hohem iSteady M6 Kit vs hohem iSteady V3

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 V3 is the model that made the line worth recommending. The payload rating went up to 300 g, which is the number that lets a phone wear a case and a wireless mic receiver at the same time without the motors complaining. The AI tracker is a small module that magnets onto the phone clamp and follows a face with its own sensor, so it works in the camera app, in a streaming app, in anything.

The handle hides a fold-out tripod and the battery runs about 13 hours, long enough for a full day of clips. Gesture control starts and stops recording with a raised palm, which is more useful than it sounds when the phone is at arm's length.

The catch is the extension: there is none, so a higher angle means a longer arm. Owners rate it 4.4 across more than 500 reviews, the best score in the line.