Hello and welcome to GMax Studios in case you're wondering how this shot is
so stable in spite of the car moving on the notoriously bad roads of Mumbai, it
is because we are shooting this on a 3 axis gimbal - the Zhiyun Crane 2 to be
precise because that's exactly what we will be reviewing today.
Traditionally in filmmaking shots with movement were either filmed with jibs
dollies or tracks
But with the evolution of filmmaking and creators demanding more gave birth to a
new device called the gimbal. The gimbal is basically a device which stabilizes
the camera along three axis - the roll, pan and tilt. Let us try and understand what
these three axis are if you move the camera up and down it is called tilt or
if you move the camera left and right it is called pan. If you move the camera
along the line of the lens or the horizon, it is called roll. Like all
gimbals the Zhiyun Crane 2 also stabilizes the camera along the three axis namely
the roll, pan and tilt so that the camera is always stable no matter how you
operate it.
Right off the bat the Zhiyun Crane 2 feels really solid and feels like a
professional piece of equipment that you are holding in your hands.
Where the Zhiyun Crane 2 manages to stand apart from the rest of the competition
is due to its maximum payload capacity of 3.2 kgs.
In case you're wondering what a maximum payload capacity of 3.2 kgs can do;
it can easily balance a large DSLR like the 5d Mark 3 or 4 with a 16-35mm 2.8 lens.
Some people have also managed to balance the 1 DX Mark 2 successfully on it.
There are two other features that set the Zhiyun Crane 2 apart. The first one
is the long-lasting 18 hour battery life if you have balanced the gimbal well.
In fact, the battery is capable of powering and charging your canon cameras
with the appropriate adapter.
The second feature is the built-in follow focus which allows you to focus
the lens while shooting.
Currently this is compatible with only a few cameras but we are hoping that via
firmware upgrade further cameras can be added to the list.
So in case you're wondering what kind of possibilities does the Zhiyun Crane 2
open up for you as a filmmaker or somebody who shoots video here is an
example.
The Zhiyun Crane 2 has got primarily three modes. The first mode is the Pan Follow
Mode - where the camera follows the direction of the pan. In the Pan Follow
Mode it is possible to take shots like these.
And in this mode you can tilt the camera up or down using the joystick.
The second mode is the L or the locked mode. In this mode, the camera remains
locked in one position no matter where you turn the gimbal and in this mode you
can tilt or pan the camera using the joystick.
The third mode is the F or the follow mode in this mode. The camera follows the
gimbal whether you pan it or whether you tilt it. In this mode the joystick only
serves the purpose of moving the camera along the roll axis.
Some other notable features of the Zhiyun Crane 2 are - seamless 360 degree rotation
and a low mode or the briefcase mode.
You can also download the companion app from the App Store or the Google Play
store to control various functions of the gimbal. But this gimbal really shines
if you are a Canon user because if you connect the Canon cameras to this gimbal
you can control the shutter speed, ISO, f-stop, live view and of course start and
stop recording using the buttons on the gimbal itself.
Now let's talk about some cons. The battery will definitely not last 18
hours unless you balance the camera really well, because unbalanced cameras
put unnecessary force on the motors and they have to work harder in order to
balance the cameras, but that is true of practically any gimbal and also you have
to make sure that the motor force adjustment has been done according to
the model of your camera. In my opinion the grip of the Zhiyun Crane 2 is slightly
thicker than usual which kind of tires the hand. Another con is that the follow
focus and other functions like the f-stop, shutter speed, ISO only work with
the Canon cameras as of now but as I said earlier, I'm hoping that through
firmware upgrade these functions are extended to other models as well.
So, as of now the rest of the cameras can only start and stop recording via the
buttons on the gimbal. All in all it is a pretty good gimbal and I really liked
the few small touches that Zhiyun has given, like supplying the length support for
the longer lenses and also the small tripod on which you can keep the gimbal
while balancing it. Also, the cables to connect the various cameras are supplied
as a part of the package. Not to forget that you can buy optional accessories
like the extended handle and the bluetooth remote if you so desire. In
case you want to know how to balance this gimbal or any other gimbal for that
matter, do watch out for our next video. For more videos on photography and
filmmaking subscribe to our channel GMax Studios and until the next video bub-bye.