Which gimbal should I choose for my GoPro?
Recent years in videotaping technology have been a time of revolution. Recording equipment is getting cheaper and sensor resolutions are getting higher. Over the years, another trend should also be noted - a new market segment has emerged - semi-professional equipment, which does not differ in quality from equipment dedicated to professional applications. The aforementioned changes are also followed by the fact that nowadays, we are more eager than before to capture special moments on film. Many people probably still remember the analog cameras that our parents bought - it was poor quality equipment, and the recordings made with it were full of noise, distortion, and the image vibrated, as it was impossible to stabilize the equipment with home methods. Nowadays, in the era of all-access high-end recording equipment, the market is full of additional accessories. In this text, however, we would like to focus on gimbals. However, if there is a person among your readers who doesn't know what they are, we've already rushed to the answer. Gimbal is a device that allows you to stabilize your camera or smartphone, it is most often based on a two- or three-axis design. Despite the fact that cameras like GoPro or smartphones are now available in almost every hypermarket, the sale of gimbals is still the domain of rather specialty stores and online sales. Without knowing the technical specifications, unfortunately, it is easy to buy equipment that not only does not meet our expectations, but also will be a failure and will not serve us for too long. So what to follow when choosing a gimbal? What we can recommend?Karma Grip Stabilizer
The Karma Grip is a GoPro product that was initially sold only as a bundle with the manufacturer's drone. What distinguishes Karma Grip? First of all, it is dedicated to GoPro cameras and created by the manufacturer of this equipment. This fact makes the fit of the stabilizer to the camera perfect. Batteries allow the gimbal to operate for about 2 hours. On the handle you will find buttons for operating the camera itself, which is an intuitive solution. The Karma Grip is equipped with three brushless motors that operate in three axes, which contributes to the fact that this gimbal can guarantee impeccable image stabilization. The additional accessories you get in the kit allow you to attach the equipment to vehicles and other moving objects.Feiyu- Tech G6 and G5
The manufacturer's gimbals are known in the market for their great quality/price ratio, as they are among the cheapest such equipment. As for the technical aspects:The gimbal mount allows you to mount not only GoPro Hero 5 Black/4/3/3+ cameras, but also equipment from other manufacturers that will have similar dimensions.The device is resistant to splashing and unfriendly weather conditions.The Feiyu Tech G5 and G6 work in three modes: rigid camera stabilization, in which case the camera is aimed at a single point, smoothly following the movement of the person doing the recording, and the so-called vertical mode, which is horizontal axis stabilization.G5, thanks to the use of very powerful batteries, can work for up to 8 hours.The gimbal also has a Bluetooth module that allows remote control of the device.DJI universal gimbal for smartphones and GoPro sports camera
DJI Osmo Mobile
The device has the ability to track the selected object,
3-axis stabilization system,
The DJI Gimbal is equipped with a Motion Timelapse feature, which allows you to take footage showing the passage of time,
Standalone panorama function for extremely easy panoramic shooting,
Operating time on a fully charged battery is about 4.5 hours, with 3 hours of charging,
Configurable built-in joystick,
Built-in Bluetooth,
A number of additional accessories offered by the manufacturer.
DJI Osmo Mobile 2
An improved version of the previous, very successful gimbal, in which we now find:
Minimally greater range of motion,
Motion Timelapse, which allows you to make recordings that show the passage of time,
The ability to do a "dolly zoom."
The Osmo Mobile 2 has a battery that lasts up to 15 hours of operation, with 2 hours of charging,
Can be used as a PowerBank. The battery capacity is 2600 mAh,
A number of additional accessories offered by the manufacturer, such as a stand,
The stand for the Osmo Mobile 2 (not included, but a "must have") has a ¼ thread that allows you to mount the gimbal on a tripod or other external mount,
Cheaper than the original version.
Above we have presented four variants that we can confidently describe as "certainties" when choosing the first gimbal. Keep in mind that it is best to trust equipment from reputable manufacturers that have been on the market for at least a few years. Beware of any kind of "bargain" in the form of buying a cheaper device of unknown origin. Then we may quickly find that the desire to save will turn against us.