Electronic stedikam smartphone I looked after for a long time. Prices bite and techno-greedy thought I ran. But last year the situation changed dramatically.Simple two-axle stedikamy fell to $ 50, and three-axis will soon reach the level of $ 150. Today I will talk about a very interesting and one of the cheapest on the market three-axis stabilized for a smartphone – Zhiyun Smooth-C, which gave the company the company TOMTOP for review. Regardless of whether the gadgets buy himself or provide some company, I always maintain objectivity (this is a key condition). So feel free to come in, it will be interesting!
WHAT IS STEADICAM?
Many saw that in a movie, the camera follows the hero or the subject is very smooth, like floating. Search for in my home video archive where you shoot on the move and not stand on the spot – in many cases, even the presence of an optical stabilizer does not protect against bumps and jolts, and “cinematic” it does not seem smooth. Steadicam – is a device that is designed for softly and smoothly move the camera (your smartphone in a particular case) for capture video in motion. Optical or electronic stabilizer in the smart phone is only suitable for extinguishing small shaking hands and small random shocks, and Steadicam significantly increases the level of stabilization.
Of course, if you shoot video without motion, the use and effect of the Steadicam will not (if your smartphone already has an optical or electronic stabilization).
SPECIFICATIONS
To make it easier to perceive the technical specifications is a schematic drawing of Steadicam Zhiyun Smooth-C.
EQUIPMENT
Stabilizer delivers in quite a large cardboard box.
At the bottom of the box made a brief statement.
Inside: Steadicam, a counterweight, soft stuck on the pan motor protection, USB Cable<> micro-USB, two batteries, charger, user manual in English.
APPEARANCE
The housing is made of an aluminum stabilizer. Made all the quality, assembly firm, do not play anything, does not creak.Stabilizer with inserted batteries and heavy enough counterweight. The measured weight of 445 g is, for example, a child to use it will be difficult. The girls will not be easy, too. But on the other hand, this is the weight of the partially suppresses jitter.
The handle is the main control element – stick. It has 5 positions (up, down, left, right and center) and the central depression. Just above is a LED that glows blue. It is intended for the functional display, including the display of the charge level. When the indicator flashes at regular intervals. Once – charge from 0 to 25%, twice – 25-50%, three times – 50-75%, four times – 75-100%.
Nearby there is a USB port and a connector plug, similar to the TRS (mini-jack, TRS plugs but it is not physically inserted).
The USB port is for connecting to a computer (configuration, calibration, firmware) and to connect the remote control, which is sold separately. Charge the batteries via the micro-USB port is impossible.
What is the purpose connector, similar to the TRS, I do not know. The instructions about him not a word.
On the opposite side is a power button on and off.
The bottom is the battery cover. The cover has a screw connection 1/4 “, ie the regulator can be placed on a tripod or fixed to the selfie-stick.
If necessary, you can buy an extension tube, which will make it possible to install a third battery for longer battery life.Personally, for me, it is easier to hold in reserve, two additional battery.
Included is the soft label on the motor housing pan (pan). Her need to paste, if you use a large smartphone (not to scratch it on the motor housing).
We tilt the motor housing has a threaded mount for complete counterweight. It is needed if you are using the heavy smartphone (a little more, I will tell in the “Preset” section).
Shopping for a smartphone it is made of plastic and has a screw fastening.
The cart can set the smartphone to the width of 58-81 mm. Mounting is very tight. I had to make a lot of effort to insert into it a smartphone with a width of 76 mm. Inside the basket rubber gaskets.
On one side of the basket has a screw connection 1/4 “. For what it is intended, in the statement does not say. Maybe it can be used to fix an action-camera. In general, having a direct hand, and since the basket on screw attachment You can easily make a mount for any suitable weight and size of the device.
Complete micro-USB cable is flat, length is about 90 cm. It is designed for connection to a computer or charger.
Two batteries 18350 have IMR markings (ie, are high current) and Zhiyun logo. The capacity of 900 mAh. Who is the real battery manufacturer unknown.
Charger compact. It has two independent channels. It is stated that the maximum current of 400 mA for each channel.
PRESET
On-site Zhiyun can be downloaded: the driver (for Windows and Mac OS X), the latest firmware for the Smooth-C, program settings, and firmware (for Windows and Mac OS X), PDF manual in English.
The site of Russian works very slowly. I still loaded and shifted to a normal hosting.
The first thing you need to install the latest firmware (by gully changes, corrected very important things). At the time of writing, this was version 1.50.
You install the driver. Steadicam connects the cable to the computer and press the power button (on the regulator). Run the program Zhiyun Gimbal Tools, click the Open button (opposite the COM-port number) and go to the tab Firmware Upgrade. Choose the firmware file and click Upgrade.
It’s simple.
In the Settings (Settings), you can change various parameters of the device behavior. Here you can adjust the “dead zone”, to change the sequence speed, speed when using the stick, smooth, reassign the direction of movement of the stick (reverse). Settings can always be reset to the factory, so afraid to change them is not necessary.
An important part of setting – a calibration. The device has the auto-calibration feature, and in most cases does not need to do anything. But if suddenly something does not work (wrong angles and so forth.), It is necessary to do the calibration independently. There are three options for calibration.
QUICK CALIBRATION (OR INITIALIZATION)
It must be used first. If it does not work, then move on to the already usual calibration.
Place the stabilizer on a flat surface as shown in figure (hold it). Press the power button and wait for 4 seconds. Done.
Fully calibrated in two ways – by using a computer and without using a computer.
Connect your device to your computer, turn it on and run Zhiyun Gimbal Tools. Go to the tab IMU Calibration. Click the Calibration button.
You will need to go through 6 easy steps by placing the device in such a way as will be shown in the illustrations in the program. At each step, the program will inform, made the right move or not. Everything is very simple.
The calibration method without a computer is more complicated. You need to open the manual. Press the power button on the regulator and wait for 5 seconds. Stick to push and keep up more than 1 second. Next, press and hold down longer than 1 second. Smooth-C goes into calibration and you will need to perform six steps (to change the location of the stabilizer) mode, as pictured in the instruction, focusing on LED signals.
The last important step is to adjust the preset center of gravity of the smartphone.
When the stabilizer is turned off, set your smartphone to your cart. With the help of a screw fastening the basket and changing the longitudinal position of the smartphone in the basket, make sure that your smartphone has enough smooth and does not alter in any way. If necessary, install the supplied counterweight.
Adjustment of the center of gravity and can not do, but then the engines will run less efficiently, consuming more energy.Additionally, without adjusting one of the smartphones can be filled up to the side off, engaging the casing pan motor. If there will not be complete soft labels, then we can divide the screen of the smartphone.
FUNCTIONALITY
To turn on the stabilizer, you need to press the power button. Then click on the stick a couple of seconds.
Zhiyun Smooth-C supports three modes of operation: tracking Pan (Pan following), monitoring of the pan and tilt (Pan and Tilt following) and lock (Locking mode). Default always works Pan following mode. Switching modes is done by single or double clicking the stick as follows:
There is an additional mode of “Upside Down» (Upside down), which is convenient when shooting from below. To enable it, you need to go to the Pan and Tilt following and turn the stabilizer mode.
The motors are absolutely silent. Only if it is compulsory to lock the motor by hand, he begins to hum the load.
To learn how to work modes, I showed in the video summary. In it, I call intuitive mode pan rotation mode (this is not true, to be exact).
EXAMPLES OF USING
For example, I took four videos: on the front and rear camera. No special manipulations did not hold, just filming as usual.
Shooting self in motion on the front camera (I forgot to change the settings on the 1080p, but 720p is also suitable for example). Left with the stabilizer, the right without a stabilizer. The original video without compression can be downloaded at this link.
Shooting with the main camera on the move. The original video without compression can be downloaded from the link(2160p30).
RUNTIME
The manufacturer claims that the Steadicam can operate up to 4 hours in normal mode. Of course, everything depends on the load on the motors.
Steadicam comes with batteries charged by 50-75% (the indicator flashes three times). Two days of periodic use – removed the video about 1 hour and a lot of time just studying his work – it has run down to 0-25% (indicator flashes once) but continued to work.
СONCLUSION
I really liked this gadget. It manufacturable and formed with perfect quality. Oh, and most importantly, it fully meets the functions assigned to it – soft and smooth shooting video while moving. Zhiyun Smooth-C is designed for people who often shoots video on a smartphone on the move.
That looks good and price is also in range.
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