ESSEN, Germany, July 11, 2018 -- ZHIYUN flagship product CRANE 2, the 3-axis gimbal stabilizer for professional cameras, has been awarded the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2018. Gathering the creators for celebration is one of the Red Dot tradition. This year, as the winner of the Red Dot Award, ZHIYUN team was invited to attend the Red Dot Gala and the Designers' Night and celebrate the success together with other award honorees. For ZHIYUN, this is absolutely a great honor and a chance to meet acquaintances from the industry, hear from the professionals and share this joyful moment.
Young Female Designer Behind CRANE 2
Wang Xin, the designer of CRANE 2, was on behalf of the company to receive the award certificate. As a young and aspiring female designer, she has got much savvy and led several projects in product design and creation, including CRANE 2. In the interview, she mentioned something more than product design such as her fascination with symphony, especially Johann Sebastian Bach's music -- she is obsessed with the unique rhythms, which guide her to focus on the strings of logic and more importantly, the balance in design.
Designer Wang Xin (left side) and her ZHIYUN colleague at Red Dot award ceremony
CRANE 2 exactly reflects balance in design. "We hope CRANE 2 can achieve the greatest functionality without any trade-off in aesthetics," said Wang Xin who is inspired by the concept "form follows function" in designing CRANE 2. For the first time in the industry, a follow focus handwheel was introduced to the gimbal, to realize electronic focus control on cameras, and a quick control dial was integrated on the panel to fulfill the ease of use. Every detail, such as the size and the hand-feel of the wheel, is well-thought-out, dedicating to user experience.
Meanwhile, the form of CRANE 2 significantly optimizes the functions: CRANE 2 was made of aluminum alloys to enhance the solidity, and a quick release plate by MANFROTTO standard was added for faster setup. The red ring on the handle grip is reminiscent of the one on camera lens, delivering a message to the user: CRANE 2 is born for professional video creation.
More Highlights on CRANE 2
CRANE 2 is the world's first 3-axis camera stabilizer with electronic follow focus control. It also comes standard with a Servo Follow Focus which allows CRANE 2 to realize focus control on almost all camera lens. With pioneering algorithm system and optimized motor construction, CRANE 2 minimizes the gear vibrations and motor noise. Weighing only 1.25kg, CRANE 2 has a payload up to 3.2kg, which can handle beefy DSLRs while minimizing muscle fatigue caused by prolonged use. The staggering 18-hour run time and replaceable batteries ensure a silky smooth shooting for a long time without unwanted interruptions. Featuring an easy-to-read OLED display, CRANE 2 can show directly what mode you are in and camera parameters in real time. The quick control dial on the gimbal allows users to adjust camera parameters without touching the camera screen. The lightweight-yet-sturdy carrying case houses the stabilizer, a tripod, batteries, cables and a charger, perfect for run-and-gun filming. CRANE 2, considered as a new height in professional camera stabilizer industry, has exploded in popularity to dominate the market.
Expectation Beyond CRANE 2
As a leading manufacturer in the stabilizer industry, ZHIYUN team has never rest on laurels. Since the launch, CRANE 2 has received much positive feedback but the team has listened to suggestions from professionals and customers carefully. This year, the whole team is committed to introducing a brand new stabilizer for professional cameras to the market, which improves functions based on CRANE 2 but also integrates with more innovative features.