Say Goodbye To Shaky Videos: We Tested Hohem's iSteady V3 Ultra Gimbal

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The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is a 3-axis gimbal designed to help you create smooth, professional footage with your smartphone. Considering how competent the cameras integrated into our smartphones have become, it's no wonder that many content creators now use them as their primary tools for filmmaking. For those who specialize in filming vertical videos, smartphones are the obvious first choice, and many long form content creators use them as their primary camera. I've even seen YouTubers carry them down underground to film adventures in old abandoned mines.

When Hohem sent me the iSteady V3 Ultra to test, I knew I wanted to take it on a backpacking trip ... What I discovered was that it might just be the perfect tool for a budding influencer or creative looking to get into filming and publishing videos. Practically everyone has a smartphone, and most smartphones shoot better videos than many professional cameras were capable of a decade ago. The iSteady both smooths out the shakes and bumps which might otherwise reduce the quality of your footage, and is crammed with useful tools and tricks to further elevate your creativity.

The first thing that really jumped out at me upon taking the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra out of the box is how solid the whole thing feels. In my experience with various gimbal systems, they typically don't feel like remarkably robust devices, but the iSteady V3 Ultra really bucks that stereotype. The whole thing is remarkably high quality, and feels like it could take a punch. I sure put that to the test on a backpacking trip, but despite all the rigors of the backcountry, the iSteady V3 Ultra pulled through like a champ. Despite filming with it while hiking a particularly dusty trail and spending a night in the cold at high altitude, it came through without a scratch.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

The design is also both highly compact and portable. I like how firmly it locks when you fold it down, and I was able to carry it along with me while backpacking in a side-pouch of my camera bag. This made it ideal to pull out and film with as I hiked, and it's small enough that it can even fit into a really big pants pocket.

I am very happy with the phone clamp system employed by the iSteady V3 Ultra Gimbal. Not only does it hold your phone securely, but it is also remarkably easy to attach and remove your device. The system is certainly superior to other similar gimbals I've used, and it made me more confident because I was never concerned about my phone potentially falling out. It's also compatible with a wide range of phones – even my enormous Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with its bulky protective case fit in the iSteady V3 Ultra just fine.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

The gimbal provides effective stabilization, with the system smoothing out the worst bumps and jostles of a rugged backcountry hike, even though I was using one of the larger, heavier variety of smartphones. I used the hyperlapse feature to capture some really good sped-up hiking sequences, and overall I found it easy to capture high quality video footage.

I have installed countless companion apps over the years, as practically every product I test seems to come bundled with one. Joy is rarely something I associate with having to install a new one, yet I was pleasantly surprised by the Hohem Joy app. It's simple, straightforward, and gets the job done. Best of all in my book is the fact that you don't need to create an account or register the gimbal in the app; you just install the app, connect it to the gimbal, and you're ready to go. I applaud any manufacturer who shows this level of respect for the customer, and I wish other companies would follow Hohem's lead in this regard.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

The detachable smart remote is a great tool for controlling the gimbal with its live-feed monitoring, either as a remote or when it's attached to the iSteady V3 Ultra. Being able to set up the gimbal on its built-in tripod, or on a different type of support via the screw mount, and then being able to detach this remote control to carry with you while you film is much better than the typical articulating display found on many cameras, or than by using an app on a remotely connected smartphone.

The tactility of a physical joystick, and having touchscreen controls for various settings right there within arms reach is really significant for creative control, as is the fact that the live-feed monitoring is independent of your smartphone camera. You're also able to control the gimbal with various hand gestures, and the end result is that the iSteady V3 Ultra works very well as a robotic camera man.

Buy the iSteady V3 Ultra Now

There's a lot more to the design of the iSteady V3 Ultra than is apparent on the surface, to the point where this thing wouldn't be out of place in a campy spy film or classic Saturday morning kid's cartoon. For a start, there's the built-in extension rod which allows you to get some reach with the gimbal (I used it to get some height for a better view of a partially tree-obscured vista). Then there's an integrated tripod, which consists of three slim rods that slide out of the underside of the gimbal. It's basic, but basic is all you need for a tripod in most situations, and key here is how this tripod adds practically nothing to the weight or bulk of the device.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

One really cool gizmo is the detachable LED light and AI tracking camera module. The three-color fill light is really useful in dim or backlit conditions, and the multi-modal AI tracking in conjunction with the ability of the gimbal to turn 360 degrees on an infinite rotation is a great tool for keeping your subject in frame. If you don't want to use it for some reason, it's really easy to clip on or off.

The AI tracking and gesture control is done internally in the gimbal. It operates independently of any app, allowing you to use whatever camera app you please and still utilize the AI systems. I used this to track everything from dogs and goats, to people, buildings, and trees. It worked particularly well for filming myself, both when I was close up filming vlog-style content, and farther away from the camera.

Buy the iSteady V3 Ultra Now

The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra stands out as a particularly excellent smartphone gimbal, thanks in large part to its particularly robust and compact design. I really do appreciate how solidly built the iSteady V3 Ultra is and how smooth the operating experience is. Gimbals are typically a cumbersome accessory, and I'm happy to report that's not so much the case with the iSteady V3 Ultra. You can't get away from the basic power-on, attach-phone, launch-app process, but it's about as painless and hassle-free as possible. With AI tracking and gesture control built into the gimbal itself (and therefore independent of any app), the iSteady V3 Ultra is much more flexible in terms of compatibility than other gimbals.

I also appreciate how responsive and easy to use the Hohem Joy companion app is. The fact that the gimbal and app can be used without needing to login to the app is a breath of fresh air in a world where more and more companies are demanding that users create accounts and register devices in order to use them. Combine all this with the numerous nifty hardware and software features of the iSteady V3 Ultra, and you have a recipe for what might be the best smartphone gimbal stabilizer out there. With no downsides worth mentioning encountered during testing, I certainly find it easy to recommend.

Recap of Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra:

• Robust, compact design

• Smooth operating experience

• Built-in AI tracking and gesture control (no app required)

• Universal object tracking

• Hohem Joy companion app is easy to use (no login required)

• Nifty hardware and software features

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Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra will be available at Best Buy in North America from September 14th. For those who prefer a hands-on shopping experience, it is also expected to hit Best Buy's physical stores around mid-October. Don't miss out on the chance to own this game-changing tool that's ready to turn your shaky footage into smooth, professional-level content.