NEW: Freevision VILTA-M PRO smartphone & iPhone gimbal

NEW: Freevision VILTA-M PRO

In the last couple of years, the popularity of smartphone gimbals has exploded. So it’s no surprise there are now many many different models of smartphone gimbals appearing on the market. There’s also a few good lesser priced ones too.

For those of us who focus on shooting smooth video on our mobile devices, a gimbal gives far superior stabilization to any current inbuilt EIS or OIS available. Anyway, it’s not just about stabilizing your camera, it’s also about adding flowing camera movements that are simply not possible holding your smartphone in your hand.

There are 2 standout leaders in the gimbal field: the Zhiyun Smooth 4 and the DJI Osmo Mobile 2. They have the advantage of being integrated into the FiLMiC Pro camera app as well. More expensive but also well regarded is the Movi Cinema Robot.

For a while now, there has been little in the way of threat to these gimbals’ position as best performers. Freevision have already had their VILTA-M out for some time, which is certainly one of the better gimbals for iPhones and smartphones. But now they have brought out a new “PRO” version.

So how does it compare to others?

The first thing to notice is that the Freevision VILTA-M Pro is bigger and heavier than the old VILTA-M. This suggests a more serious piece of kit, but perhaps a less portable one.

One advantage of the bigger gimbal is that larger phones can be mounted – up to 90mm (3.54 inches) – and can carry a heavier device (up to 275g). The bigger battery claims to last for up to 17 hours (compared to Zhiyun Smooth 4’s 12 hours). On the downside, the device weighs in at 650 grams (1.43 pounds).

There’s a list of extra features involving mounting the phone, with an easy switch from vertical to horizontal mode and wireless charging from the mount back-pad.

More serious controls

Another feature you will quickly notice is the VILTA-M Pro’s impressive looking controls.

The focus wheel, for example, is customizable to allow manual ISO adjustment. But in general, there’s a long list of option made available from all these buttons, joystick and control wheels.

There’s a Freevision app (FVShare) which allows you to connect your smartphone to the gimbal controls via bluetooth. This then allows you some manual control over your video settings such as shutter speed, ISO, white balance and so on.

On the down side, the focus wheel performs poorly when used as a zoom wheel, giving somewhat jerky movements instead of the desired smooth zoom. Having said that, using the focus wheel you can set up some nice automated focus pulls.

The Scene Mode Selector button allows you to switch between Custom, Walking and Sport modes. There’s a dedicated record button on the handle, so you don’t need to keep tapping your screen.

The front finger trigger allows you to move through various other gimbal modes. For example, Semi-Follow Mode, Full Follow Mode and 3 trigger taps returns to the gimbal to its default position. After that, there is Point Of View Mode and holding the trigger down puts the gimbal into “Inception Mode” (where the gimbal rotates smoothly so your camera does a barrel roll).

Watch the excellent review by Vortez here.

Tracking features

“The IntelliTrace/Track Me function of VILTA M has more precise recognition and faster tracking capability, rendering you better experience of shooting on the go.” Freevision

Some gimbals include a object tracking feature which allows the camera to follow people or objects as they move around. This is something DJI added to their Osmo Pocket. Obviously, there’s a limit to what this feature can achieve – objects moving too fast will be lost.

But this can be a useful function to have if you are looking at doing some talking to camera videos or vlogs. especially if you are filming solo and therefore don’t have a camera operator to track your movements.

Beyond Reviews do a great demonstration of this feature on the VILTA-M Pro here.

A more heavy duty gimbal

Some smartphone filmmakers use gimbals designed for DSLRs because they prefer the bigger, tougher gimbal. Other prefer the advantages of the smaller smartphone gimbals. This Freevision VILTA-M Pro seems to fall in the middle.

So if you like the idea of a something more heavyweight with more control options, then this gimbal could be for you. The VILTA-M Pro costs a little more than the popular competition, but not too much more.

Find Freevision VILTA-M Pro on Amazon

Eager to learn more?
Join our weekly newsletter featuring inspiring stories, no-budget filmmaking tips and comprehensive equipment reviews to help you turn your film projects into reality!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.