Struggling with shaky video footage in pursuit of that high-quality cinematic feel? With our tested selection of smartphone gimbals, you’ll quickly turn those failed first attempts into a thing of the past.
From a hands-free way to track and film yourself to simultaneously pan, film and move, here’s the rundown of the best gadgets in the category!
3 best phone gimbal stabilizers on a budget in 2020:
- MOZA Mini MX Gimbal Handheld Stabilizer.
- Hohem iSteady X Folding Smartphone Gimbal.
- DJI OM 4 Handheld 3-Axis Smartphone Gimbal.
As opposed to the richer selection of 2019, this year we’re keeping it short and simple.
It’s fair to say 2020 models had a hard time impressing us, especially when models from last year are still a great bang for your buck—both quality-wise and financially.
1. MOZA Mini MX
Starting off slow but smooth, the MOZA brand didn’t make it to our 2019 selection with their ultra-popular MOZA Mini model. This time, however, MOZA is here with this amazingly small and functional smartphone gimbal.
And Mini it is! Despite the palm-sized scale when folded, the performance stays unaffected…mostly.
Like with any foldable gimbal, there are certain angle limitations which mean there’s no such thing as unlimited panning.
Apart from not being waterproof, this gimbal offers all—good battery life, reliable smartphone clamp, comfortable charging port, secure grip.
The gimbal has Bluetooth which enables you to remotely trigger actions for your smartphones’ camera. Additionally, you can do lots of customizations and shoot in different modes – dolly zoom, time-lapse, panoramas – everything your eye desires.
The app is powerful, but at the same time somewhat strange, as it features two different modes for shooting – at least the Android edition does.
2. Hohem iSteady X
One step closer to our favorite smartphone gimbal in 2020, we find the iSteady X.
And this model is one of the most remarkable transformations we’ve seen! From making most of their gimbals with the same old dull design and offering a rather problematic in-app experience, Hohem mark 2020 as the year of change.
Cue the iSteady X—featuring a futuristic design, awesome build quality, unique folding mechanism, decent stabilization, and a brand new well-performing mobile app!
It’s a wholesome package deal for around $70 which makes the Hohem iSteady X one of the cheapest phone gimbals of this class.
Everything about this gimbal screams cool! The upgraded package, the compact size, and the reliable battery.
Regarding performance—the iSteady X has consistently delivered good results.
Combined with your smartphone’s EIS – you’re guaranteed a great-looking cinematic end result. Additionally, the footage you’ve captured can be taken to the next level thanks to the templates in the smartphone app.
It’s important to mention that the app is updated regularly bringing heaping improvements to the stabilization algorithm and many integrated features.
3. DJI OM 4
Almost 3 times the price of the iSteady X, our favorite phone gimbal of 2020 takes buttery-smooth footage to the next level. The DJI OM 4 comes as a surprise mostly because the number 4 is considered unlucky by Chinese people.
Personally, we don’t see anything unlucky in purchasing this revolutionary smartphone gimbal.
DJI revived the market by introducing a unique mounting mechanism. It’s magnet-based and guarantees your phone will never fall, even if it’s a very heavy one. Trust us, we tried.
There are two ways to mount it. One way is to stick it to the phone’s back. Please consider getting your smartphone a case, though. The DJI OM 4’s claws offer an extra-strong grip that remains comfortable, at least for as long as you expect to mount it again on the gimbal.
Last year we’ve already seen a QR-mechanism (featured in the Smooth Q by Feiyu tech), but DJI has brought everything to a whole other level. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if other companies flood the market with a similar mechanism in 2021.
One of the traditionally impressive advantages of the OM (Osmo Mobile) series is smartphone integration. This is by far the best-developed smartphone app for both iPhone and Android users and we feel like it’s just a matter of time before you unleash your creativity.
Various shooting modes, striking presets, exciting templates – it’s all several clicks away! Within minutes you’ll be able to create engaging short videos to share on Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok.
The rest of the construction of the DJI OM 4 is pretty much the same as the previous generation. The stabilization remains superb, the tracking capabilities are best in class, and the battery endurance is better than ever!
The only downside is the lack of the carrying case they were shipped last year, but that’s something we’ll learn to live without.
DJI also offers a protection plan—for $10 only you can purchase DJI care refresh, enabling premium support and shipping. Also, free replacements in case of accidents and damages are included.
We’re aware this is the most expensive phone gimbal in our selection, but it’s safe to say, for $150 you’re getting the most advanced feature-packed gadget in this category.
Bonus Pro Advice
If you’re looking to upgrade your shooting setup and plan to scale up in the future, you might want to purchase an action camera mount plate as well. This way, you’ll be able to attach a GoPro or another action camera with a similar build as well.
The trend for phone gimbal stabilizers is quite clear. In 2021 we’ll expect even more foldable smartphone gimbals, they’ll be getting smarter, lighter, and maybe even…weirder.
Product links:
DJI OM 4 Smartphone Gimbal: https://geni.us/DJI-OM4
MOZA Mini MX Foldable Smartphone gimbal: https://geni.us/miniMX
Hohem iSteady X Smartphone Gimbal: https://geni.us/iSteady-X
***There is no additional cost to your purchase when using the affiliate links provided above. Tech4All might receive a minor percentage out of it.
