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My Review of the Zhiyun Crane 3-Axis Gimbal


Mattias Burling
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This looks really promising... best I've seen so far.... but with a max load of 1200g looks like a 5D III + lens (I use a 28mm F/2.8 IS for steadicam/gimbal stuff) would be pushing it.... and that's not even including an ND filter :-(

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5 hours ago, Ty Harper said:

This looks really promising... best I've seen so far.... but with a max load of 1200g looks like a 5D III + lens (I use a 28mm F/2.8 IS for steadicam/gimbal stuff) would be pushing it.... and that's not even including an ND filter :-(

Yeah a 5D is a no go. Even just an NX1 is 1200g without lens.

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12 hours ago, Ty Harper said:

Should I assume that the DS1 Beholder is the best handheld small 3-axis gimbal option available for 5D users right now?

If you can get one to work - that is, find one that has no issues - then yes. Seen a few good videos of that combination in action.

That's if you can get a good one, and not a duffer like mine. Personally, I would steer people away from the DS1 and suggest that they wait until something has been out for a year or more (preferably not made in China and preferably with a proven track record of support).

 

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This gimbal looks fantastic. The price is great. The motors are great. The app is great. It appears to have stronger motors than the Optimus which is double the cost.

The handle... For single handed operation it looks good. But, if I wanted dual handles... I guess I could rig something with a clamp. But what about at the end of jibs / cranes?

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31 minutes ago, Herb said:

This gimbal looks fantastic. The price is great. The motors are great. The app is great. It appears to have stronger motors than the Optimus which is double the cost.

The handle... For single handed operation it looks good. But, if I wanted dual handles... I guess I could rig something with a clamp. But what about at the end of jibs / cranes?

I like that it has the thread on the end of the handle so you could mount it on a monopod for crane-like shots. Also it seems simple to calibrate unlike my DS1 was.

Im still debating between this one and that inexpensive iPhone gimbal from another thread...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I bought the Zhiyun Crane from Coog Tech: they have excellent communication and shipped my gimbal out almost immediately after paying through PayPal. The parcel arrived in Vietnam practically the following day and I picked it up at the DHL center here. I just put it together this morning, and balancing was a breeze: I just downloaded the App, but I'm not sure how to use it yet, though it looks very simple. Anyhow, just wanted to say the gimbal has outstanding build quality, is easy to balance, and does not shake or vibrate even when you adjust exposure on the camera.

https://jonpais.wordpress.com/2016/07/21/zhiyun-crane-pistol-grip-brushless-gimbal-stabilizer/

 

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I went out shooting on the street with the Zhiyun Crane this morning, along with a GH4 and Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 and ND filter. It handles very well, but I can see it will still take a lot of practice to make really nice, smooth shots, since I've never done anything like this before with the GH4. While the gimbal is light compared to two-handed stabilizers, carrying this thing around all day is still not a piece of cake for me, which makes me glad I didn't spring for the Ronin M. I'm not even sure I would want a gimbal with a higher load capacity for that very reason - it could really become cumbersome, unless I had an assistant. Which is why I am also rethinking my choice of lenses. Up until now, I have been purchasing nothing but APS-C and full-frame lenses, but they are too heavy for use with the Zhiyun - so I may start looking into wide-ish u43 lenses again. Even my Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and Speed Booster bring the weight over the limit of 1.2 Kg. Another reason for getting u43 lenses is autofocus capability, which comes in pretty handy when using a stabilizer. An added benefit of using a stabilizer is that many of the clips appear to be much sharper than what I've shot up until now: camera shake was destroying the resolution. I really can't recommend this device highly enough. 

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On 7/21/2016 at 1:25 PM, jonpais said:

At around the 8-1/2 min. mark, this reviewer posts some very nice shots made with the Zhiyun Crane. So happy I didn't buy the Ronin M or Osmo

In this video, he comments that the up and down is not as stable.  I think a lot of people don't consider the fact that a 3-axis gimbal does not stabilize the vertical (up and down) motion at all.  Your arm is doing the stabilization and you can affect it a lot by how you walk.

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From the Amazon product page, questions & answers:

Quote

Zhiyun will release a new model which is suitable for DSLR cameras with 8.8Lb/4KG better loading capacity:) We will sell it right away as soon as we have them.

 

Nx1 weight with kit lens and battery: 1290g according to Samsung's site. And the 16-50 kit lens has been my favorite for my steadicam. So, 90G overweight. Zhiyun's Amazon comment is that heavier weights affect the lifespan of the motors. Wonder if 90g is a huge difference?

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