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Improve video recorded on your phone using a stabilizer and external microphone

Phone cameras have come such a long way, and they can now produce professional-looking results. Take your videos even further by adding a stabilizer and external microphone to your phone when recording videos.

stabilizer lg mic image

A stabilizer and microphone will do a lot to improve your phone videos. You will also want to review our Video Production Tips to take your videos further with aesthetically-pleasing video shooting habits.

Using a Stabilizer

A smartphone stabilizer used with your phone will greatly improve the shakiness of your video.
You may think your hands are steady, but they cannot be as steady as a stabilizing device. A stabilizer is particularly important if you are walking, tilting your phone up-or-down, or panning your phone left-or-right.

Play the videos below one after another to see the difference. No post-production effects were applied.

Video recorded without a stabilizer

Video recorded with a stabilizer

Using a Microphone

Adding an external microphone may be more important than adding a stabilizer and you may find them more convenient.
Phone microphones are designed to pick up your voice no matter where your phone is being held, which means it also picks up a lot of undesirable background noise. An external microphone will reduce the background noise in your recordings by primarily picking up sound in the direction it’s pointing in.

Play the videos below one after another to hear the difference. No post-production effects were applied.

Video recorded without a mic

Video recorded with a mic

Purchase a stabilizer and microphone

The items below have been tested and are recommended by Media Commons staff. Amazon links are for convenience only. Media Commons is not able to provide support for these devices to the public. 

Recommended Stabilizers

Note: Phones with thick cases will not work with these stabilizers.

Obudyard – Single-Axis Stabilizer
single axis stabilizer image

Buy on Amazon

Zhiyun Smooth Q3 – 3-Axis Stabilizer

Note: May not work with Omnidirectional mics; will NOT work with shotgun mics.

3 axis stabilizer image

Buy on Amazon

Recommended Microphones

Mini-Shotgun Microphone
mini shotgun mic image

Buy on Amazon: Lightning

Buy on Amazon: USB-C

Mini-Omnidirectional Microphone
small mics image

Buy on Amazon: Lightning

Buy on Amazon: USB-C