The Hohem iSteady V3 is the most versatile phone gimbal we’ve ever seen! The features, performance, and value make it the best gimbal for iPhone and Android users in our opinion. It’s now our top choice for any content creator working with a phone.

When we tested Hohem’s large format camera gimbal, the iSteady MT2, we learned about their unique subject tracking tool: a dedicated on-gimbal camera that uses artificial intelligence to detect your face and track you in the frame without you ever having to connect your camera to the gimbal itself!

Apart from being easy and very quick to set up and use, the phone gimbal also gives your phone the ability to do other things without any interference, such as a Zoom call or any kind of video chat, live stream, etc.

For individual users, this alone is a deciding factor that makes the iSteady V3 the best phone gimbal we’ve ever used. However, there’s actually more to it than that. So with that said, let’s dive into this Hohem iSteady V3 review. We’ll get into the features and unique quirks, cover all the pros and cons, and compare its overall value to the competition. Let’s get started!

Hohem iSteady V3 | Specifications

• Price: $129
• Where to buy: Amazon
• Range of motion:
  Yaw (pan): -120 to 210°
  Tilt: -35 to 45°
  Rolling: -195 to 135°
• Battery life: 1400 mAh, lasts up to 13 hours (2.5 hours charging time)
• Dimensions: 12.28 x 5 x 2.56 inches, 312 x 127 x 65 mm
• Compact (folded) dimensions: 3.85 × 1.75 × 6.32 inches
• Item weight: 14.8 oz (0.92 lbs), 420g
• More information: store.hohem.com/

Phone Compatibility:

• Maximum recommended weight: 10.6 oz (300 g)
• Min/Max Phone Width: 2.3-3.9 inches.
• Android/iOS Compatibility: Yes, ALL phones can use almost all major features
• Mobile App (additional features: Available for iOS and Android

Main features and included accessories

• iSteady V3
• Detachable (magnetic, lockable, reversible) AI tracking sensor (self-charging)
• Fill light with 10 brightness levels and color temperature from 2700 K to 6500 K
• Detachable (magnetic) main control unit with joystick (Bluetooth, self-charging and USB-C charging)
• 8.1″ extension pole
• Tripod legs (built-in)
• USB charging cable type A – C
• Storage bag and user manual
• Hohem Joy App (Android & iOS)

Hohem iSteady V3 mobile phone gimbal stabilizer in review | Main features

There are a few things that are very special about this camera phone gimbal, and many standard features that rival the competition. Even without the free mobile app, the Hohem iSteady V3 is almost fully functional!

Thanks to the fact that the AI ​​Tracker has a built-in camera, you don’t have to worry about phone connectivity (or compatibility at all!) to get the most out of these modern Hohem gimbals. With a few hand movements, you can get the gimbal to perfectly track your face while you vlog. It will look like you have a whole production team with you!

Integrated camera with AI tracking

As mentioned, the magnetic AI Tracker runs on its own, making it compatible with any phone. This is extremely beneficial and undoubtedly makes this one of the most versatile gimbals. The AI ​​Tracker is reversible and has two quick release buttons to keep it in place. This means you can effortlessly switch between filming yourself with your phone’s selfie camera and filming other subjects with your phone’s main camera(s).

(NOTE: The locking clips on the AI ​​Tracker are not particularly strong, so be careful not to give the AI ​​Tracker too much impact!)

It only takes a few simple hand gestures to activate AI tracking and start/stop its activity. This is incredibly useful for those who work as solo content creators but want to add dynamic motion to their videos.

Also included with the AI ​​Tracker is the built-in fill light, which allows the user to illuminate faces in front of or behind the camera, just like with the tracking feature. The fill light has 10 different brightness levels and three color temperature options: 2700K for indoor artificial light, 5000K for sunny daytime conditions, and 6500K for cold, cloudy conditions.

The only other downside to the AI ​​tracker is that the device doesn’t track any objects other than people. Of course, for most vloggers and general content creators, this won’t be a problem. The benefit of AI tracking without ever having to worry about connecting your phone to the gimbal is unique and worth the investment.

Removable control module

The main control module is also removable, becoming a remote control that allows you to control your camera’s movement entirely with the joystick! This is such a neat, useful feature that I wish it was present on the iSteady MT2 that we reviewed previously. It really completes the package for solo content creators and makes us have no hesitation in recommending the iSteady V3 over all alternatives.

Effective, intuitive stabilization modes

Of course, the best smartphone gimbal must, above all, fulfil its main function: stabilising the camera! Therefore, it is wise to ask: “How well does it work?” The Hohem iSteady V3 actually works incredibly well and each of its different stabilisation modes is very effective.

Gimbal modes:

• PF mode:
  “Pan Follow” means that the gimbal only follows your horizontal panning movement. (All other movements are fully corrected)
• PTF mode:
  “Pan Tilt Follow” means that the gimbal follows both horizontal and vertical movements while keeping the camera level.
• POV mode:
  “Point Of View” means that the gimbal only stabilizes general vibrations, but follows all larger movements. (Up/down, left/right and angle tilt)
• L mode:
  “Lock” means that the gimbal stabilizes each axis; perfect for longer movements such as a hyperlapse.

One highlight I wanted to point out is the Lock (Everything) mode, which is incredibly stable. In fact, it does more than anything else we’ve ever seen to eliminate the usual “bobbing” you get when walking when you extend your arm and angle it at around 90 degrees. The geometry of holding the gimbal in this way, combined with the excellent gyroscopes in the iSteady V3, makes your footage look cinematic in its smoothness!

Another benefit of having two different detachable control modules that don’t require a phone connection is this: Since you’re completely independent, you can make a Zoom or video call from your phone! Having your camera follow you during a home office presentation is a truly impressive next-generation feature.

Of course, there are many other benefits to connecting your phone to the Hohem Joy app. The app is available for both Android and iOS and works with virtually all popular phones that have recently hit the market.

The main advantage, of course, is that the Hohem iSteady V3 has its own REC button to start and stop recording. This simple additional feature makes it very worthwhile to connect your phone to the gimbal via Bluetooth.

And that’s not all: with a connected phone, you can do things like zoom in and out, which is very useful these days since most phones have multiple camera lenses.

Additionally, the most advanced content creators can do things like time-lapse or hyperlapse motion with pan-tilt movements and other things!

And last but not least, once you connect your phone to the app, you can track other types of objects besides people.

Portability and ergonomic design

When folded, the Hohem iSteady V3 is pocket-sized. Despite this very compact design, it still feels great in my relatively large hands; the overall balance feels perfect for a phone.

I’m used to using quite large gimbals and full-frame mirrorless cameras, so working with the iSteady V3 was actually a real pleasure!)

Processing quality

First let me say that I have a lot of experience with “telescoping” extensions and I don’t usually like them. While tripod legs or center column extensions and extensions feel stiff and durable, tripod legs are a bit flimsy and therefore not advisable to extend

Speaking of build quality, the Hohem V3 actually has a built-in tripod! It’s embedded into the handgrip, which is another advantage the device has over alternatives that require you to carry around an extra accessory if you ever want to set your gimbal down.

Vertical video, selfie video

The gimbal is very intuitive to use and you can learn almost everything you need to know by looking at the “Quick Guide”. For example, to switch your camera from vertical video (default) to horizontal video, just double tap the main mode button. Or triple tap the front shutter button to switch between recording other subjects and your own shot.

Hohem iSteady V3 review | Summary of the pros and cons

Overall, the Hohem iSteady V3 receives almost exclusively praise from us, only a few minor things should be noted, even if they are not deal-breakers:

Per

• Unique AI tracker for seamless subject tracking
• The AI ​​Tracker is reversible to use a phone’s main and selfie cameras vertically or horizontally
• Ergonomic, highly portable design
• Durable physical build quality
• Detachable remote control
• Numerous, effective stabilization modes for high-quality results and creative freedom

Disadvantages

• The locking clips of the AI ​​tracker could be stronger
• Removable control module means you have two additional small devices that could easily get lost
• Movement downwards (selfie) or upwards (main camera) is restricted

As you can see, there are numerous advantages that make the V3 stand out from the competition. The disadvantages, on the other hand, are things that we would like to simply note, but are definitely not a deal breaker.

Hohem iSteady V3 Gimbal Review | Value & Competition

I know what you’re all wondering, so here’s the answer: Actually, some other gimbal stabilizers for phones have AI-based subject tracking. However, they rely on the phone’s camera, so you’ll have to reconnect the phone to the camera every time you use it, and the actual results may not be as reliable.

At $139, the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is already ten dollars more expensive and lacks incredibly useful features like the AI ​​Tracker device or the detachable main controller. All in all, we just don’t see a compelling reason to spend more money for less versatility.

The same goes for similar alternatives, like the $149 Insta360 Flow Pro or the $149 Zhiyun Smooth-5. Both are decent products, but simply cost more and don’t offer the same versatility.

Hohem iSteady V3 Gimbal Review | Conclusion

All in all, we can easily recommend the Hohem iSteady V3. It is packed with features and unique functions that set it apart from the competition, and at an affordable price. You should be careful with the two relatively small, detachable units, the AI ​​Tracker and the main control module. Always keep an eye on them! Other than that, there is nothing stopping us from highly recommending it to any content creator looking for the best