Moza Aircross Review Vs Crane Plus
Moza Aircross Review
I’ve been testing this gimbal like mad recently, putting it through its paces. So how did it do? How does it compare to other gimbals on the market? Let’s get into it.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Moza Aircross — Who is it for?
The Aircross is a medium-sized gimbal aimed at mirrorless shooters. I’ve been using it with the Lumix GH5, but it would work well with smaller cameras like Fuji or Sony. Just be vigilant and check if your own setup — particularly the lenses you want to use — will work.
I used it with my Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 stock lens, which is pretty compact, and I’m almost at full balancing capacity with this setup.
The Moza Aircross is competitively priced, and gives you a lot of cool features in its small package.
Check out the Moza Aircross on Amazon here.
Build Quality and Battery Life
The battery life is immense. Truth be told I haven’t actually charged it yet. It came about 70% charged in the box, and I’ve used the absolute hell out of it since. It still tells me there’s about a quarter battery left. Winner. This is doubly impressive when you also consider that my setup is pretty close to its maximum capacity.
I found the Moza Aircross to be well built, made from metal (with the exception of the joystick and power button). It looks very similar to the Zhiyun Crane Plus, right down to the rugged hard-case it comes in.
The mini tripod that comes with it is very high quality and I find myself using it for my other cameras. It’s super handy.
Usability
The Moza Aircross changes modes by quick-tapping the joystick a certain number of times. Sometimes, I have to admit, I found this to be quite hit-and-miss. It’s a very similar system to the Crane Plus (see a pattern emerging?) but that gimbal is much easier to navigate the different modes with in my experience. Still this is a very small thing, but worth mentioning all the same.
The modes on offer are: Pan Follow, Full Lock, POV, and Vortex Mode. There’s also a quick mode, but I’ve never really seen the need to test that. If I want a fast pan I’ll just shoot handheld. Though your milage may vary!
Vortex Mode
The Vortex mode — the 360 degrees spinning mode — is something that the Crane Plus doesn’t offer. This mode is implemented very well on the Moza Aircross. It’s quite simple to activate, and the joystick moves very slowly and deliberately. Which is important, as these styles of shots are quite nauseating to begin with — the last thing we’d want is uncontrollably fast spinning.
I’ve used this feature on the Zhiyun Weebill Lab, and while the experience is very similar — I’m really picking hairs here, but I’ve tested ten gimbals or more in the last two years, so I think I’ve earned my right to nitpick! — I find that the extra handle on the Weebill Lab — the Sling Mode — makes holding the camera as it spins much easier and smoother.
As it stands — although these things are always subject to change — I believe the Moza Aircross is the most affordable medium-sized gimbal to offer this feature, so if it’s on your “must have” list, then points to the Aircross.
As an aside, I’ve been seeing this Vortex mode more and more on TV. Star Trek Discovery has a spinning establishing shot almost every episode. I wonder whether the prosumer level products have influenced mainstream media with their innovations, or vice-versa? It’s the spinny chicken-or-egg conundrum.
Anyway.
Moza Aircross — Smooth Footage?
This is the most important question, I think. If a gimbal can’t get this right then what’s the point?
I’m happy to report that the Moza Aircross does deliver some rock-solid footage. As with all gimbals, your own movements will affect the quality, so get practicing your ninja walk now.
One thing I will mention though is I did experience the odd horizon drift. It happened maybe three times over three solid days of usage, so it was rare, but it did happen. When I noticed the drift I turned the gimbal off and on again and everything was fine. But it’s definitely worth mentioning. I’m on the latest firmware, but hopefully this inconsistency will be addressed in future updates.
Check out the Moza Aircross on Amazon here.
Moza Aircross Inverted Mode
I love me a bit of Inverted Mode. This is where you turn your gimbal upside down, keeping the camera straight. It’s very handy for low-angled shots, and sometimes I get smoother footage through this technique. I don’t know why, exactly? Perhaps it makes me bend my knees more, or maybe it’s because the centre of gravity is more logical in an under-slung cradle? Who knows. All I know is, the Moza Aircross has this feature and I love it.
Motion Timelapses with Moza Aircross and Lumix…
This is a real negative. But it can be fixed. The cable in the box for Lumix is far from perfect. For one, while it reaches the GH5 just fine, it is much too short to work with other cameras such as the G80.
Also, more worryingly, while this cable triggers the video to record just fine, it doesn’t work at all with motion timelapse. What a pain in the butt!
I contacted the manufacturer and they very kindly sent me a new, more modern cable, but it should come in the box as standard, if we’re being honest. I hope it will with newer stock. I mean, this gimbal is for mirrorless cameras so a huge chunk of their potential customers are using Lumix gear. Bit of an oversight. But with a newer cable — and presumably, if you buy third party cables for a few quid off Amazon — it’ll work as intended.
Size comparison: Moza Aircross vs. Crane Plus vs. Weebill Lab
The Weebill Lab is the smallest by a mile. It’s the lightest, too. It’s a completely different design though, so perhaps it’s not the best one to compare. I have a full comparison of the Crane Plus and Weebill Lab here.
The Crane Plus and the Moza Aircross are very similar in design, but the Aircross is just that little bit taller. The cradle on the Crane Plus is slightly larger, which means it can accommodate slightly more front-heavy setups, but they’re both very similar. I’m picking hairs again.
The Moza App
I’m always extra harsh on apps because I use an Android phone, and Android users are always left in the cold by tech companies.
I’m happy to say that I really quite enjoyed using the Moza Aircross app. It connected instantly — every time — and the motion timelapses (when you have the right cable har har har) were absolutely a breeze to set up. I always open these sorts of apps with one eye open and the other one squinting. I always expect the worst. But this one was pretty cool. Big buttons, user-friendly, nothing too hidden in the menus.
Tick tick tick. Good job.
Conclusion
The Moza Aircross is definitely worth your consideration if you’re looking for a medium-sized gimbal that won’t break the bank. It’s very competitively priced and has a decent amount of features.
There are a few niggles, but it all depends how much the niggles mentioned above will affect your own workflow.
Most importantly, the footage is solid, it’s easy to balance, the case is brilliant, the battery life is brilliant, and it offers extra modes that some competitors don’t. It isn’t re-inventing the wheel, it’s just doing a decent job at a decent price.
Check the Moza Aircross out on Amazon here
Check out the Zhiyun Weebill Lab here.
Check out the Zhiyun Crane Plus here.