ZHIYUN
ZHIYUN is a China-based manufacturer of professional 3-axis gimbal stabilizers and portable COB LED lighting for content creators, videographers, and filmmakers, distributed globally via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, authorized retailers, and physical stores.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersGuilin, China
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ZHIYUN does
ZHIYUN (legally Guilin Zhishen Information Technology Co., Ltd.) is a China-based manufacturer of professional camera and smartphone stabilization equipment, founded in 2014-2015 and headquartered in Guilin with a digital operations office in Shenzhen. The company's core technology is 3-axis mechanical gimbal stabilization, deployed across the CRANE (professional cinema), WEEBILL (compact mirrorless), and SMOOTH (smartphone) gimbal series, complemented by COB LED lighting systems under the FIVERAY (portable pocket lights) and MOLUS (high-output COB fixtures up to 500W) product lines. The CINEPEER sub-brand extends the portfolio into budget-tier gimbals and lighting, while the Zhiyun Life line diversifies into adjacent consumer products such as power banks and the PuriBar air purifier. AI-powered subject tracking is embedded in smartphone gimbals, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity supports app-based control across the ecosystem.
ZHIYUN sells primarily through a direct-to-consumer online store (store.zhiyun-tech.com), supplemented by authorized online retailers and physical retail stores worldwide, with localized websites in 10+ languages covering Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The company targets individual content creators, vloggers, professional videographers, and smartphone filmmakers with hardware priced across consumer, prosumer, and professional tiers; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed but is structured as unit-based sales rather than subscriptions or enterprise contracts. Notable product benchmarks include 11.5-hour battery life on the WEEBILL 3S, 12-hour battery life on the CRANE 4, and 3,881 Lux at 1 meter on the MOLUS X100, with the latter winning a 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD.
The company is privately held, appears to be founder-controlled, and has not disclosed venture capital funding rounds beyond a small 2019 capital raise of approximately $124,329, suggesting operations have been funded primarily through internal cash flow. Revenue figures, growth rates, and detailed financials are not publicly available, and the management team is not disclosed in the provided sources.
ZHIYUN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ZHIYUN
- Legal name
- Guilin Zhishen Information Technology Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://zhiyun-tech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- ZHIYUN is a China-based manufacturer of professional 3-axis gimbal stabilizers and portable COB LED lighting for content creators, videographers, and filmmakers, distributed globally via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, authorized retailers, and physical stores.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ZHIYUN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Camera Stabilization and Lighting Equipment
- NAICS
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351)
- SIC
- Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gimbals, Stabilizers & Camera Rigs (Handheld, Wearable, Drone Gimbals) (CRACAPAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Camera Lighting & Flash (Speedlights, Continuous Lights, LED Panels) (CRACAPAG), Gimbals, Stabilizers & Camera Support Retail (Tripods, Sliders, Mounts) (CRACAHAE)
Keywords
Where ZHIYUN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guilin
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
ZHIYUN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Gimbals: Sale of camera and smartphone gimbals including CRANE (professional), WEEBILL (compact), SMOOTH (smartphone) series
- Hardware Sales - LED Lighting: Sale of professional LED lighting equipment including MOLUS (portable COB) and FIVERAY (pocket lights) series
- Accessories and Spare Parts: Sale of accessories including batteries, tripods, quick-release plates, and protective cases
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer-grade smartphone gimbals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
ZHIYUN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ZHIYUN manufactures and sells handheld camera and smartphone gimbals along with professional LED lighting equipment for content creators, videographers, and filmmakers. The gimbal portfolio spans the CRANE (professional cinema), WEEBILL (compact mirrorless), SMOOTH (smartphone), and CINEPEER (value) series with 3-axis mechanical stabilization. The lighting portfolio includes FIVERAY portable LED lights and MOLUS COB LED fixtures ranging from pocket lights to 500W studio units.
Product overview
ZHIYUN (Zhishen Information Technology Co., Ltd.) offers a comprehensive portfolio of handheld camera stabilizers (gimbals) and professional LED lighting solutions. The gimbal lineup includes the CRANE Series (professional cinema gimbals like CRANE 4, CRANE-M 3S), WEEBILL Series (compact mirrorless gimbals like WEEBILL 3S), and SMOOTH Series (smartphone gimbals including SMOOTH-Q5 Ultra, SMOOTH 5S AI). The lighting range features the FIVERAY Series (portable LED lights such as M60 Ultra, M40 SE, V60, F100) and MOLUS Series (COB lights including X100, X200 RGB, G-series, and B-series 100-500W variants). The CINEPEER sub-brand provides professional gimbal variants. Supporting accessories include power banks and the Zhiyun Life product line. The company serves content creators, filmmakers, and videographers across consumer to professional segments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CINEPEER: A product sub-brand offering budget-friendly gimbal and lighting solutions
- FIVERAY
- MOLUS
Products and services
- CRANE Series Professional Camera Gimbals Professional handheld 3-axis gimbal stabilizers (including CRANE 4 and CRANE-M 3S) designed for mirrorless and cinema cameras, featuring extended battery life and enhanced stabilization algorithms for professional cinematography.
- WEEBILL Series Mirrorless Camera Gimbals Compact 3-axis gimbal stabilizers (including WEEBILL 3S with 11.5-hour battery life and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity) designed for mirrorless cameras, offering portable professional stabilization for efficient content creation.
- SMOOTH Series Smartphone Gimbals Smartphone gimbal stabilizers (including SMOOTH-Q5 Ultra with AI subject tracking, SMOOTH 5S AI, SMOOTH 5S, and SMOOTH-Q4) offering multi-axis stabilization for mobile content creators, vloggers, and social media video production.
- CINEPEER Series Gimbals Sub-brand offering budget-friendly professional gimbal variants including CINEPEER SMOOTH 5E, CRANE 4E, CQ5, and WEEBILL 3E for cost-conscious creators.
- FIVERAY Series Portable LED Lights Portable LED lighting solutions (including FIVERAY M60 Ultra 60W pocket light, M40 SE, M20C/M20, V60 light wand, M40, and F100 flexible panel) designed for on-the-go content creation and videography.
- MOLUS Series COB LED Lights Professional Chip-on-Board (COB) LED lights with high color accuracy (CRI ≥95, TLCI ≥97), ranging from pocket 60W units (X60RGB/X60, X100, X100 RGB) to studio-grade 100W-500W fixtures (G200, G300, B100/B200/B300/B500, X200/X200 RGB), with multiple power supply options including Bluetooth control.
- ZHIYUN Life Accessories Supporting consumer products under the Zhiyun Life line including the MOLUS 130W portable power bank for on-the-go device charging and the PuriBar personal air purification device.
Quantifiable outcome
- WEEBILL 3S battery life: 11.5 hours continuous operation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ZHIYUN
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ZHIYUN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ZHIYUN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ZHIYUN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Insta360: Insta360 is a broader consumer imaging company producing 360° cameras and action cameras with embedded stabilization. Comparable to ZHIYUN as a peer in the stabilization-enabled consumer imaging space, though Insta360's primary focus is camera hardware rather than external gimbals.
- GoPro: GoPro is a consumer action camera company with built-in HyperSmooth stabilization that competes conceptually with gimbal-based stabilization. Relevant as a broad incumbent in the action content creation space where ZHIYUN gimbals are used to stabilize complementary cameras.
- Manfrotto: Manfrotto is an established photography and videography support brand (tripods, gimbals, lighting supports) owned by Vitec. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the camera support category, with overlapping distribution channels and professional customer base.
Direct peers
- DJI: DJI is the dominant global manufacturer of camera gimbals (Ronin, Osmo Mobile) and consumer drones, with a far larger product portfolio and global brand presence. Directly competes with ZHIYUN's CRANE, WEEBILL, and SMOOTH lines for both consumer and professional videographers.
- Hohem: Hohem produces AI-tracking smartphone gimbals (iSteady series) at competitive price points aimed at social media creators. Directly comparable to ZHIYUN's SMOOTH series in the smartphone gimbal category with similar AI subject-tracking features.
- Aputure: Aputure is a leading professional LED lighting brand (Amaran, Light Storm, Nova) for film and video production. Directly comparable to ZHIYUN's FIVERAY and MOLUS product lines in the portable COB and RGB LED lighting category.
- FeiyuTech: FeiyuTech is a Chinese gimbal manufacturer with comparable product lines (AK, G6, Vimble) targeting smartphone and mirrorless content creators. Closely comparable to ZHIYUN on category, target customer, and price points, though with smaller global brand awareness.
- Godox: Godox manufactures a comprehensive range of professional photography and videography lighting (AD series flashes, LED panels, SL series). Closely comparable to ZHIYUN's lighting portfolio in both studio and portable COB segments for content creators.
Emerging players
- SmallRig: SmallRig manufactures camera rigs, cages, handles, and accessories for mirrorless and cinema cameras, with growing expansion into lighting and audio. Comparable as a creator ecosystem brand that increasingly overlaps with ZHIYUN's gimbal and lighting buyer profile.
- Syrp: Syrp designs motion control and stabilization tools for videographers (Genie, Slider) targeting professional filmmakers. Comparable to ZHIYUN's CRANE/WEEBILL professional line in serving video production workflows requiring smooth camera movement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ZHIYUN social profiles
Digital presenceZHIYUN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ZHIYUN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ZHIYUN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ZHIYUN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ZHIYUN
What does ZHIYUN do?
ZHIYUN manufactures and sells handheld camera and smartphone gimbals along with professional LED lighting equipment for content creators, videographers, and filmmakers. The gimbal portfolio spans the CRANE (professional cinema), WEEBILL (compact mirrorless), SMOOTH (smartphone), and CINEPEER (value) series with 3-axis mechanical stabilization. The lighting portfolio includes FIVERAY portable LED lights and MOLUS COB LED fixtures ranging from pocket lights to 500W studio units.
Is ZHIYUN a public or private company?
ZHIYUN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ZHIYUN founded?
ZHIYUN was founded in 2015. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is ZHIYUN based?
ZHIYUN is headquartered in Guilin, China, in the Asia region.
How does ZHIYUN make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Gimbals are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales - LED Lighting and accessories and Spare Parts.
Who are ZHIYUN's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Insta360, GoPro and Manfrotto. Direct peers are DJI, Hohem, Aputure, FeiyuTech and Godox. Emerging players are SmallRig and Syrp.
Does ZHIYUN have an API?
No public API is recorded for ZHIYUN.
What industry is ZHIYUN in?
ZHIYUN's product category is Camera Stabilization and Lighting Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAPAE, Gimbals, Stabilizers & Camera Rigs (Handheld, Wearable, Drone Gimbals), with a secondary code of CRACAPAG, Camera Lighting & Flash (Speedlights, Continuous Lights, LED Panels). Its NAICS code is 33431 and its SIC code is 3861.