November 6, 2024
best gopro gimbal 2020

The first GoPro gimbal that I used was designed by – myself. At the time, there were no GoPro accessories available so I had to tie my camera to a piece of wood and use it to film from all the angles I couldn’t reach by hand. At the time, it was the best GoPro gimbal San Francisco skateboarders knew of.

Almost two decades later, things are different. GoPro released a plethora of great accessories for different purposes.

 

However, they only have one gimbal available, the famed GoPro Karma. Thus, other camera resellers and stores started branding their own GoPro gimbals, some that are even compatible with different mobile phone models and DSLR cameras.

Today, we’ll take a look at both Karma and its alternatives that I consider to be of equal quality.

Don’t get me wrong – Karma is still the best gimbal for GoPro. However, in some cases, other gimbals can outperform it. Let’s cut to the chase:

#1 GoPro Karma

GoPro KarmaGoPro KarmaGoPro Karma

Key Features:
  • Weight: 484g
  • Battery Life: 1.45 Hours when recording 4K
  • ¼-inch thread for extra gear mounting: No
  • Waterproof : Only splash proof
  • Compatible with all GoPro models
  • Mountable anywhere you want, has voice controls and built in camera control

PROS
  • Smooth and Shake Free Videos
  • Extremely High-Quality Audio
  • Did We Mention 360?
CONS
  • Noisy so not perfect for vlogging or recording music performance

GoPro Karma Review

An official GoPro gimbal that’s designed for GoPro cams only. Karma works with both older models and the latest and greatest GoPro cameras. It’s great to use when going on vacation, snowboarding, skiing, etc. It also has a great battery capacity, which will probably last you throughout the entire day of recording.

Before your first use, make sure to update it to the latest firmware. My one issue with GoPro Karma is that it’s a bit noisy. So, if you’re planning on recording in silence – perhaps vlogging – I’d recommend some of the alternatives. For every other possible gimbal use, it’s my top choice.

Overall, Karma is the best GoPro gimbal. Make sure to try it out and make sure that it works like it should – otherwise, contact official GoPro support.

#2 FeiyuTech WG2X

FeiyuTech WG2X

Key Features:
  • Removable batteries : No
  • Splash-proof Grade: Only splash-proof
  • Mountable : You can mount it anywhere you want
  • Compatibility: All GoPro Models
  • Connection via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

 

PROS
  • Light and compact
  • Mountable anywhere
  • Reliable
CONS
  • Short battery
  • It can be bulky
  • Not performing well in the cold

FeiyuTech WG2X Review

FeiyuTech WG2X is one of the best GoPro gimbals for traveling. It can be attached to pretty much everything you want. You can screw it on a tripod or you can mount it on a helmet or your backpack.

When you don’t need it, you can unmount it and carry it in your pocket. It’s also really easy to use since it only has 2 buttons. When you buy this gimbal, you probably won’t ever need to buy another one since it’s built out of high quality materials. Furthermore, you will have a low profile compact gimbal to mount wherever you want.

Another great feature that makes FeiyuTech WG2X one of the best GoPro accessories overall is the fact that you can easily control it with your phone.

A few small problems with this gimbal are that it isn’t waterproof so you have to be careful near water and rain. FeiyuTech WG2X doesn’t have a long runtime so you shouldn’t plan on going for adventures longer than 2 hours.

#3 Hohem iSteady Pro 2

Key Features:
  • Mountable : Not mountable, only handheld
  • Compatibility: For GoPro Hero7/Hero6/Hero5
  • Max Payload : 160g
  • Weight: 364g
  • Removable batteries : Yes
  • ¼-inch thread for extra gear mounting : Yes
  • Runtime : 12h
  • Waterproof 10m
PROS
  • Wide camera compatibility
  • Splash-proof resistant
  • Special PhoneGo Sport Mode
CONS
  • No record button
  • Not Beginner-Friendly

Hohem iSteady Pro 2 Review

It takes about 3 hours to charge this Gimbal but it works up to 12 hours! Which is a great thing and should satisfy all your needs for a full day of recording. It can also recharge the camera while recording, a feature that will always come in handy. Just make sure to recharge your gimbal before the first use.

Hohem iSteady Pro 2 does a great job in terms of stabilizing the video and it makes them look like they came out of Hollywood. We recommend this camera to anyone from an amateur with a good budget to a professional that doesn’t know what gimbal should pick.

This is a great Gimbal for all vloggers and YouTubers and it’s compatible with a large portion of the cameras including Hero7 Black, White, and Silver. If you are a beginner, just make sure to learn how the gimbal works so you can use it in the way you need it, the internet is filled with a lot of good tutorials about this product.

Even though this gimbal is splash-proof, it’s not waterproof so be careful not to expose it to heavy rain or underwater. But it is a great accessory in terms of stabilizing the video for a great price.

#4 Zhiyun Smooth 4

Key Features:
  • Weight: 940 g
  • Runtime: 12 h
  • Waterproof : Not weather resistant
  • Compatible with: iPhone Xs Max/Xs/X/8 Plus/7/SE Samsung Galaxy S9+/S8/S7
  • Connection via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Check Latest Price

PROS
  • Does a great job for the price
  • Support for latest Androids and iPhones
  • Great app

<h5″>CONS

  • Needs a GoPro adapter
  • Not comfortable for longer recording periods
  • Heavy

Zhiyun Smooth 4 Review

A lot of our users, including myself, have had a great experience with Zhiyun Smooth 4, and we definitely recommend it. In our opinion, it might even be the best GoPro gimbal around.

Zhiyun Smooth 4 isn’t cheap but even if you are an amateur video creator and you need a gimbal for such purposes it is much better to invest in a gimbal like this than to buy and experiment with cheaper products.

This is hands down is one of the best GoPro gimbals all around. It comes with a great instruction manual and you can learn to use it quickly, although some people complained that they needed to watch YouTube videos to understand how to use it.

Its app is professional-grade but easy to use and the gimbal has rich features. Not many gimbals come with features like object tracking that make your videos look extremely good.

Smooth 4 supports timelapse, motion lapse, slow-motion and hyperlapse so you can take already great features of your GoPro to an even higher level. It has a 12-hour battery charge and you can easily charge your phone while using it.

#5 FeiyuTech FY Feiyu G6

Key Features:
  • ¼-inch thread for extra gear mounting: Yes
  • Waterproof: Yes
  • Removable batteries: Yes
  • Compatible: Sony RX0, HERO6 and older
  • Built in OLED Display
  • Tilting Angle 360 Degree
  • Pan Angle 360 Degree
PROS
  • It is made by quality material
  • Great stability
  • Great battery life
CONS
  • During continuous connection by wifi, it drains the camera
  • Unstable Wi-fi connections
  • Controles can be confusing for beginners

FeiyuTech FY Feiyu G6 Review

This gimbal is more expensive than your average one but it has everything you would expect plus more.
It has a really good battery that will outlast your GoPro so you can use it as a charger and it’s a great feature is that it has an external microphone, so all your great cameras with bad microphones can work perfectly.

For the amount of money, you get a professional-looking video, and it has a lot of great modes and features. It has ¼ screw holes in the handle so you can mount various mounts.

This camera gives you great stability and when you get used to the controls and the ergonomics you will make the most out of this gimbal.

One of the problems with this gimbal is that it doesn’t have a quick way to mount and unmount your camera so you have to loosen 2 screws by hand and tighten them when you plan on recording. This isn’t something a person should think about while recording.

In 2020, everyone is getting faster and faster at everything and especially the internet, this gimbal does not support 5.0 GHz connection so make sure that you change your camera settings to 2.4 GHz. This makes the wifi connection often unstable.

Overall this is a high-quality gimbal that will do the job for the price and it has great reviews, we recommend you this gimbal, with FeiyuTech FY Feiyu G6 you will be one step closer to professional quality of your videos

GoPro Gimbal Buying Guide

Mount Capabilities

Is it mountable? Where can you mount it? Is it stable?

Depending on your needs, some people will want a handheld stabilizer which is completely fine if you have an idea of carrying it around. For others that plan on mounting it on their helmets or their backpacks, we recommend something like FeiyuTech WG2X that is both light and compact.

We always recommend testing your gimbal so you can make sure that it is stable and that it works just fine.

Rotation Angles

There are 2-axis and 3-axis gimbals. 3-axis will always be a better choice, since it makes your videos a lot smoother. In terms of rotation angles, the wider the better.

Go Pro Gimbal Stands

Does it come with a stand, do you have to buy a stand?

Most of the cameras come with a stand, you won’t always need to buy an additional stand but if you are a professional, one extra stand will probably come in handy.

Battery Life & Charging

The best GoPro gimbals will always have a good battery life. But, as with GoPro cameras, always make sure to bring an additional pair of batteries. If your gimbal has a 12-hour runtime like they usually do, you probably won’t ever need to change batteries while in action.

Bonus Features

We covered the basics. But what about bonus features that can be considered a form of luxury. Let’s see:

Voice controls

A great feature, no matter what kind of videos you are creating is voice control. Constantly pushing buttons and messing around with your gimbal can be pretty tiring.

gopro hero5 voice control

This is where voice controls come in handy, making your life much easier. If you are looking a good gimbal with voice control, our recommendation is GoPro Karma.

Apps

Having a great app that comes with a gimbal is often really helpful, gimbals like Zhiyun smooth 4 and FeiyuTech FY Feiyu G6 come with a great app.

GoPro Gimbal FAQ

How Do You Use the GoPro Gimbal?

GoPro gimbals are an essential tool for every person interested in taking their recordings from an amateur to a professional level.

Note: HERO8 Black is larger than HERO7 – so not all gimbals on this list will work with HERO8.

Gimbals are easy to use in most cases, as you need to screw in the GoPro camera in place (depending on what camera and what gimbal you have, this may be different but it’s nothing hard).

After that, you need to install an app on your Android phone or iPhone and calibrate the gimbal. You will have the freedom to explore the possibilities of the gimbal, thankfully if there is anything you don’t understand, there are hundreds of reviews and tutorials on youtube.

Is There a Gimbal for Both iPhone and GoPro?

There are a lot of gimbals that support both iPhone and GoPro. Here are just a few:

Is It Worth Getting a Gimbal?

Whether you are an amateur or a professional filmmaker, your goal should always be to make the highest-quality footage, limited only by your budget. So, yes, getting a gimbal is very much worth it.

Some people make DIY stands and they fulfill their needs of having a stable shot, but gimbals are there for people that want to make serious improvements and great videos.

If making videos is your hobby, don’t stress it, you will buy a gimbal when you need it or you have money for it, keep in mind the budget. However, semi-professional filmmakers, extreme sports enthusiasts, vloggers that are starting to make a profit out of their videos, should always have a good gimbal in their arsenal.

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