{"id":146299,"date":"2020-12-30T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-30T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=146299"},"modified":"2020-12-29T16:40:53","modified_gmt":"2020-12-29T22:40:53","slug":"gimbal-smartphone-filmmaking-accessory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/gimbal-smartphone-filmmaking-accessory\/","title":{"rendered":"Gimbals: The Ultimate Smartphone Filmmaking Accessory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Discover why smartphone gimbals are the top relatively low-cost phone accessory that can help you capture smooth, professional shots.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As smartphone cameras continue to improve\u2014adding more sensors and better lenses every year\u2014they’re a solid camera choice for aspiring filmmakers. Though smartphone cameras are far from perfect, they\u2019re incredibly convenient because of their portable size and proximity. Even \u201cbudget\u201d phones like the iPhone SE, the Google Pixel 4a, and the One Plus 7T are perfect for vlogging<\/a>, social media content creation<\/a>, and making videos on YouTube<\/a>. For filmmakers on a tight budget<\/a>, a smartphone can act as a backup camera (or b-cam<\/a>) for certain shots. However, most smartphones, even the high-end ones, suffer from shaky footage<\/a>, which is ultimately unusable.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smartphones aren’t the best choice for capturing footage when the user or subject is moving. Certain phones do have built-in image stabilization, but it\u2019s achieved by cropping the footage, and it\u2019s sometimes not that great-looking. To get stable footage from a smartphone consistently, even when doing sudden, sharp movements, you need a smartphone gimbal. The good thing is that smartphone gimbals are relatively affordable these days. And, unlike other smartphone accessories, they’re not manufacturer specific. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Is a Gimbal<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Gimbals are great for capturing fast action, but they’re also useful for stunning time-lapses when attached to a tripod. Image via July Prokopiv<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gimbals have been around since the\u00a03rd century B.C.<\/a>, which precedes the invention of the\u00a0Daguerreotype<\/a>\u00a0by more than a dozen centuries. So, it\u2019s safe to say gimbals are not a new technology. However, what is new-ish is the invention and mass availability of 3-axis motorized gimbals<\/a>, which can keep cameras steady despite the user\u2019s movement.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 3-axis gimbal stabilizes the camera\u2019s tilt, pan, and roll.\u00a0The tilt controls up and down movement, the pan controls side to side movement, and the roll controls back and forth movement. There are two types of gimbals, but 3-axis smartphone gimbals are the motorized kind, which use a tiny motor on each axis to keep the camera stable. There are more affordable 2-axis gimbals, but ultimately they aren’t worth the savings when you consider just how much stability a 3-axis gimbal provides.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smartphone gimbals these days have a bevy of features\u2014such as a joystick to pan and tilt, time-lapse<\/a> and hyper-lapse modes, subject tracking, and more. Newer smartphone gimbals<\/a> are more affordable and also have improved battery life. If you already have a smartphone with a decent camera<\/a>, a smartphone gimbal is the logical next step if you plan on creating videos, which is why it\u2019s the best smartphone filmmaking accessory.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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