Modern smartphones have put a Hollywood-grade camera in your pocket. Based on video quality alone, consumers should have no problem producing their professional video content without having to purchase thousands of dollars of equipment. Unfortunately, video quality isn’t the only thing that matters.
With the exception of the Blair Witch Project, video stability is a major part of every motion picture to grace the big screen. Built in optical stabilization definitely helps create smoother video, but there are serious limitations to this technology. It was never designed for people who use their phone while moving. Instead, it’s designed to allow longer shutter times while shooting at night.
注意：如果您不需要额外的费用，我们可能会使用我们的链接购买购买佣金。Learn more.
A camera stabilization system is designed to help keep the camera steady, even when you are not. Most of them follow the same basic principal. The camera goes inside of a mount, which is allowed to move freely within a large enclosure. This enclosure is what you hold on to. As you move around, the camera is held in position to enable smooth, cinematic movements.
早期的摄像头稳定器使用了被绑在操作员的特殊线束。相机被悬挂，并使用陀螺仪技术将运动保持在特定的公差之内。这些系统很大，昂贵，需要使用高级培训。尽管存在这些问题，但我们知道这项技术改变了电影。GlideCam于1991年发行，被认为是技术的顶峰。如果您要回到过去，GlideCam用户可能不会相信这项技术已经走了多远。
The Flowmotion is one competitor in a new batch of personal camera stabilization systems. The manufacturer has produced some pretty impressive looking video samples, demonstrating how a shaky mess can be turned into buttery smooth video without any effort. It looks to be a simple, affordable accessory that can completely change the way you shoot hand-held video. Is this the next revolution in consumer video gear? To find out, we decided to try it out for ourselves.
First Look
乍一看，很难看到流动的革命性。它看起来像是一个手持手机安装式的手持三脚架。实际上，这只是流行的gimbal风格视频稳定器的非常紧凑的版本。
有三个独立的组件。在底部，您有一个标准的手柄。可以卸下此手柄，使您可以在任何选择的地方安装流程。另一方面，您会找到一个夹子智能手机安装座。中间是三个与L支架连接的平盘。这些圆盘实际上是轴承，使摄像头可以打开两个不同的轴。一个将相机上下倾斜，另一个将左右倾斜。从理论上讲，您可以朝任何方向移动手柄。这两个轴承可以使摄像头指向相同的方向，从而有效取消运动。
Hardware
What stands out about the Flowmotion is it’s adaptability. By default, it looks like any other compact gimbal. However, all of the bearings can be collapsed to make an extremely compact mount. It folds up to about the size of a wallet, and can be kept in your back pocket.
Most users will use the attached handle while filming. However, this handle can be removed if you want to get more creative. The bolt that attaches the handle to the base is a standard tripod mount. This allows you to attach the gimbal to any other commercially available camera mount. You can attach it to your bike, a vehicle, or even your helmet.
The smartphone mount will take any standard smartphone up to the size of an iPhone 7 plus. Flowmotion also makes an optional Go Pro mount, so you can take your favorite action cam with you.
操作模式
Motion is a form of input. This input can be either intentional, or unintentional. You can move your hand slowly from left to right, panning the video across the landscape. Alternately, maybe you’re running while filming. The up and down movement of your legs causes the video to bounce around. To us, making this distinction is easy. But to a computer, it’s not as easy to separate these movements.
While filming a baseball game, you might jerk the camera to the left to capture a home run. How is the stabilizer to know if this was intentional, or just an accidental movement? Flowmotion’s solution is to provide you with three separate modes to choose from.
Lock mode is the most powerful option. Any motion, both horizontal and vertical, will be compensated for. Your smartphone remains in a fixed position, with all movement of the handle restricted as much as possible.
In Pan mode, the smartphones tilt is locked. You won’t be able to move it up or down. If you try, it will compensate to keep the video level. You can, however, turn it from left to right. This mode works very well while running. The up and down motion from your legs hitting the ground is cancelled out, but you can still turn the camera in either direction.
The most flexible mode to choose from is Pan & Tilt mode. In this mode, the Flowmotion isn’t considering the direction of movement, but rather the intensity. Smooth movement in any direction is allowed. But if movement is quick or jerky, the gimbal will compensate to keep the video looking smooth.
In our tests, we found all modes to work exactly as described. The Pan + Tilt mode is best used in a candid environment. You can respond to anything that happens, and your video won’t behave unpredictably. Lock mode is best when you’re shooting a fixed subject. You can move around the subject, and the video will stay smooth.
Pan mode is best used when you’re in the center of the action. You can move left to right, but your own personal movement is cancelled out.
Software
流动并不完全独立。通过使用自由流动应用程序，它可以与智能手机同步并利用加速度计提高准确性。该软件具有充当视频制作套件的额外好处，使您可以更多地控制工作流程。
该软件中最有用的功能是能够在拍摄时更改万日模式。您还可以更改视频设置，例如对比度，色彩平衡，亮度和清晰度。这些功能比您在Instagram上获得的过滤器要先进，并使经验丰富的用户能够获得所需的精确外观。
Once you’ve got your video exactly the way you like, the Flowmotion app gives you a number of ways to store and share your video. You can broadcast it live to Facebook or YouTube with the touch of a button. If you’re saving the files for later use, you’re able to categorize and arrange them to make the editing process simpler. The app is an all-inclusive video editing suite, adding a ton of value to an already impressive package.
Disadvantages
由于FlowMotion使用智能手机的传感器来提高准确性，因此GoPro附件不如独立单元正常运行。对于Action Cams，我们建议使用将这些高级传感器直接构建的陀螺。这可以在所有设备上提供一致的性能，因此所有用户都可以体验到全部好处。不利的一面是，这些类型的稳定器往往要贵得多，因此现在最好使用智能手机。
Final Verdict
It amazes us how much better video can look when it’s stable. If you thought that optical image stabilization was impressive, this is the next level. When combined with a powerful smartphone, the video you produce is good enough to upload straight onto YouTube.
尽管这不是市场上唯一的智能手机稳定器，但该模型有一些关键优势。对于初学者来说，这是我们遇到的最紧凑的选择。它仅重300克，并且可以折叠以适合您的口袋。即使您已经使用了高端稳定器，流程也是您便携式钻机的绝佳补充。
For us, the icing on the cake is the digital video editing suite. Being able to set your video options directly from your phone can save you a ton of time in post processing. Once you save a video file, some data is lost. So tweaking your settings while shooting produces the best possible results and compensates for the limitations of the smartphone platform. This isn’t going to compete with a four-figure professional rig, but this is definitely as close as you’ll get.
注意：如果您不需要额外的费用，我们可能会使用我们的链接购买购买佣金。Learn more.
Have there been side-by-side performance tests with other gimbals already on the market like the Dobot Rigiet or DJI Osmo? I’d be interested in the pros/cons comparisons.
Warning: Think TWICE before buying this unit.
This product was supposed to be delivered in April 2017. Almost a year later and not a SINGLE unit has been delivered to Kickstarter backers or pre-sale customers. The Flow Motion team will not commit to a delivery date when they will ship all 5508 Kickstarter backers will receive their units. They refuse to offer refunds.
THANKS! I nearly bought this, but checked their Kickstarter and Instagram. All the negative comments are worrying. On Facebook they haven’t posted since january, and people are saying they are deleting messages from people. Totally unprofessional.
Just got mine today, I think I was early in the queue. It is very nice. With this and the camera on the Pixel 2 I’m getting shots that compare respectably with the ones I get at work with a DJI Ronin and Canon 5D.
它花了比目标交付日期更长的时间，但是从他们的更新和对评论的响应来看，我总是给人的印象是他们正在努力做好驴子以使其正确。
Thanks for the comments. Almost bought it.
Don’t buy this product.
I am backer number 67 and was told the ONE would be shipped out end of last month. Since I didn’t get an update. I reached out to them on Monday and received an email a day later saying they are shipping the first 100 backers that EVENING and keep an eye for an email with the shipping information. No email was received so I emailed them again on Wednesday and received an email this morning saying they have an unexpected delay (as I have heard 324234234 times) and shipping won’t happen until April 9th. I have asked for my money back but they will not give me a refund saying that kickstarter funding is considered a reward and not a purchase. Absolute bullshit.
To all the people currently backing this product or consider purchasing it. Don’t hold your breath and DO NOT BUY, they are not creating anything except empty promises. I will be contacting my credit card company and asking for a charge back. I urge you to do the same
他们实际上是在4月9日将其运送给您的吗？
DO NOT BUY — I ordered this product in July 2017 with the promise it would be received in August 2017, then the excuses started. We’re shipping in September, then November, then January, then February, then March, then May, now July – a full year later.
It is now May 2018. I just received another excuse:
2018-05-02: “We’re happy to announce that we’ve shipped the first batch of orders this week to our Kickstarter Backers. Production will ramp up over the following weeks and we’ll soon be shipping over a thousand orders of FlowMotion ONE each week. There have been some kinks, but we’re excited to have production and assembly running smooth.
在运输已经开始时，以前的延误将您的流动量的生产落后于计划。预订将于6月下旬开始发货，我们预计将在7月底之前运送所有预订。
我们将运送“先到先得”，并在发货之前及时通知您确切的运输日期。”
我们真诚道歉延迟。但是我们已经ry excited to have a functional and sustainable production line and we’ll work hard to speed things up to get your order shipped as fast as possible.”
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – Get your money back if you ordered this.
这些类型的项目中的任何一种实际上会提供镰刀吗？
我注意到，PLUX POWERMAT替代方案与此相同！
Mine is on the way and (DHL says so) arrives tomorrow.
Ordered mine back in April 2017 and finally got it last week. Well worth the wait. They did work their butts off to get a great product out.
哦，希望我今年能得到我的
在2018年8月中旬获得我的，我是后来的支持者。很棒，设计精美的产品！
Any updates on delivery? The web sites says Nov delivery for orders today..
Has anyone received and used this product? Does it work well?
do not buy. i ordered in May 2018 and have received excuse after excuse as to why mine hasn’t shipped. it is now May 2019 and just got yet another email saying they won’t ship or offer refunds until August, as they have financial problems and need to raise more capital. run.
我于2018年11月订购。这是我今天通过电子邮件发送的。
今天，我们必须宣布，流动正在关闭，我们无法支付退款或交付剩余的流动。
Since the beginning, our mission has been to build the world’s best stabilizers, and enable people to create professional videos with their smartphones. The team has worked tirelessly, and successfully developed, produced, and shipped thousands of products all over the world.
However, due to the complexity of the product, we had to overcome countless production problems that caused delays and extra costs. This put the company in a tough financial situation, despite always keeping salaries and administrative costs at an absolute minimum.
为了适应额外费用,我们有explored every possible fundraising option. Even with the future potential of FlowMotion, we could not secure the necessary investment. Without funding, and no money left in the company, it is impossible to move forward.
Even though we are proud of the team and everything we accomplished, we are also disappointed and emotionally exhausted. We know this is extremely disappointing for you, and we want you to know that we did everything we could to save the company. We sincerely apologize that we were not able to deliver your order.
Regards,
——FlowMotion Team
–––––––––––––
What happens now?
At the time of writing this email, all employees have been let go and a standard bankruptcy procedure has been initiated. However, we will try to be available online in the next couple of days and do our best to answer any questions you might have. You can reach us atsupport@flowmotion.co.