So, here’s the crane m2 from Zhiyun. This is a gimble that allows you to be as heavy handed and unstable as want you as want when filming, it can hold smart phones, go-pros and other small scale mirrorless cameras as well as offering a large scope for movement to keep the camera steady and level. Operating your camera using buttons on the handle is nice and easy. To use zoom and capture/record you can connect via Bluetooth or use the buttons on the handle which are very responsive and tactile. As well as being a handheld product it can also be fitted with a tripod which is a useful feature as many other devices like this are strictly bound to being handheld only. The Crane M2 includes to rechargeable lithium ion batteries which are interchangeable which I think is a huge bonus as battery life does tend deteriorate over time, this feature eliminates that problem.

Something to note is that this handle has a weight limit of around 720g, so you will probably have to keep some DSLRs and other larger devices at bay and you may have to purchase additional parts to make some cameras fit the device. Retailing at around £260 the M2 Crane is a fairly expensive bit of kit but I do think is reasonable due to its innovative design and in particular the ability to use more than one type of camera, this feature makes it stand out far more than others products like this and will definitely appeal to more people. Being both hard wearing and durable the Crane M2 is ideal for capturing fast paced activities like sports due to its impressive fluidity with movement. The Crane M2 features Six different camera modes such as, pan, lock, POV and some other modes slightly more innovative like “go” which makes its more responsive and easier to capture fast moving objects, and the bizarre vortex mode which allows you to film in a corkscrew like fashion (if needs be), although a little confusing at first the six modes offer the ability adapt to many different situations making it a great all-rounder to add to your arsenal.

RRP: £259

Website: https://www.zhiyun-tech.com/cranem2/en

Pros:

A large scope for movement

Interchangeable batteries

Is compatible with a large variety of devices

Sleek design

Cons:

Not waterproof

Interface may be confusing

Rating 4 out 5