ZHIYUN CRANE–M3 Pro vs. DJI RSC 2: Which One Should You Choose?
Rent film gear from local filmmakers.
Rent film gear from local filmmakers.
- Touch Screen Size – 1.22inch
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0; Operation Voltage: 9.6V – 12.6V
- Battery Capacity – 1150mAh; 8-Hour Runtime
- OLED-Touchscreen – 1 inch
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0; USB-C
- Battery Capacity – 3400mAh; 14-Hour Runtime
Are you tired of trying to walk around with your camera, holding it still but ending up with shaky footage?
Then you should probably get a gimbal.
We look at two of the most exciting gimbals on the market when comparing the ZHIYUN CRANE–M3 Pro vs. DJI RSC 2. Read along to learn all the features, pros, and cons and how they compare.
Community reviews
Petros Ioannou
ZHIYUN Crane M3 Pro: Hands-on Review by Petros Ioannou from Leon Films
Explore the Crane M3 together with Petros and learn more about its features, purposes and pros and cons 📷
Trailer
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Intro
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Overview
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Features
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Pros & cons
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Final words
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Ending
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Why rent?
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Gabriel Miranda
ZHIYUN Crane M3 Pro: The Ultimate Review by Gabriel Miranda
In Gabriel’s ultimate review learn more about the key features, excellent connectivity, mic, integrated LED lights and more 🎉
Trailer
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Intro
1
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Overview
54
Unboxing
82
Testing
135
Modes
160
Key features
243
Ending
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Why rent?
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A gimbal is an excellent asset in your gearbox but far from the only one. Explore what else there is of essential camera equipment.
ZHIYUN CRANE–M3 Pro key features
- Touch Screen Size – 1.22inch
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0; Operation Voltage: 9.6V – 12.6V
- Battery Capacity – 1150mAh; 8-Hour Runtime
- Weight: 1.61 lb / 730 g
- Payload: 4.85 lb / 2.2 kg
- Dimensions: 11 x 2.9 x 6.2" / 280 x 74 x 157mm mm
- Battery runtime: approx. 8 hours
- Battery charging time: approx. 2 hours
- OLED-Touchscreen 1.22"
- Built-in Fill Light
- Fill light color temperature: 3000 - 5400 K
- Fill light brightness: 800 lumens
- Compatible with: Mirrorless cameras, action cameras, smartphones
ZHIYUN CRANE–M3 Pro: pros and cons
Pros
- Awesome design
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Good battery life
- Quick charging
- A versatile built-in fill light
- Compatible with a wide variety of cameras and phones
Cons
- Pricey
- It can be dicey to adjust
- It can be hard to balance
DJI RSC 2 key features
- OLED-Touchscreen – 1 inch
- Bluetooth – Bluetooth 5.0; USB-C
- Battery Capacity – 3400mAh; 14-Hour Runtime
- Weight: 2.6 lb / 1179 g
- Payload: 6.6 lb / 3 kg
- Dimensions: 15.7 x 7.3 x 6.9" / 400 x 185 x 175 mm
- Battery runtime: approx. 14 hours
- Battery charging time: approx. 2 hours
- OLED-Touchscreen 1"
- Compatible with: DSLR and Mirrorless cameras
DJI RSC 2: pros and cons
Pros
- Awesome design
- Follow focus
- Compact
- Long battery life
- Quick charging
- Compatible with DSLR and Mirrorless cameras (and some full-frame cameras)
Cons
- No replaceable battery
- Advanced features cost extra
- It can be hard to balance
M3 Pro vs. RSC 2: Balancing and payload
The ZHIYUN M3 Pro has three lock switches that can be used to tilt, pan, and roll the camera.
It can take some time to figure out the perfect balancing.
Still, once you've successfully matched it with your camera (remember to have the lens on when doing it, so it matches the weight for when you'll use it), it should be balanced for all your future uses.
However, if you're moving back and forth with different cameras, you must manually adjust it each time.
The M3 Pro can be tricky to set up balancing-wise, so it might be a good idea to have an extra pair of hands to help you with set-up.
One of the benefits of the M3 Pro is the payload system. While it may not have as big of a payload as the RSC 2, the M3 Pro does not have a minimum, meaning you can use it for small devices.
This is great for using a GoPro or a smartphone that otherwise would be too lightweight.
Most gimbals would not be able to properly handle lightweight devices because there's too little counter-balance, but not the M3 pro!
So if you're on vacation and just want to use your smartphone or GoPro, the only thing you'll need to do is adjust the lock switches, and then it's straight on to filming.
DJI RSC2 high weight maximum but tricky balancing
The DJI RSC 2 uses thumbscrews that can be adjusted by hand, but you can't go wrong with having a flathead in hand, just in case you're having trouble tightening them.
The DJI RSC 2 also requires you to find the right balance spot, which can be tricky. You'll have to be very careful when adjusting it, as the camera is slightly off-balance and will mess with your shot.
But don't worry, just like the M3 Pro, it gets easier over time, and once you've adjusted it to your camera, you won't have to do it again.
The payload on the RSC 2 is a bit bigger than on the M3 Pro, which allows it to support some full-frame cameras.
However, it also means that if you want to attach an action camera, you're out of luck. If you want to connect a smartphone, you'll have to purchase it as an addon.
M3 Pro vs. RSC 2: Usability
The ZHIYUN M3 Pro and RSC 2 work flawlessly, with seamless panning, tilting, and rolling.
They come in different modes, such as Portrait, POV, and Vortex. The ZHIYUN CRANE–M3 Pro is lighter than the RSC 2, meaning it is less straining to walk around for a longer period. The M3 Pro is also designed so you can charge batteries on your device without dismounting it.
Unlike the RSC 2, the ZHIYUN CRANE–M3 has a built-in fill light.
The fill light has a color temperature of 3000 - 5400 K and a brightness of 800 lumens.
The fill light is such as great addition, as it provides more versatility for when you're filming. This makes it especially great for vlogging and filming in dark areas if your camera doesn't have excellent low-light capabilities.
The DJI RSC 2 is compact, foldable, and can be transported in any backpack.
Both gimbals have an app to control the gimbal, but DJI's is more polished than the ZHIYUN app.
Both gimbals come with an irremovable battery, but with such a long battery lifetime, you should be able to get through most shoots without a recharge.
Rent or subscribe to a gimbal on Wedio
I hope you feel more enlightened on which gimbal you should get next.
If you want to get a gimbal, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, consider renting or subscribing to it on Wedio.
About the instructor
Petros Ioannou
Filmmaker
London, United Kingdom
Petros Ioannou is a filmmaker, director, producer, actor, and founder of Leon Films. Leon Films is committed to telling original stories through varying mediums.
FAQ
Is ZHIYUN Crane M3 Pro better than DJI RSC 2?
The ZHIYUN Crane–M3 Pro has a built-in fill light, and can be used with a smartphone and a mirrorless camera. The DJI RSC 2 has a bigger payload, and can be used with a mirrorless, DSLR and full-frame camera.
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