Zhiyun Smooth 5S review: Large and fully charged

pocket-lint.com:

Smartphones are dramatically improving their digital image stabilisation with each generation, as such, external stabilisers are no longer the necessity they once were, at least for casual users.

However, if you're more serious about your smartphone filmmaking, a gimbal can really elevate the smoothness to the next level, as well as offer handy additional features.

Zhiyun knows this, and instead of targeting the mass market, has come out with something that's aimed squarely at prosumer-level content creation, the Smooth 5S.

This is a smartphone gimbal that looks like it means business, it's big, weighty and covered with tactile manual controls — making it the polar opposite of DJI's tiny and lightweight Osmo Mobile 6.

So, how does this tool perform? We've been putting it to the test to find out if such a hefty smartphone gimbal makes sense in 2023.

4/5

This gimbal won't be for everyone, it's more of a professional filmmaking tool than a mobile phone accessory, but if that's what you need — then the Zhiyun Smooth 5S does the job well.

First things first, this is a very large gimbal, to the point where it's about the same size as some of Zhiyun's mirrorless camera gimbals. It doesn't fold down to a smaller size, either, so it's not the most portable option for travellers.

This design works to its advantage in some regards, though. It has an extremely comfortable grip, for starters, and the larger controls make it easier to adjust with precision.

The weight is also an advantage when it comes to stability, as it's easier to keep your hands and arms steady when gripping something with a bit more heft to it. Of course, this also means that you'll feel this gimbal weighing down your backpack.

We're testing the white version,