Zhiyun SmoothQ: Smoother Video with Your Smartphone

Shooting video with your smartphone is convenient but often the results are pretty jarring with lots of shake and jitter. The Zhiyun SmoothQ is an affordable motorized gimbal which smooths out your video and is easy to use. In this episode, we have a closer look at the SmoothQ to see whether it might be a good option for you.

For the audio enthusiasts out there, can you identify the glaring audio issue with this episode?

Gear featured and used to record this episode:

Zhiyun SmoothQ Motorized Gimbal (Amazon USA, Amazon UK)

Manfrotto Monopod (for crane shots)

DPA 4017B Shotgun Microphone My new favorite shotgun microphone

Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder

Aputure Light Storm COB120t LED Light (Key Light)

Aputure Light Dome Soft Box (for COB120t key light)

Panasonic GH4 Camera

Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens

Zhiyun Crane 3-axis Motorized Gimbal Setup and Tips

I’ve talked to several people who have been frustrated with various 3-axis motorized gimbals for their cameras. The gimbals promise smooth shots when you’re walking or hand-holding your mirrorless camera or DSLR but often people find them difficult to use. In this episode, we show you how to setup the Zhiyun Tech Crane, a gimbal which can support cameras up to 1800 grams in weight. Then we cover a few tips for getting the smoothest shots possible. Once you get this down with a little practice, you can avoid all that frustration and get the most out of your gimbal!

Zhiyun Tech Smooth II Gimbal for Smartphones

Today’s smartphones can shoot very impressive video with surprisingly good quality. Adding camera movement to your smartphone video can make your video look and feel much more professional. It can also add to the energy of the story. But even with the new generation of premium smartphones with optical image stabilization, most phone video will still look pretty jittery and shaky when you move the phone with your hand. That’s where a gimbal can make a huge difference. The Zhiyun Tech Smooth II is professional quality gimbal for smartphones which does a really nice job smoothing out your video footage, even when you’re walking. And it also works well with the larger phones like the iPhone 7+ or Samsung Note series.

Zhiyun Tech was kind enough to send us the Smooth II for review. Full disclosure: This gimbal was given to me for this review, I did not purchase it with my money. I was not paid to do this review. The link above is an affiliate link. If you use this link to purchase the Smooth II, it will not cost you anything additional and we will receive a small payment which we use to purchase and review additional gear to help you make better video.