ZHIYUN is back with the latest entry in the Weebill series with the Weebill 3S. With an improved sling-grip, Bluetooth connectivity, portrait switch mode, a built-in fill light, and more, it’s a wonderful tool for vloggers, on-the-go content creators, B-roll enthusiasts, and even average users looking to shoot family films and social media content. At $319 ($287 with coupon code MMORWB3S), it’s only $20 more expensive than the original and is definitely worth considering if you’re looking to add professionalism to your videos.
Specifications
Current Price: $319, $287 with 10% Coupon Code at Amazon: MMORWB3S, ZHIYUN Official Store
ZHIYUN Weebill 3S - What Is It?
The Weebill 3S is the latest entry in ZHIYUN’s line of mid-range camera gimbals. Dollar for dollar, the Weebill series has been one of the best values of run-and-gun creators, offering excellent stabilization that goes hand-in-hand with its ergonomic design. This year’s model is an evolution of the Weebill 3 I reviewed last summer. It’s more of an iterative update than anything, but since it’s only $20 more than that model ($319) and offers some definite advancements, it remains a very good pick that’s highly competitive in its price range.
The Weebill 3S is a relatively compact gimbal, measuring 12 x 8.3 x 2.9 inches and weighing only 2.3 pounds. It’s easy to travel with, especially if you opt for the combo kit which includes a fabric backpack, as well as some other important accessories that are worth considering. It’s compact size, in combination with the new Sling Mode 2.5 system, makes it much easier to carry and support than larger gimbals and those without support arms. Ask anyone who has tried to shoot with a gimbal: by the end of the day, you feel that weight, so the 3S’s compact size is a welcome design feature.
Despite its small size, it features surprisingly powerful motors. ZHIYUN doesn’t quote max weight support anymore, but the sample rig it provides (a Nikon D850 with a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8L DG lens) is roughly four pounds. I don’t have exact gear, but I was able to mount my rigged-up GH5 with a large telephoto lens that’s roughly the same weight and it didn’t break a sweat when using the included lens support.
The name of the game with this gimbal is ease. It’s designed to get you shooting quickly with professional results and has a full feature set that supports that aim. That begins with a robust yet easy balancing system that simplifies a lot of the trial and error of other systems. Each of its arms features an adjustable slider with quick-access locks. After mounting the camera and adjusting to approximate balance, these slides make quick work of the fine-tuning adjustments to dial it in. Each adjustable arm and the camera mounting plate feature rulers, so rebalancing the same rig in the future is as simple as matching your first measurements.
Each of the Weebills have featured innovative sling accessories, and every release has evolved how they’re implemented. While the Weebill 3 debuted “Sling Mode 2.0,” the 3S advanced that to “Sling Mode 2.5” with more adjustability and support. It uses an adjustable arm that acts as a second handle for the gimbal, allowing you to carry it underhand for low-to-the-ground shots, and pairs that with a padded wrist support.
This year’s model compacts the wrist support and adds height adjustment with a built-in knob. It’s a small change but an important one. Being able to change the angle of the wrist support allows you to dial it in to match how you’re actually holding the gimbal. Grips change depending on the exact shot you’re going for and the new system is much more versatile and supportive.
Another change with Sling Mode 2.5 is that the sling can now be turned to the side, allowing you to support the gimbal with two hands, even when you’re shooting normally. This is very useful if your camera gear is heavy but adds another point of stability even with basic rigs. Smoothness is the goal and it makes nailing that shot that much easier.
The 3S also adds Bluetooth connectivity, if your camera supports it, so you can control the shutter button using the gimbal’s built-in controls. It’s one less thing to worry about and one less wire to have to connect, so it’s good to see included here as a quality-of-life feature.
The controls are very similar to the Weebill 3. There’s a built-in OLED screen that will tell you the mode you’re currently in and access its settings menu. To the left of that is a joystick to control where the camera is pointing, a shutter button, and a mode button. Around the back of the gimbal is a programmable knob and trigger, both naturally positioned to access with your index finger. The trigger can be set to change modes and has double-tap functionality with pre-programmed commands. The knob, on the other hand, has many more options available to you, including adjusting pitch and rotation to altering camera settings, like ISO, to adjusting focus and zoom. The right side of the 3S features the power and menu buttons, as well as a smaller knob that is used for the menu and to adjust the built-in fill light.
The 3S also adds a bit of versatility in its camera mounting styles. If you’re shooting content for YouTube Shorts or TikTok, you can quickly swap to portrait mode. The quick-release place now has an additional bracket that allows you to mount the camera in portrait mode natively. There’s still a mode that rotates the camera from landscape to portrait, so you don’t have to change manually, but if you know you’re shooting for vertical platforms, this new mount allows you to make the most out of your investment.
This new model doesn’t carry everything through. While it still has the adjustable fill light, which can be set from a warm 2500K to a cool 5500K and projects up to 1,000 lumens. The microphone has been removed, however, which is a bit of a bummer even if I never personally used it (and suspect most other people didn’t either since it got the axe). ZHIYUN also got rid of the hidden adjustment chip that could be used to quickly attach the camera and mount accessories.
Another change with this new model is that it only features 11.5 hours of battery life versus the Weebill 3’s 21 hours. That’s quite a downgrade on paper but doesn’t make a big difference in real life. No one is actually shooting for 21 hours and if you do need that kind of battery life, the 3S supports USB Type-C fast charging to completely restore its battery in just two hours. Simply plugging it in on a lunch break or other downtime will be enough to see you through a torturously long day.
The Weebill 3S is available in a standard package ($319, $287 with coupon code MMORWB3S)and a combo pack ($439). Both packs include the gimbal itself, a lens support, and a removable tripod base, as well as the cables to connect with all of the major camera brands. The combo pack adds a large and quite nice backpack to store everything in (as well as any extra accessories you might buy over time), a base, and the all-important sling grip and wrist support.
Given how important the grip and wrist support are to the Weebill 3S experience, I would have liked to have seen these included with the base package. The 3S doesn’t differentiate itself nearly as much from ZHIYUN’s Crane line without it. If you’d rather not spend extra on the backpack, ZHIYUN is very likely to sell both parts separately as they did for the Weebill 3. The sling handle was $49 and the wrist rest was $29. It’s still early enough after launch that neither are available for the 3S yet but we expect that to change with time.
With that in mind, don’t think that the experience of using the 3S is poor if you can’t afford to pick up the sling arm quite yet. In the closed position, the tripod extends the grip, allowing you to use two hands for added stability. It’s a great use experience either way, but it’s definitely better with the handle and wrist rest installed.
ZHIYUN Weebill 3S - Performance and Content Creation
Whether you’re shooting family movies, vlogging, or gathering B-roll for your YouTube channel, the goal of the Weebill 3S remains the same: stability. Though mirrorless cameras and DLSRs (and even smartphones) generally include some kind of electronic stabilization, none of them compare to the “floating on air” smoothness of a quality gimbal, and the 3S certainly rises to the challenge.
Starting with fit and finish, ZHIYUN really did a nice job here. The arms are metal and the handle is a mix of plastic and rubber for the grips and tripod, but they feel solid and quite robust. Each of the arms has switches to lock them into place. They have a chunky “click,” and I especially like that they snap into place so everything is perfectly aligned for easy storage.
Navigating the gimbal’s controls is straightforward with only a minimal learning curve if you’ve ever used a gimbal before. It’s worth reading the manual and experimenting before taking it out in the field, but it’s very intuitive and easy to come to grips with.
The ergonomics of the gimbal are also spot on. The controls are literally at your fingertips without any stretching or awkwardness to access the joystick, knob, trigger, mode, or shutter buttons. Even the fill light knob is easy to access. Being able to change settings on the fly and react to the situation needs to be natural to create the fluid, professional look popular in YouTube videos today. The Weebill 3S allowed me to be reactive.
These days, most of my shooting is either B-roll for YouTube videos (product videography) or my children. The 3S works perfectly for both. Chasing my kids around the yard and capturing those memories is so important, and the footage captured on the 3S puts you into the experience in a way that’s not possible handholding a camera or smartphone. As my kids run or swing, I can “fly” behind them, adjusting light and focus settings on the fly. When I want to narrate, it’s a quick couple of combos to quickly flip the camera back to face me and then swap to the kids again.
On the B-roll side of things, it adds a level of professionalism that, like family shooting, isn’t possible handholding. I have motorized sliders and motorized product turntables and other gear that’s big and bulky and time-consuming to setup. With the 3S, you can simulate a lot of those same effects in a fraction of the time. Even better, there’s a world of possibilities with different types of shots once you get good with it. Rather than be locked to one position or even one location, you’re free to experiment and liven up your video with engaging movement and locale shifts. Free really is the word here.
The gimbal's different modes make matching your scenario easy. The 3S supports Pan Follow, Follow, Lock, Point of View (P.O.V.), Vortex (camera roll), Go, and Portrait Mode. These follow the same designs as other gimbals: Lock mode keeps the camera in position, even as you move the handle; Pan Follow mode follows your movement when you pan but not tilt; Point of View follows all of your movements, etc. These can also be customized for responsiveness, so if you’re filming sports, it can move quickly but nature may make sense to be slow and fluid.
The fill light is a nice feature but it’s not one I used often. Since it’s a small source, it’s quite harsh. I found it difficult to find a balance between illumination and achieving the kind of soft, natural lighting we all aim for. It’s good to have in a pinch but won’t replace a larger, more diffused light panel.
The battery life was very good. I am not one to shoot for more than a few hours at a time and I was able to go several days before needing to recharge. The fast recharge time worked very well, charging upon returning home and having everything packed and ready to go for the next day before bed. I am concerned about the longevity of the battery, however. Prior Weebills have done very well here, and I am confident the 3S will be the same over time, but rechargeable batteries inherently degrade over time. Since the battery is not replaceable, once it dies, the gimbal will need to be replaced.
Final Thoughts
The ZHIYUN Weebill 3S is an excellent little gimbal with a surprising amount of power and superior stability. The sling grip and wrist rest are well worth the added investment, but even without, the improvements to overall stability from ZHIYUN’s improved algorithm and wider engineering, make “flying” in your footage easy to achieve with just a little practice. Bluetooth connectivity, and exceptional controls and ergonomics make this an excellent choice only sweeten the deal. It’s powerful and versatile enough to grow with you, which makes this a great choice that’s well worth adding to your content creation setup.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
