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Introducing Hohem’s latest smartphone gimbal, the iSteady V3 Ultra, an upgraded version of Hohem’s V series gimbal. It brings the functionality of its bigger brother, the M series smartphone gimbal, to this more budget- and consumer-friendly product. This also means that we finally have an affordable AI-powered gimbal that actually allows you to see what it is tracking through the magnetic AI tracker, with the introduction of the detachable touchscreen remote controller.
Build Quality
The Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is quite a neat product, designed as a single standalone unit that folds nicely into a small package (98 mm × 44 mm × 160.5 mm), even with the magnetic AI tracker attachment. There are also no weird protruding parts; even with the gimbal folded up, the bottom of the gimbal is perfectly flat with the AI tracker attachment—a nice design touch. However, the mounting hole and folding lock design, meant to keep the gimbal secure in a folded position, are quite hard to engage every time we fold it. It is made with high-performance composite material that ensures durability and has some heft to it.“
The gimbal and its attachment fold up nicely into a compact package.
Mounting hole and folding lock above the trigger button.
The gimbal weighs approximately 430 g and can support a payload of up to 400 g for a non-foldable phone of up to 7 inches. Being a standalone unit also means it does not have a detachable phone mount, which can be both a pro and a con. Attaching and detaching your phone is going to be awkward, as you will need to unfold the gimbal and deal with the dangling gimbal while performing the attachment. As a compromise for not having the detachable phone mount, it also does not have quick unfolding startup, as your gimbal needs to be either in sleep mode or switched off for phone attachment.
There is also no way of folding up the gimbal into a compact setup with your phone attached when not in use. Meanwhile, on the plus side, you do not need to worry about losing the phone mount and finding yourself unable to use the gimbal when you are halfway across the globe—unfortunately, it did happen to me once.
A failed attempt to fold the gimbal with the phone attached.
You will also find an exposed wire at the back of the phone mount, which is used to provide power and receive information from the magnetic AI tracker attachment. Both the AI attachment and the detachable remote control draw power from the main gimbal unit. However, the detachable remote does have its own built-in battery, allowing it to operate when detached from the gimbal. You will also find a 1.22-inch full-color touchscreen providing live feeds received from the AI tracker attachment. It is also where most of the setting controls for the gimbal are located. That being said, I have no way of actually testing the scratch resistance of the touchscreen without damaging the unit, but I would suggest applying a screen protector, as it is a high-contact point. The buttons on the gimbal feel a little spongy, which takes away from the premium feel, but they work as intended and are pretty responsive.
Exposed wire at the phone mount supplying power to the AI attachment.
Slim built-in tripod. The gimbal grip has an oval hand design rather than the typical round design, and I have to say it is pretty comfortable to hold, though those with bigger hands may find the grip a bit too small. Surprisingly, I did find the grip to be left- and right-hand friendly, as you are still able to use the physical controls regardless of which hand you operate the gimbal with. There is a built-in tripod and a 205 mm extension rod built into the grip. However, I did find the tripod to be a little too thin, though it is quite rigid as it is made of metal. There is also a risk that the pan motor, where the extension rod extends, might become loose as warned by Hohem, but thankfully, we can tighten it ourselves using the provided hex key.
Hex screw that tightens the pan motor, hidden at the end of the extension rod.
Features
The good thing about the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra is that everything comes as a package, including the magnetic AI attachment with fill light. You do not need to purchase additional accessories to enjoy the full benefits of the gimbal, providing a seamless experience regardless of the filming device you are using. It features a built-in battery with a rated 1,550 mAh capacity, which takes about 2.5 hours to fully charge. Charging it with a power bank is also possible should you run out of power on location. According to Hohem, it is capable of powering the gimbal for up to 9 hours, provided the gimbal is balanced and stationary, but practically about 4 hours of usage if the AI tracking and fill light are being used simultaneously.
360° unrestricted panning.
Similar to other smartphone gimbals, the iSteady V3 Ultra features 3-axis stabilization (pan, tilt, and roll axes) powered by their latest iSteady 9.0 anti-shake stabilization system. You can also find five different working modes: Pan Follow (PF), Pan and Tilt Follow (PTF), Point of View Mode (POV), All Lock Mode (LOCK), and Sport Mode, which are tailored to most filming needs. All the modes can be easily switched using the mode button on the side or the touchscreen interface, except for Sport Mode, which can only be enabled with a combination of a “single press + long press” of the trigger button. The gimbal features a roll angle of -195° to +135°, tilt angle of -35° to +45°, and, most importantly, a 360° unrestricted panning, ensuring smooth subject tracking around you. Despite having a slightly restricted tilt angle, you can extend the gimbal on its neck to give it an expanded tilt range using the physical hinge found on the extension rod. There is also a motor protection system built into the gimbal that will automatically shut down in case of improper operation to prevent further damage.
Extended tilt mode.
As mentioned earlier, the gimbal also supports the multimodal AI tracker with a fill light attachment, bringing intelligent tracking and practical lighting into one compact module. Weighing only 14 g and measuring just 42 mm × 16.5 mm × 25 mm, the tracker now comes with a 2 MP camera, which has double the resolution of the previous model—allowing for more responsive and precise tracking. As both human and object tracking are done on the attachment, the gimbal operates with no restrictions regardless of smartphone OS or apps, making it highly flexible across different setups. The AI system also responds to hand gesture controls that let you start or stop tracking, trigger the shutter, switch between landscape and portrait orientation, or adjust the framing. According to Hohem, the gesture recognition works between 0.5 to 5 meters, and overall tracking capabilities are effective up to 7 meters, though a complicated environment will reduce its effectiveness. The built-in 3-color fill light offers seamless dimming with a 3-step adjustable color temperature—6,500 K (cool), 5,000 K (neutral), and 2,700 K (warm)—and is capable of delivering up to 110 lux measured at half a meter distance, which is great for lighting up the subject when filming in dim conditions—think of it as a fill light for your selfies.
1.22″ detachable color touchscreen remote.
The gimbal also comes with a detachable touchscreen remote, offering a powerful way to control your setup from a distance. Weighing just 16.4 g with dimensions of 41 mm × 28.4 mm × 16.5 mm, it features a 1.22-inch color touchscreen monitor that provides a clean and intuitive interface for adjusting gimbal parameters. You can also get a live feed from the AI attachment on the monitor and select or reframe AI tracking targets using the joystick—all without physically touching the gimbal. Being the brain of the gimbal, the remote includes a “Scenario” function with creative presets like auto pan, roll rotations, panorama, and timelapse modes. With a rated control and video transmission range of up to 10 meters and a 140 mAh battery, this remote will give you stable and precise control of your camera even at a distance.
Real-World Usage and Example
As briefly covered earlier, the biggest win in the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra smartphone gimbal is that it supports a multimodal AI tracker with a fill light attachment and a detachable touchscreen remote, making it almost a perfect standalone device. From my testing, I would say the overall experience has been pretty amazing with some minor setbacks.
What I appreciated most was how quickly I could start using the AI-powered tracking capabilities. There’s no need to pair anything—you can just power it on and go, which is great for quick, spontaneous shoots. That said, I would still recommend users pair it with the app anyway, as it gives you more control over things like the zoom function, fine-tuning parameters, in-app templates, editing, and, most importantly, firmware updates.
There are also three ways you can use the gimbal to match your filming needs—handheld, extended, and remote operation—which expands its usability. It does not feature quick power-on when unfolding, which I believe is a design compromise to keep the package small while still allowing users to mount their phone after unfolding. It would have been great if Hohem allowed the gimbal to power on into sleep mode during the unfolding process while allowing users to attach their phone. This way, we could reduce the time needed to power on and get right into action. Despite the minor annoyance, it takes only about 3 seconds to switch on the entire gimbal.
As for subject tracking, by default, it will prioritize the use of the AI tracker attachment if it is switched on when tracking is activated via the trigger button. Unless you are in the Hohem Joy app, then you have the choice of selecting the subject tracking on your mobile phone. But keep in mind that the subject tracking in the Hohem Joy app and the AI tracker do not speak to each other, and it will go haywire when activating both at once. Also note that activating subject tracking does not mean your subject is in focus, as there is no autofocus sync between what’s selected on the gimbal and what the phone’s camera is doing. When subject tracking is activated, it will always default to centering the subject in the frame, even if that is not your ideal composition, so a quick reframing using the joystick is needed.
Supported gesture controls.
In general, tracking is fairly steady, especially for slower or more deliberate shots. The gimbal handles those movements well and is quite responsive and stable. However, switching between landscape and portrait isn’t as straightforward as I would like. If you’re using gesture control, it works fine. But if you’re relying on the touchscreen remote control, there’s no quick way to switch orientation without exiting what you’re seeing on the monitor. It’s a small drawback, especially when you’re mid-shot and want to adapt quickly.
Notice the framing difference between the feed from the AI attachment and the recording device when the camera is zoomed in.
Now, the detachable touchscreen remote is a nice idea in theory, and it does make the gimbal feel like a standalone system. The screen gives you a live feed and lets you track subjects directly, which sounds great. But in practice, I ran into a few minor issues. First, what you see on the screen isn’t what your phone is recording—it’s the AI attachment’s feed, cropped to a 3:4 ratio, which isn’t that big of an issue as it somewhat matches the iPhone’s main 24 mm camera. The issue starts when you zoom in or, worse, if your phone is in portrait mode. The live feed is actually a horizontal preview, which means there is no way to track a subject placed at the top or bottom of your actual framing unless you’re using the subject tracking on the Hohem Joy app and not relying on the AI attachment. That mismatch can be frustrating, especially if you are entirely relying on the screen to judge your framing and subject tracking.
There’s also a live feed calibration tool, but from my experience, it barely offers any flexibility—just about 1–2% adjustment on each axis. And while the screen is bright enough for indoor use or low light, under daylight it struggles quite a bit. Again, understandable for a small screen, but something worth noting.
Now let’s talk about actually using the multimodal AI tracker. While it is rated to track subjects up to 7 meters away, in practice, using the 1.22-inch remote control screen to select the subject is a challenge, as the subject will be too small to select at that distance. I recommend keeping the subject within 2 meters when activating the tracking.
Lastly, the big thing I kept circling back to was this: while the AI tracker and remote add a lot of interesting functionality, I found myself constantly deciding whether to actually use them, as not all situations demand it. The tracker has all the clever features, but because it is not fully integrated, it can complicate the filming process for those who are not as savvy. Unless your filming parameters fall within the set automation, you might end up juggling exposure, focus, and tracking from different screens. Honestly, I found the whole experience smoother when I just used the gimbal exactly for what it was designed for—content creation involving human subjects—and let the automation take charge, as these are the strengths of the gimbal.
Summary
What I Liked
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No pairing needed for quick use, yet full app control is available when needed.
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Versatile with three usage modes: handheld, extended, and remote.
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Steady and responsive during long and precise movements.
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Detachable touchscreen remote allows standalone operation without needing the app.
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Folds into a compact package, easy to carry and store.
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Built-in smartphone mount, no risk of losing the mount.
What Could Be Improved
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Unified preview: Integrate both the feed from the AI tracker and the filming device onto the touchscreen monitor, so users aren’t constantly switching mental context or screens.
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Power management: Sleep mode should include the AI tracker to conserve battery when not in use.
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Power sharing: Enable the gimbal to double as a power bank to charge the phone during shoots, especially for mobile creators on the go.
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Improve detachable touchscreen brightness for outdoor use.
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Strengthen the magnetic attachment on the monitor to reduce the risk of accidental detachment during transport.
Final Thoughts
This gimbal feels like it’s built from the ground up for ease of content creation that involves human subjects, particularly in situations where you’re working solo. It folds down into a small, neatly designed package that’s easy to carry and surprisingly functional even without connecting to the native app. In fact, it comes very close to the experience of using a camera gimbal, but built for the smartphone world, with a clever layer of AI tracking added on top.
It’s almost a perfect all-in-one solution. Yes, there are a few limitations and minor compromises, but they are completely understandable when you consider the budget-friendly price point, and they are entirely designed for ease of use with great automation. I would say this might probably be the best bang-for-buck smartphone gimbal to help you kickstart your content creation journey. Available in two colors, Shadow Black and Arctic White, get yours today at $169. Note that for those in the US region, retail availability for the iSteady V3 will be from September 14 onwards at Best Buy online stores.