Tips & Tricks For The Lightweight Zhiyun Crane-M2

Written by Claudio Chock (Tech360.tv Community Creator)

Gimbal technology has progressed so much in the past few years and the Zhiyun Crane M2 is the epitome of that progression. Small, lightweight (500g) and able to hold a range of different cameras (payload of up to 720g) – from your small action cameras to your smartphones to even lightweight mirrorless cameras – the M2 is built for today’s content creators.

Thanks to Tech360.tv and Alan Photo, JacqandthebeanChock (my partner Jacqueline and I) had the privilege of taking the Zhiyun Crane-M2 out to shoot around Singapore. Coming from using heavier gimbals like the CRANE 2 and CRANE 3 for work, the CRANE-M2 was really a breath of fresh air for us and we thoroughly enjoyed shooting with it.

Here are our 3 tips and tricks to shoot awesome videos with the M2: 

Our 3 most-used modes are Lock mode, Full Follow mode and POV mode.

Lock mode will lock all of the M2’s axes. Beside using this to lock the camera on subjects, we love using this to mimic slider shots.

Full Follow mode allows you to have full control of both your tilt and pan.

POV mode takes it a notch further, giving you roll-axis control. You can really push your creative artistry with this mode. Check out the video to see how we used this mode to create an orbit shot.

If 360 degree trippy shots are your thing, you must try out Vortex mode.

Go Mode allows you to do quick movements on camera instead of doing it in post! Great for fast changing of scenes and perspectives.

And last but not least, we have selfie mode. Mount any camera with a wide angle lens on the M2, activate selfie mode, and there you go – the perfect vlogging set-up!

With a monopod attached at the bottom of the gimbal, you’ll be able to achieve shots that you would not be able to do with just your bare hands. Check out the video to see how you can use this extended set-up to mimic jib shots.

We really enjoyed using the ZHIYUN CRANE-M2. The combination of its small form factor, lightweight, and ability to hold a range of different cameras makes it the ideal gimbal for travel and everyday use. Can’t wait to slip this into our bag for our next trip!