Feiyu Tech Summon - a 3 axis gimbal and 4K camera in one

Alex -

Its not surprising the new FY Summon has got people talking, but is it the trend leading masterpiece that it claims it be? The 3-Axis stabilized handheld camera boasts a 16 megapixel graph sensor, 4k video recording at 25 frames per second, a 2.0 inch HD display and a 95 degree distortion corrected lens.

What we loved:

  • It’s stylish, the rigid frame has a wonderfully flawless finish and holding the unit in your hand it feels professional and sturdy. The waterproof carry pod compliments this, and is a perfect size for transporting the Summon safely and conveniently.
  • Easy operation, including an uncomplicated menu and effortless navigation.
  • Built in Wifi, integrated with the feiyu tech app, can be used to remotely control the camera.
  • The 22650 3000 ma/h battery allows for 180 mins of constant shooting at 1080P.
  • Includes features such as panorama and time-lapse mode to create remarkable shots.
  • Compatible with tripods and other mounts.
  • Price wise, its comparable in price to a GoPro hero4 silver and shoots in 4K, and cheaper than the DJI Osmo.

What we didn’t love:

  • When starting the unit up, the unit pans finds a level attitude, whilst this is great, you need to be completely still and on a flat surface to get a perfect level. I found the way to avoid any crooked images was to start the Summon up whilst stationary for it to initalise properly (putting it on a desk or the ground).
  • Because of the Summons 360 panning ability and wide range of motion, the gimbal lock (as found in all gimbals) problem still exists when two of the axis become aligned, however this does not happen under normal recording situations.
  • The summon only comes with a short micro USB cable to use with a laptop or powerbank, however most commercial micro USB chargers and cables will work with it.
  • Not waterproof, which may be a downfall for those looking for a purely sports based camera.

Super Simple Operation.

The unit has three main buttons and a joystick that control all functionality. When the Summon is turned on it automatically switches to panning mode and adjusts the altitude, from here one click will switch between panning and lock modes. Triple click will take you to the straightforward menu which is navigated by the joystick. After ten minutes you can easily master the operation of the Summon for quick and instinctive shooting.

Modes

With one touch you can choose between a panning and lock mode, the Summon is also capable of 360 degree panorama, time lapse and slow motion. Below is an example of the stunning results you can achieve with timelapse.

Design

Aesthetically, the Summon is top notch. It looks great, has a sleek and seamless design and doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy at all, I also loved the case that comes with it. The only place the Summon looses minor points in the design category is that you need to dismantle it before popping it back in its case.

Quality

The image quality on the summon is pretty top notch, with 4k video and 16mp stills, the colours are bright and accurate and the* sound is as good as can be expected without an exterior microphone. Basically no lens distortion also brings the Summon up to great standing, and the 2.0 inch display is crisp and easy to see in bright conditions. Below are some stills taken from the Summon.

How it compares to the Osmo

The Summons biggest Rivals is DJIs OSMO, which is the Phantom manufacturers first stabilized camera. One of the biggest differences between the Summon and the DJI OSMO is that 2.0 inch LCD screen which is absent in the Osmo, and replaced with an interchangeable smart phone holder to use with Wifi and app (although the Osmo can still be used with the manual controls if you do not have your phone on you). Whilst you can still use the Summon with Wifi and its own app, I found having a built in screen to be a handy feature, less bulky than having to attach your phone. Points are given to the Osmo for its microphone output which the Summon does not, for its high quality 4k video and 12 megapixels stills (although the Summon is 16), great design and high quality carry case. The two products are very similar in the sense of what the can achieve, however, coming in at 100GPB cheaper, the summon is better value for money.

Overall, the FY Summon is a fantastic product, Its a great no fuss alternative to purchasing an action cam/point and shoot and a gimbal, and would be perfect as a travel or sports camera, or even a secondary unit for professionals out there. Having stabalized video instantly add production value, and helps create more polished videos.