When I heard the Zhiyun Crane 3S and CRANE 3S Pro were rated for cameras up to 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg), I wanted to see if they could live up to their specs. I tested the CRANE 3S Pro in two different scenarios. First with my 5 lbs (2.3 kg) Sony A7s ii rig and then with my 12 lb (5.4 kg) Varicam LT. So let’s dive right in! Last month I was the DOP on a music video shoot and my second camera operator brought his Zhiyun Crane 3S. It performed well and I was impressed with the ergonomics. I like that instead of carrying it with both hands out front, it is carried more inline, with one arm in back that can lock against your side. This gives extra support and is a little less strenuous on the arms. The inline layout also makes going into an underslung position very simple – and when in underslung, it is also easier to operate. After the shoot I went back to the office and did some research. That’s when I found that Zhiyun offers a Crane 3S Pro version, which has a lot of attractive extra features. So, I wanted to test the Crane 3S Pro to see if it can live up to its specs. Further below on this review, I go over all the features and modes of the Crane 3S Pro, but I figure most people are going to be more interested in the tests, so I’ll...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 18 December, 2020