One of the most useful accessories for videographers is the gimbal. These devices make it so the person holding the camera can run, jump, and move around freely without worrying about keeping their device stable.

There are all sorts of professional gimbals out there for heavier DSLRs, and lately, we've been seeing an increase in gimbals designed to work with mobile phones. The problem with most of these is their size. While they function well, they're generally quite a bit too big to carry around easily, which doesn't mesh well with the portability of a cell phone.

A new device called the Zhiyun Smooth-Q2 is an affordable mobile gimbal that's quite a bit smaller than most other options out there. In fact, it'll actually fit in a pocket, which makes it compatible with a mobile lifestyle.

Zhiyun Smooth-Q2 Gimbal Features

The main selling point of Smooth-Q2 is its size. It comes in with dimensions of 204mm x 102mm x 41.5mm. For comparison, the popular DJI Osmo 3 is 285mm x 125mm x 103mm.

Interestingly, in spite of being quite a bit smaller, it actually packs a battery with almost twice the capacity of its major competitors. It promises about 16 hours of battery life, which is pretty impressive for how small the Smooth-Q2 actually is.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zhiyun/zhiyun-smooth-q2-a-truly-pocket-size-advanced-mobile-gimbal

The other thing that Zhiyun touts about its new gimbal is its ease of use. It has all kinds of modes that should make getting the perfect shot relatively easy, including object tracking. Using Bluetooth it connects directly to the phone's camera, so it doesn't require an additional app to capture footage. The controls also look quite painless, with only a joystick, a power button, and a record button.

Here are some other features that make this a pretty exciting gimbal for videographers on a budget:

  • 1/4" fitting for accessories
  • Durable motor rated for 3000 hours
  • 305-degree tilt mechanical range
  • 360-degree panning range

Zhiyun Smooth-Q2 Price and Availability

ZHIYUN just launched its new gimbal on Kickstarter, and it's already approaching its funding goal and is on track to easily exceed it. If you're interested in preordering a gimbal, you can do so for $109. There's a limited amount available at that price and from there the price jumps up to $129.

As always, there are risks involved with backing this or any crowdfunding project. Make sure you understand what you're getting into before you spend your hard-earned cash.