Gimbal
Also known as: 3-axis gimbal, camera stabilizer, handheld gimbal
A motorized mount that keeps a camera steady on three axes by actively countering movement, used handheld, on drones and inside pocket cameras.
Updated
What it means
A gimbal is a set of pivots driven by brushless motors that hold a camera level while whatever is carrying it moves. Sensors detect tilt, pan and roll hundreds of times per second, and the motors push back so the camera stays pointed where you want it. Most modern units are 3-axis, covering tilt, roll and pan.
Gimbals come in three common forms: handheld stabilizers for phones and mirrorless cameras, the built-in gimbal under a camera drone, and tiny integrated ones in pocket cameras like the DJI Osmo Pocket series. Unlike electronic stabilization, a gimbal does not crop the frame, so you keep the full sensor and the full field of view.
How it works in practice
Handheld gimbals usually offer modes such as pan follow, where the camera follows your sideways turns but ignores tilt, full follow, lock, and an FPV or spin mode for rolling shots. Pan follow is the everyday choice for walking with a subject, while lock mode suits a slow push toward a building or a reveal.
On drones, the gimbal is what makes smooth aerials possible at all. You can tilt it straight down for a top-down shot and keep it level while the aircraft banks into a turn. Before each flight, let it finish its startup check and recalibrate it in the app if the horizon drifts.
What to watch out for
A gimbal only cancels rotation. The up-and-down bounce of footsteps still shows, so walk with bent knees and a rolling heel-to-toe step, or hold the gimbal lower and away from your body to soak up the bob.
A badly balanced camera makes the motors work hard, drains batteries fast and can cause buzzing or jitter. Balance with the lens cap off and any filters, cases or microphones already attached. For crashes, falls and water, gimbals are fragile, which is why tough action cameras with RockSteady or similar EIS are the safer pick for rough sports.
How RawClip handles it
Gimbal footage is among the smoothest material you can give RawClip, which does not stabilize clips itself. Mix gimbal shots from a pocket camera or drone with action-camera POV in one order, and the AI picks the strongest moments across all of them for the highlight.