Zhiyun Crane M3 vs Zhiyun Crane M2S – Which gimbal to buy?

In this post we are going to talk about Zhiyun Crane M3 vs Zhiyun Crane M2S and which you should be your next travel partner.

Let me be very honest, I have still not adjusted my hands with Zhiyun Crane M3 since I last bought it in Black Friday Sale in December 2021 and now fast forward 3 month we have a new baby in the market. If you are wondering what I do with these gear then you should check me on youtube.

Now I did wrote one old post around Gimble Zhiyun Weebil S vs Ronin-SC – Which gimbal to buy? so if you are comparing against those gimbal then you might wanna read that post.

Zhiyun Crane M3 vs Zhiyun Crane M2S

Is it the right comaprison? Well Zhiyun just tried to bring a new version in the market targetting to its sucessful audience who loved the Zhiyun Crane M3 as the Gimbal sufficiently small and easy to carry if you are a Travel Vlogger.

Zhiyun Crane M2S target the same segment and it is just that in the amount you get the Zhiyun Crane M3 standalone you can get the complete combo Package of Zhiyun Crane M2S.

Zhiyun Crane M2S is smaller and lighter, weighing in at only 549g(~180g lighter than the Crane M3). But yes this thing caters to everything from a smartphone to a Sony A7S III and includes many of the Crane M3 features, like a built-in LED, USB-PD fast charging and “flagship-grade” quick release tech.

*(Well don’t get me started the quick release plate for Zhiyun Crane M3 was not at all free in Europe and I still have not got it yet. But they were distributing the Zhiyun Crane M3 quick release plate for free in US.

So let us dig in further and understand what is in the box for you?

For you assistance here are all the places from where you can buy the Gimbal

What is the difference between M2, M3 and M2S

	Zhiyun M2	Zhiyun M2S	Zhiyun M3
Release Date	2019	2022	2021
Price(EUR)	179	299.99	379.99
Size(mm)	267*69*138	240*68*150 (folded)	280.37*74.88*157.06
Load limit Representative	Canon M50+15-45mm f/3.5-6.3	Sony A7S3+small lenses	Sony A7S3+24-70F4 Zeiss
Net Weight	500g	549g	700g
Weight of Quick Release Plate	/	38.3g	/
Storage Method	Full storage of card pins	Full storage of locks	Half and full storage
Disassembly Structure	Quick release	Quick release 4.0+ special quick release plate	Quick release 4.0+ special quick release plate
Lock	Pan axis lock	Three-axis, two-stage gapless lock	Three-axis, two-stage gapless lock
Tilt axis range	310°	320°	309°
Roll axis  range	324°	320°	333°
Pan axis range	360°	360°	360°
Battery Capacity	1100mAh	1150mAh	1150mAh
Battery Life	7h	10h35min	8h
Charging time	2h	1h41min	2h
Language	English	English	English+Chinese
Fill Light	/	Built-in monochrome (5500k) temperature fill light	Built-in dual color temperature fill light
Follow Mode	PF/F/L/POV/V/Go+Vertical clapper	PF/F/L/POV/V/Go	PF/F/L/POV/V/Go+Vertical clapper
Featured Buttons	WT Zoom	light control lever	Light control pulsator
Camera Control	Bluetooth+wifi	Type-C interface wired connection	Switch release protocol + wireless Bluetooth (follow-up)
Somatosensory Control	×	√	×

ZHIYUN CRANE-M2S Review

ZHIYUN has once again revisited their gimbal design, looking at the aesthetics and usability. The entire design sees an update to make this gimbal more user friendly and features a 0.66-inch display that feeds back real-time operating parameters alongside other handy information for the operator.

I really like the nice addition of the LED from Zhiyun Crane M3 which they have now brought to Zhiyun Crane M2 S as well.

One of the biggest issues with using a gimbal is being able to get a decent light source onto your subject, especially if it’s you presenting to camera. ZHIYUN has brought the design of the built infill lamp from the ZHIYUN CRANE-M3

This little side-mounted lamp, which also uses Lumen Amplifier technology, can create 1000 lumens of brightness in just 2.8 cubic meters. This compact lamp has five levels of adjustment and the ability to attach one of four color filters for a variety of lighting effects and complete creative control.

Nice addition of Quick release for accessible shooting

As we can see, the new V-shape quick release plate design has been included into the CRANE-M3 ZHIYUN. This release is quite quick to use, making it suitable for the run-and-gun industry that this gimbal caters to.

Unlike bigger gimbal baseplates, the V-shape baseplate is tiny and may be left in place on the camera without obstructing the view.

Charging and Camera power boost

Through the USB-C connector, the new Crane-M2S supports USB PD rapid charging up to 12W. This implies that a full charge of the Crane-M2S may be completed in about 100 minutes, providing up to 10 hours of operational time on a single charge.

Another benefit of this new high-capacity built-in battery is that it may be used as a camera power pack. So, if your camera’s battery is running low, plug it into a USB port for a portable charging solution. If your camera model is compatible, this cable also allows for direct camera control.

Where can I buy Zhiyun Crane M2S or Zhiyun Crane M3

If you are planning to buy any of these devices you can first check on Amazon or maybe buy from the specific Camera stores around you, Below are certain places from where you can buy these devices.

These links could be affiliate link and I may earn some money if you buy from here at no extra cost to you.

If this is your first Zhiyun Gimbal and you directly want to buy this from home website then you can also check our Zhiyun Official Store to buy the Gimbal. Use the Code ‘HELLOZHIYUN‘ to get extra 5% discount on your Zhiyun Crane

That was all the details about Zhiyun Crane M3 Vs Zhiyun Crane M2S. Please let me know which one you are deciding to buy now in comment.