There are a few quirks at the time of writing, direct camera control from the grip doesn’t work for the Sony cameras, and the mic input also has a few noise issues. I’m assured that these factors will be sorted out with firmware. 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. 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.

Crane M3 Handheld 3-Axis Stabilizer, Gimbal Stabilizer Zhiyun Crane M3 Handheld 3-Axis Stabilizer, Gimbal Stabilizer

Whether to buy or not is most likely to depend on what camera hardware you already own or are intending to use with the M3. If you can find the right combination, the Crane M3 is a mini marvel. It supports a broad range of shooting options and helps capture excellent, professional, stable footage. If you're a videographer who works with multiple devices, this gimbal would be a good choice – but if you are looking for something that is easier to balance (which is especially important if you change lenses a lot) there are better options out there. While the size of the handle is nice, the sliding axis feels a little small to deal with some of the bigger cameras it's compatible with.USB control works with only select Sony models: the a7 II, a7 III, a7R II, a7R III, a7R IV, a7S II, a7S III, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600, HX90, RX100 V, RX100 VI, RX100 VII, and ZV-1. The compatibility list with the Bluetooth adapter is longer, but not entirely comprehensive. It doesn't include cameras from Olympus OM System at all, for example. Mylio Photos – Access your photos from anywhere, without the cloud! Easily showcase your photos on-the-go, resolve duplicates, find faces and look for those stunning locations. On-the-hoof, live interviews couldn’t get easier with the CRANE M3’s TransMount Expansion Base to which professional microphones can be directly connected. The base bypasses connecting the microphone via the camera, thus removing the need for: additional cables, extra weight on the camera, and further adjustments to the gimbal. The M3 comes with a TransMount Shotgun Microphone as standard, however, the 6.5mm connecting audio port can also support a range of wired professional microphones for clear audio performance with cardioid/hypercardioid patterns.

ZHIYUN Crane M3 [Official] 4 in 1 Handheld 3-Axis Gimbal

Using the Akaso Brave 8 and iPhone 11 Pro showed just how versatile the gimbal is and the additional control over the two cameras compared with the in-camera stabilisation is huge. Once the camera is in place, the usual adjustments can be made to the axis balances for the X, Y and Z. Maybe because of the small size; these adjustments are really easy. I found balancing the M3 a relatively simple process. Balancing the phone (iPhone 11 Pro) or action camera ( Akaso Brave 8) proved just how straightforward the process was. Stabilising a mirrorless camera The Crane M3 is surprisingly powerful in use, and despite the compact nature of the axis arms and closeness to the camera, the LCD screen was clear and visible. 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. 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 stabilisationLike 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.

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

The Crane M3 also comes with a built-in dual-colour temperature LED fill light directly within the gimbal housing, which typically sits to the right of your camera's lens. Often in the past it's been necessary to have a separate light source, either as an optional accessory or as something entirely standalone and separate from the gimbal. The Smooth 5, for example, can accomodate two magnetic light attachments, available as an add-on for the core gimbal. 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.

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I paired the Crane M3 with the Sony ZV-E10 and an iPhone 13 for testing. The stabilizer is the perfect size for smaller swappable lens cameras like the ZV-E10 and a good fit for upmarket compacts like the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. Zhiyun lists some full-frame models in the camera compatibility list, but they balance only if you attach lightweight prime lenses. Zhiyun does not publish a maximum payload for the gimbal, but most of the compatible kits it lists come in under two pounds. The Crane M3 is a perfect match for small ILCs like the Sony ZV-E10