Zhiyun Smooth X Vs XS 2023: Which Is Better For You

Zhiyun Smooth X vs XS  is the perfect balance of portability and power. Both of these models share a four-propeller design to keep your phone stabilized and provide enough performance for traveling long distances. In this blog, we will be comparing these two models and analyzing their features.

Zhiyun Smooth X Vs XS

Smooth XS

Pros:

• Competitive price
• Compact size
• Built-in extension rod
• Includes a tripod stand

Cons:

• Two-axis stabilization doesn’t always guarantee a stable shot
• You will need to go through the app in order to access additional features.
• Initial shipment to the wrong address. This was corrected.
• Handle quickly

Smooth X

Pros

• Great stabilization
• Compact and small
• Affordable

Cons

• Plastic construction
• ZY Cami app doesn’t work with every phone

What’s in The Box?

The concept of the Smooth X smart gimbals and Smooth Xs smart are very similar. The Smooth Xs and the Smooth Pro versions of the SmoothX would be described as an amalgamation of the SmoothXs and the Smooth Xs. This difference is obvious as soon as you open the box.

Smooth X boxes include the Smooth X gimbal and a startup guide. This is it. The Smooth Xs box, on the other hand, comes with the gimbal, a startup guide, and the USB-C cable. It also includes a storage bag, safety hand strap, a storage pouch, and even a small tripod. Although not essential, these accessories make a big difference to the overall experience.

Zhiyun Smooth XS Vs X- Design

Although the two gimbals may look identical at first, Zhiyum has made some key improvements to the Xs. The smooth X can be purchased in gray and white. However, the SmoothXs are available in ivory, pearly pink, and lemon yellow, navy blue

The white one is still my choice, but it was nice to know that there are other options. The second design change was in the opening and closing of the gimbal. Before you can open the Smooth X, it had to be turned at an odd angle and twisted. Although it was something I learned to live with, the Smooth Xs opened much more smoothly. The Smooth Xs also packs much more easily than the Smooth X.

Zhiyun made significant changes to the grip. The Smooth X has a plastic grip on the buttons. Smooth Xs provides indentations, ridges, and other features that make it easier to hold the gimbal. This is a huge help, as an iPhone Pro max with a heavyweight attached needs all the support it can get.

The buttons on both gimbals are identical, which makes them work perfectly. Both the Smooth Xs and Xs have a selfie stick that can easily be extended to take better photos.

Battery and Stabilization

Smooth-X and XS have 2-axis gimbals that only correct pan and roll orientations. They do not correct tilt. They can also ease through left-right turns and keep the phone level with the horizon. However, there is no motor to move up and down. Zhiyun claims that most phones can stabilize video sufficiently well to compensate for any jerkiness. In practice, this is true. Although you won’t be able to achieve the exact look of a 3-axis Gimbal, I believe most people will be satisfied with the results.

You have to be more attentive to your framing if you are going to give up tilt control. After a while, my arm began to drift down, and the camera was angled too high or too low. Although it’s not a major problem, it is something to be aware of.

Telescoping handles can also help you get steady footage. It can be extended to get shots at a reasonable distance without having to extend your arm. This eliminates the fatigue your shoulder might feel holding a normal gimbal for several hours.

Zhiyun estimates that both models will last for 4 hours, but they may reach as high as 5.5 hours if the phone is properly balanced. Although I’m not a scientist when it comes to measuring time, this seems about right. It should last for 4 hours, as it won’t be continuously running. Both models take around 3 hours to charge.

Features

The Smooth X and SmoothXs share the exact same features. You will need to activate these features by connecting them to your phone via Bluetooth. This application allows users to access all of the cool features that make gimbals unique.

It was easy to set up. It connects easily to both the Smooth X as well as the X. However, I had to create an account which was a little annoying. I don’t see why an account is necessary.

The fun starts once everything is set up. Cool features such as object tracking and face recognition are available on the gimbals. The gimbal can track your movements by following you as you move left and right. This is very helpful when running after pets that are jumping.

Another cool feature of the Smooth X is that it can be operated without the use of hands. You can use gesture controls to control the recording, stop and restart the recording, and even start the tracking if you have them set up on a tripod. It is much easier to film your own footage.

Companion App

Zhiyun will now separate its consumer gimbals and pro gear. Products like the Smooth X, XS, and the Crane 2S will use a new ZY Cami app while big rigs such as the Crane 2S will continue to use ZY Play. The ZY Cami app has been improved and is more user-friendly. To activate Smooth-X or XS, you will need to install it and then use it once. After that, it can be uninstalled at your discretion. It’s possible to still keep it because it works within the app, and the advanced shooting modes make it worthwhile.

It supports all the smart features found in gimbal apps such as subject tracking, gesture controls, and Story Mode (several guided photos that are made into short videos and then set to music). There are several shooting modes, including hyper-lapse, motion lapse, timelapse and 180-degree panoramas. You can adjust the frame rate, shutter speed, and exposure manually. Glamour Effects can be used to smoothen skin or modify facial features.

ZY Cami also includes a decent video editor that can be used to create special effects, transitions, filters, and transitions. It also supports templates and subtitle support. Although it’s not as powerful as Premiere Rush and PowerDirector, it is still a great video editor that can be used to create sequences using Google Photos.

The app includes additional features for those who really want to explore.

Shooting Modes

SMooth X

ZY Cami’s shooting modes are similar to the iPhone’s native interface. I found it easy to navigate through the various shooting modes. In a matter of minutes, I was able to learn how each option worked.

Smart Mode

• This mode is for those who aren’t familiar with fancy gimbal movements. Smart Mode offers a few templates to guide Smooth X’s movements.
• If the video template that you are using has pans or swivels in it, your Smooth X will perform those movements when you shoot.
• Each template contains at least four movements, each lasting 30 seconds. All of these options are available, and SmoothX will combine them into one video.
• This feature is very useful, especially as I’m a novice when it comes to gimbals. This feature allows me to perform fancy pan moves without needing to learn how it is done manually.

Pano Mode

• We usually take Panos by moving the phone manually from one side to the other. The Smooth X, however, is a gimbal that automatically pans the phone with precision.
• Smooth X creates a pano from seven photos and stitches them together in the ZY Cami App.
• Smooth X will capture a panorama by simply pressing the shutter button. The gimbal can be held while you shoot or placed on a tripod.

Photo Mode

• This mode is great for taking selfies. It also features gesture control and a self-timer. To make it follow and take photos, all you need to do is wave your hands.
• Glamour Effects are also available in Photo Mode (more details later). These effects smoothen skin, increase the size of your eyes, and make you appear thinner.

Video

• Video mode offers the same features as photo modes, but you can also enjoy them in video mode.
• Smooth X’s video feature, like photo modes, has Gesture Control as well as Glamour Effects.
• Glamour Effects are so fast and easy to use, even when recording live. It tracked my eyes perfectly when I selected the Enlarge effect, which increases my eyes size.
• ZY Cami, like any good video app, lets you set your frame rate and aspect ratio. However, it can capture grainy footage in low-light situations. If you don’t want to end up with unusable footage, it is best to keep your clips in bright areas.

Time-lapse

• The best thing about the time-lapse function is the ability to set the path for video movements. You can program the camera to move in different directions while it takes pictures.
• You can also set the duration and interval in time-lapse mode. You can control how often and for how long you want the camera to take photos.
• The time-lapse feature does not have manual settings. If you are in low-light conditions, it is best to make sure your smartphone has an auto-exposure feature.

Hyperlapse

• In the last few years, hyper-lapse has been very popular. It’s great to know that Smooth X also has this feature.
• Hyperlapse mode allows you to change the resolution and speed of your videos. You have the option to choose between 5x and 30x.
• My experience has shown that the hyper-lapse works well. However, you should not move aggressively. The final video shows some of the jitters I felt after making substantial strides.

Livestream

• Smooth X is a great accessory for vloggers because it has the Livestream feature. This mode supports Kwai Restream, Kwai Livestream, and the RTMP.
• Kwai Livestream or Restream don’t have accounts. However, I was able to link my Youtube account via RTMP.
• It was as easy as copying and pasting my streaming link to Cami, and it connected me within a matter of minutes.

Smooth XS

Smart Mode

You can create movies using these free templates. You can use it as a director to guide you in choosing the best angles to capture stunning videos.

It was not something I often used because most of the options didn’t suit my style. It’s great for creating quick, engaging Instagram stories in just minutes.

Pano Mode

The Zhiyun Smooth XS smartphone gimbal does Panos automatically.

Select Pano Mode, then press the shutter button. As it pans left to right, the smartphone gimbal automatically takes several photos. The smartphone gimbal then stitches together the images to create a stunning panorama.

Use the tripod included with this model. This will ensure that your panoramas are straight.

Photo Mode

The Zhiyun Smooth XS includes a selfie stick. It’s hard to resist taking selfies with the Zhiyun Smooth XS.

The shutter button on the handle allows you to snap a photo by pressing it.

You can set your own self-timer if you need to take a portrait from the smartphone gimbal. You can also use gesture control instead.

Video

Yes, it’s fun to take selfies with Zhiyun Smooth XS. Video is the real strength of this gimbal. It’s a gimbal, after all.

The XS does not have a tilt stabilizer, which is what normally corrects walking’s up-and-down motions. It’s therefore not as smooth as Zhiyun Smooth 3.

As you can see, slow walking and tiptoeing can give you cinematic results. This reduces jerky walking movements.

Although the footage may not be the smoothest, it is still a lot better than using a handheld camera.

Time-Lapse

A time-lapse feature is a must in any video app. The ZY Cami allows you to select how many shots and the interval you wish to use.

Professional intervalometers give you the ability to control the appearance and length of your video.

Hyperlapse

Hyperlapse is simply an animated version of time-lapse. It can be used to capture scenes while riding in a car or walking.

The Hyperlapse mode of Zhiyun Smooth XS allows you to change the resolution and speed of your video. You can change the resolution and speed of your video from 5x to 30x.

The greater the number, the more rapid the movements are and the shorter the duration.

Hyperlapse mode has a downside. You’ll feel some wobbling when you use it while you walk. This video was shot inside my car, and it wasn’t as smooth or easy as I wanted. The result was satisfactory, however.

Livestream

The Zhiyun SmoothX is a great accessory for vloggers, thanks to its Livestream feature. This mode supports Kwai Restream, Kwai Livestream, and the RTMP.

It would be great if it could connect to Instagram or Facebook, as many people prefer that.

Conclusion

When you buy a gimbal, you want to buy the best one. This is why Zhiyun is recognized as one of the top brands. You can easily tell that they always put their heart and soul into every product that they come up with. Most people praise its high performance and excellent functionality. Another thing that sets it apart from others is its durable construction. You can tell how sturdy it is by looking at the materials used in the making of this model.

Smooth X and Smooth XS both make great products for those who want the best out of their smartphones’ cameras. The Smooth Xs’ design, opening, and closing mechanism, as well as additional accessories, make them a better choice. Although they aren’t required, these three changes have had a significant effect on the experience.