Shaky pictures, jerky camera pans, hectic zooms – creators who want to make clean, dynamic video recordings with a smartphone quickly find there are limits to what they can achiever by hand. A stabiliser – also called a "gimbal" in professional circles – such as the Zhiyun Smooth Q3 can help. With its 3-axis stabilisation, it not only ensures smooth shots, soft pans, and precise zooms, but also allows for one-handed operation thanks to the joystick and array of buttons integrated in the handle. The gimbal also features a 180-degree rotating LED light with three brightness levels for shooting in difficult lighting conditions. In addition, the device ships with a mini tripod that can be screwed onto the handle, a USB-C charging cable, and of course an instruction manual.
With the ZY Cami app for Android and iOS smartphones, the Zhiyun Smooth Q3 can unleash its full potential.The app, which is connected to the gimbal via Bluetooth, allows users not only to set basic recording parameters, but also activate a whole range of special functions and effects. These include a 'glamour' filter for selfie shots, hyperlapse and timelapse shots, dolly zoom, slow motion, wide-angle panorama, ready-made graphic overlays, and much more. The package is rounded off by object tracking and optional gesture control, so an actor-director can start and end the recording even if they're in front of the camera. Further functions, such as live streaming directly in the app and extensive online post-processing tools, are available with a paid Zhiyun Prime subscription.
For those who prefer to capture moments and experiences with their smartphone's camera, the Zhiyun Smooth Q3 is a practical, extremely affordable and, with a battery life of up to 15 hours, very reliable tool. The gimbal expands the possibilities of video recording enormously and also increases the ease of use, as all important functions can be conveniently accessed via the joystick and buttons. Thanks to the tripod, gesture control, and automatic tracking of people in the field of view, the Smooth Q3 is particularly suitable for vloggers and hobbyists who usually create their content on their own. It's important to note that the smartphone used must not be wider than 90mm (incl. protective cover) and must not weigh more than 280g. Similarly, the range of functions of the app may vary slightly depending on the smartphone and operating system used.
Zhiyun is owned by Guilin Zhishen Information Technology Co. Ltd. which was established in 2015. This high-tech company develops, produces, and sells stabilisers for cameras and smartphones as well as all related accessories. While its headquarters are in Guilin, southern China, the company's production sites are located in Shenzen, Hong Kong, and the United States. Zhiyun was a leader in the development and definition of the first manufacturing standards for the stabiliser industry and has established itself as one of the leading brands in the field, both on the Chinese market and internationally. Zhiyun's catalogue includes both consumer products and gimbals for professional cameras.
With the Zhiyun Smooth Q3's five operating modes (Follow, Pan Follow, Point of View, Vortex, and Lock), there are almost no limits to what can be achieved in a mobile filmmaking setup. Thanks to an LED display on the handle, users can see at a glance which mode the gimbal is currently in and which camera movements are thus compensated or allowed. The stabilisation works so well that even shots taken running at full speed are largely smooth and unblurred. And with the Zhiyun app mentioned above, the creative possibilities expand even further. Whether it's informative daily vlogs, exciting travel documentaries, action-packed sports footage, or shooting a music video – the Zhiyun Smooth Q3 turns any compatible smartphone into a Steadicam for home use.