Zhiyun CRANE 3 LAB Creator Package Generic

The Zhiyun-Tech CRANE 3 LAB takes gimbal design in a different direction with the addition of a handle on top. With an included mini tripod attached on the bottom and this fixed, ergonomic handle on top, the CRANE 3 LAB can be used two-handed for optimal stability. Moreover, the handle enables you to seamlessly switch to underslung mode, whether with one or two hands, and achieve creative shots such as 360° roll shots as you move closer toward a subject. In addition to this innovative design, the CRANE 3 LAB also packs other advanced features, such as wireless video transmission, and provides the ability to stabilize up to 10 lb loads.

The CRANE 3 LAB supports two optional servos at the same time for focus and zoom control directly from the handwheel on the side. At the same time, all the other controls you need are provided at your fingertips at the top of the handle along with an OLED status screen. Additionally, the included ZY PLAY iOS/Android app (free download) provides many of the same control functions as well as special features such as panorama, focus time-lapse, motion time-lapse, long exposure time-lapse, camera settings, and more.

Wireless transmission is achieved via a Wi-Fi connection to an iOS/Android phone or tablet. The CRANE 3 LAB wirelessly transmits your video recording from your camera to your mobile device in real time in 1080p resolution. This feature is compatible with select cameras; please see the Zhiyun-Tech website for a full camera compatibility list.

Zhiyun’s LAB series was released along with an ecosystem of optional, dedicated TransMount accessories. One of these is the TransMount Phone Holder, which allows you to mount your phone on the side of the gimbal for monitoring your shot via the ZY PLAY app. Other accessories include a camera belt, specialized monopods that work together with the belt, and the TransMount Quick Setup Adapter, which lets you attach the included mini tripod by quick release functionality. This same adapter can also be used to attach monopods to the bottom of the gimbal for more stable jib-style shots. If you get two of these adapters, you can easily swap a monopod and a mini tripod on the spot as your needs require.

Another major feature of the gimbal is an axis latch lock system consisting of a separate latch lock on each axis. This feature allows you to lock the individual axes to remember your balance positions when powering the gimbal off. This way you won’t have to rebalance each time.

The TransMount Quick Release Baseplate from Zhiyun-Tech is designed to let you easily move your camera between the gimbal and the TransMount Multifunctional Camera Belt or Gimbal Bag. On one side, the baseplate accepts the mounting plate of the WEEBILL LAB, Crane 3-Lab, or Crane 2, and on the other side it features a latch that lets you attach onto the straps provided on the outside of the belt and bag. In this way, when you pack away your gimbal or put it away temporarily, you can keep the camera handy without having to remove the gimbal mounting plate. The latch, which is made of metal, securely locks when you push it in and unlocks at the press of two pins on the sides.

The Zhiyun-Tech TransMount Telescopic Monopod with Locking Buckle is designed to work with the optional TransMount Multifunctional Camera Belt to support handheld gimbals. The belt features a quick release socket that the monopod secures into. A quick release anchor point included with the belt screws into the bottom of the monopod and allows the monopod to pop into and out of the belt’s socket, which has two spring-loaded quick release pins.

Together, the monopod and belt take the weight of the gimbal off your hands and allow for comfortable jib-style shots. They also allow for easier control of the focus wheel offered on gimbals such as the Zhiyun-Tech WEEBILL LAB and CRANE 3 LAB.

The Telescopic Monopod also works like any standard monopod and has a tripod base that allows you to push in and out with stability. It telescopes out from 18.5 to 47″ and includes a removable rubber foot for setting it down on the ground without the tripod base. It has a comfortable sponge grip and includes a wrist strap that makes everything feel more secure in your hands. A supplied 1/4″-20 to 3/8″-16 screw adapter installs at the top of the monopod to provide you with either type of mounting point so you can mount gimbals, fluid heads, and other gear.

The Zhiyun-Tech TransMount Max Servo Zoom/Focus Controller can be used interchangeably for zoom and focus control on the Crane 3-Lab and WEEBILL LAB gimbals. It has a powerful-enough motor to control zoom, whereas the lighter-weight TransMount Lite is designed for focus control only.

The Crane 3-Lab supports up to two motors at the same time, and it’s recommended to use the TransMount Max and TransMount Lite together if requiring both zoom and focus control on the Crane. The WEEBILL, however, supports only one motor, so the TransMount Max is recommended as the only solution because it can be used interchangeably for both functions.

Featuring a toolless design, the TransMount Max attaches on the gimbal using just the included thumbscrews. It can be controlled via the gimbal handwheel or the companion smartphone app. Secure it to the supplied support bracket and mounting rod using two thumbscrews, and attach this assembly to the bottom of the gimbal’s baseplate with the third thumbscrew. Then connect the servo to the gimbal with the provided USB cable, and connect the camera to the gimbal with one of the camera control cables the gimbal comes with. The USB cable connection provides zero-latency signal transmission.

The Zhiyun-Tech TransMount Lite Servo Focus Controller is designed specifically for focus control. For zoom control please see the TransMount Max, which has a stronger motor that’s capable of handling zoom adjustments.

The TransMount Lite is intended for use with the Crane 3-Lab, although it’s also compatible with the WEEBILL LAB. The Crane supports two motors at the same time; ideally, you would use the slightly lighter TransMount Lite for focus control and the optional TransMount Max for zoom control. The WEEBILL LAB, however, supports only one motor, so the better option for it would be the TransMount Max, because it can be used interchangeably between focus and zoom control.

Featuring a toolless design, the TransMount Lite attaches on the gimbal using just the included thumbscrews. It can be controlled via the gimbal handwheel or the companion smartphone app. Secure it to the supplied support bracket and mounting rod using two thumbscrews, and attach this assembly to the bottom of the gimbal’s baseplate with the third thumbscrew. Then connect the servo to the gimbal with the provided USB cable, and connect the camera to the gimbal with one of the camera control cables the gimbal comes with. The USB cable connection provides zero-latency signal transmission.

The TransMount Quick Setup Adapter from Zhiyun-Tech is a quick release adapter for instantly attaching mini tripods and monopods to the Crane 3-Lab or WEEBILL LAB gimbal. It consists of two parts—one screws onto the tripod/monopod and the other to the gimbal’s tripod mount, and the two simply click into each other. To detach them, you just need to pull back on a collar. The adapter prevents having to screw and unscrew a tripod/monopod each time. Featuring a 1/4″-20 male/female design, the adapter can also be used independent of the gimbal for various accessories, such as monitors.

Two units are recommended for the WEEBILL LAB because the WEEBILL offers two locations for attaching a mini tripod—one on top and one on the bottom. With an adapter attached at each of the two locations, your mini tripod can easily be moved between one and the other to switch between standard and underslung modes.

The Quick Setup Adapter features a robust aluminum construction.

The TransMount Phone Holder with Crown Gear from Zhiyun-Tech is compatible with the Crane 3-Lab and WEEBILL LAB. It secures on the side of the gimbal and is adjustable to hold phones up to 6.3″ wide when the phone is held in landscape orientation. It also articulates forward/backward and can be folded up when not in use.

Designed to support the TransMount Mini and Telescopic monopods, the large-sized Zhiyun-Tech TransMount Multifunctional Camera Belt provides a point of stability for anything you mount on the monopod, including a gimbal. When the belt is used with a monopod and gimbal such as the WEEBILL LAB, the additional point of balance allows for substantially more stable and comfortable jib-type shots and lets you control the gimbal’s focus wheel more easily. The belt also has military-grade strips along its length for hanging accessories such as lens bags and the TransMount Baseplate.

For securing the monopod, the belt features a receptacle suspended on a hanging strap. The receptacle has a removable quick release 1/4″-20 mounting platform that screws into the bottom of the monopod and then pops in and out of the receptacle by quick release functionality. Two registration pins on the receptacle lock into a groove on the 1/4″-20 mounting platform to lock the two together.