Feiyu SPG - Splashproof Gimbal for Smartphone & GoPro - Review

I already tested Feiyu Vimble C, Feiyu’s affordable entry level gimbal which looks similar. So I wanted to see if it’s worth to pay the extra money for the higher prices Feiyu SPG. There are more versions, SPG-C and SPG Plus. My review is based on the model which is also referred to as Feiyu SPG (new version) and is splash proof. Anyway all of them can be used with smartphones and action cams, great if you want to be flexible and use both devices.

In the video below I used Feiyu SPG with YI 4K+ Action Camera:

Feiyu SPG Specs

Battery
Feiyu SPG holds an exchangeable 3000 mAh , 3.7V battery, type 22650, which allows 8 hours of working time. In contrast to Feiyu Vimble C that’s a huge benefit, where the battery is built in. This way you can always have a spare battery with you. A micro USB port at the side of the grip supports power via power bank. Another way to extend operational time of your gimbal.

Weight & Payload
Viable C itself weights 350g, without battery and smartphone. Payload is about 240g.

Pan / Tilt / Roll – Angle
Feiyu SPG allows 360° rotation on the pan axis and 320° rotation on the other axes. That’s the second big advantage compared to Vimble C which is limited to 320° on all axes. It’s so much more convenient to have 360° rotation on the pan axis, especially when you use the gimbal with an action cam. This way the cam is facing forward while the joystick is facing you.

Durability
Feiyu SPG is splashproof another abvantage over Vimble C. You can benefit from this feature when using a splashproof smartphone or GoPro Hero5 & Hero6. You are also able to use other action cams with an underwater case when you mount them without the foam pieces – even more convenient. But it depends on the form of the case if it is held securely. You can additionally secure them with a rubber band. I tested with YI 4K and YI underwater case and it worked fine.

Buttons & Controls
The control panel provides a flat joystick to control the head. The power / mode switch button sits below. On the front there’s also a shutter button which works when using Feiyu ON App on your smartphone. I really like the trigger button on the backside. When you press it you enter locking mode (cam faces the same position). As I’m usually using follow mode that’s a convenient way to do a quick jib shot (raising you arm like a crane) which usually leads to a shift when in panning mode. Pressing this button while using the joystick activates the zoom which the app.

Feiyu SPG – Buttons

Shooting Modes
You can use Feiyu SPG to stabilize your phone horizontally or vertically – in portrait or landscape mode.
The gimbal will balance itself upon power up. On the backside there is a knob to adjust the weight of your phone to fine-tune balance.
Available modes are locking (same position), pan follow and pan/tilt follow.

Mounting
You can mount Feiyu SPG on a tripod or any other camera gear as a 1/4″ standard photo thread is not only integrated at the bottom, also on the backside below the head. Great for compact mounting! On the bottom there is also a larger thread which combines with Feiyu’s grip extension rod.

Feiyu SPG offers 2x 1/4″ threads for mounting

Feiyu SPG – Compatible Phones & Cameras

Smartphone
The gimbal is compatible with a huge variety of smartphones including all Apple iPhones, Huawei P9 / P9plus, Xiaomi 5 series, Samsung Note5 / S7, and other 50mm-80mm smartphones in width. On the backside of the arm is a knob ring. You can unlock and shift the arm to level your smartphone. This way your smartphone is better levelled before turning on and relieving the motors.

Feiyu SPG – Knob ring to level your smartphone

Action Camera
Action cameras such as GoPro Hero 5/4/3 and other action cameras of similar dimension can be used together with the EVA foam pads (included). Biggest benefit of the Feiyu SPG that you are not limited to smartphones or action cameras, you can use both. But that comes with some cons: The shutter button on top is covered a bit and harder to access and the Touchscreen on the back is covered and not accessible and not fully visible. Here’s SPG with GoPro Hero5 black and YI 4K+:

Feiyu SPG with YI 4K+ Action Camera

Feiyu SPG with GoPro Hero5 black

Special Feature
When using Feiyu ON App (available for iOS and Android) on your Smartphone you can enable some special features like face tracking. Mark your face on your screen, which will be tracked during a movement and the gimbal’s head will follow automatically. Notice the red square around the face in the image below.

Feiyu SPG – Face Tracking

Feiyu SPG-C vs Feiyu SPG

Feiyu SPG vs Feiyu SPG-C

As mentioned there are other versions and a popular one is Feiyu SPG-C – What’s the difference?
Whereas Feiyu SPG is splash proof, Feiyu SPG-C is not. And there’s a another difference: While on the back of SPG there’s a knob ring to easily level the smartphone (mentioned earlier) you have to add counterweights on SPG-C which is not as convenient. Additionally Feiyu SPG has a button on the backside of the grip which is missing on SPG-C.

Conclusion

UPDATE: It seems that the prices of Feiyu SPG dropped to about the same level as SPG-C and Feiyu Vimble C. After testing them Feiyu SPG is definately my winner. Longer operating time, exchangeable batteries, splash proof, aluminium body & 360° rotation on the pan axis are definitely benefits of SPG compared to Vimble and SPG-C (see table below). Only disadvantage, compared to competitor Zhiyun Smooth Q is that action cams are mounted with the clamp on top and bottom. This way the shutter button on top is covered and more complicated to access. On Zhiyun Smooth Q the clamp holds the camera on its sides.
Overall I’m very satisfied with the performance of Feiyu SPG which is a great tool for action cams and smartphones.

Versatile – for Smartphones and Action Cameras

Low Price

High quality body design (aluminum)

360° rotation on pan axis

Exchangeable batteries

Splash proof

Access & visibility of action camera touchscreen is limited

Shutter button of action cam is hardly accessible

Here’s a comparison of different, but same style gimbals

Feiyu Vimble C	Feiyu Vimble 2	Zhiyun Smooth Q	Feiyu SPG C	Feiyu SPG (new version)	DJI Osmo 2	Zhiyun Smooth 3

Body: Plastic	Body: Plastic & includes selfie stick	Body: Plastic	Body: Metal	Body: Metal	Body: Plastic	Body: Metal
Battery: 5 hr working time	Battery: 7-10 hr working time	Battery: 12 hr working time	Battery: 7 hr working time	Battery: 8 hr working time	Battery: 15 hr working time 2600 mAh	Battery: 14 hr working time
Battery Type: built-in	Battery Type: built-in	Battery Type: built-in	Battery Type: exchangeable	Battery Type: exchangeable	Battery Type: built-in	Battery Type: exchangeable
can be powered with power bank	can be powered with power bank	can be powered with power bank	can be powered with power bank	can be powered with power bank	can be powered with power bank	can be powered with power bank
n/a	can power phone / camera	can power phone / camera	n/a	n/a	can power phone / camera	can power phone / camera
200g Payload	210g Payload	200g Payload	?g Payload	?g Payload	?g Payload	260g Payload
Pan / Tilt / Roll 320° / 320° / 320° rotation	Pan / Tilt / Roll 320° / 320° / 320° rotation	Pan / Tilt / Roll 360° / 320° / 60° rotation	Pan / Tilt / Roll 360° / 320° / 320° rotation	Pan / Tilt / Roll 360° / 320° / 320° rotation	Pan / Tilt / Roll 320° / 310° / 140° rotation	Pan / Tilt / Roll 360° / 320° / 320° rotation
not Splash-proof	not Splash-proof	Splash-proof	not Splash-proof	Splash-proof	not Splash-proof	not Splash-proof
Controls: Joystick, Zoom, Mode Switch, Shutter	Controls: Joystick, Zoom, Mode Switch, Shutter	Controls: Joystick, Zoom, Mode Switch, Shutter	Controls: Joystick, Mode Switch, Shutter, Zoom	Controls: Joystick, Mode Switch, Shutter	Controls: Joystick, Zoom, Mode Switch, Shutter	Controls: Joystick, Mode Switch, Camera Settings, Shutter
Face Tracking	Face Tracking	Object & Face Tracking	Object & Face Tracking	Object & Face Tracking	Object & Face Tracking	Object & Face Tracking
Bluetooth	Bluetooth	Bluetooth	Bluetooth	Bluetooth	Bluetooth	Bluetooth
-	comes with carrying bag	comes with carrying bag	comes with carrying bag	comes with carrying bag	-	comes with carrying bag
1/4" thread on bottom	1/4" thread on bottom	1/4" thread on bottom	1/4" thread on bottom	1/4" thread on bottom & 1/4" thread on grip	1/4" thread on bottom	1/4" thread on bottom
Price: 115 USD	126.99 USD	Price 99 USD	Price: 109 USD	Price: 126 USD	129 USD	Price: 299 USD
Review	Review	Review		Review	Review	-