 Do you ever find yourself wondering whether or not to invest in a mobile gimbal like this one for your smartphone filmmaking needs? I'm asking you this because nowadays, smartphones have great image stabilization. So it's actually hard to tell if you really need a smartphone gimbal. Now, to help you make this decision, I'm here to answer this question by pitting the two shooting methods against each other, handheld versus gimbal. Hey everyone, Bennett here with smartphonefilmmaking.com. For this video, I'm going to be comparing two shooting methods, handheld versus mobile gimbal and showing you the difference between them. And to make things more interactive, I'll provide two edits at the end. One containing footage shot completely handheld and the other one with a gimbal. Now, big thanks to Epidemic Sound for sponsoring this video. I'll be using their music and sound effects to create the final edit. So the gear I'll be using is the iPhone 14 Pro paired with the DJI Osmo Mobile 6. I'll use the native camera app, which everything will be filmed in 4K 60 frames per second. And by shooting 60 frames per second, I'll be able to slow down the footage and make the shakes less apparent. So with that out of way, let's dive into the challenge. Let's get into it. If you're wondering where we are, we're at a ruin called Wildenburg. So the first shot I'll be creating is the push in tilt up shot. So I'm going to start over here and then slowly push in. And as I reach the end of the tunnel, I will start moving my camera upwards. And for that, I will be using the ultra wide angle lens. This way I can fit in more in the frame and have the camera movement be more apparent. So I'm going to start by setting and locking focus and exposure. This will be our end position. So I'm going to set and lock focus. And then I'm going to walk in a constant steady motion while tilting upwards slowly. I'm going to hit the record button and then slowly walk forward and then pushing upwards. Now I'm going to do the same thing using the DJI Osmo Mobile 6. And I must say for longer shots like these, I feel comfortable using a gimbal instead of going handheld. And I'm going to set the gimbal to follow mode this way I can push up the camera in the end. Again, I'm going to set and lock focus, start recording and go. So the next thing I'm going to do is create a gypshot. I'm going to start low and then move the camera upwards to reveal the ruin. And I'm going to start by using the ultra wide angle lens again and then I'm going to set and lock focus on the ruin. And then I'm going to start low. I'm going to hit the record button and then slowly push upwards like that. Right, I'm going to do the same thing with the gimbal. What I can do is actually go like this and then move upwards. So again, I'm going to set and lock focus and exposure. So this is going to be the end position. I'm going to hold the trigger button, move downwards and then hit the record button and move upwards. The next thing I'm going to do is create an orbit shot around this ruin. I'm going to walk in a circular motion. And while I'm doing that, I will also reveal the sun behind this ruin. So let's do that right away. I'm going to select the ultra wide angle lens. I'm going to set and lock focus and exposure. Once I'm ready, I'm going to hit the record button and I'm going to make sure the ruin is centered in the frame as I move in a circular motion. All right, here's my gimbal. I'm going to set and lock focus and exposure. Once I'm ready, I'm going to hit the record button and go. Next thing I'm going to do is create a rotation shot. This is where I pull back the camera and twisted at the same time. And we're going to start off handheld. And I will use these two trees to emphasize movement as I twist back with the camera. And for this, I'm going to use the ultra wide angle lens. So I'm going to set and lock focus and exposure. And I'm going to angle my camera a little bit. And then once I'm ready, I'm going to hit the record button and then slowly rotate it as I move backwards. All right. Now the advantage of using this gimbal is that I can set it to rotation mode, which allows me to use the joystick to rotate the camera. Again, I'm going to choose the ultra wide angle lens. I'm going to set and lock focus and exposure. And then I'm going to angle it. And then once I'm ready, I'm going to hit the record button and then slowly twist backwards. All right, guys. Before we continue, let's talk about today's sponsor epidemic sound. Music and sound effects play an important part in any video and help enhance the overall experience. It's important that you find good quality music and sound that match the tone and feel of your video. All of the b-rolls you've seen so far were edited with the music from Epidemic Sound. They're an amazing platform with a huge music library and sound effects to fit any video style. What's great is that you can find music easily with their intuitive search function. You can search by genre, mood and themes. And there are even curated playlist and albums to make your search even easier. Now like I mentioned for the final video edit where I will be piecing all of the clips together, I will add a song from Epidemic Sound that feels adventurous and cinematic. And on top of that, I will add sound effects such as a whoosh for those awesome speed ramps effects and nature sound such as wind, birds and blowing leaves to make the video more realistic and immersive. And what's great is that I don't have to worry about copyright issues when using Epidemic Sound as everything is already taken care of. The good news for you is that if you use the link in the video description below, you can explore their music and try it out for 30 days free of charge. So guys, if you're in need for high quality music and sound effects, head over to Epidemic Sound and give it a try. Now before we get into the final video, I still have a few camera movements left and then we're gonna look at the final results. So I'm here at this beautiful waterfall and I'm gonna try to create a low shot. And I know this is going to be difficult because the floor is uneven and I really have to push forward as much as I can to really make the shot look more dynamic. So we're gonna start off handheld. I'm gonna use the ultra wide angle lens and then I'm gonna tap hold to lock focus on an exposure on waterfall. And then I'm gonna get low to the ground and then once I'm ready, I'm gonna push with my whole body forward, okay? And while I do that, I'm gonna make sure the horizon is leveled. I think that is the most difficult part and I'm gonna do this in a steady and slow motion. So once I'm ready, hit the record button and go. So next up is using a gimbal. Again, I'm gonna set and lock focus on the waterfall. Gonna use the extension pole and I feel it's much easier having the built-in extension pole, especially for shots like this. And then I'm gonna place the gimbal upside down and then once I'm ready, I'm gonna hit the record button and then push forward and go. So the next shot will be a little bit easier. I'm gonna create a slide shot and I'm just gonna use the standard lens for that. I'm gonna first set and lock focus. When creating your slide shot, it's important to move with your entire body in a steady and constant motion. So I'm ready, I'm gonna hit the record button and then slowly slide from right to left. All right, so I'm now gonna use the gimbal. I'm gonna set and lock focus and exposure. Gonna position the camera. What's great about using a gimbal for this shot is that I can press hold the trigger button to lock all of the motors. This way the focus point will stay fixed and the camera won't move in any other direction. And then once I'm ready, I'm gonna hit the record button and then slide from right to left. Nice. So the next shot will be a gypshot and I'm gonna start very low and then work my way up to reveal the waterfall. For that, I'm gonna use the wide lens and I'm gonna set and lock focus on the waterfall and then I'm gonna start very low. I'm gonna hit the record button and then I'm gonna move with my body upwards and go. Slowly move upwards. So again, I'm gonna set and lock focus and I'm gonna get low to the ground. And once I'm ready, I'm gonna hit the record button. I've set it to follow mode, three, two, one and go. All right, so now that we have all of the shots, let's compare them starting with the video that was shot on a gimbal. So let's now move over to the second video where I shot everything handheld. Now, I think both clips came out really well. So do you actually need a gimbal? To answer this question, let me list the pros and cons of using one. The pros are a gimbal helps keep your horizon leveled whereas shooting handheld, you constantly have to keep an eye on it. A gimbal is also very useful for longer moving shots or action activities where you have to follow a subject, for example. And when it comes to moving backwards, shooting handheld can become very difficult. A gimbal also allows you to achieve more complex shots such as creating a low shot, for example. This way you don't have to bend your body into an uncomfortable position and can really use the extension pole for that. And last but not least, a gimbal also extends the functionality of your smartphone where you can use features like smart tracking to keep the subject in the frame. But what about the cons? Well, yes, they can be pricey. However, I don't consider this a con because compared to traditional gimbals, they are actually quite affordable. You don't have to get the latest mobile gimbal. You can also use something like the DJI OM4 which I have used for quite a long time and is still a great option. Lastly, it takes some time to learn how to use a gimbal. You will have to learn how to balance your phone on it, how to operate with it and learn about the different features available to take full advantage of a gimbal. So with that said, if you master shooting handheld, you could do a lot without a gimbal. However, for certain type of shots, having a gimbal can be very helpful. I always bring one with me whenever possible because it doesn't take up much space. The setup time is quick and most of all, it gives me more possibilities and allows me to capture smooth shots more easily. Now, if you have difficulties mastering handheld shots with your phone, I do have a video that will help you fix those shaky looking footage. So make sure to check that out over here. And you also wanna make sure to check out my online course, smartphonefilmmaking.com where there's a section of mastering your handheld shots as well as your gimbal. So if you're interested in that, make sure to check that out as well. Until then, thank you so much for watching. I'm gonna head back home and you guys take care. See ya.