Using the Crane M3 with a mirrorless camera was the port of call, and after a few lens experiments, I found that the 35mm f/1.4 was the way to go when it camera to stabilisation. Anything larger pushed the limits of the motors, which for a gimbal of this size was not surprising. Gimbals help remove undesirable shake or wobble from your videos, which has made them popular with YouTubers and vloggers who are looking to step up their video production quality. And while Zhiyun isn't quite as big a name as DJI in the field, the Chinese manufacturer certainly isn't far off –particularly with offerings like the Crane-M2S. At present, camera control needs to be done through the on-camera controls, but the Gimbal is equipped with a focus or mode dial along with shutter and other direct camera control. It’s not just the style of the bag that doesn’t feel right for the Pro Kit. While it is nicely made, it doesn’t fit all the kits. The microphone is longer than the height of the bag, so it doesn’t fit in. Through the USB-C connector, the new Crane-M2S supports USB PD rapid charging up to 12W. This implies that a full charge of the Crane-M2S may be completed in about 100 minutes, providing up to 10 hours of operational time on a single charge.

CRANE Series - ZHIYUN-TECH CRANE Series - ZHIYUN-TECH

The DJI RSC 2 remains a more powerful option for pro filmmakers, and we're also big fans of its folding design and app. But the Crane-M2S is shaping up to be a more affordable alternative for those with smaller mirrorless cameras, or full-frame models with compact prime lenses. It also benefits from a built-in light capable of 800-lumen output, which is perfect for those moments where you need just a little more light and don't want to add extra weight by using an external LED panel. You can turn it on by holding down the wheel on the side and then change the brightness by rolling it up or down. The Crane M3 is great looking gimbal; its small size and power make it a formidable filmmaking tool that will suit all sorts of videographers and photographers. Supports PD Fast Charge protocol. Supports a maximum of 12W wired fast charge. The data is gathered from internal experiments of ZHIYUN laboratories. Under different scenarios, data is different to some extent. These controls are all reflected in the app, and I’ll bring you a full update once these are all working.

On-Handle Controls

While this approach has its pros and cons - you don't always need a light source and it's sometimes creatively beneficial to have the light source separate from the camera point of view - most of the time having the M3's small (2cm) but deceptively bright 800-lumen (average) lighting available on demand is undeniably a good thing. If you have a very heavy DSLR, or use specific long lenses, you might consider moving up to a more heavy-duty gimbal, such as Zhiyun's Weebill 2. The Crane M3's sweet spot - noting its stated maximum payload of around 2.2kg - is with smaller-body DSLRs and mirrorless compact cameras, as well as smartphones. One feature that appears on all kits is the built infill light. This is small but surprisingly powerful and can be operated directly from the Gimbal. This is a great addition, and the quality of the light is exceptional; what’s more, Zhiyun has seen fit to include a series of coloured filters in the box. While this concept might seem alien to many of us, if you’re starting, this is a gimbal that will grow with you by using your phone to a mirrorless system. Modelling light

Crane M3 - the Best Designed Gimbal for Vlogging - ZHIYUN

This is a real shame as everything else is incredibly well designed, and it’s not even as if the bag feels cheap. When it comes to the actual materials and quality, they’re excellent. The Crane M3 Pro Kit As well as the gimbal, there’s the audio expansion. This comes into play once the extension base is fitted. Likewise, popping on an action camera or mobile phone again enables a smooth and powerful stabilisation experience. My experience with the iPhone 13 wasn't as positive. Despite my best efforts, I simply couldn't get the slim phone to balance along every axis. For the most part, the gimbal did a good job even though it was a little out of balance. But the motors struggled and stuttered when I tried certain types of camera moves, most noticeably when I transitioned from a high to low angle. If you are a full-time smartphone creator, a slimmer gimbal like the DJI OM 5 or Zhiyun Smooth 4 is a better match.Used as a standard gimbal stabiliser, the Crane M3 does an amazing job. The size makes it extremely agile, and the fact that it’s so light makes it a pleasure to use. Mobile phone and action camera stabilisation Like it's smartphone-specific sibling, the Smooth 5 ( which we reviewed previously), the Crane M3 is also a Red Dot Award 2022 winner for its product design. SHENZHEN, China, November 8t h , 2021 – ZHIYUN, the world’s leading gimbal manufacturer for cameras and smartphones introduces the CRANE M3, the latest in the highly-regarded CRANE series. Proving it’s more than just an upgrade, the M3 is a professional, 3-axis gimbal, claiming five industry firsts for looks, unmatched versatility, easy operability and trademark high-performance ZHIYUN design. The CRANE M3 is compatible with smartphones, action cameras, and full-frame mirrorless cameras with certain lenses.

Professional products - ZHIYUN-TECH Professional products - ZHIYUN-TECH

New to the CRANE series is the added feature of an interactive 1.22”, full-colour HD interactive touchscreen enabling parameter adjustments to a range of gimbal mode settings (portrait, vortex mode and go-mode) as well as follow speed. The intuitive display panel also indicates camera operational status, connection to the gimbal and battery levels. At the time of writing, there are still some updates required to the firmware to ensure full compatibility with the Sony A7 III that will enable full control and the use of the microphone.

Jitter-Free Handheld Footage

The expansion base for the gimbal (included with the Pro Kit option) has a receiver built-in, which can be paired with the transmitter module for wireless control of cameras via Bluetooth where supported, e.g. to trigger your camera's shutter button. Unlike other gimbals that have a minimum and maximum payload, the Zhiyun Crane M3 is designed to work with camera phones, action cameras and mirrorless cameras. It comes with an adjustable phone mount that could fit a phone in as big as the new iPhone 13 Pro Max. A small square touch screen lets you change settings, but the interface is kludgy. The main menu breaks down into four panes: Mode, Balance, Info, and Settings. Tapping any of them takes you to a longer text menu—straightforward enough. But the text is small enough that you can't always be sure which setting you selected. You also need to be deliberate with your swipe gestures to navigate as swipes often register as taps. Impromptu low-light shooting is no longer a problem with the CRANE M3. Thanks to its pioneering in-built 800 lumen LED fill light, the stabiliser offers an intense natural lighting solution with full stepless dimming control and temperature settings via a control wheel. Additionally available are magnetic light filter accessories for the LED light, in four different colours. At peak power 6W, the M3s lighting reads are as follows: colour temperature levels: 3000-5400K, brightness: warm light 650-750, white light 850-950, CRI (Colour Rendering Index) 90+. B&H – B&H is a world renowned supplier of all the gear photographers, videographers, and cinematographers need and want to create their very best work.