Verdict
From its 360 - panning power to its simplified app , Asus has produce the ideal smartphone gimbal for beginners in the ZenGimbal . It does n’t quite topple establish veterans like DJI and Zhiyun , and the issuing with the iOS version of the app make it impossible to recommend for iPhone users . But for those look to shoot more professional looking content with their Android smartphone , it ’s a nifty start power point .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Asus has thrown its lid into a Modern market , take on the likes of DJI and Zhiyun with the Asus ZenGimbal .
Typically lie with for its laptops and the ordinarily grand Zenfone serial , Asus has released its first ever smartphone gimbal , merely titled the ZenGimbal . yield that the company already make smartphones , it ’s not too much of a stretch to read why Asus is branch out into this domain , but there ’s one inquiry that involve to be answered : can Asus outdo industry go - tos like DJI ?
After all , DJI has displace through five generations of updates to end up at its late gimbal , the DJI OM 6 , and that benefits from a great mountain of intellect over what content Maker and smartphone movie maker actually need . Zhiyun is also catch up with theSmooth Q4proving to be a redoubtable twist in its own right and with a lower price shred to kick .
Even with the troupe ’s expertise in the technical school macrocosm , it ’s decidedly an uphill battle for Asus and its first multiplication gimbal .
Design
From a design stand , Asus has clearly take some intake from the likes of the Zhiyun Smooth 5 with an all - fatal esthetic and a somewhat untypical folding chemical mechanism . But it ’s been dial back reasonably to make the ascendance layout far more absolvitory for beginners .
There are only two front - facing button for transcription and swapping through modes , alongside a joystick and a soar yellow-bellied terrapin on the side . This setup might be a bit too simplified for professionals , but I think it wee-wee for a great start power point for anyone buy their first gimbal as they can enclose their chief around the mechanics without feel bogged down by too many stimulant .
Annoyingly , there is n’t any form of rubberised material on the handle to help with hold . This is n’t to say that the ZenGimbal feels slippy in the hand , but it does n’t contour itself to match a natural holding position like the Zhiyun Smooth Q4 .
The grip is also pose to attach near the base of your phone , as react to the middle . Luckily there is a counter - weight include for people who apply a turgid / heavy phone like theiPhone 13 Pro Max , but it ’d be so much simpler just to have the hold positioned in the inwardness of the gadget like most other gimbal . There ’s even a small tripod include to keep the gimbal in property when propped up on a tabular array or a ledge .
The said folding mechanism is a tricky design to wrap up your head around as well . With elongated economic consumption I ’m trusted that anyone could become a superstar at storing the ZenGimbal , but more often than not I found myself struggling to remember the precise steps require to successfully pack it away . I can understand Asus wanting to put up out from the contender , but when the plan has been almost perfected elsewhere , a bit more stirring in this department would n’t have gone amiss .
App
The tyro - favorable approach is n’t limited to just the Asus ZenGimbal design – you could feel the sentiment carry on the moment you launch the accompanying Asus Shot app . There are two large button at the top of the homepage for ‘ Video ’ and ‘ exposure ’ , letting exploiter dive straight into capturing whichever case of subject they ’re after . Below them are two rows : ‘ Album ’ which allow you see anything you ’ve catch within the app , and ‘ Tutorial ’ which links off to a few step - by - step TV guides so substance abuser can get to grip with the gimbal .
It ’s the simplest user interface I ’ve ever run across on an app for a smartphone gimbal , and it almost build competing apps seem littered by compare . Luckily , there ’s a chip more core tarry beneath the surface when you actually skip over into the capture silver screen . Beyond the stock photo / video modes , you also have access to hyperlapse , clip - reversion and diorama capture that all work well in operation .
It ’s the discipline and object tracking modes that slip the show for me however , offer up unbelievably tranquil footage and working just as well as the tech you ’ll find on compete gimbals . I only care that the gimbal itself could move at dissimilar speed depending on how much force per unit area you apply to the joystick . At present , you have to take your move stop number in the app ’s options and this makes for a rather clunky experience that intend you have to believe about the case of pan dead reckoning you desire ahead of time to ensure the speed is line up right .
Unfortunately there is one massive disappointment that ’s hard to look by – the Asus Shot app is unusable on iOS . For whatever reason , any footage captured on the iOS interlingual rendition of the app comes out with a choppy frame pace that absolutely ruins anything you ’ve occupy . This event does n’t regard the Android translation so if you have an Android telephone then you need n’t care , but for now , iPhone users should detain clear until Asus can fix the app .
Stabilisation and performance
The Asus Shot app might countenance the ZenGimbal down in some areas , but any lose love is easily won back by how competent the gimmick is when out filming . For starters , the ZenGimbal is near silent in operation . Every gimbal I ’ve tested so far does breathe a small sound when the motor are in motion , and while they do n’t ever get picked up by the tv camera , it ’s still something that the user can hear while filming .
With the ZenGimbal on the other hand , I am amazed by just how quiet the gimmick is – clearly Asus has done something to dampen the speech sound of the motors and I can say that I ’m good impressed . go onto the experience of in reality filming , the full thing the ZenGimbal has going for it is its ability to pan 360 - degrees ceaselessly without ever getting caught by a door .
This intend that you may get some unbelievable footage of a Ithiel Town square or a meddlesome city locating without needing to physically move your position . Just keep your thumb push to either side of the joystick and the ZenGimbal will do the relaxation . There ’s even an impressive amount of vertical gyration , to the point where you could keep panning upwardly to get an upside down shot of yourself hold the gimbal ( although I ’m not indisputable why you ’d involve that ) .
What this amounts to is a gimbal that is extremely forgiving to complete amateur . With other gimbals , there is a thin learning breaking ball towards understand the various thresholds wherein the motors will have to reset to the nonremittal position if they ’re incite too far . This simply is n’t the compositor’s case here , meaning that father can just bask capture footage without concern about any extra considerations .
There ’s even an instant selfie mood which figure the phone toss around to face you when you triple press on the joystick . Pair this with the included tripod mount and it could n’t be loose to shoot to - camera segments when you get a chance to sit down .
The ZenGimbal comes with a shelling capacity of 2900mAh and while Asus has n’t made a unmediated title with regards to battery life , I ’ve regain it to be more than enough to get at least several day of shooting in the bag before needing to reach for the nearest charger .
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Should you buy it?
In many means , the Asus ZenGimbal is the serious of its kind for beginners , with 360 - rotating that allow exploiter film to their warmness ’s subject without worrying about the limitations of the motors inside
Until Asus can touch on the proceeds with the iOS rendering of the Asus Shot app , iPhone users should stay aside completely and instead seek out a gimbal from the the likes of of DJI or Zhiyun .
Final Thoughts
Even though it ’s belong up against competitor that have been in the market for quite some prison term , Asus ’ first smartphone gimbal is an impressive twist . The simplify app – not to mention the back to basics control scheme and the unencumbered 360 - rotation – make the ZenGimbal an easy good word for beginners looking to make their first step in capturing unshakable , eye - catching content with their smartphone .
The slightly irregular design , not to mention its lack of now banal features like an extendable rod , signify that more enthusiast content creators will still be better serve by gimbals like the DJI OM 5 and theZhiyun Smooth Q4 . And decent now , iPhone user should stay well vindicated of the gadget until Asus can make the come with app operational with iOS . For everyone else , the ZenGimbal is emphatically deserving a look .
Trusted Score
How we test
The Asus ZenGimbal was tested with both an iPhone and Android headphone in a variety of different locations . The twist was used as the reviewer ’s primary gimbal for a full week before being scored .
FAQs
It does formally , but the app is experiencing wicked compatibility emergence with Io decently now . As a result , we can only urge this gimbal to Android user .
Full Specs
Sustainability
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As part of this commission , whenever we brush up a product we send the company a serial of questions to avail us gauge and make gossamer the impact the gimmick has on the environs .
you’re able to see a elaborate breakdown of the interrogation we ask and why in oursustainability information page . In position of answering each of these head , Vivo has provide us with its companySustainability Report .
