GoPro Gimbal Review – Hohem iSteady Pro 3

The iSteady Pro 3 is a 3-axis gimbal for GoPro Hero 8/7/6/5/4/3 and other action cameras with water splash-proof design, app remote control, and 600° inception mode. Buy now!

Get iSteady Pro 3 ➡ ORDER YOURS TODAY

Overview

One of my favorite cameras for travel vlogging is the GoPro. Why? It’s easy to use. Just press the record button anytime to start and stop recording. It’s so small I can hide it in a corner and do a selfie timelapse. It’s waterproof I can go swimming with it or shoot under the rain. It’s rugged, I can drop it anytime without worry. Again it’s so small I can slip it into my pocket when I finish shooting.

One more… my GoPro Hero 7 Black has this built-in stabilization feature called the “Hypersmooth”, so I don’t need to bring along a gimbal.

HyperSmooth is an electronic image stabilization technology and electronic stabilization has its limitations. That’s where a real physical gimbal accessory can help.

Introducing the Hohem iSteady Pro 3…

Key Features
What’s in the Box
My first impression
My first set up
Charging the iSteady Pro 3
7 shooting modes
Compatibility
Do we need it? GoPro is already Hypersmooth.
Bluetooth connection
How to Use
Using Hohem app
Stabilization Test
Compare GoPro HyperSmooth without iSteady Pro 3
What I Like
What I Don’t Like
Who is it for?
Pros and Cons
Price
Where to get

Key Features

What’s in the Box

iSteady Pro 3, Mini tripod, Micro USB charging cable for camera, USB-C charging cable for camera, Charging cable for gimbal, Carry case

5 Leading Features

Compatibility: Compatible with GoPro Hero 8/7/6/5/4/3, DJI OSMO Action, Insta360 one R, SONY RX0, etc.
Water Splash-Proof: IPX4 water splash-proof design, and resistant to water splashes from any direction. iSteady Pro 3 allows you to travel even on a rainy day.
12hrs Battery Life: Solve the weak battery life of action cameras with the built-in 3600mAh battery, iSteady Pro 3 has up to 12 hours battery life, and also can work as a power bank to charge your action camera while recording. (6 hours battery life with wifi turned on)
Fast Connection with GoPro: Specially designed for GoPro Hero series with built-in WiFi module. Easily control your GoPro to take photos or record videos by turning on the WiFi switch after connection… GoPro Hero 8/7/6/5/4.
Quick Mode Switch: Change between different shooting modes by only tapping the mode button.

Compatibility

iSteady Pro 3 is compatible with

GoPro Hero 8/7/6/5/4/3
DJI OSMO Action
Insta360 ONE R
SONY RX0
YI cam
Xiaomi Mijia
SJCAM

And other action cameras with similar size and weight.

weight up to 150g
height up to 48mm
thickness up to 32mm

Water Splash-proof

IPX4 water splash-proof design. Resistant to water splashes from any direction. iSteady Pro 3 allows you to use it even on a rainy day.

Let’s test.

What is IPX4?

IPX4 is an IP code, or Ingress Protection Marking. This is a classification standard that rates the degree of protection against intrusion… Source: https://suprabeam.com/technology/ipx4/

To get an idea what IPX4 really is, let’s look at what the other numbers represent.

IPX0: The product offers no special protection from water.
IPX1: Can resist water that drips vertically onto the product.
IPX2: Can resist water that hits the product at a 15° angle or less.
IPX3: Can take water sprays of up to 60°.
IPX4: Is resistant to water splashes from any direction.
IPX5: Can resist a sustained, low-pressure water jet spray.
IPX6: Can resist high-pressure, heavy sprays of water.
IPX6K: Can resist water jets of extremely high pressure. Rarely used.
IPX7: Can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.
IPX8: Can be submerged deeper than 1 meter. The exact depth is specified by the manufacturer.
Source: https://www.jabra.com/blog/waterproof-or-water-resistant-whats-behind-an-ip-rating/

12 hours Battery Life

The short battery life of the action camera is extended with a built-in 3600mAh battery, iSteady Pro 3 has up to 12 hours battery life.

iSteady Pro 3 has up to 12 hours battery life, and also can work as a power bank to charge your action camera while recording. (6 hours battery life with wifi turned on)

GoPro Control

Specially designed for GoPro Hero series with built-in WiFi module. Easily control GoPro to take photo or record by turning on the WiFi switch after getting connection.

Specifications

Material: ABS+PC

Weight: 361g(battery included)

Battery Capacity: 3600mAh（18650 Li-ion）

Battery Life: 12h

Battery Life (with WiFi Module Working): 6h

Rotation Angle: Pan 600°, Roll 320°, Tilt 320°

Angled Roll Design: 30°(unobstructed view）

Payload: 150g

Splash Proof : IPX4 rating water splash proof is resistant to water splashes from any direction.

Extension Screw Holes: Handle&Bottom of Handle. (1/4 Extension Screw Hole）

7 modes

Point of View: Pan Motor, Tilt Motor, Roll motors are all available to follow along with axis rotating movement, allowing a real fantastic first-person point of view created as you are involved in the footage.
Pan and Tilt Follow: Pan & Tilt Follow allows the gimbal to move smoothly from side to side, and also on the up/down axis. Gives you more freedom and flexibility to move around the camera.
Pan Follow: Pan Follow allows the gimbal to move smoothly from side to side, but remain steady on the up/down axis. The gimbal will try to keep the horizon at the same level, and it’s a great helper for beginners.
Lock: All pan, tilt, roll motors are locked without follow movement by rotating the axes, it is used for follow shot, especially perfect for subject moving down a straight defined path.
600° Rotational Inception Mode: Rotating even more than 360 degrees, iSteady Pro 3 provides you a 600° rotational pan axis to satisfy all your imagination.
Sport Mode: Press and hold the trigger button, is able to activate the motors instantly with much more power to follow along with rotation, no worry to lost any fast-moving subject.
Motion Timelapse: Motion Timelapse allows you to set the track with a custom rotating angle, record heavy traffic on the street, and cloud in the sky moving in seconds. Time flies, but memories last forever.

Motion Timelapse

Demonstration
Tutorial coming soon
Limitations?

My First Impression

The handle curve design fits the palm of my hand comfortably.

1/4 inch screw holes for accessories such as tripod, extension pole, microphone, flash light.

Versions

Hohem iSteady Pro 2 ($79, the previous version)

Reviews

Top positive review…

“…Some of the things they don’t tell you is… If you download the app you can control the gimbal with your phone AND if your camera has wifi you can connect to its app and control it also. Putting the gimbal on its provided tripod you can control both the gimbal and the action camera from across the room.”

Top negative review…

“I downloaded the app and completed the setup as directed, it connected to the gimbal via Bluetooth fine. The problem was as soon as I attempted to do anything from its menu it would disconnect, I could not download the current firmware either…”

Alternatives

It’s good to know that the iSteady Pro 3 is the most affordable choice among its Action Camera Gimbal competitors.

Feiyu G6 ($139)
GoPro Karma Grip ($99)
Evo GP-Pro ($249, no longer available)

Get iSteady Pro 3 ➡ ORDER YOURS TODAY ($94)

Prices stated are as at August 2020. Click the link to check the latest promo price.

Best GoPro Gimbals 2020

Different gimbals suit different needs, so the list is broken down into different categories.

Best handheld gimbal: Hohem iSteady Pro 2
Runner Up: Feiyu G6
Best wearable gimbal: Feiyu WG2X Wearable Gimbal
Best 2-in-1 gimbal: Removu S1
Best gimbal for stabilization: GoPro Karma Grip
Honorable Mention: Freevision Vilta-G
Honorable Mention: Zhiyun Smooth 4 Smartphone Gimbal

Source: https://www.captureguide.com/best-gopro-gimbal/

Zhiyun Smooth 4 as a GoPro Gimbal

The highly-rated Zhiyun Smooth 4 is a gimbal designed for smartphones, but with a third-party GoPro Mount Adapter Plate, you can use it as a GoPro gimbal.

However the Smooth for is not designed for the kind of activity associated with action cameras.

It’s not waterproof.
It’s slightly slower.
It’s buttons do not control the GoPro.

If you shoot more with your phone, and occasional with the GoPro, then you can consider the Smooth 4 just to stabilize your action camera footage.

Source: https://www.captureguide.com/best-gopro-gimbal/

Other Gimbals by Hohem

iSteady X Smartphone Gimbal
iSteady Mobile+ Smartphone Gimbal
iSteady Multi Phone and GoPro Gimbal

Conclusion

What else would you like to know about the Hohem iSteady Pro 3 Action Camera Gimbal?

Please reply with your comments and questions, otherwise…

If you want a gimbal for your action camera, go to the link below to get your own iSteady Pro 3…

⏩ https://amzn.to/3fo9zDL

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This is Adrian Lee from VIDEOLANE.COM.

See you in the next one!

Adrian Lee – VIDEOLANE.COM

PS:

The live unboxing… https://www.facebook.com/VideoLane/videos/1059532814497644/

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