Review: Ikan MS1 Beholder Small Camera Gimbal – Worth Your Money?

Most DSLR gimbals and camera stabilizers are bulky and not at all portable; they’re also very expensive.

The Ikan MS1 Beholder is a lower-price-range hand-held stabilizer designed to fit in the palm of the hand so that it can be taken anywhere.

It allows point-and-shoot or mirrorless cameras smooth, natural, and stable footage even while the user is walking, running, hiking, ect.

Its many stabilizing features make the Ikan MS1 a popular tool among those who want to take high-quality, beautiful footage while on the move.

Key Features

Smooth and Stable Footage on the Go

The Ikan MS1’s brushless gimbal motors allow the camera to move smoothly on its several axises without catching or jerking.

It can tilt and roll in response to movement in all directions and is said to virtually eliminate unstable images due to walking, running, or shaky hands.

With this feature, the user should be able to effortlessly take smooth, high-quality shots no matter what they’re doing.

Built in 5 Way Joystick Allows a Choice between Three Mode Options

The MS1 has a mode for several different occasions which are easily controlled by a built-in 5-way joystick.  “Follow Mode” allows the user to pan and tilt using only to the movements of their wrist; this allows the camera to gauge your movements and turn with you, creating very natural looking videos.

“Lock Mode” holds the camera’s position level steady.

It’s mainly used when a photo or video needs to be stable, negating the effects of shaky hands, and eliminating the need for a tripod.“Pan-and-Tilt Mode” simply gives the user the ability to manually adjust the stabilizer as needed.

Other features

• Compatible with several different cameras
• USB attachment for small LED or smartphone
• Thread mount for attaching an articular monitoring arm for monitoring and recording
• Quick release balance plate
• Offset camera mounting
• May be mounted to a tripod monopod or slider
• USB power supply for charging
• Micro USB AC adapter included
• Travel case included
• Lightweight, all aluminum build
• Several attachments available, including a two handle grip.

Customer Ratings and Reviews

Rating

At the time of publishing this post, 70 customers reviewed this product on Amazon. Of that 70, 40% of them give the product 5 stars and 26% give it just one star. The average customer evaluates the Ikan MS1 at 3.4/5 stars.

Reviews

Those who give a negative opinion of the Ikan MS1 usually have two main complaints.

The first is that they are unable to balance their camera as advertised. They feel like the product does not balance as well as others they have tried.

A few reviewers even say that they sent back the first one they bought because they thought the product was defective, only to find that the new one had the same problem.

The other main criticism may be the reason people have trouble with this: several customers feel that the instructions are difficult and complicated and that they had a hard time getting everything set up in the beginning.

Most reviewers, however, feel that the camera worked well for the value, is easy to use, and has a solid, sturdy build. Many reviewers feel that the stabilizer did exactly as advertised and helped them capture smooth, beautiful images and videos.

Most customers enjoy the several modes that the product has to offer and feel like they make their photography fun and enjoyable.

Overall

The Ikan MS1 has many fun and innovative features that make outdoor and sports photography easier and more enjoyable.

Its unique design allows for a camera to glide along several axises preventing a shaky or blurry images.

It’s difficult to evaluate how many cameras actually work well with the product and this may be the reason several reviewers complain that their MS1 would not balance: some cameras may just not do as well with the product as well as others.

Another reason that balancing could be a problem is that the instructions may be somewhat unclear. Most users love the product, feeling it does as advertised and they appreciate how well it balances their camera.

Even those on the fence about the product, agree that the Ikan MS1 is a perfectly good stabilizer for the price and that it gets the job done.