Editors' Note: December 30, 2025: With this update, we replaced the Insta360 Flow with the Flow 2 Pro. All our remaining selections have been vetted for currency and availability.
Mirrorless cameras and smartphones are incredibly capable devices for making movies, but even their built-in stabilization systems cannot quite achieve the Steadicam look. Instead, you need a powered gimbal that uses brushless motors to keep your camera smooth and steady for POV shots or walk-and-talk vlogs. We've been reviewing gimbals for smartphones and mirrorless cameras for a few years at PCMag and are impressed by the smooth, floating look they bring to video, as well as how easy they are for single-camera operators to use. Our current slate of Editors' Choice winners includes the intuitive DJI Osmo Mobile 7P for smartphones and the advanced DJI RS 4 for mirrorless cameras, but our other picks are still worth exploring depending on your needs and gear.
Gimbals Offer Powered Stabilization
For static shots, you can get stable recordings with something as simple as a sturdy set of tripod legs, typically with a fluid head for smooth pans and camera movements. If you want to move during a shot, you can opt for a video monopod or, for rock-solid footage, a powered gimbal.
Gimbals balance your camera using brushless motors to keep it in place with smooth motion and no additional noise. They require some setup—you need to make sure your camera is properly centered and balanced for the best results. There's a learning curve, but with some practice, you should be able to set up your kit in about 15 minutes.
Once everything is up and running, a gimbal delivers perfectly smooth footage, as you get from a Steadicam on a Hollywood set or from a drone. The cameras on consumer drones use the same type of brushless motors to keep the image steady. Basic gimbals provide stabilization, typically along three axes, as well as motorized camera movement via joystick control.
Advanced models include USB camera control, wireless video transmission, motor and gear systems to drive manual focus lenses, and mounting points for accessories. Motion-lapse, 360-degree rolls, and low-angle operating modes are step-up features. Most include Bluetooth and a smartphone control app, but also allow operation independent of a phone.
Smaller gimbals embed the battery in the handle. Run times can be long enough for all-day use, and USB charging is a standard feature. Just keep in mind that when those batteries stop holding a charge, you have to replace the whole unit. Some models opt for swappable batteries instead.
How to Choose the Right Gimbal
Camera gimbals come in different sizes, so make sure to pick one that can handle your setup.
A gimbal that's too small to support your camera will deliver poor results because its motors will struggle to keep balance. Most gimbals have a payload rating that you should pay attention to, especially if you use an interchangeable lens camera. Take a look at the entire weight (and size) of your kit and pick one that's close. You are likely to end up with a gimbal that can handle more weight than you need.
Price scales along with the amount of support—a gimbal for a smartphone or GoPro costs a lot less than one for a full-frame camera. Depending on your kit, expect to spend anywhere between $100 and $1,000 to start.
You should also be realistic about what kind of lenses you can use with a gimbal. Most will reach for wide angles, but standard and short telephoto lenses are usable as well. I recommend keeping things at 85mm or wider. Wildlife photographers use gimbal tripod heads for extreme telephoto lenses, but despite sharing a name, gimbals for wildlife photography and gimbals for video cameras are very different things.
We included picks for everything from smartphones to full-frame mirrorless systems below, organized by camera type. We haven't reviewed every gimbal on here, but make sure to check out the links to the full reviews for those we have.
The DJI RS 4 is our favorite gimbal for mirrorless cameras. It has a smart design with auto-folding and unfolding arms, as well as a removable battery pack so you can break it down for travel. Its 6.6-pound payload support is ample for full-frame cameras, and you can add a focus motor or wireless video transmission system if you want.
The DJI Osmo Mobile 7P is made for phones. The gimbal has an easy-to-use magnetic mounting system and does a good job of keeping handheld video steady and smooth. The 7P supports subject tracking, includes a built-in extension rod so you can vlog and get some of the background in frame, and folds for easy storage and transport.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a handheld camera with a built-in gimbal for vlogging. It records in 4K, supports motion timelapse, and works with high-quality external mics. If you like the idea of gimbal stabilization, but don't want to fuss with mounting your phone, the Pocket might find its way into yours.
The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro is one of our favorite gimbals for creators who use a smartphone. It stabilizes footage effectively and runs for up to 10 hours between charges. We also appreciate its size; the gimbal folds down smaller than others, and an integrated extension rod helps you get a high, wide angle for self-recorded footage.
The Zhiyun Crane 2S is a good choice if you need to handle a bigger mirrorless camera, up to seven pounds total. It includes an OLED screen for basic menu adjustment, but you can also control it via a smartphone app. It sets itself apart from the DJI RS2 series because of its swappable batteries.
The exceptionally small DJI RS 4 Mini lives up to its name. With support for 4.4-pound payloads, easy swaps between landscape and vertical video, and a tool-free setup, it's a good pick for vloggers looking for a basic, easy-to-use stabilizer for everything from a Micro Four Thirds to smaller full-frame mirrorless cameras.
The DJI RS 4 Pro is the company's most capable gimbal. It supports full-frame camera rigs up to 10 pounds and works with a LiDAR focusing add-on that adds autofocus support to manual lenses. It's pretty portable, too, and includes a clever automatic locking system. It's a good match for full-frame ILCs as well as cinema cameras like the Sony FX6.
The Hohem iSteady Mobile+ provides effective stabilization and subject tracking for all sizes of smartphone, even larger handsets like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy Ultra S24. It works well, even if it's a little larger than some other phone gimbals, and comes in at a very attractive $99 asking price.