Gimbals, like the Insta360 Flow, are the perfect accessory for those looking to enhance their photography and videography skills with pocketable devices. Media and content creators often use them, and they continue to become more accessible, even to the average user. They’re excellent for making smooth videos and even for capturing sharp and steady photos. Best of all, they’re compatible with nearly all good smartphones, especially models with the best cameras.
Whether you’re after a traditional gimbal or a more advanced model, this top-tier selection will cater to all your needs. We picked some of the most popular accessories, as well as some of the more niche and advanced setups to help you improve your photo and video moments.
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Best overallDJI Osmo Mobile SE
The DJI Osmo Mobile SE gimbal is a fantastic blend of versatility, portability, and features that help get the ultra-smooth footage you are looking for. The three-axis stabilization system will eliminate any shakiness, and ActiveTrack 6.0 ensures your moving subject is always front and center. Add in the great price and its small stature for easy portability, and you have a top-tier option.
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Premium pickZhiyun Smooth 5S AI
The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI has a three-axis gimbal stabilizer, a built-in fill light, and even gesture control that makes using it easy and smooth. The device supports numerous devices and even has a long-lasting 26-hour battery that can also act as an emergency battery to charge your phone.
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Best value
Essager Gimbal
The Essager gimbal is perfect for those who are just getting started or don’t want to spend a lot. Its one-axis stabilizer will help remove some, but not all, unwanted movement from your footage. But for such a budget-friendly price, compromises are to be expected. Additionally, this model can be used as a tripod or handheld, increasing its overall versatility, and the removable fill light comes in handy in poorly lit environments.
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Insta360 Flow
The Insta360 Flow combines solid features and a bit of AI to help take your footage to the next level. Using its Deep Track 3.0 AI technology, this gimbal ensures your subject stays in frame. It has three-axis stabilization and is lightweight and foldable for easy transport. The included 2900mAh battery gives up to 12 hours of continuous use, and this device can be used as a selfie stick, tripod, or power bank.
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Zhiyun Smooth Q3
The Zhiyun Smooth Q3 gimbal features three-axis stabilization for shake-free footage and SmartFollow 3.0 to keep your subject in the spotlight. At only 0.75 pounds, it can easily be used in handheld mode for extended sessions or used as a tripod. Speaking of extended sessions, the included 1500mAh battery can keep this gimbal going for up to 10 hours.
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DJI Osmo Mobile 6
$89 $139 Save $50The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is perfect for those just getting started. This gimbal includes ShotGuides, which will help teach you how to shoot like a pro, and scene recognition powered by AI to help complete edits. This is in addition to its three-axis stabilization for smooth footage and ActiveTrack 6.0 technology to keep subjects in focus. It even has a built-in extension rod for even more creative control.
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Hohem iSteady XE
If you want a lightweight and inexpensive handheld gimbal, the Hohem iSteady XE should be on your shortlist. At only 0.62 pounds, this gimbal is light enough for extended sessions. It has three-axis stabilization for shake-free footage and an adjustable fill light that can be used for up to 60 minutes.
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Koscheal Gimbal
This gimbal from Koscheal gives you a bit of versatility for a low price. It can be used as a selfie stick or as a tripod and comes with a wireless remote for easy control. It only has single-axis stabilization, which will help smooth out some of your footage. It also includes a fill light to help brighten darker scenes.
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Hohem iSteady M6
The Hohem iSteady M6 gimbal is an excellent value, offering 3-axis stabilization, a built-in OLED display to help control the device, and a high 400g payload to handle even the largest smartphones. If you ever run out of juice, the gimbal can also act as a powerbank, charging up your smartphone, and the M6 even has a built-in RGB light with a control wheel.
Improve your photo and video game
If you’re looking to upgrade your photo and video game, you’ll likely want to consider a gimbal with a three-axis stabilization system and easy-to-use on-device controls. An LED light could also be beneficial, but it’s often not necessary, as your phone already has a capable LED built-in. Having said that, here’s our main gimbal selection.
The DJI Osmo Mobile SE is our best pick in the gimbal category, thanks to its appealing price tag and features that offer a versatile experience. The Mobile SE helps capture smooth footage using the three-axis stabilization system, and the ActiveTrack 6.0 ensures all objects captured are tracked with high precision. It’s small enough to be portable and large enough to help enhance your content.
If you have a bit more money to spare, you might want to consider the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI. It has a three-axis gimbal stabilizer for extra-smooth footage and a built-in fill light that could be useful when you need a bit more illumination. It has a large battery that can last for up to 26 hours on a single charge, and it’s portable and small enough to fit in any backpack and carry case.
The Essager Gimbal remains our go-to selection in the budget category, offering a single-axis design that helps eliminate movement and shaky footage. It’ll require a little more work to keep it steady, but if you don’t want to spend too much, this is an excellent portable and easy-to-use option with very few sacrifices.
