Ikan EC1: a new gimbal stabilizer

Equipped with 3 axis gyro stabilized brushless motors to balance the camera attached to it, built in durable aluminum and with a price of $949.99, the EC1 is Ikan’s suggestion for professional filmmakers looking for a lightweight gimbal solution.

The Ikan EC1 Beholder 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer with Encoders, EC1 for short, has four different operating modes: the lock mode and three different follow modes. When in the lock mode, the camera doesn’t move and will stay in its position no matter how you turn the handle. In the yaw axis follow mode, the camera will only follow your pan movements left or right. In the yaw and pitch axis follow mode, the camera will follow your handle movements when you pan left or right or when you tilt up or down. In the 3 axis follow mode, the camera will roll side to side, tilt up and down, and pan left or right. On the back of the EC1, there’s a button to change modes and an OLED screen that shows the battery life and current mode.

The point and lock system is a unique new feature that allows you to point the camera in any direction and it will be locked into place. For example, you can quickly and manually point the camera in different directions and it will lock. The DSLR gimbal handle comes with two ¼-20 threaded hole mounts with one on each side, which are great for microphones or lights. For those that want to use the gimbal with a tripod, there is a 3/8-16 tripod mount on the bottom.

The EC1 has a 32-bit controller with a 12-bit encoder, which helps improve the battery life. Handheld gimbals now have an adaptive PID algorithm to be more efficient. With this algorithm, the encoder can detect what adjustments need to be made and can adapt on its own to the type of camera being used. Whether you’re using the gimbal for standard video production or filmmaking, the EC1 is useful in all settings.

“The EC1 takes what the DS1 had and makes it better. It’s now easier to balance, more reliable, and smarter with the new encoder. All these benefits along with the new modes of operation really take the Beholder gimbal line to the next level,” says Julio Ramon, Product Manager.

Visit Ikan’s website to view the full line of gimbal stabilizers, including the DS1 and EC1.