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Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro: two-minute review
If you’re serious about video capture, there’s a good chance that a gimbal is on your ever-growing shopping list. And if you’re looking for something that can support one of the best cameras for YouTube and general video capture, the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is an option you might want to consider.
This is a pro-spec gimbal that comes with a built-in camera for AI subject tracking and remote viewing, a touchscreen remote, impressive battery life, and a respectable 5.51lbs / 2.5kg maximum payload. It’s packed with features, and the Pro kit comes with a range of useful accessories for not much more than the price of the standalone Pro option.
The MT3 Pro even features a detachable 1.4-inch touchscreen remote, which can be used to control the gimbal from up to 32.8ft / 10m, with the ability to see what the AI tracking camera sees. This is fantastic, whether you’re capturing yourself or simply working at a distance from the camera. You can, of course, also access many gimbal settings via the remote, and there’s a mount that attaches the remote to the multi-angle arm that’s included in the pro kit.
In terms of build quality, there’s no faulting the MT3 Pro. It feels like a quality product, as you’d hope and expect for the price. It’s a surprisingly compact gimbal considering it has a maximum payload of 5.51lbs / 2.5kg, which is enough to support a range of different cameras and necessary accessories up to some professional options.
The MT3 Pro is comfortable to hold thanks to the contoured grip and the weight of just 2.36lbs / 1.07kg. Plus, the included mini tripod acts as both a stand and an extended handle / grip. The Pro kit also comes with a multi-angle handle, which is perfect for adding stability in ‘side handle mode’ and for capturing low-angle shots in ‘briefcase mode’. Another useful feature is the ability to switch the camera to portrait mode in a matter of seconds, without having to rebalance the gimbal.
A great aspect of the MT3 Pro is that it comes with everything you need to attach and stabilize smartphones, action cameras, compact cameras and larger mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and video cameras. For most professionals and advanced users, a mirrorless or video camera will be the obvious camera of choice, but you never know when you may need to attach an action camera or smartphone, so this functionality remains useful – if you shoot just with a phone, however, you’ll find a better alternative in our best phone gimbals guide which includes Hohem’s own iSteady M7 in top spot.
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The camera mount is Arca-Swiss compatible, which means you can attach your camera and camera cage to the gimbal. Like all gimbals, the MT3 Pro conveniently folds flat for transport and storage. Parts of the MT3 Pro are Teflon-coated, intended to make balancing easier when adjusting the tilt, roll and pan arms. The MT3 Pro was easy enough to balance, and the arms certainly moved with ease during the process.
One of the more interesting features is the AI subject tracking for humans, pets, vehicles, and pretty much any subject you might want to capture. The subject tracking works well, incredibly well, when it comes to locking onto subjects as you move around them, or if the subject itself moves – the gimbal will follow. ‘Any subject’ may seem vague, but during my testing I was able to select literally anything, and the MT3 Pro would dutifully lock on to it.
The gimbal achieves success here thanks to its 2MP AI camera. This not only allows the gimbal to see the subjects it’s tracking, but, as previously mentioned, it also provides a live view of what’s happening in front of the camera. It’s not a live feed from the camera, but it remains useful by allowing you to select the subject to be tracked. You can set custom follow speeds to make the MT3 Pro quicker and generally more responsive when required. You can also use hand gestures to control some functionality of the gimbal, which is useful for vloggers.
The Hohem Joy app allows you to perform several tasks, including updating firmware, controlling the gimbal wirelessly, setting up shooting tasks such as timelapses, and smartphone camera control when stabilizing your smartphone. It’s not the best app of its kind, but it could be worse, and I was surprised to find a firmware update available for the pre-sale MT3 Pro I was testing.
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One thing I did find tricky with the MT3 Pro is that some features and functions are tucked away behind multiple button presses, as well as being accessible on the remote. This is fine if you use gimbals daily, but for less frequent users it will take some time to learn what one, two, three or four presses, or a long press, of a button does. Not a dealbreaker, for sure – just something to be aware of.
The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro is an impressive and useful gimbal thanks to these features and others, including the Spot Mini Motor, which can be set up to add easy motorized focusing of your lens / follow focus. This is only available in the Pro kit. Standard features include control of compatible cameras, and there’s also a built-in light. This has Kelvin and brightness control, and although it’s not the brightest it does add useful fill light in some situations.
This and the AI subject tracking will of course take their toll on battery life, but Hohem claims that the 4350mAh battery can provide up to 20 hours of use when these features aren’t being used. I wasn’t able to fully test that claim, but a single charge did more than cover my testing period, which spanned a couple of weeks and multiple shoots.
Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: price and availability
The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro was announced on January 6 2026, alongside the Hohem iSteady MT3. The latter is a less expensive option with a lower maximum payload and fewer features. The iSteady MT3 models will initially be available in the United States with pre-orders open now. Hohem has suggested that a wider release to the UK, Australia and other regions could follow in March/April.
I reviewed the iSteady MT3 Pro kit, which costs $549, while the iSteady MT3 Pro costs $449. Without listing everything you get in the Pro kit, in addition to what comes with the MT3 Pro, you also receive a carry case, multi-angle handle, a focus motor and associated accessories, among other items, and for just $100 more it’s an attractive option. We’ll update this page when we have details of pricing and availability for regions outside the US.
Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: specs
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Dimensions: |
Folded: 8.5 x 11.6 x 2.6 inches / 216 x 295 x 65mm / Unfolded: 13.3 x 5.9 x 7.8 inches / 338 x 150 x 199mm |
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Weight: |
2.36lbs / 1070g |
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Max payload: |
5.51lbs / 2.5kg |
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Verical shooting: |
Yes |
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Compatible phone width: |
58 to 90mm |
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Connectivity: |
USB-C / Bluetooth |
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Battery life: |
Up to 20 hours (without AI tracking) |
Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro review: also consider
Should I buy the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
How I tested the Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro
- I tested it over a couple of weeks
- I paired it with a range of cameras
- I tested all of its features
The Hohem iSteady MT3 Pro was tested over a couple of weeks indoors and out, with my smartphone, compact camera and full-frame mirrorless cameras, and with video accessories attached. The gimbal was tested according to what I was shooting, but emphasis was placed upon overall stability and the effectiveness of the AI-powered subject tracking. I also tested the touchscreen remote, the spot mini motor for focus control, and the other accessories included in the kit.
First reviewed January 2026
Read the full article here
