Tripods vs. Gimbals: The Epic Battle of Stability in Videography

Both tripods and gimbals are excellent stabilization tools for your camera and should be staples for any videographer to keep in their inventory, but how do you decide which to use in each situation? And what are some key differences between tripods and gimbals? It depends on the look you’re going for, how much motion is involved, the time crunch you’re under to get the shots you need to get and mobility, amongst other things.
Both will help you stabilize your camera in different ways. Tripods rely on three legs planted on the ground while gimbals are handheld devices that use motors and sensors to actively counteract wobbly motions, giving you a seamless motion on camera.
Let’s go through some pros and cons of both:
Tripod Pros
- Rock solid when legs are extended and locked in place
- Can hold very heavy camera loads
- Allows very slow, smooth pans and tilts
- Inexpensive models available
- Dolly attachments are available to achieve additional movement while filming
- Good for shooting interviews, time lapses, still shots
Tripod Cons
- Bulky and not easily portable
- Time consuming to set up and adjust
- Can't compensate for wind or vibration
Gimbal Pros
- Compact and highly portable
- Actively stabilizes and smoothens motion
- Allows fluid, sweeping camera moves like pans, tilts and tracking shots
- Allow you to run, walk and follow subjects while maintaining stabilized footage
- Ideal for action shots, travel videos, high-action movements, documentaries and more
Gimbal Cons
- Struggles with heavier camera loads
- Short battery life
- Can drift or have jitter in windy conditions
- More expensive models required for best performance
- Can be frustrating to master the skill of balancing your gimbal and learning how to shoot steady shots in motion
- Can be heavy after shooting for a while and does require some back and arm strength
Conclusion
It truly depends on the situation you’re in to decide which is more feasible for your shoot. Videographers should bring BOTH to their shoots so they’re prepared for any situation.
