Best Phone Gimbal: In-depth Buying Guide (2020)
What is the best phone gimbal in 2020? How does a phone gimbal work? Modern video stabilizers are lightweight, compact, and capable of delivering super-smooth, stabilized gimbal video. If you are a vlogger, student, traveler, parent, media professional, or anything in between, this phone gimbal guide is just for you!
Best DJI Phone Gimbal
If you are looking for a video stabilizer, iPhone gimbal, or Android gimbal, DJI OM 4 is a standout choice for you in 2020. Let’s get straight into it with our top phone gimbal recommendations.
DJI OM 4
Who Is DJI OM 4 For?
The newest DJI phone gimbal is designed for couples, families, vloggers, and anyone that wants to shoot the best content from their phone. The new magnetic design is a significant upgrade, which allows you to snap your phone in place and shoot instantly. DJI OM 4 also supports heavier phones and requires minimal levelling. Simply put, DJI OM 4 makes shooting smart and easy.
DJI OM 4 Features
Magnetic Design
The trouble with shooting on the go is sometimes it just takes too much time. DJI OM 4 is designed specifically for quick shooting, featuring a new magnetic design that lets you attach and detach your phone in seconds. If you are browsing through your phone and suddenly stumble across something worth shooting, just connect DJI OM 4 to the magnetic holder, and you are good to go. It’s that simple.
Extended Phone Support
DJI OM 4 has the strongest motor of all DJI phone gimbals, but what does that mean in terms of performance? Well, it means you can now mount heavier phones to the gimbal and still achieve smooth, stabilized footage. If that isn’t enough, the stronger motors also reduce leveling to a minimum, meaning DJI OM 4 is ready to shoot whenever you are.
Effortless Use
DJI OM 4 has a compact size that makes it super convenient to fold up, throw in a backpack, and take out for effortless shooting. All the main phone gimbal functions can be accessed from the convenient controls, and the single-hand form factor makes it a pleasure to use. If you are looking to shoot creative angles and shots, the new Flashlight mode makes it incredibly easy to achieve impressive results.
DJI OM 4 Intelligent Modes
It’s all well and good when a phone gimbal is easy to use, but the intelligent features are what make your videos pop. DJI OM 4 gives beginners an easy way to shoot creative videos with no advanced operating required.
DynamicZoom
Have you ever been flicking through your social media feed and seen some creative videos that make you stop and wonder how they were made? DynamicZoom is a brilliant feature that delivers Hollywood-style shots with a tap of a button. You can warp your footage and get a really cool shot that would look great on social media.
Gesture Control
Asking someone to take a picture for you can take all the fun out of shooting. This nifty feature allows you to use a gesture to take a photo or start recording. You no longer have to miss a moment because the passerby has cropped your head out the shot.
ActiveTrack 3.0
This is probably one of the most useful modes any smartphone user will need. From a playful puppy to a baby’s first steps, ActiveTrack 3.0 lets you capture moments of spontaneous action. The improved tracking mode has better recognition of people and scenery, taking all the hard work out of following your subject.
CloneMe Pano
You don’t need to be an expert in editing for this next one. CloneMe Pano produces an epic panorama that places you in multiple places at the same time. How? DJI OM 4 does all the hard work, taking several photos and giving you enough time to get to the next frame and pose.
Story Mode
Your favorite daily moments like a trip to the park or a Sunday barbecue are perfectly captured with Story Mode. This intelligent DJI OM 4 mode is packed with creative templates, perfect for social media posts.
DJI Osmo Mobile 3
Who Is DJI Osmo Mobile 3 For?
It has never been easier to transform your world than with DJI Osmo Mobile 3. This phone gimbal is one of DJI’s most capable phone stabilizers for vloggers, social media users, and travelers. Featuring a foldable design for enhanced portability, this lightweight, 3-axis phone stabilizer enhances your gimbal video. You can create and share special moments anywhere you go.
DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Features
Incredibly Portable Phone Gimbal
A phone stabilizer should never limit your adventures. With a weight of just 405 g, DJI Osmo Mobile 3 will go anywhere you want to take it. This foldable DJI gimbal fits easily in backpacks, handbags, and pockets.
Designed for You
The ergonomically designed grip sits at a 15° angle, allowing for a longer and more comfortable experience as you capture your special moments.
Easy to Use
Complicated phone stabilizers require two-hand use, limiting your freedom when shooting. Designed for single-handed control, the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 phone gimbal is incredibly easy to use. The inbuilt buttons allow for fluid-like gimbal video. A single hand joystick provides access to the Quick Menu allowing you to control most operations effortlessly. It really is that easy.
DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Intelligent Modes
DJI Gesture Control
Share your story with DJI Gesture Control to start recording or capture selfies.
DJI ActiveTrack 3.0
Use ActiveTrack 3.0 to select a subject and follow them even in high-speed scenarios with your phone stabilizer.
DJI Hyperlapse Hype
Hyperlapse Hype creates unique time-lapse videos for added creative self-expression.
Why Should You Get the DJI Osmo Mobile 3?
If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to create stabilized video with your phone, DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is an excellent video stabilizer for you. One-Tap Templates, editing features, music, and filters empower you to capture the moment and make it your own.
It’s your story, your moment. Make it the best with DJI Osmo Mobile 3.
What Is a Phone Gimbal & How Does it Work?
Now that we’ve seen some of the best phone gimbals on the market, let’s take a look at what they can do and how they work. A phone gimbal or video stabilizer are essential tools that stabilize video for phone users by maintaining the stability of a phone on a single axis. Phone gimbals use a small gyroscope called an inertial measuring unit (IMU) to detect even the slightest movement. Brushless motors at each of the pivot points make split-second corrections that keep the phone in a stable position even as you walk, jump, and move around.
Gimbals for iPhone and Android phones come in a 2-axis or 3-axis version, with a 3-axis gimbal offering the best stabilized video. 3-axis gimbals stabilize movements across three axes: (forward-backwards, side-to-side, and left-right). Higher-end phones with quality optics do not reach their full potential without stabilization. Even steady hands will still produce shaky or blurred video, which is why a phone gimbal is useful.
Should You Get a Phone Gimbal?
There are many reasons why most people will benefit from using a phone gimbal. Smartphone stabilizers are inexpensive, perfect for people on the go, and deliver cinematic video, which make your audience feel as if they are a part of your story. Let’s go through some of the reasons why you would need a phone gimbal.
Affordable Stabilization
Exceptional phone gimbals like DJI Osmo Mobile 3 are inexpensive, especially when compared to DSLR cameras and advanced accessories. The low price point allows beginners to investigate new creative outlets. Phone stabilizers are ideal for exploring if you are ready to become a vlogger before investing in expensive equipment.
Easy to Use
Anyone looking to improve the quality of the images they are taking with their smartphone will love gimbals. Both professional and new photographers will appreciate how easy it is to use a gimbal. After an initial setup, 3-axis gimbals are ready whenever you need them.
Instant Shooting
Gimbals offer more stability than selfie sticks without increasing the complexity of operation for the user. Their compact size is ideal for travelers or families looking to capture their experiences on the go. While tripods offer great support, they can be difficult to carry around and setup, which wastes precious time when you’re shooting special moments. DJI phone gimbals stabilize your shots using a 3-axis gimbal, providing the smoothest shot you will ever produce on your iPhone or Android phone.
Who Should Get A Phone Gimbal?
Phone Gimbal for Vloggers
Over the past years, vlogging has become an increasingly popular area for people who want to express their creative side. In order to stand out from the rest, vloggers are producing impressive content with video stabilizers, which provides more freedom compared to using a tripod setup. Whether you are shooting a high-speed scene or showing your followers through a new city, a phone gimbal gives you freedom to shoot creative vlogs anytime of the day. DJI phone gimbals are designed for single-handed use, and have multiple intelligent features like ActiveTrack, which makes it easy to create unique vlog content.
Phone Gimbal for Travelers
Weekend getaways and spontaneous trips don’t always require you to carry around complicated and expensive photography equipment. While DSLR cameras, lenses, and tripods all have their time and place, travelers on the go will really enjoy using a phone gimbal to capture the moment at hand. Whatever type of phone you shoot with, you can use a handheld gimbal to add cinematic stabilization to your footage. Not to mention, modern phone gimbals and video stabilizers are incredibly portable and light, which means you can take them around in a small backpack.
Phone Gimbal for Students
University days and holidays with your friends are so much more fun when you can share your funniest moments. DJI gimbals are paired with software that lets you share your work with your friends quickly on social media. Whether you are looking for an iPhone stabilizer or an Android gimbal, DJI has some of the best gimbals out there.
Phone Gimbal for Families
From your child’s first steps to making the school run, the fast-paced nature of parenthood can mean it’s sometimes difficult to enjoy the moment and capture all those special memories. A phone gimbal gives you everything you need to capture special family moments in seconds. There’s minimal setup, you can place the video stabilizer in several locations, and you are free to enjoy the moment and record at the same time. The best part? Gimbal video looks amazingly smooth, and DJI gimbals are among the easiest to use on the market.
Phone Gimbal for Couples
Sometimes, it’s the moments we create together that last for a lifetime. From a walk along the beach to a day out in town, a phone gimbal is a great little companion for capturing your best moments together. Intelligent shooting modes include timelapses, ActiveTrack, and zoom control, giving you plenty of ways to capture your adventure hand in hand.
Phone Gimbal for Media Professionals
Media professionals will love the steady and crisp shots a smartphone gimbal can produce. Phone gimbals eliminate the need to rush back to your home or office, upload files, and edit work before sharing your creations. Single-handed control, convenient ergonomic buttons, and intuitive functions bring your content to the world wherever and whenever you are ready to share it. Professionals such as real estate agents will enjoy how easy it is to shoot properties and capture stunning images for marketing materials and property listings.
How to Choose a Phone Gimbal?
When choosing a phone gimbal, one must look at all aspects of a particular model. Key factors include design, stabilization, ease of use, and the included software capabilities, and more. Let’s take a look at all things you need to consider before buying a video stabilizer.
Gimbal Stabilization
2-axis and 3-axis gimbals both provide improved stability. While a 2-axis gimbal can work fine in some scenarios, it is best to go with a 3-axis gimbal as it provides smoother gimbal video. You never know what amazing experiences you might find yourself in from one day to the next. Ensure when it is time to tell the world your story, you have stabilization from a 3-axis gimbal. It will give your audience the best chance to see the world as you do.
Ease of Use
No one wants to worry about handling a complicated device while sharing their life with the world. The best phone gimbals are ergonomic, easy to set up, and feature intuitive and fluid-like controls. Once connected, your gimbal camera should allow for full control of your phone’s camera and enhance the devices existing capabilities. Your phone should be simple to control with just a few buttons on the gimbal.
Gimbal Design
When you are off on an adventure, you need equipment that goes where you go and is ready for whatever you throw at it. Avoid gimbals that are large and have difficulty fitting into small packs or pockets. Ideal phone gimbals are foldable, compact, lightweight, and easy to start using when your moment arrives.
Intelligent Features
Several phone gimbals on the market provide 3-axis stability but lack intelligent features and shooting modes that really separate your content from the rest. Give yourself enhanced creative options with phone gimbals that go beyond stability. Intelligent features like controlling your gimbal with hand signals will make it easy to tell your story in your way. Gesture Control, Dolly Zoom, ActiveTrack 3.0, Hyperlapse Hype, and more make DJI gimbals a standout product in this category.
Software
The joy of a new gimbal can quickly disappear if the included software is of poor quality or difficult to use. The best DJI gimbals include easy to use software that is compatible with other devices. The experience should be intuitive and seem like a natural extension of your phone’s camera.
Battery Life
Imagine capturing the perfect sunset in timelapse and missing the finale as your battery dies. Sadly, many of us have had this experience. Look for video stabilizer with a long battery life. DJI gimbals such as DJI Osmo Mobile 3 have a 15-hour battery life with only a 2.5-hour charge time. You will never miss another great shot with that much power in your hands.
Accessories
There are many accessories for phone gimbals that are designed to take your content one step further. Choose a gimbal that supports multiple gimbal accessories such as tripods, cases, and cleaning kits.
Reliability
Avoid the frustration of your gimbal failing on you when you need it by purchasing one manufactured by a company you can trust. DJI has excellent customer services and is at the forefront of gimbal technology. DJI are continually researching and developing DJI gimbals that are at the forefront of gimbal technology.
