be a worthwhile buy.

The Evo Pro is identical to the Zhiyun Smooth 4 in looks and operation. Its customer service is US-based, and a representative answered our request within a few minutes. However, this model didn’t come with an instructional video link as the Smooth 4 did, so its setup might be more confusing for a beginner. We recommend following the Zhiyun Smooth 4 setup video for the Evo Pro. The Evo Pro sometimes costs more than the Smooth 4, but if you find it for a lower price or are willing to spend a bit more for better customer service, you should consider buying it instead.

The FreeVision Vilta-M has the simplest handle of any gimbal we tested and an exceptionally long 17-hour battery life. It took less than a minute to set up. We also liked its easy-to-use app and cloth carrying case. However, it typically costs a bit more, and our customer support request via an online form didn’t seem to go through.

The Moza Mini-Mi is the least expensive gimbal we tested, and it has some interesting features such as wireless charging, but we couldn’t figure out how to connect it and the phone over Bluetooth, so it never worked correctly and we never got a chance to put this gimbal through our full tests.

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Unlike Freefly, the DJI vehicle seems to include its own camera and stabilizer, much like the Mavic and other drones. At the same time, the suspension seems to have a lot of travel that would allow it to operate smoothly on relatively rough terrain. That would no doubt make it simple to operate and relatively lightweight. Mero’s Freefly, by contrast, is a whopping big vehicle that can support a heavy RED camera with a stabilizer.

Such camera platforms can capture pretty cool ground-level shots that a drone just can’t, so it would make sense for DJI to turn this into a product. However, take it all with some salt — while patents can be fun, they’re by no means a guarantee that a company will ever build the product shown.

Until now, all you could really do with the X-T3 when it was connected to gimbals via a USB-C cable was snap photos. Now, you’ll be able to start and stop video recording, obviously a key function for video shooters. On top of that, you can use the focus control knob on the Crane 2, Ronin S/SC and other gimbals to manually control focus on electronic lenses. Finally, you’ll gain control of exposure settings like shutter speed, ISO, aperture and exposure compensation.

The updates apply mostly to gimbals, but will also help on certain DJI drones, too. Along with the gimbal controls, the firmware update will also improve Fujifilm’s eye AF tracking, face-detection performance and autofocus in certain complex conditions. It will arrive starting in mid-December, Fujifilm said.

Apple iPad (7th Generation, 128GB)

Street price: $430; deal price: $400

If you’re in the market for the latest iOS tablet with extra storage capacity and the Pro isn’t within your budget, this upcoming pick is available for $400 in all three finishes. This is the first deal we’ve seen for this model, so while it’s not the biggest discount, it’s a good chance to pick up the newest model for less. This iPad is powerful, easy to use, has a large high-quality screen, a ton of apps in its library and will now include Smart Keyboard compatibility.

Though not yet a formal pick in our iPad guide, with Apple’s announcement of the 7th Generation iPad, and its subsequent release, we’re confident it will replace our current top pick. Wirecutter Senior Staff Writer Nick Guy wrote, “The seventh-generation iPad will be released on September 30, replacing the sixth-generation model, our current pick. This new tablet has a 10.2-inch screen, up from 9.7 inches, in the same casing as on the 10.5-inch iPad Air. Internally it’s pretty much the same as the sixth-gen version, including the same A10 processor, the same cameras, and the same storage options. It now works with the Smart Keyboard, though.”

Zhiyun Smooth 4 Gimbal

Street price: $120; deal price: $99

Typically priced at $120, this recommended gimbal is on sale for $99 in both the black and white colors. Although this price is becoming a regular deal, it’s still a solid discount and matching the previous best price we’ve seen. Already pretty affordable, this deal places this gimbal well below our other picks’ price points. If you’re a casual mobile phone videographer looking for mechanical stabilizer, this is a good time to buy.

Our choice for the best smartphone gimbal, the Zhiyun Smooth 4 Gimbal is the top pick in our guide to the best Android and iPhone gimbal. Wirecutter Staff Writer Signe Brewster wrote, “The Zhiyun Smooth 4 shoots stable video that will elevate any hobby videographer’s style. It has a nice selection of autonomous shooting modes and the best-designed videography apps. We liked using the large number of buttons on its handle (once we learned their purposes) because they integrate so flawlessly with the apps.”

Monoprice Maker Select v2 3D Printer

Street price: $240; deal price: $212

If you’re interested in delving into the world of 3D printing, this is a solid discount on an inexpensive option that’s a great jump-off point. The Monoprice Maker Select v2 3D Printer is down to $212 from $240, a pleasant discount on an already-affordable model. Although we’ve seen a recent drop in street price this is still the second best deal we’ve ever seen for this printer brand new.

In our guide to the best home 3D printer for beginners, the Monoprice Maker Select v2 is our budget pick, at over $100 less than our other picks. Wirecutter Staff Writer Signe Brewster wrote, “If you aren’t sure you want to commit to using a 3D printer, or just want to spend a bit less, the Monoprice Maker Select v2 is a good budget option. For a low price, you get a heated print bed and the largest print volume of any printer we tested. We also like that you can load models onto the printer via a microSD card and start prints on the printer itself, negating the need for a computer between prints. However, the Maker Select v2’s onboard control menu is difficult to navigate and will likely be confusing for beginners. You should also be prepared to spend some time learning how to use its software program, Cura.”

Eufy Smart Scale P1

Street price: $45; deal price: $30

If you’re in need of a new bathroom scale and are interested in a smart scale, the black color of this pick is down to $30, matching previous deals we’ve seen. When not on sale, it typically sells for $45, so this is a significant discount matching the best price we’ve posted in the past. Deals on the Eufy P1 are somewhat often, but if you don’t want to wait for the impending Cyber Week deals, now is a good time to pick one up.

The Eufy Smart Scale P1 is our runner-up in our guide to the best smart scale. Reliable with a user-friendly app, Wirecutter Staff Writer Rachel Cericola wrote, “If the Greater Goods is unavailable or you prefer a silent weigh-in, we recommend the Eufy Smart Scale P1. It uses Bluetooth, which means you must have your phone nearby to sync properly, but the P1 was the second-most consistent model with weight measurements and recordings.”

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Paul Pan, DJI Senior Product Manager, explained:

“The Ronin-SC took the powerful technology from the Ronin-S and put it in a lighter and smaller form factor. Now users can pair their mirrorless system with a stabilizer that is easier to transport, easier to set up, easier to use yet still equipped with high-performance features and technology.”

Its lighter form factor does have some setbacks — the Ronin-SC can carry up to 4.4 pounds and can last up to 11 hours, whereas the Ronin-S has a payload capacity of 8 pounds and has a 12-hour battery life. However, the model comes with new design features, including a better balancing capability and a new position lock system. It also offers two new modes through the Ronin app that its heavier sibling doesn’t offer.

The new Force Mobile mode synchronizes the movement of the gimbal with an iOS device for an immersive filming experience. Meanwhile, the new ActiveTrack 3.0 mode lets you select a subject for the gimbal to follow. You can even select human subjects, since the system’s new algorithms feature deep learning and optimized calculations for human figures.

You can check out the device’s official page to see if your mirrorless camera is compatible. The gimbal itself is now available for purchase from DJI’s website and retailers, and it’ll set you back $439 for the essentials kit or $539 for the Pro bundle, which comes with additional accessories.

Why you should trust us

I am a lifelong photography enthusiast and journalist who has spent the last five years writing about emerging camera technology such as drones, 360-degree cameras, and light field cameras. I’ve spent hundreds of hours flying drones and seen the benefits a gimbal can provide for stabilizing footage.

Who should get this

Smartphones that shoot 4K video are now common enough that even amateur videographers can shoot high-quality videos. A gimbal—a pivoting suspension device that mechanically stabilizes a camera—can replace an expensive tripod or dolly to make cinematic video effects accessible to anyone. Primarily, gimbals smooth out hand tremors or a bumpy gait if you are filming while walking. They can also make pans look smooth and consistent, or automate tricky shots like time lapses. Additionally, they can serve as souped-up selfie sticks that allow you to hold a phone farther away from your face for better framing.

Gimbals are made up of two parts: On the bottom is a handle, which you hold much like a selfie stick. The handle usually includes a mix of buttons, joysticks, and wheels. The gimbal sits on top of the handle, and looks like an arm with a gripper that holds your phone. When you wiggle the handle, the phone stays in place.

If you like filming video with your existing smartphone and are comfortable spending a little more than $100 to achieve more professional-looking results, a gimbal might be right for you. It’s a nice tool for filming scenery on vacation, or something to bring along for an active hobby like snowboarding. The ability to film yourself also makes them useful for social media and live streaming.

Though a gimbal for a smartphone is likely to be less expensive, gimbals are available for nearly every type of camera, including DSLRs and GoPros. If you use a different type of camera more than your phone, consider investing in a gimbal for that camera instead.

We do not cover cameras with built-in gimbals or models that approximate gimbal performance digitally in this guide, but they’re also worth considering. We like the Insta360 One, which we recommend in our guide to 360-degree cameras. It lets you shoot spherical videos that you can edit into shake-free regular videos, complete with gimbal-like pans. Additionally, DJI, which makes our top smartphone-gimbal pick, offers the Osmo Pocket camera, which integrates a similar gimbal. They cost a bit more, but could be a good option for someone who doesn’t have a high-quality camera in their smartphone or wants something they can pull out of their pocket and start using. They can also be a better option if you don’t want to risk damaging your $1,000 smartphone while filming.

How we picked

The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 (top) has just a few buttons, while the Zhiyun Smooth 4 (bottom) has many. Both approaches work, but we liked that we had to touch the phone screen less often while using the Smooth 4. Photo: Signe Brewster

We read Amazon and B&H reviews to find the most popular smartphone gimbals currently available. We also watched YouTube reviews and footage shot with different gimbals to find promising options. With what we learned, plus our own habits, in mind, we determined the following features are most important:

• A three-axis gimbal: A three-axis gimbal provides superior stabilization to a two-axis gimbal by using accelerometers and gyroscopes to keep an attached phone steady. We skipped testing stabilizers that do not have a true three-axis gimbal.
• Autonomous modes: Preprogrammed shooting modes make getting some types of shots, including time lapses and dolly zooms, dead simple. Many gimbals can also autonomously track a moving subject.
• Great customer service: Reaching a customer service representative and receiving a response should be easy; the faster the better.
• A warranty: Manufacturers should be willing to repair or replace gimbals that develop issues outside the owner’s control. A year-long warranty is standard.
• Easy to set up: An instruction booklet or link to a video that shows how to set up and operate the gimbal is essential, as every gimbal operates differently. If the gimbal needs to be adjusted so the phone balances correctly, it should take just one or two steps. The gimbal, phone, and app should all connect to one another without much fuss.
• Wide phone compatibility: Companies usually list a range of phone sizes and weights that work with their gimbal. We looked for options that can work with a wide selection of phones, but especially our top iPhone and Android picks.
• A great app: The best apps are easy to use thanks to clear design and come with lots of options for customizing camera settings. The app should be available for both iOS and Android devices.
• Easy-to-use buttons: Whether you prefer more or fewer buttons on a gimbal’s handle, the buttons should each have a clear purpose and be relatively easy to learn and use. However, if you dislike a gimbal’s buttons you can usually accomplish the same tasks by touching the phone screen instead.
• Long battery life: Unless you’re especially worried about weight, a longer battery life is better because it means you have to charge the gimbal less often. Gimbals will usually charge your phone, too, so a bigger battery means a longer life for your phone.
• Comfortable: A light gimbal with an ergonomic grip is much easier to hold during lengthy shoots.
• Accessories: It’s nice, but not essential, if gimbals come with useful accessories like a carrying case and small tripod.

How we tested

Many gimbals performed similarly, so app design and button placement became of extra interest during testing. Photo: Signe Brewster

We tested five gimbals by filming videos with an iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8. We used the front-facing camera while walking down a street and the back-facing camera combined with the gimbals’ object-tracking modes to film a moving drone. We examined the footage for its smoothness.

We also timed how long it took to set up each gimbal, ranked how much we liked the iOS and Android apps, noted our experience using the buttons on each handle, recorded how easy it was to balance each gimbal, and noted any included accessories. Finally, we asked a customer service representative at each company how to balance their gimbal, and recorded how long it took them to respond and how helpfully they responded.

Our pick: DJI Osmo Mobile 2

Photo: Signe Brewster

The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 shoots stable video that will elevate any hobby videographer’s style. It has a nice selection of autonomous shooting modes, an easy-to-use app, and a comfortable handle with just a few buttons, so it’s among the easiest gimbals to learn how to use. DJI also provides the best customer service of any gimbal we tested.

The Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal’s three-axis design allowed us to shoot footage that looked smooth and shake-free, though we didn’t notice much of a difference in quality compared with our runner-up pick. We also liked the selection of autonomous modes, including ActiveTrack, which cues the gimbal to automatically track a moving object (or a still one while you move around it with the camera). The gimbal can also help you make a time lapse or keep the camera steady while you zoom or film in slow motion. The hyper-lapse and motion-lapse options combine the camera moving with a time lapse, making for even more sophisticated shots. We also thought this model’s rounded handle was more comfortable to hold than the runner-up pick’s flatter shape, and the buttons are all within easy reach of your thumb.

Most people have never used a gimbal because until recently they cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. As a result, we consider it essential that a gimbal come with easy access to helpful customer service, a decent warranty, and easy-to-follow instructions for setup and operation. A DJI customer service representative responded almost instantly when we reached out via live chat on the company’s website. They also walked us through steps to diagnose our stated problem, instead of just pointing us toward a tutorial like the other gimbal companies did. Like all the gimbals we tested, the Osmo Mobile 2 comes with a one-year warranty.

The Osmo Mobile 2 has only a few buttons, which makes it easier to learn how to use but means you have to touch the phone screen more often. Photo: Signe Brewster

DJI publishes a quick-start guide for the Osmo Mobile 2, plus a more thorough instruction manual. You can also find a wide variety of DJI and third-party tutorial videos online. Overall, the gimbal comes with the most thorough set of documentation of any gimbal we tested. It took about two and a half minutes to set up the gimbal for the first time, including connecting the phone and gimbal via Bluetooth. The gimbal was already balanced, but we unbalanced it on purpose and were able to rebalance it without issue.

You can adjust the gimbal for different phones by turning two knobs until the phone balances properly. Photo: Signe Brewster

DJI says the Osmo Mobile 2 is compatible with phones ranging from 58.6 to 84.8 mm wide and up to 8.4 mm thick. It fit the iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 we used for testing without issue, and can also accommodate larger phones like the iPhone XS Max. Unlike our runner-up pick, its apps for both iPhones and Android phones are fully functional and nearly identical to one another. We found it easy to find different features and set up shots.

The Osmo Mobile 2 has two buttons, a joystick and a slider, which is relatively few buttons compared with other gimbals we tested. Fewer buttons makes for a shorter learning curve, which is nice if you are picking up a gimbal for the first time and prefer to use the easier-to-decipher digital buttons in the DJI Go app. One button allows you to turn the gimbal on, and once on you can press it one, two, or three times to select different camera modes. Pressing the other button causes the camera to take a photo or start recording. The joystick moves the gimbal to point the camera left, right, up, or down. The slider lets you zoom in or out without touching the phone. You can complete any other tasks by manually moving the gimbal or navigating within the DJI Go app.

DJI says the Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal’s battery lasts up to 15 hours, which is the second-longest battery life of any gimbal we tested. It beats that of our runner-up pick, the Zhiyun Smooth 4, by three hours.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

We don’t like the DJI Go app quite as much as we like our runner-up pick’s app, ZY Play. Both apps are easy to use and packed with features, but we liked the layout of ZY Play slightly more and found it a bit easier to us to quickly adjust settings.

While learning how to use the few Osmo Mobile 2 buttons is easier, we discovered that as we grew more comfortable using the gimbals we preferred using the large array of buttons on the Zhiyun Smooth 4. Touching the phone screen when the phone is at an odd angle can be annoying, so we preferred using the physical buttons when possible.

Like any gimbal, it takes some time to learn all of the vocabulary associated with operating the Osmo Mobile 2. For example, pressing the mode button once switches you between “free mode” and “follow mode,” and the manual does not do a great job of explaining what those (important) terms mean. We recommend taking your time reading the manual and experimenting with modes you don’t fully understand to improve your skills.

Finally, the Osmo Mobile 2 is the only gimbal we tested that didn’t come with a tripod or a carrying case. The other gimbals included a short tripod that can stand the gimbal on a table or other surface while it shoots time lapses or other long shots. However, you can pair any tripod with a threaded screw mount with the Osmo Mobile 2, and chances are you would want a taller standard tripod anyway. You could buy a custom carrying case from DJI, but we’d likely just toss the Osmo Mobile 2 directly in a camera bag or purse.

Runner-up: Zhiyun Smooth 4

Photo: Signe Brewster

If you plan to use an iPhone with your gimbal and are okay with slower and less helpful customer service, the Zhiyun Smooth 4 has a lot of features to like. It produces video that looks just as steady as that of the Osmo Mobile 2, and it comes with just as many helpful autonomous modes. We preferred its app design and liked using the large number of buttons on its handle once we learned their purposes. However, the gimbal’s Android app does not currently support 4K video, which should be a dealbreaker for Android users. We also found its handle was slightly less comfortable than the Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal’s.

The footage we shot while walking with the Smooth 4 and while filming the drone all looked shake-free and smooth. Like our top pick, the gimbal was able to autonomously track the drone’s movement, and comes with other preprogrammed shooting modes such as motion-lapse and hyper-lapse.

The Smooth 4 fell short compared with our top pick when it came to customer service. We reached out via email and Zhiyun’s support page on Facebook. In both cases, it took a representative about 10 hours to respond, as the company is based in China and responds only during local business hours. Instead of helping us troubleshoot our problem directly, the representatives linked us to a relevant tutorial. The response was helpful—just not as personal. Like our top pick, the gimbal comes with a one-year warranty. Just make sure you buy directly from Zhiyun, as its warranty only covers devices it sells directly.

The Smooth 4 has more buttons than our top pick, which we preferred because we did not have to touch the phone as often. Photo: Signe Brewster

Our Smooth 4 came with a slip of paper that directed us toward a YouTube tutorial. The piece of paper didn’t look professional, but the video is well-done and helpful. It clearly lays out how to set up the gimbal and use its many buttons. It took us about three minutes to set up the gimbal for the first time. Like our top pick, the Osmo, it came already balanced. When we unbalanced it, we found it was even easier to rebalance than the Osmo because it had just one knob to turn instead of the two our top pick has.

Both the DJI Osmo Mobile 2 and the Smooth 4 are compatible with a similar range of Android and iOS phones. The iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 we used for testing fit in the Smooth 4 gimbal’s gripper without issue. We preferred the Zhiyun app to DJI’s app because we could more easily find different features and quickly adjust settings. But while its Android and iOS apps initially looked identical, we discovered the Android app does not support 4K video. Some reviews on Amazon also mention the app crashing frequently while paired with an Android device, but we found it worked flawlessly with our Galaxy S8 aside from the 4K issue. It is possible Zhiyun will provide 4K compatibility through a software update in the future.

While the Osmo Mobile 2 has a minimal amount of buttons on its handle, the Smooth 4 is packed with buttons. This can be overwhelming at first, but over time we found ourselves using the buttons more. Not having to touch the phone screen when the phone is oriented at an awkward angle was nice, and hitting a physical button when your thumb is already on the handle is faster. The buttons are well-placed and integrate with the app seamlessly. We recommend watching the video tutorial a few times to learn the basics of how to use each button. If you’re still overwhelmed, you can always interact with the digital buttons on the phone screen instead. We found the handle was comfortable enough to hold, but its flatter shape made it feel not quite as ergonomic as the Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal’s rounded handle.

Zhiyun says the Smooth 4 model’s battery lasts up to 12 hours, which is a few hours shy of the Osmo’s but still among the longest battery life of the gimbals we came across in our research. Again, we didn’t find its flat handle quite as comfortable. It’s also technically heavier than the Osmo Mobile 2 (485 grams vs. 547 grams), but we didn’t really notice the difference.

Unlike our top pick, the Smooth 4 comes with both a carrying case and a tripod. The carrying case is made of styrofoam, which felt cheap compared with the cloth cases some of the gimbals came with, but it fit the gimbal just fine. The tripod is just a few inches tall, which works if you plan to place it on a table but is mostly useless if you don’t have a raised place to set it. You may want to invest in a full-size tripod.

The competition

We tested five gimbals, including two that turned out to be identical. Photo: Signe Brewster

The Evo Pro looks and operates identically to the Zhiyun Smooth 4—especially when you use it with the superior ZY Play app instead of the FilMic Pro app Evo also recommends. Its customer service is US-based, and answered our request within a few minutes. However, this model didn’t come with an instructional video link like the Smooth 4 did, so its setup might be more confusing for a beginner. We recommend everyone follow the Smooth 4 setup video for the Pro. The Evo Pro also has the same lack of 4K video as the Smooth 4. The Evo Pro sometimes costs more than the Smooth 4, but if you find it for a lower price or are willing to spend a bit more for better customer service, you should consider buying it instead.

The FreeVision Vilta-M has the simplest handle of any gimbal we tested and an exceptionally long 17-hour battery life. It took less than a minute to set up. We also liked its easy-to-use app and cloth carrying case. However, it costs a bit more and our customer support request via an online form didn’t seem to go through.

The Moza Mini-Mi is the least expensive gimbal we tested, but we couldn’t figure out how to connect it and the phone over Bluetooth, so it never worked correctly. It has some interesting features such as wireless charging, but we never got a chance to put this gimbal through our full tests.

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