Last updated on December 5th, 2023
Some people have trouble deciding what kind of camera equipment they should bring when traveling, especially if it’s their first time doing so and are unsure about carrying a DSLR in flight or bringing a Gimbal while on a journey. Luckily we’re here to help! Get started now with these top picks from ShutterRelease.
We’ve rounded up our favorites, each with their own capabilities. You can weigh your options based on your needs for traveling.
Let’s get started with the best gimbals for travel on the market:
The Best Gimbals for DSLR/Mirrorless cameras
Zhiyun Crane Plus
The Zhiyun Crane Plus is a simple and easy DSLR gimbal. Reviewers love its quickness to balance the camera and its stability. Crane Plus can handle a load of weight, with a capacity of up to 5.51 Ibs, which makes mirrorless cameras work really well. The Crane Plus handles a wider range of camera and lens combinations than the others.
The Crane Plus is top on our list of best DSLR gimbal for travel for its MotionMemory feature. It allows you to set up advanced camera movements and then save them so it can remember them for the future.
Point of View (POV) mode allows for more camera movement. It provides up to 45 degrees of synchronized motion on its roll axis.
Crane Plus is the best DSLR gimbal for travel because of its intelligent object tracking as well. It goes above and beyond to object-track via its phone app control. What’s so cool about this best DSLR gimbal for travel is its NightLapse feature. It allows you to capture stunning star trails, moving nighttime traffic. And the passage of time over landscapes at night.
The Crane Plus features a camera control cable for the camera and the stabilizer. It’s great for taking a photo or zooming. It has dedicated APP-ZY Play.
This helps to realize advances zooming of variety like panoramas or time lapse. A bonus? You’ll get a full set of accessories such as anti-slip sweatband. And camera cables for controlling and charging.
Zhiyun Crane 2
The Zhiyun Crane 2 is a chart-topper DSLR gimbal for travel. Why? It’s lighter than its predecessors. It comes with a follow focus motor, which can be pricey with competitors. The Crane 2 supports DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and camcorders of up to 7 pounds.
You can connect your camera to the gimbal via a cable, and adjust the focus using its thumbwheel on the handgrip. With the Crane 2, you’ll find three levels of focus control.
These enable you to fine-tune focus for the lens you are using. It is convenient and quick to adjust your camera’s setting. The interface is comparable to that found on many cameras.
Not to mention, Zhiyun’s exceptional customer service makes this one a great pick as the best DSLR Gimbal for travel. 
FlyCam HD-3000 24” Handheld Stabilizer
The FlyCam meets our list of being the best DSLR gimbal for travel for having Micro adjustments. And it’s built exceptionally well! That price? It is a bargain.
The FlyCam features an aluminum-made handheld stabilizer. It comes with a MicroBalancing technique, which allows you to balance set up with ease and precision.
This is great for saving you time. Its top place can be adjusted on both the X & Y axis. And the quick release plate accepts all DV HDV DSLR video cameras. Its foam cushioned handle grip is attached to the 3-axis gimbal.
It lets your hand move up and down, and side to side, isolating unwanted hand motions from the camera. Its vertical balance can adjust if you vary the amount of counterweight.
Or change the length of the tool-less telescopic central post. A bonus is its foam-padded bag it comes with. This makes your DSLR Gimbal best for traveling.
FeiyuTech a1000 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
Everyone loves the FeiyuTech gimbal. What makes it the best DSLR gimbal for travel is its battery life. It lasts a long time. Reviewers also found the app that comes with it helpful. And it makes it easier to be able to fully unleash the potential of the gimbal.
This gimbal holds up to 6.17 pounds, making it on top as the best gimbal for travel. It features an LCD touch panel for the easiest adjustments of follow focus, zoom, sensitivity, and more. It features a high-precision magnetic induction knob, allowing control of the camera.
What’s even better? The gimbal can be connected over WiFi to compatible devices! You can control photo/video capture, focus, zoom, sensitivity, and more.
It’s iOS/Android apps connect to your camera via Bluetooth so you can set up parameters. These functions certainly make the FeiyuTech gimbal the best DSLR gimbal for travel.
FeiyuTech G6
Next on our list of best gimbals for travel is the FeiyuTech G6, which can hold a load up to 1.2KG and is compatible with the Sont a7 series and short lens as well as mirrorless cameras, action cameras, and smartphones.
The handle design is ergonomic, which makes it easy to hold the gimbal by the curve. This makes this best gimbal for fravel easier to hold and operate in one single hand.
Customers like you will love the large size of the OLED display screen, which makes it easy to check battery level, camera status, and more. And with a 360-degree single-axis, two-axis, and three-axis without limitation, you can shoot in most shooting scenes. Aslo, there’s a three-axis motor lock, which assists balancing the gimbal.
DJI Ronin-S
The DJI Ronin-S is one of the best gimbals for travel because of everything you get with this amazing gimbal. Shoot on the move with the stabilizer for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, giving you freedom with a support payload of 8 Ibs (3.6 kg), for a smooth and cinematic shot.
The advanced capturing features help you create imaginative panoramas, motion lapses, timelapses, and track. Even spontaneous movements are captured with clarity using this best gimbal for travel.
Travel with your gimbal in your backpack or travel bag while on the go since its modular design fits perfectly. Mounting your camera is so easy thanks to the quick-release plate design. It’s perfect for stills on your tripod or tracking shots.
With this best gimbal for travel you get a built-in battery, 3x camera screw, camera mounting plate, camera riser, lens support, USB-C cable, hook and loop strap, extended grip/tripod, storage case, focus wheel, type-C multi-camera control cable, and RSS IR control cable. 
DJI Ronin-SC
Designed for mirrorless cameras, the DJI Ronin-SC makes our list for best gimbals for travel due to its three-axis motorized gimbal stabilizer, and its included extended grip mini tripod.
Customers like you love this best gimbal for travel because it’s a pure good quality of product. The professional-grade materials it’s built with and the superior stabilization sets this gimbal apart from the rest.
The cutting edge technology of Ronin gives you smooth footage, especially if you are using a smaller mirrorless camera like many Sony cameras. And larger cameras like the Canon EOS R and Sony A7III work perfectly with this gimbal as well.
Customers like you also love how convenient this gimbal really is. If you’re serious about videography and are looking for an entry-level gimbal or a secondary gimbal, this is the right one for you.
Best Gimbal for phone
DJI Osmo Mobile 3
Our pick for the best gimbal for your phone as well as a best gimbal for travel is the DJI Osmo Mobile 3. A must-have for smartphone creators, this gimbal gives you a foldable design with lots of great functions.
This best gimbal for travel features a 3-axis stabilizer as well as brushless motors that give you smooth and real-time responses that eliminates shaky camera responses.
Some controls and features of this gimbal include the gesture control, panoramas, slow motion, timelapse, dolly zoom, hyperlapse, sport mode, story mode, and handy convenience.
Customers like you love all the features from this best gimbal for phones as well as everything that comes with it. You get the gimbal with the built-in battery, storage pouch, wrist strap, 4x anti-slip pads, and power cable.
Best Pocket Gimbal
DJI Osmo Pocket Handheld
This best gimbal for travel is also the best pocket gimbal. You get so much with this small gimbal including a SanDisk 128 GB Extreme Micro SD, along with the VanCityUAV cleaning cloth bundle.
The Osmo pocket handheld gives Vlog camera up to 4K video at 60 fps, up to 100 Mb/s, and a three-axis gimbal stabilizer. The gimbal camera has a ½.3 CMOS Sensor, and single handed Vlog design.
This is the best pocket gimbal because of it being so compact, at 4.1 ox and a 4.8 inch in height design. You get 12 MP JPEG or DNG Raw Still photos, FPV, ActiveTrack, 3×3 panorama, motion lapse, and Night Shot.
Best Gimbal for Gopro
GoPro Karma Grip
The GoPro Karma Grip is the best gimbal for GoPro and best gimbal for travel because of its ability to capture such amazing and smooth shake-free videos.
Compatible with GoPro body mounts, this GoPro Karma Grip comes with a karma harness for Hero6 black/Hero5 black, and Hero7 black.
The gimbal comes with built-in camera controls and allows you to recharge up to 70 percent faster than competitor models.
Customers like you will love the Karma Grip with your GoPro because the videos are just the smoothest and best. Go out and about on vacation, film everything around you all day since its battery lasts all day.
Your GoPro will use the Grip’s battery while the Grip is in use, that way, you don’t have to use all those backup batteries, saving you time and juice.
Best Full size Gimbal
DJI Ronin-M Gimbal Stabilizer V3
This DJI Gimbal makes our list as the best DSLR gimbal for travel because of its stability. It enables the most professional results. Another big reason why we use this for travel is its incredibly compact and super light.
It weighs in at only 5 pounds! So, it can fit in your backpack and you can take it anywhere. What’s better? It holds the heaviest of weights at up to 8 pounds, exceeding others on our list. Set up on this gimbal is fast, and you can start shooting video in under five minutes.
Need to capture tight shots? The top handlebars quickly twist off, minimizing its size and achieving different configurations. You can pack or unpack in mere seconds!
The Ronin-M can stand up to rugged environments while you travel. This makes it the best DSLR gimbal for travel. But don’t take our word for it, try it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Take a Gimbal on a Plane?
Airplanes and airlines do not ban tripods, which would lead us to assume that you can indeed take a gimbal on a plane since you won’t be bothering anybody on a flight with your camera gimbal.
The only tricky part of getting your gimbal on a plane will be getting through security. It might be beneficial to treat your gimbal just as you would your laptop, by taking it out separately just in case. Otherwise security may pull your bag aside to search it.
Always check with the airline first before deciding to bring any camera gear on the plane and bring it on your own discretion. Otherwise, you should have good luck getting your gimbal on a plane while traveling.
How Do You Pack a Gimbal for Travel?
Packing your gimbal for travel is going to be the most important step when traveling with your gimbal.
First, be sure to remove the batteries from your gimbal if you are going to bring your gimbal on a plane. Then keep your gimbal batteries with you as carry on luggage for when you get on the plane. If you’re bringing your rig on the plane, keep your batteries separate in your camera kit bag.
You should also house your gimbal batteries in your gimbal battery charger so it protects the connectors on the top and bottoms of your batteries.
Make sure you have suitable storage for your gimbal so that it does not get damaged in the travel process. Use just a TSA approved or simple padlock so security can search it if they must.
How Do You Transport a Gimbal?
Traveling with any of these best gimbals for travel should be no issue at all. Since there is nothing in writing regarding this type of photography gear on airline websites, it is safe to assume that it should be easy to travel with your gimbal.
Be sure to keep your gimbal in a place that will be safe. Always have a list of your photography gear you are traveling with to make sure everything is in order for your travels.
Don’t forget to be careful with the batteries and have them protected as well. Also, having a specific travel case for this very reason. You want to make sure your camera gear and accessories are kept safe so you can have peace of mind while you travel. Happy and safe travels!
