Zhiyun Smooth XS: Is This 2-Axis Gimbal Worth Upgrading To?

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With more footage than ever shot on smartphone cameras, competition for the best video continues to increase. Thankfully, gimbals help expand our shot opportunities and boost quality. So if you’re serious about shooting video, you need a gimbal that both fits your needs and feels good to use.

The Zhiyun Smooth XS aims to improve on the original Smooth X model. It’s still an incredibly affordable entry-level gimbal; its upgrade focuses on design improvements. So if you’re a fan of the predecessor, Zhiyun kept all you loved intact while making it better.

For some shot examples and a quick breakdown of the unit, check the video review.

Thanks to Zhiyun, we have one Smooth XS to give away as well. You’ll find the entry widget at the end of the review.

Unboxing The Zhiyun Smooth XS

The Zhiyun Smooth XS comes with the following:

• Smooth XS
• Hand Strap
• Tripod
• USB Type-C Charging Cable
• Storage Bag

During the unboxing, the first notable detail was how light and small the Smooth XS felt in my hand. While Zhiyun kept this element of the Smooth X, you’ll notice there’s more color to this device. The white edition doesn’t stray too far from the typical neutral colors associated with gimbals, but the splash of color makes the controls stand out more.

While handling the included tripod, you’ll notice it has a sturdy build and the rubberized feet. While the white of the tripod might lead you to hesitate about using it outside, these provide a nice amount of grip. The USB Type-C charger’s length felt just right; the Zhiyun logo at the Type-C connector was a nice small touch.

As someone who appreciates extra comfort accessories, the strap and travel bag both hit that criteria. The material of both felt a notch about what I expected. Once the gimbal is folded up, you can slip the entirety of the box’s contents in the storage bag easily.

Zhiyun Smooth XS Features

Overall, the core experience from Smooth X to the Smooth XS hasn’t drastically changed.

It’s a pan and roll 2-axis gimbal stabilizer with a 10-inch built-in selfie stick extension. You’ll pair the device by Bluetooth to your phone and control the device using the four-way control stick, mode, zoom, and record buttons. The tripod attachment fits into the 1/4-inch attachment point at the base.

The battery life of the device also still lasts around four hours. If you’re using the ZY Cami App, certain features such as gesture control will drastically drain the battery of your gimbal faster. The app does offer you a warning if you accidentally leave it on, so you’ll learn about any drain quickly.

Overall, the battery life was never a problem while shooting. If you stress the gimbal out by not balancing your phone properly or using more draining features, however, you’ll need to recharge sooner.

Since the Smooth XS charges to full in under an hour, it’s not too big a deal. It also supports power banks, so you can charge both phone and gimbal (if necessary) on the go.

Using The Smooth XS

Despite all this similarity, the Smooth XS does offer two important design changes. Firstly, opening and closing the Smooth XS is drastically different than the Smooth X. Opening the Zhiyun’s Smooth X involved a more complicated process that felt a bit like learning a secret handshake.

With the Smooth XS, it’s as easy as a slide-based design.

To open the gimbal, hold the motor and slide out to open. Then unlock the top and turn the handle around; you can add your phone to the spring grip and power-up.

As a note, the grip can handle thin smartphone cases okay. However, if you’re working with a thicker case, you’re not going to get that tight connection you need. For best results, it’s easiest to forgo your case and make sure your phone is properly balanced inside.

To close it, it’s as easy as sliding up and locking the rest. Repeating the process comes incredibly naturally, so the Smooth XS easily lives up to its expected use as a pocket-ready gimbal.

The second design change is the ergonomic nature of the grip on the front and back. For a gimbal that doubles as a selfie-stick and can last four hours, you want it to feel comfortable in your hands. While subtle, the curvature and light padding felt nice during any extended recording.

ZY Cami App: An Equal Boon and Bane

When you first open the device, you’ll see a sticker on the camera mount suggesting you pair the device with the ZY Cami app. As one might expect, many features are tied to this app. If you want to take advantage of gesture control, modify gimbal settings, or set-up tracking then you’ll need the app.

However, I experienced a number of bugs during every encounter with the app. Auto-tracking would frequently be lost, or it’d randomly crash the app. Gesture control would also not frequently detect me unless I used either of the two accepted gestures (peace sign or a wave) near my face.

These problems didn’t occur with less intense features of the app, however. If I used the glamour effects, it was seamless. SMART Mode offered a number of templates, and I didn’t run into any problems with the preset motions, music, or effects.

Overall, I found it easiest to leave the ZY Cami app in the background while swapping to my main camera and utilizing the gimbal and its buttons. Anytime I needed to change a setting, I’d just swap to the Cami app.

For cases where I did want the Cami app features, I would knowingly adapt to the problem. Trying for a gimbal walk would result in fewer cases of tracking being lost. Remaining stationary while filming also proved better for all issues.

Creative and Practical Applications With The Smooth XS

The Smooth XS works as a great gimbal for anyone interested in doing TikTok, Byte, or Instagram Reels. If you want a quick-button or hands-free recording device, it has you covered. Thanks to SMART Mode, you can also learn some gimbal pans while practicing some short-form video.

If you’re just interested in the Smooth XS as a stabilizer, you can also shoot some amazing shots. While it won’t reduce all the jitter as a 2-axis gimbal, you can definitely improve your footage.

Should You Buy The Smooth XS?

Whether you should buy the Smooth XS boils down to what you’re after. If you’re looking for a first-time gimbal to practice on or want to casually vlog, the Zhiyun Smooth XS works great. It’s affordable, lightweight, and it fits easily in your pocket.

More than anything, the Smooth XS is meant to get you to embrace the notion that you can film anytime and anywhere. But if you’re not needing to be sold on the ease of use or an affordable smartphone gimbal, you aren’t the target audience here.

 

Source: makeuseof.com