Gimbal vs Handheld Video (Zhiyun Smooth 4 Review)
In this video we will be seeing the importance of using a gimbal stabilizer when shooting videos which involve movement of the camera or phone. Here we will be seeing the Zhiyun Smooth 4 gimbal for phones.
This video is from our Videography for Beginners course, which has 35 videos and 4.5 hours of content. You can access the full course via Udemy, using the link below:
Videography for Beginners course
Video Summary
This video demonstrates the dramatic difference between shooting mobile video handheld versus using a gimbal stabilizer like the Zhiyun Smooth 4.
Summary of Comparison
- Handheld Video Performance:
- Shooting handheld while walking results in significant jerky movements and “shake” that looks unprofessional [01:09].
- Vertical movements caused by walking steps are highly visible, which can be distracting or even nauseating for the viewer [01:28].
- Manual panning movements (moving the camera horizontally) appear shaky and lack the fluid motion required for high-quality production [01:54].
- Gimbal (Zhiyun Smooth 4) Performance:
- The gimbal uses automated motors to counteract shaky hand movements, resulting in much smoother footage even while walking diagonally [02:10].
- It significantly reduces the “up and down” vibration of the operator’s steps [02:21].
- Panning becomes exceptionally smooth, as the gimbal’s motors ensure a steady, consistent sweep of the scene [02:48].
Key Takeaway
While a gimbal may still have tiny amounts of movement, it provides a much more cinematic and stable look compared to handheld shooting [02:33]. The instructor notes that precision improves with practice and that similar stabilizers are available for DSLR cameras as well [02:48].
