Hohem iSteady V3 Smartphone Gimbal Review

What is the Hohem iSteady V3 Gimbal?

• Payload Capacity: Up to 280g
• Weight: 259g
• Battery Life: 8 hours (fully charged)
• Battery Capacity: 2000mAh
• Charging Time: 2-3 hours
• Charging Port: Micro USB
• Rotation Range (Pan Axis):  600°
• Rotation Range (Tilt Axis): 320°
• Rotation Range (Roll Axis): 320°
• Stabilization Modes: Pan Follow, Pan & Tilt Follow, All Lock
• Compatibility: Smartphones up to 6.7 inches
• App Compatibility: Hohem Pro App (iOS & Android)
• Bluetooth: Yes
• Operating Temperature: -10°C to 45°C
• Special Features: Inception Mode, Time-lapse, Face Tracking, Motion Timelapse

3-axis gimbals from manufacturers such as ZHIYUN and DJI are increasingly popular with filmmakers who want to shoot smooth tracking shots for their content.

The Chinese company Hohem Tech has set the standard in providing smartphone users with gimbals that rival those designed for DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal builds on its technological research, which began in 2014, and presents a budget-friendly model for smartphone videographers.

Incorporating the brand’s face-tracking system (introduced in 2016), it’s a feature-rich gimbal that packs a surprising punch, given its accessible pricing.

Design and Build Quality

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is a highly portable videography accessory with a weight comparable to most smartphones.

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is a compact device that fits snugly in hand, built from durable plastic with slim metal tripod legs and a detachable remote control.

It includes moving parts made from solid aluminum, which provide a great sense of feedback and precision when manipulating the top of the gimbal arm into position.

There’s an impressive degree of flexibility with the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal, from the side screw to add accessories to the standard screw on the bottom of the handle for tripods and a pull-out selfie stick.

Its detachable elements, including the LED light and the control, lock securely into place and are exceptionally light without being prone to breaking.

Weight and Portability

Smartphone filmmakers require accessories that offer compact designs that don’t compromise on functionality and usability. In this regard, the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal delivers the goods weighing around 250g, making lengthy shooting sessions a breeze.

When folded down, it’s discreet enough to fit into a jacket pocket or backpack side pocket for quick access, with an overall ergonomic design that impresses.

The gimbal’s tripod and telescopic rod both slide discreetly inside the handle, saving time and effort screwing on attachments when they’re needed.

Stability and Load Capacity

With ample load capacity, the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is capable of supporting any smartphone without compromising performance.

Like other smartphone gimbals, the load capacity is modest but more than sufficient to support any smartphone.

It’s capped at 280g, and the device’s grip is wide enough to handle bigger smartphones while keeping them secure.

I tested using two larger smartphones, and there were no issues with stability or unwanted tilting.

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal motor efficiently handled various motions, responding to inputs instantly and with a consistently smooth performance.

Features and Accessories

The detachable remote control is just one of many impressive features available with the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal.

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal has been designed for various shooting scenarios, and its physical controller and in-app modes offer a range of features.

Let’s examine the core features of this smartphone gimbal, beginning with the device controls and then moving on to the app’s features.

Gimbal Features

The control panel on the handle controls all physical modes, from changing shooting modes to adjusting the light or moving the camera.

The core shooting modes available with the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal are as follows:

• PF Mode (Pan Follow). This mode allows you to track subjects on a horizontal plane to smoothly follow them as they move around.
• PTF Mode (Pan and Tilt Follow). Horizontal and vertical motion are both covered in this mode while maintaining a level camera.
• POV Mode (Point of View): This mode offers more freedom of movement, with the gimbal’s motor focusing on stabilizing image shake.
• L Mode (All Locked). Every gimbal axis is fully stabilized when entering the L Mode function.

These shooting modes can be quickly scrolled through using the mode button on the grip for quick access.

There’s also a joystick for rotating the smartphone with pan and tilt performance, although this speed isn’t adjustable.

The button layout is intuitive and well-considered. Everything is easily accessible without distracting the user from the shooting action.

Using the detachable remote control opens up the potential for new and exciting shots that can’t be accomplished using the handheld gimbal.

Hard-to-reach angles can be accessed, making shooting selfie videos more straightforward and streamlined.

The LED fill light also offers lots of scope, including various color temperatures and brightness controls via the gimbal’s wheel controller.

You can adjust the color temperature from warm (2700K) to neutral (5000K) to cool (6500K) light, and it can also be detached from the device.

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal has a retractable selfie stick that helps achieve difficult shots or provides more room between the subject and the camera.

This slides out of the device’s body smoothly and is sturdy and responsive, in keeping with the gimbal’s overall build quality.

App Features

The downloadable app extends the various features packed into the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal’s body to enhance its functionality.

Perhaps the most notable feature is the AI tracker module, which provides accurate subject tracking and hand gesture functionality.

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is fitted with an AI sensor that allows users to form hand gestures that trigger various responses without using their smartphone.

You can also use your smartphone screen to quickly draw around any subject to initiate tracking without relying on the app’s integrated detection.

Performance tracking itself is consistently accurate. There are no issues keeping up with faster movements or distinguishing between multiple subjects.

It works equally well for animals, making the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal a strong contender for social media content about pets.

It’s a welcome addition to the gimbal, and it allows the Hohem Joy app to be more flexible than other gimbals.

Many more impressive features are available through the app that allow for creative content creation and post-production effects.

The app, filters, and other control modes allow users to access slow-motion, time-lapse, and cinematic templates.

Ease of Use and Setup

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal’s app provides a fun and tactile user experience with lots of modes to explore.

Setting up the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is incredibly easy. When the device is opened, everything is already attached in place.

Pairing the device to the app and connecting via Bluetooth takes a few minutes, with an intuitive workflow for the gimbal controls and the app’s menus.

Operating the various functions and accessing different shooting modes combines the familiar menu navigation used by other gimbals.

The gimbal handle has a primary menu button for shooting modes, and the joystick for vertical and horizontal rotation is directly above it.

A trigger can quickly reset the gimbal to its default position based on the selected shooting mode by double-clicking it when required.

Other configurations can also be accessed via double and triple tapping of key buttons, such as double tapping the mode button to switch between landscape and portrait orientation.

Similarly, the LED light’s three color temperature modes are activated using the jog wheel, which also adjusts the brightness.

While it takes a little practice to recall various button press combinations, the overall simplicity of the design soon makes it swift work to change between shooting modes on the fly.

How I Tested the Hohem iSteady V3 Gimbal

Testing the gimbal across uneven terrain to assess its stabilization capabilities.

When reviewing the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal, I used two Android smartphones of variable weight and size to assess motor performance and accuracy.

All shooting modes were tested, moving through uneven terrain to create footage in landscape and portrait orientations.

Additional test shots were created using the remote control features at a distance and recording to-camera dialogue.

App features, from the face tracking and hand gesture tools to special effects shooting modes, were tested to assess their accuracy.

All physical features, including the extendable rod and tripods, were also tested to evaluate their responsiveness and quality.

The results were uniformly impressive. No issues occurred throughout the testing process; all features functioned as intended.

Alternatives

There’s a range of smartphone gimbals on the market that cater to various budget levels and user requirements.

Hohem offers a cheaper alternative to the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal with the iSteady Pro 4 camera, which has fewer features than the V3.

Alternatively, brands such as DJI and ZHIYUN also manufacture gimbals oriented toward smartphone videography, albeit with a higher price tag.

These include the ZHIYUN Smooth 5S and the DJI Osmo Mobile 6, both of which include subject tracking and other features available with the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal.

Value for Money

The Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is a wonderfully feature-packed smartphone gimbal that belies its lower-budget pricing.

Despite being primarily made from plastic, it’s a durable and responsive gimbal that is great to hold and operate.

The footage is consistently smooth, while the app features open up creative possibilities ranging from time-lapse shooting to accurate face tracking in action-packed scenarios.

This comes at a price that outperforms many of the brand’s closest rivals by a decent margin, capable of a fully-formed video production pipeline.

Hohem Tech’s customer support team is also available to help with any issues, including around-the-clock support and a comprehensive FAQ center.

Customers who purchase the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal also receive a one-year hassle-free warranty if their gimbal has any issues.

Hohem iSteady V3 Gimbal Review | Conclusion

With a far-reaching combination of features and an app that is packed with ways to enhance content creation, the Hohem iSteady V3 gimbal is an impressive filmmaking accessory.

Its robust and reliable build quality is complemented by a variety of shooting modes, creating an intuitive shooting experience that’s fun to explore.

Likewise, the AI tracking feature and other app modes allow for creative leeway, both when shooting and during the editing process.

With all of these features available at a budget-friendly price, it comes highly recommended for any smartphone content creator’s bag of accessories.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Hohem iSteady V3 Gimbal

Feature-packed gimbal that provides smooth and steady footage, all for a budget-friendly price.