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Selfie stick vs. Gimbal

My last video was much more popular than expected, but there were some very valid complaints about the shaky video. So I decided to finally bite the bullet and buy my first ever 3-axis gimbal. Gimbals are basically selfie-sticks with some motors on the end that make sure your camera and/or smartphone will only move smoothly by correcting for shakes and jitters. Here’s how it worked out…

https://youtu.be/YAZzLhVjhvY

In my next video, I’ll be comparing gimbal stabilization to GoPro electronic stabilization. Please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified when I release new videos.

TRANSCRIPT


0:00:00.480,0:00:04.900
Whatup nerds? I’m Jay Shareef.
And I just bought my first gimbal.

0:00:13.840,0:00:19.100
Firstly, you’ll have to excuse the weird angle.
I’m working in some very limited space here

0:00:19.100,0:00:21.640
in the spare room. The main rooms
of the house are not available.

0:00:21.640,0:00:27.040
So this is the only angle I could find, in this tiny room, that can get all of this in.

0:00:27.480,0:00:30.100
Right now, the tripod is right up against that wall.


0:00:30.100,0:00:33.580
It’s very very close to me. So this is the best I could do.

0:00:33.580,0:00:34.940
Sorry about that.

0:00:35.360,0:00:39.840
So my last video was a lot more popular
than I expected. Which is wonderful.

0:00:39.840,0:00:42.480
However, there were some complaints.

0:00:42.480,0:00:44.719
Mainly about the shaky camera work.

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Which is fair enough, because all I did was stick
my smartphone on one of these selfie sticks

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and walk down the canal.

0:00:53.200,0:00:57.960
Someone did mention that all Android phones
nowadays have inbuilt video stabilization.

0:00:57.960,0:01:00.360
which sounds fantastic on paper.

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However, when I tried it there were two problems.

0:01:04.040,0:01:10.000
Firstly, it zooms in incredibly closely.
So all you’re going to see is my face.

0:01:10.000,0:01:13.180
Which I’m sure is not what you want.

0:01:13.180,0:01:18.000
And, secondly, there’s some kind of wavy,
warpiness happens in the corners of the picture.

0:01:18.000,0:01:24.820
These are common problems with digital video stabilization that’s done by AI and algorithms.

0:01:24.820,0:01:28.180
It’s never quite right.

0:01:28.180,0:01:31.380
There was only one obvious solution: buy a gimbal.

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However, having done my research what I found was

0:01:34.100,0:01:36.479
that a lot of the cheaper gimbals on the market

0:01:36.479,0:01:39.560
can’t really cope with heavy smartphones.

0:01:39.560,0:01:42.640
And boy do i have a heavy smartphone!

0:01:42.640,0:01:45.820
This is the Ulefone Armor 6.

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It’s the best rugged Android smartphone on the market.

0:01:50.580,0:01:58.540
But all the internal ruggedness means that it weighs
266 grammes and it’s about 84 millimetres thick.

0:01:58.540,0:02:01.700
That’s a lot more than most
smartphone gimbals can cope with.

0:02:01.700,0:02:07.660
Most of them have a maximum rating of about
200-210 grammes and 80 millimetres thick.

0:02:07.660,0:02:09.660
So this is just too big.

0:02:09.660,0:02:13.560
Having done my research, basically
I found that I had two choices.

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Firstly, I could either buy the Feiyutech G6 Plus.

0:02:17.380,0:02:21.420
Which is a fantastic gimbal. Can take multiple devices.

0:02:21.420,0:02:26.140
Smartphones, action cameras, regular
cameras, compacts and mirrorless.

0:02:26.140,0:02:30.300
Anything up to 800 grammes, and it’s weatherproof.

0:02:30.300,0:02:34.200
But… it costs about $200, and
we’re in the middle of a recession!

0:02:34.200,0:02:41.000
Or I could get a cheaper gimbal and use
one of my old, smaller smartphones instead.

0:02:41.000,0:02:45.600
However, the problem with cheaper gimbals is that
usually they’re only designed for one type of product.

0:02:45.600,0:02:49.760
So, either smartphones, or
action cameras, or compact cameras.

0:02:49.760,0:02:52.140
And they’re very rarely weatherproof.

0:02:52.140,0:02:57.380
There simply aren’t that many multi-use
gimbals on the cheaper end of the market.

0:02:57.380,0:03:03.980
Luckily, I came across an online review for
a Feiyutech product that’s under $100 and

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it works with both smartphones and action cameras.

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Which is perfect because those are the two
devices I usually use when i’m out and about.

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And it has arrived!

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Same day delivery. Thank you very much Amazon.

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Not sponsored!

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But, if you want to sponsor me then get in touch.

0:03:20.460,0:03:24.980
I shouldn’t be allowed to use sharp knives like this.

0:03:24.980,0:03:28.400
I’m always worried that I’m going to damage
the product. So I have to be extra careful.

0:03:28.400,0:03:31.920
Because when you’ve paid for something
nice you don’t want to damage it.

0:03:31.920,0:03:37.260
And, secondly, if you have to return it, you
want to keep the box in reasonable condition

0:03:40.480,0:03:43.820
I love this part. It’s like Christmas.

0:03:43.820,0:03:45.580
Amazon goodness!!

0:03:46.960,0:03:48.860
Looks pretty good.

0:03:48.860,0:03:53.200
Obviously, you can do horizontal and vertical
orientation, according to the box anyway.

0:03:53.200,0:03:57.300
“Feiyutech gimbal – the expert of image stabilization.”

0:03:57.780,0:03:59.860
That’s almost a sentence.

0:03:59.860,0:04:03.040
So this is the Feiyutech Vimble 2.

0:04:03.040,0:04:08.060
Specifically, it’s the Vimble 2S.
Which is designed for smartphones.

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There is a Vimble 2A that Feiyutech produce.

0:04:11.380,0:04:14.800
And that is specifically for action cameras.

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I got this one because I was told through online reviews

0:04:18.300,0:04:22.460
that it can cope with both
smartphones and action cameras.

0:04:23.140,0:04:24.420
Looks good!

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There is a Feiyutech app that goes with this gimbal.

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In fact, with all the Feiyutech gimbals.

0:04:31.320,0:04:35.200
However, the reviews on Google Play are so atrocious

0:04:35.200,0:04:40.160
that I don’t dare download it for fear
of wrecking my gorgeous smartphone.

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Luckily, you can use this straight out of the box.

0:04:43.000,0:04:46.900
It will do most of the things that
it’s supposed to do without the app.

0:04:46.900,0:04:51.060
You’ll even be able to connect it
to your smartphone with Bluetooth.

0:04:51.060,0:04:55.199
And that allows you to start and stop
recordings, and take photographs,

0:04:55.199,0:04:57.280
Which is pretty much all I need.

0:04:57.280,0:05:02.120
So this is pretty nice. Costs about $100 brand new.

0:05:02.120,0:05:08.520
Not weatherproof. So I may end up upgrading to
a Feiyutech G6 Plus at some point in the future.

0:05:09.420,0:05:13.040
You could buy a refurbished one for around about $70.

0:05:13.040,0:05:15.520
The price difference between new and refurbished: $30.

0:05:15.520,0:05:17.100
I thought that wasn’t worth it.

0:05:17.100,0:05:20.820
I might as well get a new one direct
from Feiyutech, and it’s brand new.

0:05:20.820,0:05:24.280
So I didn’t want to take the risk, quite frankly, for $30.

0:05:28.480,0:05:31.680
Not bad. All you get is a gimbal.

0:05:31.680,0:05:36.180
This little tripod. I believe that could
go at the bottom of the gimbal.

0:05:36.180,0:05:39.040
What is this…?

0:05:42.400,0:05:50.479
Oh, it’s a lanyard, charging cable, and
a multitude of different connectors.

0:05:50.479,0:05:52.940
Presumably so that you can connect…

0:05:52.940,0:05:57.300
USB-C, Micro USB, Lightning cable.

0:05:58.220,0:06:01.820
It does actually feel quite sturdy for a $100
device. It’s better than I was expecting.

0:06:02.280,0:06:06.300
Now Feiyutech claim that you can get
five hours use out of this per charge.

0:06:06.800,0:06:10.080
Reviews online suggest that’s a bit of an exaggeration.

0:06:10.080,0:06:14.240
You can also use it as a power bank to
recharge your mobile phone on the go.

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Obviously, that will eat into the battery life even further.

0:06:17.520,0:06:22.900
The Feiyutech Vimble 2 does have a party
piece that might interest you, and it’s this.

0:06:23.580,0:06:28.060
You can pull it out for 18 extra centimetres.
(That’s seven inches, ladies!)

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That means that you can use it for more wide-angle
footage when you’re taking photographs or Vlogging.

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I personally don’t see myself using that,
but it’s a nice feature to have, nevertheless.

0:06:39.840,0:06:44.120
The most important question however is:
“Will it work with my smartphone?”

0:06:44.120,0:06:46.360
Let’s charge it up and find out.

0:06:46.360,0:06:51.860
Let’s start with the Ulefone Armor 6. Can this
gimbal cope with the girth of this phone?

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I need three hands to do this!

0:06:59.520,0:07:01.340
That that’s not gonna work!

0:07:02.260,0:07:04.500
Right, the answer is: “No, it doesn’t fit.”

0:07:04.500,0:07:09.440
It absolutely will not fit. It’s a few millimetres too wide.

0:07:09.440,0:07:12.720
That’s disappointing but they didn’t say that it would.

0:07:12.720,0:07:15.060
So I can’t blame Feiyutech for that.

0:07:15.060,0:07:21.640
Next up, let’s see if it will fit my Sony Xperia XA2.

0:07:21.640,0:07:24.680
This is one of my older phones. Still a lovely device.

0:07:24.680,0:07:32.980
Looking at it, it does seem about
the same size(ish) as the Ulefone.

0:07:32.980,0:07:37.720
Maybe a little bit thinner by a few millimetres.
Maybe a few millimetres is enough.

0:07:37.720,0:07:39.200
Let’s give it a go.

0:07:43.520,0:07:48.600
Right so it does fit… just about.

0:07:48.600,0:07:51.040
This is the maximum extension that i’m at.

0:07:51.040,0:07:55.860
However… it does feel a little bit imbalanced.

0:08:01.440,0:08:04.220
Oh okay. That’s gone a bit weird.

0:08:05.440,0:08:08.479
Error message. That can’t be good.

0:08:08.480,0:08:14.140
I’ve never used a gimbal before. I really should
have looked at the instruction booklet… I can’t…

0:08:14.140,0:08:16.100
I’ll come back to you!

0:08:20.000,0:08:24.320
OK, so I’ve managed to get it to fit. Which is fantastic.

0:08:24.780,0:08:31.160
The only concern is that it feels still a little bit heavy.

0:08:31.160,0:08:33.740
As in, it it feels a little bit lopsided.

0:08:33.740,0:08:35.980
The centre of gravity doesn’t quite seem right.

0:08:36.860,0:08:39.620
See what I mean? It’s it’s just kind of slightly…

0:08:46.720,0:08:50.640
Yes! Stabilized!

0:08:52.700,0:08:56.860
OK. So it fits the Sony…. barely.

0:08:56.860,0:08:59.860
This is my GoPro Hero4.

0:08:59.860,0:09:05.340
It can cope with the GoPro… just about.

0:09:05.340,0:09:10.740
If I had a slightly bigger GoPro or
action camera it would probably fit.

0:09:11.360,0:09:14.700
Anything smaller than this GoPro
Hero4 probably wouldn’t work.

0:09:15.580,0:09:18.240
Oh it’s doing some weird juddery thing!

0:09:18.720,0:09:20.340
Gonna turn it off.

0:09:20.840,0:09:25.940
So what I need to do then is take this out
in the real world and see how it performs.

0:09:26.900,0:09:28.300
Let’s go!

0:09:29.020,0:09:32.800
I’ve come out here to the canals to test out my gimbal.

0:09:32.800,0:09:39.200
But immediately we have a problem, because
it’s raining and the gimbal isn’t waterproof.

0:09:39.200,0:09:41.640
Or weatherproof. Or even splash proof.

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Right now you’re looking at me on my rugged
waterproof camera, on my rugged waterproof phone,

0:09:50.080,0:09:53.120
on my rugged, waterproof selfie stick.

0:09:53.120,0:09:59.120
But I’m a little wary getting my non-rugged,
and non-waterproof, gimbal out.

0:09:59.120,0:10:02.060
Because I might want to send it back.

0:10:02.060,0:10:04.660
And if it gets ruined they’re not going to accept it.

0:10:05.160,0:10:12.480
It’s only drizzling. I may just risk it for
a little bit… just for your sake, OK?

0:10:17.500,0:10:18.660
It works.

0:10:19.540,0:10:20.960
Pictures looking good.

0:10:21.760,0:10:23.700
Oh… joystick’s a bit weird.

0:10:23.700,0:10:29.820
Because you have to push it in the opposite direction
to the direction you want the camera to go.

0:10:30.060,0:10:34.600
Thankfully, the weather’s cleared up
a little bit so I feel confident going out.

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Hopefully, this gimbal is giving you a much,
more stable image than the selfie stick here.

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Just going under one of our classic canal bridges.

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Isn’t it wonderful?

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All right and we’re done.

0:10:54.140,0:10:56.240
Canal barges used to go through these.

0:10:56.240,0:10:59.780
We don’t really have that many of the canal
barges running at the moment, as you can see.

0:11:00.340,0:11:03.720
There’s never anything… whenever I come here.

0:11:04.880,0:11:09.140
OK, so now I’ve got both my
gimbal and my selfie stick working.

0:11:10.140,0:11:12.080
Which is smoother?

0:11:12.420,0:11:14.940
Is this worth the extra effort and the money?

0:11:15.300,0:11:20.079
Because it is a hell of a lot of setup. Plus,
you’ve got to charge the batteries as well.

0:11:20.080,0:11:22.640
Which is giving me the nicer picture?

0:11:25.200,0:11:31.060
Is there much jittering on the
selfie stick versus the gimbal?

0:11:32.040,0:11:35.200
I’d hope the gimbal would be much, much smoother.

0:11:35.200,0:11:37.460
Now, of course, both of these can be extended.

0:11:37.460,0:11:40.420
The gimbal can be extended as well as the selfie stick

0:11:40.420,0:11:42.880
But this is just a gentle walk you

0:11:42.880,0:11:50.020
You’ve probably noticed that the image coming
from the gimbal camera is much, much sharper

0:11:50.020,0:11:53.800
than the image you’re seeing on the selfie stick camera.

0:11:53.800,0:11:56.600
That’s not because of the devices they’re sitting on.

0:11:56.600,0:12:01.440
It’s purely because the phones that
I’m using have very different qualities.

0:12:01.880,0:12:10.140
The Sony sitting on the gimbal is much, much better than the Ulefone Armor phone sitting on my selfie stick.

0:12:12.420,0:12:14.540
Don’t worry about the picture quality.

0:12:14.540,0:12:18.420
Just have a look at the stability of the video.

0:12:18.940,0:12:23.140
Shall we try running and see what happens?

0:12:31.680,0:12:33.120
What do you think?

0:12:33.580,0:12:37.260
Yeah, it’s pretty obvious the gimbal is far, far superior.

0:12:37.880,0:12:42.320
But… it’s a hundred quid. It’s not waterproof.

0:12:42.320,0:12:44.280
I’m scared of using it the rain.

0:12:45.300,0:12:46.760
I may have to give it back.

0:12:47.260,0:12:49.520
It does have this fun joystick.

0:12:49.520,0:12:51.660
Which means you can do stuff like this…

0:12:54.800,0:12:56.660
And all the way back…

0:13:02.720,0:13:06.280
Yes! That is quite fun. I like it.

0:13:06.280,0:13:08.320
So what do we think?

0:13:10.240,0:13:12.160
Should I hold on to the gimbal?

0:13:13.300,0:13:15.840
Not weatherproof. Not splash proof.

0:13:16.560,0:13:18.520
Bit of a risk in the rain.

0:13:20.900,0:13:25.200
Now the other question I had was:
“Does this gimbal work with action cameras?”

0:13:25.200,0:13:28.600
So, I brought out my GoPro Hero4.

0:13:30.100,0:13:33.500
It’s already on the gimbal as you can see.

0:13:33.500,0:13:35.640
I’m going to turn it on and see what happens…

0:13:39.680,0:13:42.140
Oh it doesn’t like that!

0:13:42.660,0:13:44.660
It doesn’t like that at all.

0:13:45.200,0:13:48.880
Oh we’ve got into error mode.

0:13:49.200,0:13:51.840
Yeah, that didn’t work out well at all.

0:13:52.520,0:13:54.940
Probably needs more weight, I think.

0:13:54.940,0:13:58.100
Yeah, you have to be a certain heaviness for it to work.

0:13:58.100,0:14:01.040
And I suspect that the GoPro is far too light.

0:14:01.040,0:14:05.200
I’m gonna give it another go and see what happens.

0:14:10.320,0:14:12.840
Yeah, that’s really not working out.

0:14:16.220,0:14:18.000
So that’s disappointing.

0:14:18.000,0:14:21.800
Looks like it just does not work with action cameras.

0:14:21.800,0:14:24.220
Or rather with this GoPro Hero4.

0:14:24.220,0:14:26.740
Presumably, because it’s far too light.

0:14:26.740,0:14:29.020
It needs something a little bit heavier.

0:14:29.020,0:14:31.280
Like a smartphone really.

0:14:31.860,0:14:36.080
I think I might have to return the
gimbal and get the other one.

0:14:36.080,0:14:39.180
The one that’s multi-use because…

0:14:40.000,0:14:42.380
I mean that one’s waterproof and weatherproof.

0:14:42.380,0:14:45.280
Or at least splash proof anyway. And this one isn’t.

0:14:45.280,0:14:53.860
And, seeing as I live in Birmingham, where it rains a lot,
in England, that might be the best choice for me.

0:14:54.720,0:14:58.280
So that’s that. I hope you found this useful.

0:14:58.680,0:15:01.200
And thank you very much for watching.

0:15:01.200,0:15:02.600
Later nerds!

0:15:03.300,0:15:07.260
OK, so sadly this is going back. Sorry Amazon.

0:15:07.780,0:15:11.560
Because this one has arrived!

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