hohem iSteady M6 Kit vs hohem iSteady M7

The hohem iSteady M6 Kit was the top of the line before the M7 and is now the better deal for a phone-and-mic rig. The 400 g payload takes a phone, a case, a mic receiver and a small light without strain, the battery runs about 18 hours, and it charges the phone.

The kit adds a magnetic fill light that snaps onto the clamp. It is bright enough to light a face on a dark street at arm's length, which the small lights on the cheaper gimbals cannot. AI tracking is built into the gimbal and works in any app.

It is bigger and heavier than the V3 line and does not fold as small. Owners rate it 4.2 across more than 1,300 reviews.

The hohem iSteady M7 is the flagship and the only hohem with a detachable touchscreen remote. Pull it off the handle and it shows the phone's camera view, so you can frame a shot with the gimbal on a tripod and yourself in front of it, or hand the gimbal to someone else and keep the framing.

The payload goes to 500 g, which is a phone with a case, a wireless mic receiver and a clip-on light together. The battery runs about 24 hours and charges the phone, and the handle has a built-in extension rod. AI tracking is on the gimbal and works in any app.

It costs about twice the V3, and for a phone with only a mic on it the V3 or M6 does the job. Owners rate it 4.2 across more than 1,300 reviews.