Everyone I know raves about the DJI Pocket 3. It’s used by just about everyone, from serious videographers and content creators, to your ordinary vacationer. The problem is that it costs a whopping $800 now, which is just unbelievable for a specialty gadget like that — more so when one of the best camera phones is already in my pocket, the iPhone 17 Pro.
That’s why I’ve been using the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra on sale for $169 at Amazon, a smartphone gimbal that does more than just stabilize my footage. In fact, it leans on AI heavily to do stuff I couldn’t do with just my iPhone alone, like the ability to track subjects and perform sick camera moves you’ll see in movies like Inception. Best of all, it’s way cheaper than the DJI Pocket 3 because it’s 37% off right now on Amazon at $169.
Smoother, more stabilized footage
If you’ve used any other camera gimbals before, then you know about the extra amount of stabilization you get from using one. The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is no exception, seeing that it keeps my iPhone 17 Pro in place. While the iPhone’s footage on its own already looks stabilized, the gimbal makes those micro jitters disappear when I’m walking — you know, the bobbing action that happens when you walk.
The result is footage that looks like I’m floating in the air, which makes panning and jump shots look even more epic than they look. I also like using the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra to capture panoramas because of the fluid action it takes to capture them, whereas I’m sometimes off the mark and slightly move the camera.
Doubles as a selfie stick
One of the neat tricks of this phone gimbal is that it’s extendable, which makes it double as a handy selfie stick when I want to capture more of the scene around me. Even though the new 18MP Center Stage camera of the iPhone 17 Pro offers the widest field of view of any iPhone to date, extending the gimbal allows me to cover even more ground.
If that’s not enough, its collapsible design doesn’t take much room in my backpack. Not only does the neck of the gimbal fold over, but the clamp also neatly tuck flush to the handle.
Built-in tripod
Another smart design incorporated into the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra are the three legs that come out from underneath its base. They effectively give the gimbal tripod legs to keep it upright so I don’t have to hold it in place. I was initially skeptical about them because they looked flimsy, but they actually are strong enough to hold everything in place — even after extending the handle.
AI-powered tracking
One of the best features of the DJI Pocket 3 is its ability to track subjects on its own. Just place it on a tripod and the camera will automatically track faces. Well, the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra also does this through the detachable camera that’s installed right onto the phone grip, and when paired with the removable remote touchscreen control, it allows my iPhone 17 Pro to track my movements.
This feature is perfect for whenever I have to shoot video of myself using the rear camera. Once enabled, it locks onto my position no matter where I love — so it’s like having an actual camera person follow me around. There are also other hand gestures that I can use to conveniently start/stop the tracking, as well as switching its orientation.
Slick camera movements
And finally, the neat thing about the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is that it gives me controls to perform complex camera movements I really couldn’t do with my phone alone. All of the normal modes are there, like POV (point of view), pan and tilt follow, and the ability to lock it in place.
The magic is hidden in the Hohem Joy app, which has even more video shooting modes to choose from. Under the Moment tab of the app, you’ll find cinematic modes like an Inception-esque one that will rotate the gimbal to give it the Inception effect. There’s also an advanced smart motion timelapse that will stitch together a panning movement with a timelapse.
Bottom Line
I really can’t say enough about how helpful it is using the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra. This compact, collapsible design makes it easy to stow in my backpack, take it out when I need to shoot something, and then capture stuff with its shooting modes.
Considering that it eliminates the need for me to bring a selfie stick and tripod, it has way more utility than any previous smartphone gimbal I’ve used. And of course, it’s way cheaper than buying the DJI Pocket 3.
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