Zhiyun Smooth 2 Handheld Gimbal for Smartphone Unboxing and Initial Review

The objective is to be able to produce smooth footages with less shaking. Stabilized videos, that is. This is what we are going to solve with the aid of a mechanical handheld gimbal from Zhiyun. The Zhiyun Smooth 2 is the second generation of its smartphone gimbal and Youtube reports say, this guy has an improved stabilization. But before we jump into some action. Let us unbox it first and share our initial review.

What’s inside the box of the Zhiyun Smooth 2

Pretty much straightforward packaging. But I was kind of surprised to receive a classy package from a Chinese brand.

The box is made of high-quality material complete with the branding on top. At the opposite/bottom part you’ll find already a quick instruction on how to use the gimbal. It has the packing checklist, and a sticker with barcode standard markings and Zhiyun’s website and contact details.

What’s inside are five (5) items — the gimbal, a counterweight, a micro USB cable, one 18,650maH rechargeable battery, and some reading materials.

Assembling the gimbal is a no-brainer, you have to install the battery and put the threaded cap and that’s it!

Design & Build

Here’s how it looks with the bottom cap that has a thread where you can put the gimbal to a tripod.

The handle of the gimbal is where the smooth footages will emanate from. It has the power button on the side, a joystick, a microUSB port on the other side and a switch for controlling the camera thru the Zhiyun camera app.

The entire assembly is made of high-quality aluminum alloy. It is very sturdy, you won’t believe it is made in China. While the whole assembly is all-metal in nature, it is also lightweight.

Up top is where the stabilization is shaped. There goes the three motorized axis that does the balancing and stabilizing workloads. And then finally the smartphone holder that can hold up to 5.5-inch display.

Must-have: Zhiyun Bag with shoulder strap

The Zhiyun Smooth 2 is all alone in the commercial box. As it is, it will do what’s written in the job description. However, it is better that it is protected after the day’s work. So, why spend a little more for the Zhiyun Bag with shoulder strap.

For an additional cost of P1,995 you get this bad ass. An equally well-crafted bag that will hold the gimbal so tight inside. Here’s how it protects the Zhiyun Smooth 2 inside.

And, it is better to get a tripod where you can rest the gimbal while charging, or when you are about to mount a smartphone to it. You can score a third party tripod for a smartphone that will cost you less than P300. It will help a lot.

Initial thoughts

This could be the first written Zhiyun Smooth 2 Review in the Philippines. Although there are a lot of end users already. They are the videographers, the professionals, and hobbyist. The vloggers would love to invest on this accessory.

Assembling the gimbal is very easy. You don’t even have to look at the manual, but it is highly encouraged. The Zhiyun Smooth 2 is not a cheap smartphone accessory in the first place. The build quality of the gimbal earned my respect. Solid and high-quality, you get what you paid for, so to speak.

Using it for the first time is kind of challenging. I could not get the right angles I want. But the video footages are stabilized I must say.

Quick history of Zhiyun PH. The brand Zhiyun has been around for more than I year now. According to Tim Correa, the young entrepreneur who brought the brand in the country, he believed in the product the first time he got hold of it. And then he started importing it and recommended it to his friends. To date, Mr. Correa is holding the exclusive distributorship of the Zhiyun brand in the Philippines. Zhiyun Tech Philippines has more than 10 resellers which are strategically scattered nationwide.

PRO TIP: To know whether a gimbal or any item for that matter, is of quality, monitor the buy and sell forums. If you see lots of “preloved” items being sold, start investigating. As for me, I was already scouting for a gimbal for a smartphone since last year. And because my budget is kind of low, I was scouting for a “second hand” Zhiyun Smooth 2. But nobody, among the hundreds of owners of the Smooth 2 would like to sell it.

Finally, you can buy the Zhiyun Smooth 2 from the local resellers of Zhiyun-tech Philippines. You can check them out on this link.

See also: Zhiyun Smooth Q, the latest smartphone gimbal from Zhiyun.

Disclosure: The Zhiyun Smooth 2 was given to the author as a gift by Mr. Tim Correa of Zhiyun-tech Philippines.