How to Balance Hohem Gimbal Perfectly in Under 5 Minutes

I used to think my Hohem gimbal was faulty, like motors buzzing, footage wobbling, and random shutdowns mid-shot. But the issue wasn’t the hardware. It was balance! More specifically, my total misunderstanding of how to balance Hohem gimbal.

So, to balance your Hohem gimbal, mount your phone securely, unlock all axis locks, then adjust the tilt, roll, and pan axes one at a time until the phone stays level. Next, check for smooth movement, then power on. Rebalance if the motors buzz or overheat.

I’m going to walk you through —

• How to balance your Hohem gimbal step-by-step
• Importance of balancing the Hohem gimbal
• Common Issues with Balancing the Gimbal
• How the Hohem Joy App Helps to Balance

Key Findings

• First, unlock all motor locks. Then, balance the Tilt, Roll, and Pan axes in order. Each axis must hold position without tipping when released. 
• When the gimbal isn’t balanced, the motors strain to keep it level. It leads to hot motors, fast battery drain, and possible error codes like “Error 3” on M6/MT2 models.
• Accessories and the Hohem Joy app help fine-tune the setup. The app provides auto-calibration, motor strength settings, and roll angle adjustments.

Why Balancing Your Hohem Gimbal is Important

Here’s why you should balance your gimbal and what goes wrong if you skip it.

Prevents Motor Overheating

If your gimbal powers off randomly or the rear motor feels unusually hot, there’s a good chance it’s because your phone or camera isn’t balanced right. When that happens, the motors have to work harder just to maintain a level position. 

That extra load builds heat fast, especially if you’re in portrait mode and the phone sits too low, rubbing against your arm.

One M7 user ran into this. Their phone hit the gimbal during rotation and triggered shut-offs. Support suggested nudging the phone slightly higher in the clamp. That small fix eased motor stress and helped the gimbal run cooler.

Extends Battery Life

When your gimbal isn’t balanced, the motors keep correcting every little shift. And that drains power, even when you’re not actively filming.

Remember, a balanced setups glide effortlessly, which means less energy use across the board. A few of my mates have seen battery life jump from 6 hours to 12 just by correcting the balance. That’s especially on models like the M7 or MT2 with heavier setups or AI tracking turned on.

Ensures Smoother Footage

Even if you’re using the best modes, like Pan Follow or POV, imbalance shows up in the footage. It might lean slightly, jerk during pans, or just feel off. It’s frustrating, especially when everything should be working.

One creator thought their iSteady M6 had a defect because the gimbal tilted oddly during Inception Mode. It turned out the phone wasn’t properly aligned in the clamp. A quick rebalance fixed everything!

The bottom line is that balance affects what your camera sees and what your audience feels.

Prevents “Error 3” (MT2/M6 specific)

If your iSteady MT2 or iSteady M6 flashes “Error 3,” you’re likely dealing with a balance problem or a motor strain warning.

Well, it’s your gimbal telling you that it’s overwhelmed. Maybe —

• The phone is too heavy 
• The clamp is off-center
• One motor is doing all the work

Most users clear this up by —

• Removing any added weight (like lens filters).
• Moving the phone slightly in the mount.
• Using the Hohem Joy app to auto-calibrate. 

Once balanced, that error usually disappears completely.

Reduces Mechanical Stress on the Device

Gimbal’s motors work like muscles. If they’re always correcting a poorly balanced load, they wear out faster. You’ll hear buzzing, feel vibration, or notice strange tilts; those are warning signs.

With the M7 and other models, there’s even a Motor Balance indicator on the touchscreen that shows you live on how hard each axis is working. Green means you’re good. Yellow or red means it’s time to rebalance.

How to Balance Hohem Gimbal for Stunning Shots

Before you even think of filming your masterpiece, you must know how to balance your dji gimbal. Here’s how —

1. Mount Your Phone/Camera

Attach your device properly — this first step sets everything else up for success.

• Place your phone or camera securely in the gimbal clamp.
• Align it so it’s centered and flush against the rubber grips.
• If you’re using a smartphone, point the camera to the left when in landscape. 
• In portrait mode, rotate the clamp 90° so the lens is on top.
• Remove bulky phone cases or cages as they can cause balance and clearance issues.
• If using a large phone, slide it slightly higher in the clamp to avoid hitting the gimbal arm.

Here’s a tip: look for alignment markings (like numbered scales) on the gimbal arms to save time next time.

2. Unlock All Axis Locks

Before balancing, you must unlock each motor. The Hohem gimbals have locks for the Pan, Tilt, and Roll axes. These must be free to move.

If you skip this step, you risk overheating the motors when powering on. Also, unlock one by one, gently moving each to feel that it’s floating freely.

3. Balance the Tilt, Roll, and Pan axes in order

Work in the following order to get the smoothest results.

Tilt Axis —

• Face the lens forward.
• Loosen the tilt knob and slide the device forward/backward.
• Stop when it stays level on its own, without tipping.
• Tighten the knob.
  

Roll Axis —

• Turn the lens to face upward.
• Loosen the roll knob and move the arm left/right.
• Adjust until the phone holds level naturally.
• Lock it in.
  

Pan Axis —

• Hold the gimbal sideways by the handle.
• If it swings or spins, loosen the pan knob and adjust.
• Center it until the handle stays still when released.
• Then lock the adjustment.

4. Check Balance 

This is your final check before powering on.

• Let go of the device gently (it should stay in place.)
• If it swings, tips, or drops, rebalance the faulty axis.
• Each motor should feel “neutral”, not straining.
• On the Hohem M7, use the motor balance display —
  • Green is Good
  • Yellow/Red means your gimbal needs rebalancing

5. Power On the Gimbal

Only power on after confirming all axes are balanced.

• Press and hold the Power button for 3 seconds.
• The gimbal should activate quietly, with smooth motor action.
• If you hear buzzing or feel resistance, stop as something’s still off.
• Recheck weight, placement, and locks before continuing.

Common Balancing Issues and How to Fix Them

If your gimbal shuts off, vibrates, or heats up, the following will help you fix it fast and right.

Gimbal Shuts Off or Vibrates

If your gimbal powers off mid-use or starts to shake, chances are it’s not properly balanced or your phone’s just too heavy for it.

Fix 

Start by rebalancing each axis before turning the power on. The gimbal should hold your phone steady on its own, without drifting or tilting. If you’re still getting shutdowns or strange vibrations, double-check your phone’s weight. 

For instance, the iSteady M7 supports up to 280g. If your setup (including case, lens, mic, etc.) exceeds that, you’ll need to lighten the load a bit. Removing bulky accessories often does the trick.

Phone Hits the Gimbal Arm in Portrait Mode?

When you switch to portrait mode and the bottom of your phone bumps into the gimbal arm, it’s usually sitting too low in the clamp. It’s more common with taller phones like the Xperia 5 II.

Fix 

Adjust your phone slightly higher in the clamp. Not too much, just enough so it clears the gimbal arm during rotation. If you can’t get enough clearance, you might try an offset mount or a magnetic clamp (some users reuse the one from a DJI Osmo 6). 

This shifts the center of gravity and lets you position the phone higher without disturbing the balance. 

One Motor Feels Hotter than Others?

If you touch the gimbal and one motor (usually the rear) is heating up more than the rest, it’s likely doing extra work to compensate for imbalance.

Fix

Check your balance again, and slowly walk through all three axes. Even a slight misalignment can force the motor to keep correcting itself. Also, make sure you’re within the recommended payload specs. 

When a phone is off-center or pushing the upper weight limit, the motors strain, and that’s what causes heat buildup. So, fix the balance, reduce the weight if needed, and your gimbal will run cooler and smoother.

How the Hohem Joy App Helps with Balancing and Calibration

Yes, it feels tricky to balance Hohem at first, but the Hohem Joy app makes it quicker and easier to get things right. Here’s where the app can really help.

Auto-Calibration Process

Sometimes you balance everything by the book, and your phone still leans to one side. That’s where auto-calibration steps in. 

• Open the Hohem Joy app
• Head to Gimbal Settings
• Tap Auto-calibration

Just make sure your Hohem is sitting on a flat surface.

In about 30 to 60 seconds, the gimbal checks and fine-tunes its motor positions automatically. It’s a quick fix for small misalignments that can throw off your footage.

Otherwise, you can also press the M button five times to launch calibration manually. But with the app, you get live feedback and a visual cue when the process is done. It’s helpful if you’re not sure what to expect.

Adjusting Roll with App vs. Manually

Let’s say your phone still looks a little slanted after setup. It’s usually the roll axis acting up. Now, you’ve got two options here.

1. Using the app, go to Roll Adjustment and gently shift the angle with plus/minus taps. This method is safer and more precise, especially if your phone’s already secured in the clamp.
2. Manual adjustment is still a solid option, particularly if you’re using different phones or gear setups. Just slide the roll arm slightly left or right while the gimbal is off. Get it to stay level on its own, then lock it in place. 

From there, you can go into the app and fine-tune it, if needed.

Motor Strength Settings for Heavy vs. Light phones

Inside the Joy app, you’ll find motor strength options from Low, Medium, to High.

• If you’re running a lightweight setup, go with Low. It reduces unnecessary strain and keeps the motors from jittering. 
• For mid-range setups, Medium usually does the trick. 
• If your phone is pushing the upper weight limit, switch to High for smoother control and better stability under load.

Interesting Read: Can You Use Gimbal Without App?

Complementary Accessories That Help with Hohem Gimbal Balancing

In case you didn’t know, the right accessories can make the whole balancing process smoother, safer, and a lot less frustrating. Let’s look at what actually helps.

Accessory	Benefits
Counterweights	Balance heavy phones or added lenses
Magnetic Clamps	Better phone positioning, especially in portrait
Mini Tripods	Stabilize the gimbal during setup
Extension Arms	More range and better grip for overhead shots
Lightweight Cases	Avoid imbalance from heavy or bulky covers

Final Words

Whether you’re a beginner or a solo content creator, learning how to balance a Hohem gimbal is the first real step to better footage. It keeps your motors cool, your battery full, and your shots smooth. 

For casual users, just get the phone level and avoid heavy cases. Meanwhile, for pros with add-ons, consider counterweights and the Joy app’s motor tuning. Either way, don’t skip the basics, balance before power. 

Over time, you’ll do it in under a minute, no app needed. The better your balance, the less your gimbal has to think, and the more you can focus on the shot.

FAQs

How do I know if my Hohem gimbal is balanced correctly?

To check if your Hohem gimbal is balanced, unlock all axes and adjust each arm until your phone stays level without drifting. If any motor feels hot or struggles, it’s likely off-balance. Also, use the motor strength meter or manual test to confirm.

Can I balance a Hohem gimbal without the app?

Yes, you can balance a Hohem gimbal without the app. Just unlock the motors, adjust the phone’s position on each axis until it stays steady, then power on. Use the wheel or touchscreen to fine-tune the horizon level if needed.

Why does my Hohem gimbal motor get hot?

A hot Hohem gimbal motor usually means it’s not balanced right. Extra strain on the motors from uneven weight causes overheating and shortens battery life. Always balance the phone before powering on.

What is the best way to switch between portrait and landscape mode on Hohem gimbal?

To switch from landscape to portrait on a Hohem gimbal, rotate the clamp 90°, rebalance, and adjust clearance so the phone doesn’t hit the arm. For a quick switch, turn the gimbal sideways, though range and stability may be limited.

Do I need to rebalance every time I mount the phone?

Yes, rebalancing is needed whenever you remount or shift the phone, change cases, or add gear. Even slight changes can throw off balance and overwork the motors. Meanwhile, you can save time by marking balance points for repeat setups.