Zhiyun releases Smooth XS, a fun 2-axis smartphone gimbal

Chinese gimbal maker Zhiyun has released its latest smartphone gimbal, Smooth XS, a colorful take on the Smooth X released earlier this year. The Smooth XS has gained a few new colors, a sliding mechanism, and a $75 price tag.

What’s new?

The Zhiyun Smooth XS comes with two major differences over the Smooth S, the new color options, and the new sliding folding and unfolding mechanism. The new gimbal comes in four colors, Ivory White, Pearly Pink, Lemon Yellow, and Navy Blue. Currently, the white and pink colors are only available via Zhiyun’s online store.

The new sliding mechanism means the gimbal can fold down into a smaller size and removes the need for the gimbal to be swung out to be used. It will be interesting to see how the locking system wears over time.

The Smooth XS has also picked up a new price tag of $74.99, a $15 premium over the Smooth S smartphone gimbal.

The Smooth XS

The Smooth XS is a 246-gram gimbal designed to improve your smartphone footage at a low cost in comparison to other gimbals. The Smooth XS features a joystick to control the movement of the gimbal, a slider to zoom in on objects along with a mode and record button.

To get the most out of the gimbal and to use the intelligent features, you are required to use the ZY Cami app. This lets you control the gimbal and your smartphone with gestures and automates slow motion, timelapses, and panoramas. The app also comes packed with templates allowing you to share your footage straight to social media without the hassle of having to edit it.

What’s different?

Looking at the spec page of the Smooth XS and Smooth X, there are a few differences when it comes to the operation of the gimbal. Taking a look at the extending pole, the Smooth XS can only extend out to 10 inches while the Smooth S can extend to 20 inches.

The operating range of the Smooth XS is 268 degrees on the roll axis and 290 degrees on the pan axis, whereas the Smooth S has an operating range of 285 degrees on the roll axis and 300 degrees on the pan axis.

Photo: Zhiyun