As a photographer with a passion for landscape photography, I often stress that mobile phones will never fully replace professional cameras. However, in an age dominated by social media and with more photos and videos being taken on personal phones than ever before, it’s important to recognize the innovations that are enabling mobile phone users to capture amazing footage and photos. The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is one such innovation worth noting.
Ten years ago, the idea that content creators could make money from everyday content created solely on a mobile phone would have been laughable. Mobile phone technology has come a long way since the days of 1-megapixel cameras that could only produce grainy images. Today, mobile phone capabilities often rival traditional cameras, especially when it comes to social media content.
On platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, videos are typically short, making stable, high-quality footage essential. Modern smartphones like the iPhone 15 offer excellent video quality and image stabilisation, but you may need extra help to get the best results.
The Smooth 5S AI is more than just a stabilizing gimbal. It is loaded with features that help mobile phone users enhance their content. One standout feature is the bolt-on AI tracker, which turns your phone into a tracking device, allowing it to continuously track a subject in the frame. This is especially useful for traditional mobile phone users looking to upgrade their video creation capabilities. Another notable addition is the bolt-on light, which allows you to film in low-light conditions. The additional light comes with four different color filters, allowing users to change the color of the light for different scenes. The built-in light offers 680 lumens of brightness and can be positioned to face forward or for selfies, making it versatile for a variety of filming scenarios.
For many users who find traditional gimbals for mirrorless and DSLR cameras cumbersome, the Smooth 5S AI is a lightweight alternative. Compatible with your phone, it’s significantly lighter and easier to handle. The gimbal features familiar controls, including dedicated focus and zoom buttons, for quick adjustments and seamless switching between multiple phone cameras. It also features 360-degree rotation, giving filmmakers more creative freedom.
For solo filmmakers, gesture control is a welcome feature. You can start and stop recording without touching your phone. Gesture control to start the tracker works reliably most of the time, but stopping works intermittently. This feature simplifies the content creation process and makes it more efficient. Plus, footage is saved directly to your device, allowing for quick uploads to social media platforms.
To make the most of the gimbal’s features, users will need to download the ZY Cami app from the App Store or Google Play. The app offers better control than the native phone camera app and allows for live streaming and perfect panoramic photos, but requires registration, which some users may find tedious. For those looking for more advanced features, there is an additional app called StaCam, which offers pro features for €20. However, having multiple apps can get complicated for users who use multiple products.
Using the Smooth 5S AI with an iPhone was much easier than using larger models such as the Weebill 3S/3E. Its light weight and built-in AI controls significantly improved video quality. The gimbal includes a 5D button for multi-directional movement, speed control settings, a dedicated record button, and various modes such as lock, follow, POV, and vortex. It’s easy to set up and balance thanks to the auto-calibration tool. Plus, the battery life is impressive, lasting up to 26 hours on a single charge. The gimbal uses PD charging over USB-C and you can also charge your phone with the dedicated USB-C port. It offers a load capacity of up to 300g.
For content creators looking to take their videos to the next level with innovative controls and enhanced stabilization, the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is a strong contender. It comes with an ergonomically designed carry case that keeps all the components safe and organized.
Strong Points
- It is lighter and easier to handle than conventional gimbals.
- Integrated AI tracker for continuously tracking your subject.
- A bolt-on light for low light photography with four color filters.
- Gesture control for hands-free recording.
- Seamlessly switch between multiple phone cameras.
- 360 degree rotation function.
- Easy setup and balancing with automatic calibration.
- Dedicated focus and zoom buttons allow for quick adjustments.
- Incredible 26 hour battery life.
- You can charge your phone using PD charging via USB-C.
- Live streaming and panoramic photo shooting capabilities via the ZY Cami app.
- Maximum load capacity is 300g.
- Built-in 680 lumen light.
Cons
Cons:
- You will need to download the ZY Cami app and register.
- The app registration process can be tedious.
- An additional app (StaCam) for pro features costs 20 euros.
- Gesture controls to stop tracking are intermittent.
- It cannot be folded, making it inconvenient to carry and it does not fit in your pocket.
The addition of the magnetically connected LIDAR and light is nice, but I found that they would sometimes fall off. This could be a game changer for users who need to be on the go all the time, and when you need the sensor or light, it might fall off in your bag, or even worse, get lost. Moving forward, making this built-in would be a nice improvement.
In conclusion, the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is a versatile and powerful tool for anyone looking to improve their smartphone filmmaking abilities. Its features and ease of use make it a valuable addition to any content creator’s toolkit. I have created some video footage of this gimbal in use, which you can see in the video linked above. This footage shows how easy it is to use and the end results you can achieve. Would I move to this for my video content? Probably. If you want run-and-gun scenarios or if you want to enhance your smartphone footage with the added features that this gimbal comes with. If you are someone who uses their smartphone for content creation, this gimbal ticks a lot of boxes. Does it tick all of them? Maybe, maybe not, but I’m not sure if it’s missing features that other products on the market offer. Let me know in the comments below.
