ZHIYUN WEEBILL 2
At last, a gimbal featuring a flip-out touchscreen. ANGELA NICHOLSON has been testing the latest offering from Zhiyun
Does a gimbal need a flip-out touchscreen? Angela Nicholson has been testing the latest offering from Zhiyun to find out
Smaller and lighter than the Crane 2S that was reviewed in issue 233, the new Zhiyun Weebill 2 is an update to the popular Weebill-S. It’s a 3-axis motorised gimbal and is designed to stabilise full-frame mirrorless cameras and single-gripped DSLRs as well as smaller format cameras.
At 1.47kg (or 926g without the internal batteries), it’s heavier than the Weebill-S, but it also features a flip-out variable touchscreen that makes it easier to use.
Unlike its predecessor, the Weebill 2 has a battery integrated into it so it must be charged in-situ. Once this is done, the next step is to unlock all three axes and move the arms into their operational positions before locking them again. Then the supplied base plate needs to be attached to the camera so that it can be mounted on the gimbal. A riser plate is supplied to lift the camera if the lens barrel extends down to the standard plate.
Zhiyun supplies a selection of cables to connect the camera to the Weebill 2. This enables the gimbal to control a few features on the camera, most notably it can start/stop video recording. We’d recommend checking Zhiyun’s online camera compatibility list to see which features it controls on which cameras.
As with all motorised gimbals, the camera needs to be balanced on the Zhiyun Weebill 2 before it can be used. It’s important to have the camera set up exactly as you plan to use it with the right lens and any filter attached. If there’s a tilting or vari-angle screen, it should be moved into its working position.
If you haven’t done it before, balancing the Weebill 2 may seem like a tricky operation, but it’s simply a case of adjusting the balance around each axis in turn until the camera stays at whatever angle you put it at when the gimbal is turned off. This gives the Weebill 2 the best chance of being able to keep the camera steady and also of being able to move it smoothly. Zhiyun has a series of tutorial videos that can guide you through the whole process (WWW.ZHIYUN-TECH.COM/EN/SERVICE/ SUPPORT/425/3).
Once you’ve balanced a camera on a gimbal a couple of times, it becomes easier and you should get quicker at it, but it’s worth setting aside 30 minutes for it the first time.
The Weebill 2 comes with a mini-tripod that screws into the base of the handle. This is particularly useful for holding the gimbal upright during balancing or for filming while the movement is controlled remotely. The tripod legs can also be folded together to create an extension to the handle, or they can be attached to the horizontal section of the gimbal to add an extra grip that is especially useful for low-angle shooting.
Zhiyun has rearranged the controls on the Weebill 2 in comparison with those on the Weebill-S and it improves the handling significantly. Aside from the trigger button on the front, all of the controls are on the left side of the Weebill 2, which makes them easier to locate. The joystick that replaces the navigation pad sits within convenient reach of your right thumb as you grip the main handle. Next to this, closer to your body, is the record button. You can press this with the side of your thumb to start and stop recording, but it is hard to avoid moving the gimbal in the process and is better to use your left hand.
Next to the record button, there’s a switch that enables you to swap quickly between
Pan Follow, Lock and Follow mode, and other modes can be accessed via the menu on the touchscreen. There’s a control wheel at the end of the horizontal part of the gimbal that can be customised to control different camera parameters such as the aperture, ISO, shutter speed or the electronic focus, or it can be used to control roll movement.
While it’s noticeably heavier than the Weebill-S, the Weebill 2 feels better made. Its handle is more ergonomically shaped, with a grippy coating that gives better purchase. The locks are also easier to use and I had little trouble unlocking them, unlike with the Weebill-S. Thanks to the new vari-angle screen, the Weebill 2 is also easier to set up and use.
I’m also impressed by the Weebill 2’s stabilisation. When holding it still, the resulting video footage looks like the camera is on a tripod and even when walking over uneven ground or uphill, the footage remains impressively smooth and stable.