Testing the Zhiyun Weebill S Gimbal: A Lesson in Frustration ?

12 minutes to read + 4 1/2 minute video

I finally got around to testing the Zhiyun Weebill S gimbal—a little at request, partly out of curiosity, but mostly because it was long overdue. I bought it in the period while switching from Fuji to Olympus, but never actually used it. So, after sitting on the shelf for a few years, I decided to take it along on an e-mountain bike ride. This time, I also mounted my Olympus Tough TG Tracker—another camera I hadn’t used in a while—on my handlebars to capture some footage allong the way.

One unexpected consequence of testing the gimbal was its sheer size when mounted. It turned out to be quite a large setup, and because of this, one of my side bags was partially taken up by it. Even though I use large side bags, the foldable handle/tripod still stuck out above them.

As a result, the custom ABS case I normally carry on the rear rack—where I keep my camera gear—no longer fit. This meant I had to rethink and adjust my equipment setup to accommodate the space taken up by the gimbal.

An observant reader might wonder, “Why not just remove the small tripod and the grip? Or even the camera itself?” There’s a reason for that—one that will become clear as you read further into the article.

When Things Don’t Go as Planned

The adventure quickly turned into a challenge—maybe my own fault, or maybe Murphy’s Law was along for the ride. Either way, things didn’t go smoothly.

By the time I arrived at location, both Olympus Tough cameras had dead batteries—including two spares I had brought along—even though they had shown a full charge. Was it the cold? Battery age? No idea 😠

The Weebill S wasn’t trouble-free either. It started at home when I realized I had completely forgotten how to set up a camera on it. A quick refresher video later, I managed to balance everything properly—after about 15 minutes of fiddling. Once on location, the bumpy ride had shifted the camera’s position, requiring a rebalance (which, to be fair, was easy enough). Then, after turning it on, I was met with multiple error beeps—turns out one of the axis locks was still engaged 😡

I finally managed to capture some clips, but with all the hassle, I completely forgot to double-check my exposure settings. It was a bright, sunny day, and my setup—shooting at 25P with a 1/50 shutter speed, the Kamlan 15mm at f/5.6, and auto ISO—struggled to handle the intense sunlight. The result? Many overexposed shots. While I was able to salvage some footage, the whole experience felt more like a frustrating chore than a creative process. 🤬

As a result, two days later, I embarked on the journey again—this time to film everything with the Olympus 12-45mm f/4 Pro. It was a breath of fresh air, as I could fully rely on the camera to handle the technical aspects, allowing me to focus on the gimbal. This gave me the perfect opportunity to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

The One Big Positive

One thing the test did confirm: the ‘wobble’ I noticed in previous handheld tests was due to stabilization issues – After some research, I discovered that wide-angle lenses actually amplify the issue even further. The Weebill S completely eliminated it, which is a definite plus 👍

Lessons Learned from Setting Up My Gimbal from Scratch

Going through the entire setup process from the beginning made many things clearer, and I’ll go over them one by one.

Why I Pre-Assembled the Gimbal

I set up the gimbal completely in advance because of the way I plan to use it. My goal is a “shoot and go” approach—quick clips on the move, not long event recordings or extended film sessions. I want to be able to stop somewhere, capture a short video, and continue without wasting time on setup.

I’ve seen people carefully unpack their gimbals from a plastic case, take their time assembling everything on-site, and only then start filming. That’s how these devices are designed to be used. But for spontaneous clips on the go—unless you’re willing to carry the whole setup on a hike—that’s not practical.

Oh, and before I forget to mention it—there’s no proper carrying case included! Just two flimsy styrofoam trays that barely hold the gimbal after the first use.

Handling & Ergonomics

Out of the box, the gimbal comes with one handle, which also serves as a tripod. But in my experience, holding the gimbal, camera, and everything else in just one hand is too heavy and awkward to operate comfortably.

A top-mounted handle is a must-have for better control, so I added one to my setup. The tripod remains at the bottom, which allows me to place the gimbal down easily—whether for self-filming, static shots, or simply setting it aside when not in use – You could technically hold the gimbal by the control unit—it seems designed for that. I even tried it myself when I first got it. But I quickly realized that doing so makes it all too easy to accidentally press the buttons, which is definitely not ideal. That’s why I immediately decided to get an extra handle for better control.

However, there’s a design flaw: the handle mounts via a proprietary ARRI-style bracket, but with six holes at an angle instead of four in line, plus a 1/4-inch tripod thread. The problem? If you attach a handle with a cold shoe mount, it ends up tilted rather than properly aligned, making it awkward and nearly unusable for attaching accessories.

Camera Mounting Issues

The camera mounting system consists of four components, with the main plate connecting to the upper motor. The camera plate itself is made of two pieces, held together by two tiny hooks on one side and a click-lock system on the other.

In practice, I’ve found that when mounting the camera, it doesn’t always click into place securely, which creates a real risk of the camera falling to the ground.

There’s also a release button for detaching the plate, but its placement makes accidental presses a real risk when handling the gimbal. While there is a counter screw to prevent this, it’s yet another thing to remember—adding complexity, especially in the field. Adjustments become more challenging when the camera shifts position, leading to the next set of issues.

More Mounting Frustrations

The screw that attaches the camera to the plate requires a coin to tighten, but its small diameter makes it difficult to secure properly. As a result, it tends to come loose or even rotate during transport – It should have been a screw with a hole for an Allen key. Additionally, the rubber strips on top of the plate are far too narrow, providing minimal grip on the camera. A proper knob for securely mounting the camera is missing, as well as any feature or sufficient grip to keep the camera firmly in place.

Another major issue I encountered is that with this plate design, the battery door on my Olympus E-M10 Mark III is blocked, meaning I can’t swap the battery or SD card without removing the camera. That’s a big problem because once you take it off, all your balancing adjustments are lost – It would have been much simpler if they had used an Arca-Swiss connection system. This could have been more compact than the original plate, allowing easy access to the battery compartment. Additionally, with proper markings, it would have been easier to attach and remove while ensuring a more secure fit.

Other Design Flaws

The locking sliders that secure the gimbal arms are difficult to operate with cold hands, and I often found myself searching for them. There are three locks in total, but because some are on the left and others on the right, it’s easy to forget one.

The Crucial Step: Balancing

Properly balancing the gimbal is key. If you do it “good enough”, the motors will struggle to stabilize the camera, even with a lightweight setup like my E-M10 Mark III. But if you take the time to fine-tune it precisely, it works flawlessly—though it does take time.

That’s a big problem if the camera shifts during transport, as happened to me several times. If the balance is even slightly off, the gimbal won’t function optimally.

No Olympus Integration

Olympus cameras have no real gimbal integration—no start/stop video control, no features to streamline the process.

Operation and Stabilization in the Field

Beyond the hardware, there is, of course, the electronic control. There are many modes to operate the gimbal, although you will probably use only a few frequently, such as POV, L, and F mode. However, it takes some time to learn how to access these modes and switch between them. What I mean is that this is a piece of gear that requires practice to master, which naturally affects whether you are an occasional or regular user.

The stabilization itself is very smooth, but at times, it struggled because the camera’s balance got slightly off during use, and I couldn’t get it perfectly adjusted in the field. And this wasn’t even a heavy camera and lens. Ultimately, it all comes down to the fact that proper balance adjustment is crucial, as well as how you transport and use the gimbal.

• PF Mode (Pan Follow) – The gimbal follows your left/right panning movements while keeping the tilt and roll locked.
• F Mode (Follow) – The gimbal follows both pan and tilt movements, but roll stays locked.
• L Mode (Lock) – All axes are locked, keeping the camera pointed in a fixed direction regardless of movement.
• POV Mode (Point of View) – Allows roll movement along with pan and tilt, enabling a more immersive first-person view.
• Vortex Mode – Enables full 360° barrel rolls for creative spinning shots.
• Go Mode – Increases motor speed for fast movements, ideal for action shots.

Conclusion

I never rush into testing and reviewing something—I take my time to analyze both hardware and software, identifying strengths and weaknesses. It’s simply second nature to me. My goal is never to tear something down but to provide a thorough and honest evaluation. When it comes to this gimbal, and gimbals in general, there’s undoubtedly an audience for them. The real question is: do you belong to that audience?

Secondly, if you fall into this target audience and want to avoid the weaker aspects of this gimbal or even any gimbal, the best approach is to dedicate a single camera to it. Carefully fine-tune every setting and transport it in a custom case, assembled and ready to use. This is the only way to make the setup truly practical for real-world shooting.

Also consider this: if you’re using a camera like the Lumix GH6, the upcoming GH7, or other high-end video-focused cameras, you might not even need a gimbal. These cameras have such powerful in-body stabilization (IBIS) that most movements are already smoothed out.

A gimbal really only becomes necessary for walking shots, fast-paced tracking, or orbiting your subject, where IBIS alone may struggle. But then the question arises—is the extra stability worth it, or does the added bulk and complexity of a gimbal outweigh the benefits of simply shooting handheld?

My Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It for Me?

I have a habit of jotting down my experiences right after a trip, while everything is still fresh in my mind. Over the next few days, I usually revisit and refine my thoughts. This time, however, my initial reaction was pure frustration. And even after letting it sit for a while, my opinion didn’t change much. 🤔

To be clear: I’m not a videographer—I’m a photographer who wants to capture some video footage during outings. The Weebill S, once mounted with a camera, is a rather bulky piece of gear. Yes, you can remove the handle and tripod for easier transport, but that also means extra setup time—sometimes just for a few minutes of shooting—only to take it apart again before moving on. If you’re frequently on the move, especially on a bike or motorcycle, this quickly becomes a hassle.

I know some people who handle gimbals effortlessly—keeping everything neatly packed, quick to set up, and always ready to shoot at any event. But for my fast-paced, mobile style of filming, it just doesn’t work.

If video is your main focus and you can dedicate a (compact) camera to this gimbal, it might be a fantastic choice. But after reviewing the specs again and reconsidering my workflow, I’ve made up my mind: the Weebill S isn’t for me. I’ll likely sell it.

Of course, your needs might be different—so weigh the pros and cons carefully and decide what works best for you.

Key Specifications of the Zhiyun Weebill S

• Max Payload: ~2.96 kg (6.5 lbs)
• Weight: 926g (2.04 lbs) (excluding batteries & camera)
• Battery Life: Up to 14 hours
• OLED Display: Quick access to settings
• Sling Mode: Ergonomic grip for low-angle shots
• Wireless Image Transmission: 1080p @ 30fps (requires optional TransMount module)
• Follow Focus Support: Requires a compatible camera OR an external follow focus motor
• Compatibility: Best integration with Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic (limited Olympus support)

Sample Video