Twelve months is a long time in Zhiyun World. The Smooth 5S – launched late last year – is the Chinese brand's successor to the Smooth 5, which itself had been released towards the end of 2021 to replace the Smooth 4. And so it goes. The annual cycle of rebirth and renewal continues with the Smooth 5S.
As a smartphone gimbal, the 5S is Smooth by name, smooth by nature. Smooth as in silky. With updated algorithms controlling the steel motors, it has the mechanical chops to cope with today's Pro Max monster phones – although the bigger the phone, the tighter the fit. If your phone is at the outer limits of size and weight, you will be Max-ing the envelope of what is possible.
Available in either a striking white or smokey-grey colourway (we tested the more subtle/sober grey), the overall package and presentation is one of solidity. The heft of the hardware instils confidence without being overly heavy, with that same familiar and tactile big, fat...