There has been a multitude of online reviews on the new Osmo Pocket 3 from DJI, but having finally got hands on one, it was time to give our experience of it too.
The new Osmo Pocket 3 from DJI, is a pocket 4k camera, capable of shooting stabilised video content as well as still photography. We still say ‘new Osmo Pocket 3’ despite it having been launched for over 4 months. But this for us, is due to the reality of it constantly being on back order in most places throughout that time. And that comes as no surprise once you have a go with it and realise why, its swiftly become one of the most loved and hyped gadgets of 2024.
We even voyaged across three countries, to try and find one for ourselves. Only to eventually find one back in Copenhagen anyway, in our very own (this is where it gets more humiliating) DJI nordic store.
But is the hype real? With all the wild steps taken to try and get hands on one, it only made sense we lay down what makes us love it and what makes us not (if any).
Body
The nicest thing about the Osmo Pocket, is that it really lives up to its name from a physical size perspective. It is exactly as everyone and DJI describe it to be, pocket sized, weighing a mere 179g, which is light enough to almost not notice it, so best to use the wrist strap it comes with when taking it out and about.
A bigger, brighter, better user experience, with a 90 degree pivot too for horizontal footage at 4k. There’s a minimal but effective control panel with the Osmo Pocket 3, a joystick to manoeuvre the gimbal head and digitally zoom in.
Beside the joystick is your record button, allowing you to either record video, take photos, etc. To finish off you have your micro-SD slot on the lower left side, plus a USB-C port for charging and data transfer.
Camera
Packed in the OSMO Pocket 3 is a 1 inch CMOS sensor, allowing more light in than its predecessors, as well as giving you a bit more to play with in terms of sharpness and smoothness in video. From a range point of view, the camera mounted on the Osmo Pocket 3, boasts a 20mm f2.0 lens with a focus range between 0.66 and infinity. An ideal focus range to get you as close as you need to for some good footage.
For something of its size, is something worth patting themselves on the back for. Given the way that gimbal is built. It does not come with any optical zoom however, there’s a digital zoom that goes from 1x up to 2x, 0.1 increments and it’s not too bad to work with.
Image Quality (inc video)
It may be small in size but it still delivers. Its ISO range for photos starts from 50-6400, for photos, video and slow motion. Then for low light video it’s between 50-16,000.
Resolution for still imagery is at 9.4MP, which in today’s world is a pretty low level (especially for the price point). The image sizes despite this go from a maximum size of 3840×2160 pixels, with a 16:9 aspect ratio. And 3072×3072 pixels with an 1:1 aspect ratio.
Video resolution adjusts between 1080p and 4k, along with the adjusting of the fps rates. Your video modes packed in include slow-motion, time-lapse, motion-lapse, hyper-lapse and low light video.
Worth also noting the very impressive ActiveTrack 6 feature among everything else packed in, because it’s a marvel! As the name suggests it’s the tracking feature, that ensures the intended subject moving, remains centred in the frame. A big selling point for situations like vlogging, or tracking vehicles in motion.
Battery
Battery from the body alone is an okay 1300mAh and from that, you will get a good 166 mins operating time. Reality here is more closer to 120mins, when you factor in certain conditions (like Wi-Fi and screen off for example). But thankfully there’s fast charging which can charge you back to 80% within 16 mins.
But if you’re in need of more battery time while on the move, DJI conveniently sell a battery handle which will extend your battery life by 60% (ish). So a tip if you’re not going to be close to a power outlet, is to buy a couple of these and swap them over as one runs out of juice.
Other Features
Depending on your overall intent with the Osmo Pocket 3, you may want to consider two options. Getting just the Pocket 3 alone or treating yourself to the creator combo.
The creator combo is ideal if you’re wishing to do the most content, as it comes with a tripod attachment, battery grip and my favourite gadget, the DJI Mic 2 transmitter. Vloggers and general video creators will hugely benefit from the Mic 2, especially as the Osmo Pocket 3 has its own built-in receiver to add to its sheer versatility.
Crisper, smoother audio will await you with the Mic 2. But there’s more the Mic 2 brings such as noise cancelling and an improved discretion to its design. By design I refer to the LED lights on the mic, which are now positioned to the side of the body. A lesson learned by DJI, after user feedback about the lights on the DJI Mic 1 often being distracting when filming footage.
But the biggest win of the Mic 2 is the audio saving function, where it will save a copy of the audio files on the transmitter itself in event something goes wrong while filming. A really handy feature that will save a lot of content creators, nightmares when creating and the post production stage.
Conclusion
I’ve been hands on with the Osmo Pocket 3 for 3 weeks and finding nothing but joy when using it day to day. It’s discreet enough to use and regardless of its size, it delivers formidable footage time and time again.
For the creators out there this is going to be a real game changer. And even if you’re not a frequent content creator, the Osmo Pocket 3 is what I call ‘the new family Handycam of today’. It’s ideal for travellers, or families just looking to capture those moments with improved camera capabilities.
In terms of what package you should get, as I mentioned earlier, it will ultimately depend on what your end goals are. For those looking to mass produce different forms of content I would heavily recommend the creator combo to make use of the Mic 2, tripod, wide angle filter and battery grip.
If you want to just capture some small moments to begin with, then the Osmo Pocket 3 on it’s own is a good starting point. DJI again, conveniently have all the key accessories you would get in the creator combo, available to buy separately.
The Osmo Pocket 3 alone will set you back £489
But for those wanting the Creator combo, you will be parting ways with £619, which feels steep but for what you get it is worth it.
You can find both options on the DJI store website directly, so happy content creating everyone.
