The DJI Ronin-SC is our pick for the best DSLR gimbal. It offers a great balance of portability and power and is loaded with creative features, all for a good price. While the Ronin-SC is our favorite, there are other models that might be the right pick for you. Gimbals are easy to use, come in a variety of sizes for different applications, and are relatively affordable today thanks to new designs and plenty of competition. Here are the best.
The best
DJI Ronin-SC
Weighing 2.4 pounds, the Ronin-SC is the younger and smaller sibling to the powerful Ronin-S. The 3-axis gimbal takes all of the features we loved about the Ronin-S and crams them into a more portable, easier-to-use form factor. Shoot epic time-lapses in Motionlapse mode, keep up with fast action using Sport mode, and even let the gimbal automatically track subjects by connecting it to your smartphone to enable DJI’s Active Track technology.
The Ronin-SC supports payloads up to 4.4 pounds, perfect for most DSLR and mirrorless camera setups. It also boasts great build quality, an ergonomic grip that feels good in the hand, an intuitive set of controls, and an integrated battery that lasts up to 11 hours. Considering the quality and feature set, it is surprisingly affordable. For more advanced users, choose the professional kit option, which includes a focusing wheel for manual focus and other accessories.
The rest
Zhiyun WEEBILL-S
Zhiyun makes a wide variety of gimbals — we were fans of the Crane 2 back in 2017 — but the WEEBILL-S may be the most unique. This miniature 3-axis gimbal weighs just over 2 pounds, making it the second lightest on this list. Despite this, it can still support a payload of up to 4.5 pounds, with battery life lasting up to 14 hours. It offers a host of features to compete with the DJI Ronin, including phone-based subject tracking.
The WEEBILL-S is all about stabilizing your camera in the most compact way possible, and in addition to the standard configuration, with the handle facing straight down, it can be flipped over into “sling” mode, where the handle faces up and out at an angle. This minimizes the overall height of the gimbal/camera system. Zhiyun says it’s as “compact as a piece of A4” paper, but, well, it’s obviously much thicker.
FeiyuTech G6 Plus
And under 1.5 pounds, this is one of the lightest gimbals on the market that can still support a mirrorless camera — albeit, with some pretty important restrictions. Cameras can be no heavier than 1.76 pounds and no taller than 2.76 inches. FeiyuTech states it specifically supports the Sony A6500, but you won’t be able to fit anything larger than that. But beyond mirrorless cameras, it is also suitable for a variety of smaller cameras, from GoPros and other action cams to advanced point-and-shoots like the Sony RX100 series. The G6 Plus is also the cheapest gimbal on this list by a good margin.
DJI Ronin-S
When we reviewed the DJI Ronin-S in 2018, we called it the “new benchmark for single-handle camera gimbals.” It was the best designed, most powerful, and most customizable gimbal in its class at the time — and it still ranks very high over a year later. It supports up to an 8-pound payload, making it suitable for professional DSLRs with telephoto lenses. Naturally, it has Sport mode, Motionlapse, and every other great feature found in the smaller Ronin-SC. And every aspect of its performance can be customized through DJI’s mobile app.
What surprised us most about the Ronin-S is that it came in at a price well below what we would have expected for a product of its caliber, which in turn started a cascade of price reductions throughout the gimbal segment. It is available in a few different kit varieties today, so make sure you check the included accessories before buying as there may be a cheaper kit that still fits your needs.
Moza Air 2
In many ways, the Moza Air 2 is slightly lower-cost copycat of the DJI Ronin-S — right down to the look and feel. But as far as we can tell, that’s a good thing. It also offers some advantages, including better battery life (up to 16 hours) and more carrying capacity (up to 9.26 pounds). Additionally, it features a small LCD screen with an easy-to-navigate menu system for setting up the gimbal without relying on a smartphone app.
Weighing over 3.5 pounds, this certainly isn’t a lightweight, but if you need a single-handle gimbal that can support everything from a small mirrorless camera to a full-size cinema camera, the Moza Air 2 is worth a look.
Why should I buy a camera gimbal?
Even the best video cameras need some support to deliver the highest-quality footage. When it comes to getting professional results, a shaky handheld shot just won’t do. But we can’t always lock a camera down to a tripod or monopod, either. This is where the 3-axis gimbal comes in. Gimbals use brushless electric motors to respond in real-time to the camera operator’s movements, automatically smoothing out otherwise rough footage so that it looks polished and professional. Gimbals offer a wider range of motion than lens or sensor-based optical stabilization, and most offer some form of automated pan or tilt control in addition to simply stabilization footage.
