I got a chance to use the new Zhiyun Smooth 4 video stabilizer for mobile phones, You know that from my past experience that I really hate to use video stabilizer, but for the 1st time ever in forcing myself to have - patience and order myself to learn more, I started to like the concept of using these kinds of video stabilizers like the Zhiyun Smooth 4.
For my vlog coverage of the Bambanti Festival, I used the Zhiyun Smooth 4 as my main vlogging rig to shoot and cover the festival street dance and the pageant night for two days. Thanks to Elyandre Dagli, a pro videographer, he taught me on how to use this Zhiyun Smooth 4 and also how to set it up...which requires a lot of patience hahaha.
I used the Zhiyun Smooth 4 with my Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, its a perfect combo! Because the new Asus smartphone can shoot videos up to 4K and it has an AI camera that selects the right setting for you.
Thanks to Camerahaus and Ted Claudio, for lending me this Zhiyun Smooth 4, the gadget still with me and Im thinking where to shoot next.
Zhiyun Smooth 4 is now available in Camerahaus with SRP PHP 7,495
Let me show you more about the Zhiyun Smooth 4
Here’s what’s inside the box
- Zhiyun Smooth 4 unit
- MicroUSB cable charger
- mini tripod stand
Here’s a close up look of the Zhiyun Smooth 4
The scrolling wheel on the left is the one you can use for zoom in and zoom out control, at the body you can see that you have control button to launch the menu, display, set target focus, a shutter button for taking photos, quick button for exposure level and a record button for video
There’s also a PF and L button for you to control the gimbal movement, PF for pan follow where you move or the L is for locking the gimbal to a one position. Its a bit confusing to use it, but when you use it frequently, you get to understand the importance of the two buttons.
There are two buttons at the front - thats the button for the PhoneGo mode to lock the gimbal and let you shoot without stabilization, just like shooting in a regular phone, then below is the Following mode - to use the gimbal and let if smoothly moves to where you point the mobile phone.
Attaching the mni tripod stand will help you do the balancing of the gimbal. The calibration will be done manually and once you get the balance of the gimbal, you can power on the button and set the Zhiyun Smooth 4 via the app ZY Play.
Here’s a sample of my video coverage of the Bambanti Festival using the Zhiyun Smooth 4 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2.
VIDEO:
Bambanti Festival video coverage using the Zhiyun Smooth 4 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2
Here’s how to use it.
Insert your smartphone with the ZY Play app to the gimbal of the Zhiyun Smooth 4
Then start with the balance calibration of the gimbal. Make sure that the mobile phone is well balanced.
Adjust the two kinds of lock at the gimbal neck and at the smartphone holder. Depends on the size and weight of your mobile phone, you need to do the balance calibration every time you will use the Zhiyun Smooth 4
Once balanced, power on the Zhiyun Smooth 4 and then connect your mobile phone via the ZY Play app via Bluetooth. The app will auto detect the Bluetooth connectivity from the Zhiyun Smooth 4
When connected, the Zhiyun Smooth 4 will go live and will set the gimbal, and you’ll noticed that the front of the mobile phone is facing you.
At the ZY Play app, you can set your preferred video resolution, the scene, you can also set it to HDR, activate the flash of your mobile phone, set time for photo, adjust white balance and also the target focus of the camera.
Lights up -- that’s the charging level of the Zhiyun Smooth 4
There are lots of styles on how you can shoot with the Zhiyun Smooth 4.
You can hold it infront of you like in the photo above, then you pan slowly to the left and right and you’ll notice that the mobile phone will follow your movement smoothly
You can set the target focus or the lock target of the gimbal, just pressing the PF or L and then adjust for the movement.
For walking movement, for a smooth stabilized video, you walk slowly or do the ninja walk.
Here’s another way of holding the Zhiyun Smooth 4 if you want to shoot a much lower angle.
Its my first time to use the Zhiyun Smooth 4, but I start to love it already, After using it for two days, I am now convinced that video stabilization is really important when shooting a nice video B-roll and to tell a story.
Watch out for more as I will use the Zhiyun Smooth 4 together with my Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2. I still have lots of things to learn, but this is a good start.
