Action Camera Gimbal Review (Hohem isteady Pro

Rob Johnston

Editor & Article Writer for Outdoor Wilds

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Action Camera Gimbal Review - Hohem iSteady Pro

In this article I share my thoughts on one of my most used pieces of photographic kit that I currently have in my camera bag.

Read on to find out more about this action camera gimbal.

Having recently purchased a Gopro Hero, I started to look at action camera gimbals.

The Hero’s own stabilisation is great but I wanted to record that extra smooth motion when filming tracking shots, plus keeping the all important horizon as level as possible.

After some careful research I chose the Hohem iSteady Pro action camera gimbal.

I didn’t want to pay a fortune and the iSteady Pro seemed to fit the bill. It’s solidly made and produces great results when coupled with the latest GoPro cameras.

After owning the gimbal now for over 2 months and having used it quite extensively during a road trip through Norway I decided to write a review detailing what I liked and disliked about the iSteady Pro.

You may also be interested in some of my other budget camera gear too.

iSteady Pro Accessories

The gimbal comes with a number of useful extras.

A USB Charging Cable
A soft shell carry case
Mini tripod legs
User Manual

Overall I was pleased to see these extras when unboxing the iSteady.

The micro USB cable is very short but does the job.

I was impressed with the soft shell case, its not too bulky and easily fits into a day pack for hiking or when out spending time setting up trail cameras.

The mini tripod legs are great for setting the gimbal to record motion time-lapse footage.

Build Quality

The handle and grip are made from a tough plastic, with a patterned surface for extra grip.

The controls are plastic too, but feel solid in operation.

The two 1/4 inch screw inserts are brass, one at the base of the handle and the other at the side to allow fitting a smartphone holder as an extra viewing screen.

The head of the gimbal is made from metal and adds to the overall weight, but does give the iSteady a robust feel overall.

Water Resistant Gimbal

I operated the gimbal during a rain shower and it didn’t have any problems with a small amount of water residue on the handle. I did however regularly wipe off any excess water with a cloth after several minutes.

For a budget gimbal I’d give the iSteady a thumbs up for build quality. So far I’ve had no problems.

Battery Life

It lasts forever is all to need to know. Joking aside, I’ve used the gimbal for hours and it still has 3 green lights illuminated. I do keep it topped up once in a while though.

The internal lithium battery has a 4000 mAh capacity. You can also use the gimbal as a power bank to charge up your smartphone if need be, plus to supply power to an action camera when your filming.

Performance

How does it perform is the all important question? In a nutshell very well and in most cases exceeded my expectations.

I’ll be honest, this is my first gimbal and as anyone will tell you it does take a while getting used to recording “buttery” smooth footage.

Like everything it requires a bit of practice. Be patient and you’ll get the results you’re looking for.

Gimbal Modes

The iSteady Pro has 4 modes to choose from.

Pan Follow Mode – Tilt and roll axis are locked, use your wrist to pan smoothly and the joystick for tilt action.
Pan Tilt Follow Mode – Roll axis is locked. Pan and tilt axis with smooth movement.
All Lock Mode – 3 axis locked. Use the joystick to manually move the gimbal head.
All Follow Mode – Roll axis is locked. Pan and tilt smooth movement with the handle.

The mode I use the most for tracking shots is the second mode, Pan Tilt Follow Mode. I’ve recorded some great footage using this mode (See video below).

Wireless Gimbal Remote Control using the App

The Hohem app is free to download. It allows you to adjust and fine tune the trim of each axis if required and lets you set waypoints over time to record motion time-lapse.

I found the app easy to use, especially the waypoint setting, it’s pretty easy to understand after several minutes of having a quick play.

Motion control

I haven’t adjusted the fine tuning of the axis, I just haven’t found a need to do so. I have used the waypoint setting a number of times and found it to work great.

With the waypoint setting you can set the motion from point to point for a duration starting at 30 seconds to over an hour.

Final Thoughts - Hohem iSteady Pro

If you’re looking for a budget action camera gimbal then I’d definitely suggest you take a look at the Hohem iSteady Pro. There is a new version out the Pro 2, which has improved motors and a few extras features.

Whichever gimbal you decide to buy, if it’s your first gimbal, all I say is, stick with it and practice for a few hours and that “buttery” smooth footage will soon be part of your video footage library.

Take a quick look at the video below that I recorded during a section of a hike while in Norway using the iSteady Pro gimbal.

Shop For Latest iSteady Gimbals

Last update on 2024-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API