DJI Osmo Mobile 2 vs Zhiyun Smooth 4 2023: Which Is Better For You

DJI Osmo mobile two and Zhiyun Smooth 4 have been the most popular smartphones gimbals on the market. Both have identical price tags and offer a multitude of similar features. They also have a reputation as must-have accessories in smartphone videography. This blog will compare the performance between DJI Osmo Mobile 2 vs Zhiyun Smooth 4, in various aspects. Find out if both are equally capable in your use by reading on!

DJI Osmo Mobile 2

The Osmo Mobile 2 from DJI contains the most advanced video stabilizing technology. This gimbal will ensure smooth footage in any situation. The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 will protect your footage whether you are skating and getting tiny vibrations from your movements or jumping,

Bluetooth is the only way to operate the OM 2, so your phone must be connected to it in order to access various functions. It also has a battery, which you will need to charge. The best part is that DJI can squeeze the most out of its battery. A single charge can provide up to 15 hours of battery life.

There are many shortcuts for DJI right on your handle, including shutter, live streaming, zoom in and out, time-lapse, auto-tracking, shutter, stop video recording, shutter, and shutter. There are buttons to start and stop live streaming, shutter, zoom in or out, time-lapse, and auto-tracking.

The OM 2 comes with a camera adapter, which allows you to use it with different GoPro Hero models, such as the Xiaomi Yi and many other devices.

The OM 2 works with all smartphones currently on the market — the OM 2 will work with any iPhone X, iPhone 8, or Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.

Zhiyun Smooth 4.

The Smooth 4 is a more affordable option if you are looking for something that’s a bit less expensive. This is a less expensive option than the DJI OM 2, and users seem to love it.

The Smooth 4’s price is much lower than that of the OM 2. That’s the main draw, but it does offer many similar features to the Smooth 4. The handle includes features such as the shutter, auto-tracking and time–lapse.

Bluetooth is also supported by the Smooth 4. This means that you will need to connect your smartphone to the Smooth 4 in order for 52 of the remote functions to work. The Smooth 4 is Bluetooth and does not operate from your phone’s batteries. It, therefore, needs to be charged.

The only problem with the Smooth 4 is the need to adjust the gimbal before starting recording manually. Zhiyun has a few videos that show you how to adjust the gimbal to activate stabilization. However, you must move it towards a tilt motor in order to achieve this effect.

DJI Osmo Mobile 2 vs Zhiyun Smooth 4

Capacity To Load

The majority of smartphones currently on the market weigh between 0.35 and 0.0.4 pounds, which means that both gimbals can support them. The DJI OM 2 has a maximum load of 0.53 pounds, while the Smooth 4 is close behind at 0.46 pounds.

As we have already mentioned, the DJI Gimbal has a clear advantage in terms of load capacity over Zhiyun’s gimbal. Both gimbals can support smartphones from major brands such as Apple, Samsung, and Google. However, the Smooth 4 might struggle to mount a good mountable lens.

The additional load capacity of DJI’s gimbal helps you to be ready for future upgrades. Smartphones tend to become lighter with smaller technology, but you never know when the next-generation smartphone will be heavier.

The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 scores even more points by knowing that your gimbal can handle this higher load, which allows you to upgrade your smartphone without also upgrading your gimbal.

Battery Life And Charging

Next, DJI dominates in the area of maximum battery time. The OM 2 has around 15 hours of power per full charge, while the Smooth 4 is close behind with twelve hours. We don’t put too much emphasis on battery time and, although DJI is the clear winner, twelve hours is plenty for most people.

A USB power bank is becoming more popular among vloggers who are using their smartphones to record videos. You can charge your phone while you are on the move to capture the footage you want. You can also use your power bank to charge your gimbal if it has enough output. This will keep your devices running.

The OM 2 as well as the Smooth 4, both two-way support charging. You can connect your smartphone to one of these gimbals while you are recording and charging the battery with the gimbals. This is an amazing tool that can help you last hours even without a USB power bank. 4k video can drain your battery quickly.

The recharge time is one area where the gimbals seem to be tied. Both gimbals require three hours to charge from empty to full using a wall-based power source. This is not a problem, but the OM 2 has an additional three hours of battery time.

It can be recharged using a wall-based power outlet in three hours. You get more value from the DJI gimbal than the Zhiyun.

Video

We love to show real examples of footage shot with the gimbals that we feature, and today is no exception. The video clips shown above were recorded with the DJI Osmo Mobile 2 to show you exactly what you can expect.

This was the only area where the DJI lagged behind Zhiyun’s gimbal before DJI updated the OM 2 software. The sample video below was recorded using the most recent firmware at the time of writing. It shows the outstanding image stabilization available.

The clips below will show you how to use the DJI Gimbal to enhance the quality of your videos, whether you’re a travel blogger or in a niche that uses slow-motion video. Improved image quality is a great way to ensure that everyone who sees your content subscribes or follows you.

The entire system works extremely quickly, providing smooth, fluid image stabilization without lag. The OM 2’s gimbal sensors are similar to those on the Smooth 4 and can detect motions very quickly. The balancing algorithm tells the gimbal engines how to best compensate for detected motions and ensures smooth video.

This is our favorite sample footage of the Zhiyun Smooth 4. As you can see, it has image stabilization that is comparable to OM 2. This is where Zhiyun has always excelled, as most people care more about image quality than battery time and load capacity.

DJI continues to push the boundaries to take Zhiyun off the top and make DJI the leading gimbal brand. They quickly released an update to ensure that their OM 2 was as good as the Smooth 4. People care most about the price of their gimbals. At the time of writing, both gimbals are priced the same. This means that the DJI gimbal has a higher load capacity and longer battery time than the Zhiyun.

The Zhiyun system is very similar to the DJI system. This allows you to achieve the best image stabilization possible as fast as possible. The latest Moza gimbals and the DJI and Zhiyun balance algorithms are far ahead of any other brands.

User Interface and Control System

Both gimbals have a different control interface system. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. The product you choose may depend on your use of the gimbal and your experience with using them.

We will go over the details below. The DJI OM 2 is the easiest gimbal stabilizer system if you are a beginner videographer. The Smooth 4 is a better choice if you’re a more advanced videographer who wants to adjust the settings and customize your gimbal as you like.

The system is easy to learn, and you can quickly capture any footage you need. However, it can be difficult to adjust gimbal settings and perform advanced controls from the gimbal.

You can see that the Zhiyun Smooth 4’s control interface is shown in the above image. It has many more features. This may seem intimidating if you’re new to gimbals. However, it’s actually quite simple and will take you a bit longer to master than the DJI system.

The Zhiyun system is capable of providing everything a beginner gimbal user needs. However, advanced users will find it to be extremely useful. It makes it simple to control your gimbal, adjust it as needed during sessions to get exactly what you want.

Zhiyun did a fantastic job of making sure that the system was responsive in both wet and cold conditions. You will be able to control your phone gimbal regardless of what format you use. Although the magic wheel offers the same functionality as the DJIs system, it may not be used for the purpose you intend.

Smartphone App

Both DJI and Zhiyun have a pretty good smartphone app. The Zhiyun app, which was abandoned over a year ago, has been completely redesigned to fix the many issues it had. It also features a navigation menu that is more user-friendly and has additional functionality.

Smartphone apps often overlook one of the most important uses of smartphone gimbal stabilizers, which is their wireless remote control functionality. Remote control of the head of a gimbal can be used for DSLR or mirrorless cameras. A smartphone gimbal mounts your phone to the actual gimbal. This allows you to remotely control the head of the gimbal from your smartphone.

Both apps offer quick and easy access to your gimbal settings, allowing you to adjust their performance as needed. We would rate the DJI app higher, but it is still a very limited user interface. The gimbals ship with an excellent default configuration that is optimized for smartphones, so most people won’t need to change it.

Buttons and Control

If you are considering purchasing one of these gimbals, it will come down to personal preference. Which buttons suit your shooting style better?

Both have shortcut buttons for auto tracking, start and stop recording, shutter, time-lapse, shutter, and other functions. However, the Osmo Mobile 2 features a joystick with only a few buttons. The Smooth 4 has many shortcut buttons as well as a focus/zoom wheel that allows for greater control and prevents you from using a touchscreen when shooting.

Both gimbals can be set up in Pan, Follow, and Lock Shooting modes. However, the Smooth 4’s trigger button is located on the backside of the handle. This allows you to quickly switch between gimbal modes (up or down). The Smooth 4’s trigger button is ideal for quick-paced shooting. While the Osmo Mobile 2 locks only in one direction, position, or Pan Follow mode, it will lock in any other direction.

The Osmo Mobile 2 comes with a joystick, which allows you to record or take pictures. This is an option that Smooth 4 does not have.

Smooth 4 lets you pause the recording and not have to turn off the gimbal. You can simply place your phone in a convenient position and then pull it back without waiting for the device to turn on.

Balancing

Many people are afraid to balance their handheld gimbal stabilizers. This is a mistake. Gimbals today are fantastic bits of kit. They have simple and quick balancing systems, which are easy to use. The Smooth 4 and OM 2 are smartphone gimbals, meaning that they can balance approximately 0.4 pounds of load capacity.

Although they are slightly different, the DJI and Zhiyun systems are very similar. The instructions in the manuals clearly explain the process. We doubt you will have to use this tutorial, but there are many videos on YouTube that show how to balance the gimbals.

Quality and Design

A phone gimbal’s most essential and overlooked feature is its ability to adjust the axis quickly so that you can switch between portrait and landscape mode as needed. Many people add a gimbal as an accessory to their smartphone because they use it for YouTube and other social media.

Landscape video footage is better suited for YouTube than portrait, and portrait works better on sites like Instagram than Landscape. Smooth 4 supports the solid feature of being able to rotate your gimbal head quickly and easily through ninety degrees to switch between the two.

Both gimbals are very similar in design and feature little innovation. This is a common practice these days, as most handheld gimbals on the market today are variations of one another in design. We will therefore tie both gimbals together in this design category.

We will also call this a tie on the build quality. Although there are small differences between the gimbals they have, the differences are small enough that it is easier to tie them. The OM 2, as well as the Smooth 4, are lighter and smaller than other products. They can be easily transported if necessary.

They are lightweight, so you can hold them for long periods of time with your smartphone attached to them. While some gimbals are lighter than others in the smartphone market, they can cause arm and hand pain after a while. This is not an issue with the featured gimbals, as they both are lightweight.

Both the Osmo Mobile 2 & Smooth 4 are made of almost identical materials, so they are equally strong. This is despite the fact that gimbals have become more common with the advent of metal alloys and plastic polymers over the years. However, it’s still quite rare to keep the products lightweight and strong. DJI and Zhiyun both have this ability.

The last area we will discuss is the build quality of the Gimbals. We have made the decision to tie them because it comes down to personal preference. Comfortable handles are important if you plan to hold the gimbal for a long time. However, we have heard reports that people prefer one handle to another. This is up to individual preference. We think both gimbals have comfortable handles.

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 vs. Zhiyun smooth 4: Mode

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 now supports slow motion, fast forward, panorama, slow motion, and delay.

•  Gesture control: OM3 can track your photos and start recording by using a few gestures.
• Story mode: OM3 uses the powerful DJI Mimo app to offer a variety of creative templates for shooting video movie theaters. These templates are easy to edit, share and share.

Zhiyun smooth 4 also has its different modes:

• PhoneGo mode: The rocker switch at the front ZHIUYUNSMOOTH 4 allows you to activate PhoneGo mode. This synchronizes motors at maximum speed, even with the smallest movements.
• Panning mode: ZHIUYUNSMOOTH 4 activates Panning mode when the Panning button is pressed. The smartphone will follow the user’s movements and move in all directions. The phone will then follow the user’s movements in all directions by pressing the pan key twice.
• Standby mode: To put the smartphone in standby mode, tilt it to the upright position. After that, the gimbal goes into standby mode and the user can accept or start phone calls.

Conclusion

The DJI Osmo Mobile 2 is the ultimate in video-stabilizing drones. It is very durable, and DJI was able to include the industry-leading stabilization technology in this gimbal. You won’t get smooth videos with any other camera. The Osmo Mobile 2 is expensive, but the Zhiyun Smooth 4 can be a good alternative. However, it has a few cons that make setting up the gimbal more difficult.

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