The Best Compact Gimbal | Feiyu Tech AK2000S vs Zhiyun Weebill S

[@RhythmicEye]

Thanks for a thorough review but I'm perplexed by all the reviewers who persist with criticism about the fine tuning aspects of a gimbal yet you all insist on using zoom lenses on a gimbal. It's very simple, never use zoom lenses on a gimbal if you're striving for perfection. They are not designed for this purpose. The second you zoom the lens in or out you throw the camera's CG off centre. Tip - only use prime lenses on a gimbal and use your legs as the zoom. Kind of what a gimbal is designed for no???

[@ScottDumas]

Agreed mostly- but some gimbals still do very well even with zoom lenses, and in that case- even using a prime lens you’ll get better results even in a rush when you might not get the balancing perfectly right because of time constraints. A gimbal should be fine tunable and work well at its peak performance, but a gimbal that can even perform under “pressure” will most likely do better in the hustle of a real shoot. That’s been my experience and that’s one of the reasons I think it should work with zooms too. Another, is for event or wedding work, when there’s no way you could keep changing lenses and rebalancing throughout the day to adapt to unplanned moments. But those people still want a gimbal with the highest possible potential fine tuning aspects. Because that means it’s better overall.

[@RhythmicEye]

@@ScottDumas thanks for your response mate. Yes I understand your point and agree but all the reviewers nit pick about tiny details of the accuracy of the particular gimbal's performance and then stick a zoom lens on the camera. Counter intuitive to my way of thinking. Managing people's expectations is part of the job, particularly for weddings. Lots of people want drone shots within 30m of their guests but we know that can't happen either right?? I really like the way you deliver your videos. Some broader context and detail might help people to get a fuller understanding though. All the best

[@tomirwinphoto]

Excellent comparison. Small form factor and quick re-mount without re-balancing were my priorities so I ordered the Weebill S yesterday. Prices on e-Bay are considerably lower than they were last December.

[@WhoCutTheCheese1951]

Thanks for sharing this with us Scott. Very good comparison of the two products and extremely helpful for those of us shopping for a gimbal.

[@RJUnleashedVideos]

Scott, despite this review being 2 years old it was still super helpful for me. This is my first gimbal. To go on my first mirrorless A6400. Man you nailed it for me with the screen clip. Although a love the 6400, the screen retracting position was one of the features I was not crazy about. I did more research buying the camera then I have on this quest for a gimble. No regrets with the Sony, thanks to the community doing great reviews as is the one. I have watched a ton of reviews that were informative, however your approach, delivery and clear communication was excellent. I think I have finally made a decision to go with the Weebil S. Keep up the good work. Happy New Year. RJUnleashed

[@KeonChoong]

exactly the review that I was looking for! Thank you so much for the in-depth review!

[@ScottDumas]

Awesome! Glad it could be helpful! :-D

[@williamaungleyraud]

For 10 bucks you can add an arca swiss plate holder to the Feiyutech and you got your zero balancing feature if you use that same camera/lens, it's a worth upgrade, just like you upgraded your zhiyun with the quick release mini tripod mounts. I think both gimbals have their fair share of pros and cons and honestly I wish we could have a hybrid of the both in the near future. A Feiyutech eagonomics and touch screen, with zhiyun replaceable batteries and locks, basically combining the pros of both and tossing out the cons. Currently I have the Feiyutech G6 Max, which can still handle my Fuji X-T4 and the monster sized zhiyun crane 2s, and I totally agree that either the Ak2000s or the Webill S are the sweet spot for mirrorless cameras. Except fot that handle of the Ak2000s that need to be screwed, I think the more you use that gimbal it can grow on you, but for most people it's a toss up of personal preferences. 😎👍

[@tobiaskindermann7482]

William - what kind of arca-swiss plate holder are You using?

[@williamaungleyraud]

@@tobiaskindermann7482 it's actually a quick release clamp by Neewer, holds arca Swiss plates 38mm of size, price fluctuates from 10 to 20 dollars, it's fairly inexpensive yet well built. It isn't super "quick release" as some other systems out there that you click in and click out, but it's compatible with many arca Swiss plates of different brand manufacturers. In my case I use peak design plates and it works flawlessly. 😎👍

[@tobiaskindermann7482]

@@williamaungleyraud Thx a lot. :)

[@greektechguru]

Awesome video and review!It was very helpful!Keep up the good work!!Thank you for sharing it with us!!😊🙏🙏👌

[@GeraldBertramPhotography]

Great information. Thanks for the effort. I've always thought that with all their gimbals, Feiyu has ALMOST made a great gimbal but there was always something a little lacking like motor strength or ergonomics. If they could just get over that last little hump and kept their lower price points they could have a homerun.

[@ScottDumas]

I 100% agree with this statement! It's frustrating because I love them for so many significant reasons but they still just don't cut it in some key ways. Maybe if I had nothing to compare it to I'd be thrilled though.

[@kayladoyle395]

Hey Scott. Great review! Thank you. I've been trying to find an option to fit our Panasonic HC-VXF1 cam corder. Do you know if either the Fey Tech or the Zhiyum would work better? The attachment screw point is at the front of the camera - making it more back heavy so I need to be able to slide it forward. Hope this make sense?

[@JohnMFlores]

Very thorough video. Thanks!

[@dronetheworld4k67]

for the AK2000S i was wondering about something, my camera has both zoom and focus rings next to one another, can i possibly alter the use of the included focus motor to use it for zooming instead ?...

[@jaysun070476]

Ive allways used feiyutech but lately iam loosing faith in them . After owning 3 gimbals that had issues right out of the box lncluding the ak2000s and faulty cords i started buying zhyiun and iam happy so far. Also the problem with gimbals in public is there started to look like guns from a distance. They need to make them some different colors. A removable focus ring would be nice also .

[@happy030]

I tented to buy the ak2000 (alias Manfrotto MVG220, they are exact the same gimbal). I learne from you, that the handgripp have to remove with 3 screws. overall iít bigger than weebill s...

[@SportbikeUnitedRiderz]

Thanks for your thorough review. 👋

[@picabocarecordingstudio9507]

Is follow focus included in all Zhiyun Weebill S versions or should I be careful when ordering not to buy a version without a follow focus wheel?

[@luciano.armani]

great comparison and thanks so much for the timestamps on these longs videos they are essential!

[@ScottDumas]

Thanks for watching!

[@StephenGinman]

can either of these be set to All Follow Mode while being in underslung position?

[@kennethkang8780]

great presentation. Thank you. Question, if I also want to use iPhone 11 Pro Max, any issues, concerns, limitations?

[@ScottDumas]

Thanks so much! I've never used these with a smartphone, but I'd expect the Zhiyun to work better in all honesty. In general it seems less touchy for imperfect balance and different sizes and weights overall, so with such a light setup I wouldn't be surprised to see some shaking on the AK2000S or a tricky motor setting/balance issue. Again- not certain though, no personal experience using them like that.

[@kennethkang8780]

@@ScottDumas Thank you Scott for your quick responds. Will see soon if it works. Thanks

[@kennethkang8780]

Looks like using a cage will compensate minimum weight and works.

[@johannaranjo1564]

Excellent review thanks

[@ScottDumas]

Thanks so much for watching :)

[@jonnyfarmer]

Great review!

[@evtimstefanov8377]

Great video! Thank you!

[@supremeomegacompany]

Please scott can you make a comparison between crane2s and dji rsc2. I dont know the one to get and also their image transmission. Pls if you can how long can we wait?

[@ScottDumas]

I'd love to but unfortunately don't have either gimbal! I will if I can get my hands on them

[@babygirlafricaentertainment]

Amazing thank you 🙏

[@julsortega5912]

what an amazing gears!! loved it for me zhiyun weebill s 😍🤧💖

[@ScottDumas]

Thanks!! Same here! Shockingly good little gimbal :)

[@julsortega5912]

I wish I can afford that too 🙏

[@bdog1636]

🤣 softer locks? Squisshy or lose? Yeah pal great review.

[@randommanila5747]

something about? subjective

[@dronetheworld4k67]

i honestly cant justify throwing 300+$ on a gimbal that can only stabilize the footage ! i fail to find any useful features in a gimbal, besides the big weird looking bulky size which makes it look weird in public ! i wanted a gimbal that can support zooming for my fz2500 and so far i cant find any ! also i rely on zooming a lot for my videos but cant find any bulky gimbal that can support that, i really wish we get rid of those bulky junk, mobile phones nowadays some of them have built in gimbal lens as well as the Sony AX53 they dont require a gimbal at all, not sure if ANY DSLR or lens has that yet despite DSLRs high cost, i truly can achieve better smooth zooming (but not panning or stabilization) than any other gimbal out there, just hope one day we get Gimbal built into lenses and DSLR and throw those trashy bulky gimbals to where they belong !... or just stick to our phones shooting videos !..

[@activ8me3]

Old vid, new comment: AK2000S is just a shame of a product. I have to throw mine away after little usage, because the shitty not replaceable battery does not charge. It's a horrible built quality with huge design errors. A product exclusively for decoration purposes with non-existent support. It's me and others that its miserable EOL have to throw the crap into the waste and feel bad - and poorer.

[@saraspics]

Very helpful. Thank you!!

[@Cool_Brazil]

Excellent review!