A gimbal is a heavy hitter in any film maker's tool box. A gimbal is a device that holds the camera steady and removes shakes and gitters. It's how camera operators can run and the film is completely steady. I'm currently thinking about getting a gimbal for my camera. I could go for the Dji Osmo, but I don't want to waste $100 on a gimbal that's limited to my iPhone. So that leaves the Dji Ronin S or the Zhiyun Crane 3, which are the most competitively priced DSLR gimbals for filmmakers on a low budget. They offer professional level quality at a reasonable price.
Price
At $559, the Ronin S is the obvious winner, compared to Zhiyun Crane 3's $699. But then again, Zhiyun's older model, the Crane 2, is several hundred dollars less than the Ronin S. But, for me at least, if I'm going to be spending several hundred dollars on equipment that I will be using all the time, I'm going to go for the newer model. Dji also offers a 10% discount for students when you apply on their website with a university email! Check it out here!
Build Quality
The Ronin S definitively appears more sturdy than the Crane 3. But this doesn't mean the Crane 3 is anymore prone to breaking. Instead of metal like the Ronin, the Crane is made out of a sturdy plastic. You may think that that means the Crane 3 is lighter than the Ronin, but you'd be wrong. The Crane 3 comes in at a little more over 10lbs compared to the Ronin which is just under 8lbs. Those two pounds don't sound like a lot, but if you're carrying this all day with a camera on it, your arms may be burning.
Zhiyun's Crane 3 comes with a unique design that tries to counter-act its' weight. It has two arms, a folding arm that makes it easier to get those low to ground shots, and a standard static arm, compared to the Ronin's single arm.
Battery Life
The Ronin. Hands down. Per battery, the Ronin nearly doubles the Crane 3 with 12 hours compared to Zhiyun's 7. However, Zhiyun's Crane 3 comes with 3 batteries compared to the Ronin's 1 internal battery. So, if you're ok changing out batteries more often, you may want to go with the Zhiyun. For me, at, I always lose batteries and I'm not using a gimbal for more than 12 hours in a day, so the Ronin S is better.
Usability
Depending on how you're going to be using your gimbal, this one's a toss up. While the Ronin S is easier to step up and break down, the Zhiyun Crane 3 has the ability to break down smaller. This may influence you if you're planning on traveling with your gimbal.
Zhiyun also has the ability to change the zoom and focus from the gimbal, not just your phone. This is a small difference but is super nice to have.
So who am I going to choose?
Honestly, I'll probably go with the Ronin S. While the Zhiyun Crane 3 may be built a little better, I'm a student and I can't afford dinner--let alone a gimbal. That $200 seems like a lot when these two gimbals are only slightly different. But, if you've got the extra $200 to spend (or you're asking Santa for one this Christmas), I think the Zhiyun's better. I'm also familiar with Dji and own their Mavic and I absolutely love it. Familiarity with a company is important to me, and I've only had good experiences with Dji.
Check out this video for a side-by-side live comparison of the two!
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