The Zhiyun Crane-M3 has proved to be a solid gimbal in terms of ergonomics, build quality, and it’s overall performance. The mic is wired which means you’ll be limited in how far you can move away from the gimbal, but it works well. It comes with a built-in light that has three colored filters with it, and also has various modes including vortex and portrait mode.

ZHIYUN’s CRANE M3 gimbal: ultra-versatile vlogging companion

If you use a full-frame camera or a bulkier crop-sensor camera like the Fujifilm X-T4 or Panasonic GH6, you should step up to the bigger Zhiyun Weebill 2 or the Editors' Choice-winning DJI RSC 2; we haven't reviewed the new Weebill 3 or DJI RS 3 yet. Using a small mirrorless phone or action camera on the same gimbal is a great feature and far more useful than you would initially think. It’s less forgiving with larger mirrorless cameras, and forget using a 24-70mm on the front of your camera, but that’s not what this gimbal is about.The mic connects to the base of the gimbal via an accessory connector and you then connect your camera to the mic input on the gimbal head with the included cable. Anything larger pushed the limits of the motors, which for a gimbal of this size was not surprising. The Crane M3 has a small touch-screen display and a few on-handle controls, but you need to use a compatible camera to take advantage of them. AfterShoot – AfterShoot helps photographers cull their photos faster, leaving them more time to spend on creative tasks. A single 1/4-inch thread handles an accessory mount, to which you can attach a high-quality monitor or smartphone.

Crane-M3 review: A compact, powerful and feature Zhiyun Crane-M3 review: A compact, powerful and feature

Zhiyun lists some full-frame models in the camera compatibility list, but they balance only if you attach lightweight prime lenses. 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+. The Zhiyun Crane M3 gimbal at first seems like an impressive bit of kit – it's smaller and more lightweight than most other gimbals for mirrorless cameras, and it benefits from a stylish white finish.We love the convenience of on-handle controls, but the M3 only works with a handful of cameras via the included USB cables. Videographers who want to improve their filmmaking can sometimes look to a gimbal as an answer to shaky footage.