Over the last few years, Zhiyun has been aggressively going after DJI in the crowded handheld stabilizer market by offering high quality, pro-level handheld stabilizers like the new Weebill 3.
The Weebill 3 takes everything that was popular with the previous Weebill 2 gimbal and adds a bunch of improvements and new features.
Some of those features include improved ergonomics, longer lasting battery life, build-in microphone and the addition of a built-in 1,000 lumen LED light.
If you are familiar with the Weebill 2, one of the first differences you will notice is the improved ergonomics of the device, what Zhiyun is calling the Sling 2.0 design.
The new design features 3 key upgrades, a restructured L-shape handle (included in the Weebill 3 Combo package), a new wrist level rest and a repositioned, extendable sling grip that Zhiyun says will provide 40% more support to an operators wrist by shifting the weight to the arm.
Zhiyun also says that moving the sling grip to the bottom of the gimbal also provides better stability when shooting at low-angles.
The grip also features integrated controls, such as thumb buttons, a mini control stick that adjusts the movement of the head and a finger trigger and customizable wheel that can be set to specific pre-programmed shooting modes and movements.
View ZHIYUN Weebill 3 Gimbal Pricing and Availability at Vistek
The large, 7,800 mAh internal battery, supports fast charging in less that 2 hours to 100% capacity and the company says it should supply power for up to 21 hours. The battery can also be used to pass through power (5V/1A) to attached cameras via a cable when necessary.
The Weebill 3 also features a new quick release system with a dual quick-release plate and an embedded magnetic wrench. Once the gimbal is balanced, the quick-release plate can be detached and re-attached without the need for re-balancing.
The Weebill 3 uses a 10th generation algorithm to help remove subtle shakes in footage and works by re-tuning the running curves based on practical data.
Zhiyun didn’t specify a maximum payload weight, but rather a list of cameras that are compatible with the gimbal. DSLRs and Mirrorless models from most major brands are included in the list which can be found here.
As mentioned at the top, the other big feature upgrades are the addition of a built-in “fill light” and microphone.
The both are located on the right hand arm of the head with the light located above the microphone as shown in the image to the right.
The 1,000 lumen ‘fill light’ is colour temperature adjustable and the microphone offers forward focused cardioid recording as well as a noise-cancelling feature.
Key Features
- Compact body weighing only 1.1kg
- New Sling Mode 2.0: wrist rest and the extendable sling grip save more than 40% effort
- Vertical shooting without reinstalling the camera
- Built-in Fill Light & Hi-Fi microphone
- Next-level Quick Release System
- PD fast charging