This page contains affiliate link(s). When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission
[Top 5] Best Gimbals for Smartphones in 2024 – Best for Selfie, Vlogging, and Content Creators.
Smartphone gimbals revolutionize mobile videography, outperforming standard camera stabilization. By mastering phone movement, they ensure fluid pans, elegant sweeps, and dynamic subject tracking. In essence, a gimbal transforms your phone into a professional filming tool, delivering cinematic-quality footage effortlessly, eliminating the need for bulky, intricate gear. and, we’ve composed a brief consumer guide and reviewed the Top 5 Best Phone Gimbals you can Buy in 2024.
Number 1. Insta360 Flow
Best overall Gimbal
- Small, foldable design
- Feature-rich companion app.
- Easy to use even for beginners.
- Long and extended battery life.
- Relatively expensive.
- Limited range of motion.
The Insta360 Flow is an impressive all-in-one device for smartphone photography. This multifunctional gadget serves as a selfie stick, compact tripod, mini power bank, and basic gimbal. Pairing it with the Insta360 app adds smart tracking, panoramic shots, and creative montages. The Flow’s control system takes some getting used to, and it has a limited range. However, thoughtful design features, like built-in cold shoes and extending tripod legs, enhance its appeal. Weighing 369g, it’s slightly heavier than competitors like the DJI OM 6 but remains portable and durable. Its user-friendly design includes a control panel with a joystick, a USB-C port for charging, and a transparent arm cover showcasing circuit boards. While initially fiddly, it accommodates various phone sizes reliably. The Insta360 Flow excels in multifunctionality, boasting a 2900mAh battery for extended power. Its extending selfie stick and tripod legs provide stability for steady shots and long-exposure photography. The Insta360 app offers features like subject tracking, manual photography, and Live Mode for third-party apps. Though not the top stabilizer, the Insta360 Flow’s versatility makes it an exceptional mobile companion for creative smartphone users, offering a diverse feature set in a compact, innovative package.
Number 2. DJI OM 6
Best travel smartphone gimbal
- Analog focus/zoom wheel.
- Helpful status readout.
- Capable DJI Mimo app.
- Improved ActiveTrack Subject tracking.
- Unarguably robust build quality.
- Best features exclusive to iPhone.
- Folding is still a tad fiddly.
- Extending rod feels too tough.
DJI’s Osmo Mobile 6 reverts to its original naming, enhancing its reputation as a top-tier smartphone gimbal with new features for ultimate convenience. Compact and lightweight, it includes a new locking mechanism for secure transport and an ergonomic handle with well-placed controls for seamless single-handed shooting. The darker grey color adds a professional look, while a new control wheel offers precise zoom and focus adjustments. An innovative LED status display provides vital information, enhancing usability with apps like Filmic Pro. The gimbal’s quick setup, featuring an intuitive magnetic mounting system, ensures users can start shooting within seconds. iPhone users benefit from the Quick Launch feature for instant access to the DJI Mimo app, though Android users only require an additional step. Supporting larger and heavier phones, the Osmo Mobile 6 maintains exceptional stabilization, particularly in low-light conditions. While modern smartphones offer impressive built-in stabilization, the gimbal still provides superior smoothness. The refined ActiveTrack 5.0 enhances subject tracking, making it ideal for content creators on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Despite its niche appeal, the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 remains a top choice for those seeking professional-grade mobile filming capabilities.
Number 3. Hohem iSteady MT2
Best premium gimbal for versatility.
- Performed smooth pans and tilts.
- Standalone AI tracking.
- Long battery life.
- App adds additional functionality.
- Expensive.
- Fiddly to set up.
- Only works with reasonably light cameras.
When budget is no concern, the Hohem iSteady MT2 stands as a premium choice, This advanced 3-axis gimbal exudes professionalism, is designed for use with smartphones, action cameras, and mirrorless cameras, and supports a hefty payload of 1.2kg. It’s engineered to deliver fluid, professional-grade camera movements, encompassing pans, tilts, and tracking shots, and is brimming with features that elevate its functionality. The iSteady MT2 boasts AI-powered face and object tracking, accessible via the Hohem Joy app or an optional AI sensor accessory, ensuring precise subject following. It offers seamless transitions between horizontal and vertical orientations and allows manual tilt angle adjustments, granting users comprehensive control over their shots. Physical controls, including a zoom dial and joystick, provide nuanced manipulation, while innovative modes like “Inception” and “CloneMe” panorama unleash creative potential. Despite minor limitations in AI tracking under specific lighting conditions, this gimbal is an exceptional tool for smartphone videographers seeking to infuse their footage with cinematic flair. Its professional build and versatile features make the Hohem iSteady MT2 a worthy investment for those aiming to elevate their filmmaking endeavors.
Number 4. Zhiyun Smooth 5s
Best pro smartphone gimbal.
- Tactile and precise controls.
- Long battery life.
- Excellent range of motion.
- Quick to set up and balance.
- Powerful fill light.
- App features behind a paywall.
- No screen.
- No selfie stick.
- Large and heavy.
The Zhiyun Smooth 5S takes smartphone videography to new heights with its professional 3-axis design. Its wider spaces between each axis open up endless possibilities for creative shots, perfect for those cinematic angles you crave. Equipped with powerful magnetic steel motors and upgraded algorithms, this gimbal handles even the largest phones effortlessly. The versatile phone clamp supports external lenses, pushing your creative boundaries further. Lighting is where the Smooth 5S truly shines. A built-in fill light on the tilt axis offers a peak illuminance of 650 lux. Add in two magnetic fill lights, and you get an impressive 2040 lux, ensuring your shots are perfectly lit, no matter the scene. The intuitive control panel makes adjustments a breeze. Smoothly tweak settings with a touch, readying you for quick, one-handed shoots. Battery life is stellar—fully charged in just 2 hours, it offers a whopping 24 hours of continuous use. This means non-stop filming without the worry of running out of juice. Overall, the Smooth 5S excels in stability and tactile control, making it ideal for serious filmmakers. Its complex software and balancing requirements are minor drawbacks in exchange for its superior hardware and professional capabilities.
Number 5. DJI Osmo Mobile SE
Best-value Gimbal.
- Fairly compact.
- Affordable.
- No telescopic pole.
DJI’s Osmo Mobile SE emerges as a fresh face with roots in the Osmo Mobile 4, but it’s decked out with elements from the Osmo Mobile 6, offering an appealing blend of new and familiar features at a more accessible price. This gimbal integrates the Osmo Mobile 6’s display, joystick, and buttons, delivering enhanced usability without the premium cost. The display efficiently conveys the current mode and battery status, while the upgraded joystick offers a more refined control experience. Although it lacks the telescopic pole and zoom/focus wheel of its pricier counterpart, the Osmo Mobile SE compensates with the cutting-edge Active Track 5.0 for superior subject tracking and ShotGuides for achieving creative shots. True to DJI’s reputation, the Osmo Mobile SE simplifies the process of capturing smooth video. Its accompanying Mimo app, a standout in its class, is indispensable, albeit with the caveat that Android users must download it directly from DJI’s site, bypassing the Google Play Store. Included in the package is a tabletop tripod, perfect for hands-free operation and capturing stunning motion lapses. Overall, the Osmo Mobile SE strikes a balance between innovation and value, making it an enticing choice for videographers.