Review of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3

The portable video device/action camera segment is tough for me.  I love the idea of the content that can be produced with these little devices.  But typically I don’t end up getting my money’s worth out of them because I’m more “photocentric” than “videocentric” when it comes to producing content.  What adds insult to injury is all the accessory items you typically have to buy with portable video devices – mounts, filters, batteries, etc.  It all just sits there waiting for me to put my photo gear down and play with my video stuff.  But  between the fact that I’ve got an upcoming trip to Europe, and my YouTube channel recently having reached monetization status, I have increased motivation to produce good video content.  So I sprang for an Osmo Pocket 3.  It wasn’t an easy decision.

 

iPHONE VS. ACTION CAM?

There’s the question of whether to use an iPhone (or Android phone if you’re poor…) to satisfy my “on the go” video needs vs. a dedicated portable video device.  I get a new iPhone every year – so in most cases, it has the best video specs to apply to any video project I’d want to tackle vs. other options.  There’s always pros and cons to every solution, but I always come back to the biggest problem using my iPhone for a primary video device – draining the battery.  In many cases, I’m taking these kinds of videos while traveling, so I need to be able to talk on my phone, check email, use navigation, etc. I’ve yet to see a good iPhone video rig set up that allows for both external storage AND the ability to simultaneously charge the iPhone.   Yes, it can be done…but it’s not cheap.  You’re talking a few hundred dollars, and who knows how long you’ll be able to use it.  iPhones and other smart phones get upgraded every year.  Even with a minor change in dimensions or other hardware changes can result in your expensive video rig being incompatible with the latest phone.   If you want to use a quality microphone or wireless mic with an iPhone rig, now you’re talking something even more complicated and cumbersome to put together and tear down.  So I think it makes much more sense to purchase a stand alone, dedicated device for capturing video on the go.

WHY POCKET 3 VS. GOPRO OR OTHER ACTION CAMS?

GoPro and other similar action cam style devices have come a long way.  Typically a true action cam is going to be more rugged and suitable for action sports.  A device like the Pocket 3 isn’t something you’ll want to strap on your body while engaged in some fast action sport.  Right now I have both a GoPro 10 and & 11 in my inventory, and have used them with great success.  Particularly with the GoPro Volta charging handle, you have the option of using the GoPro in ways much more similar to how you would use an Osmo Pocket – vlogging or walking around holding the camera and getting footage.  But GoPro cams still have the “GoPro” look which isn’t what I’m looking for when I vlog or do walk around video capture.  I prefer to use something like the Osmo Pocket for this application.  What’s interesting is that there are many competitors in the pure action cam category – GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 among others.  But the DJI Osmo Pocket is a fairly unique product with no real peer when it comes to an easy, stabilized and cinematic video capture device.  There was actually some question (at least in my mind) as to whether the Osmo Pocket would continue to be manufactured by DJI.  I purchased the first DJI Osmo Pocket when it was released in December of 2018.  DJI released the follow up Osmo Pocket 2 about two years later in November of 2020.  It was for me a modest upgrade, and I wasn’t using my Pocket 1 enough to justify upgrading.  DJI waited another nearly 3 years to release the Osmo Pocket 3 in October of 2023.  That’s a long time – probably because sales of the prior two versions were soft.  Action cams by comparison typically release new models every single year.  But the Osmo Pocket 3 has enjoyed immense popularity and strong sales numbers on 2024 – so much so that there are rumors of a Pocket 4 release in 2025.

HOW DID DJI MAKE A COME BACK WITH THE OSMO POCKET 3?

As much as I may not like DJI for being a Chinese company, they demonstrate tremendous innovation in every product segment in which they compete.  Obviously they’re the world leader in consumer UAVs.  The Osmo Pocket line benefits greatly from DJI’s technology innovation in their drones – specifically with gimbals and tracking.  The Osmo Pocket 3 is essentially a drone without rotors.  Another huge improvement from the previous generation Osmo Pocket 2 is the 1-inch sensor, and rotatable touchscreen.  All these factors combined into a product that’s nearly universally lauded as an absolutely fantastic device – not only better than its predecessors, but also better than anything else on the market.  In terms of battery life, you can expect about 140 minutes of record time with the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – just over 2 hours.  Add the accessory battery attachment found in the DJI Creator Combo which I purchased, and you get an additional runtime of about 70 minutes, or approximately 210 minutes of run time using the accessory battery.  Three hours of video recording will get me through the day on any project I’d use it for, so it’s perfect in this regard, and I don’t have to worry about running down my phone battery while I’m using it.

The Osmo Pocket three is essentially a fixed lens camera (with digital zoom capabilities of course) which has a 20mm field of view (35mm equivalent) with an aperture of f2.  The creator combo provides a magnetically attachable wide angle lens which takes you to about a 15mm field of view, while an extra 5mm wouldn’t help much when doing walk around video capture, it’s primarily designed for use when vlogging – some users migh find the native 20mm FOV a little tight – particularly if you have short arms.  In terms of video output, it can capture video in up to 4K at 60 fps using efficient H.264/H.265 compression, and it also offers high frame-rate modes (like 4k 120FPS or 1080p at up to 240 fps) for slow motion work.  For YouTube videos, this is pretty ideal. You even have the option of outputting your video files using DJI’s own D-LOG flat file output for color grading.  More on that below.

WHAT DO I LIKE ABOUT THE OSMO POCKET 3?

Honestly, there’s a lot to like and little to complain about.  The entire package is bigger that my 1st generation Osmo Pocket, but not so much that the size detracts from portability.  If I’m wearing a coat, or something like my SCOTT eVEST I can transport it in a pocket.  When I ready to use it, just take it out, remove the cover, flick the screen to “landscape” (turns on the Pocket 3) and hit record.  Easy and fast.  And the footage honestly blew me away.  It looks better in most cases than what I get from my iPhone and is head and shoulders above GoPro footage.  I cannot strongly recommend enough shooting in DJI’s D-LOG flat file.  Here’s a Pro Tip I gleaned from Jordan Drake on the PetaPixel Podcast:  DJI has a LUT that can be downloaded from the DJI website (in the Pocket 3 files section) which is perfect for literally one click grading for rec.709.  I tested it on multiple clips both indoor and outdoor.  I had to tweak color temperature ever so slightly on one clip, but otherwise it was a HUGE time saver.  And just as huge as easy to grade LOG files is the fact that using a DJI MIC 2 (included in the Creator Combo) is stupid easy.  Just power on the MIC 2 and the Pocket 3 instantly detects and synchs to it – no receiver needed.  And the audio quality is positively top tier – most of the YouTubers I see using use a wireless mic are using one of the DJI MICs.  And I have to say, the cover design is pretty darn brilliant.  Not only does it do a good job of protecting the Pocket 3, it does it while adding very little weight or bulk.  And it has little spots to magnetically store both the wide angle lens attachment (expands the field of view from approximately 20mm to 15mm <35mm equivalent>) and an empty slot.  I bought a set of K&F ND filters and am able to keep one in the empty slot.  That means I can attach the accessory battery and have basic necessity accessories I’ll need for most of my “run and gun” video needs.

 

WHAT DON’T I LIKE ABOUT THE OSMO POCKET 3?

Probably my biggest complaint about the Pocket 3 is the User Interface and menu systems.  I’ve always found DJI’s UI on their devices (drones, cameras, mics, etc.) to be less than intuitive.  I end up on ChatGPT ALOT asking “how do I…” because it’s just not clear in the menu structure.  On the DJI you have to swipe from the four corners of the screen to bring up various menu setting.  No rhyme or reason that I can see.  I end up finding things in the menus on accident more often than not.  This isn’t a huge concern because, generally speaking, once I find the setting I need to configure or change, it stays that way – “fire and forget.”

One of my lingering complaints with the original DJI Pocket was how delicate it felt – particularly the camera head.  This is NOT a “rough and tumble” action cam in the same way as GoPro would be considered.  To be clear, I’m not saying that it’s poorly designed or constructed.  But the way it’s designed makes it feel like if it takes a good “whack” the top/camera head will rip right off the unit.  Admittedly though, the included cover does a fantastic job of protecting the unit when not in use while maintaining the compact form factor.  The Pocket 3 is bigger/thicker than the original in nearly every dimension, which suggests it’s also more robust.

Once final criticism will be that the shaving kit like zipper pouch included in the Creator Combo is sufficient, but just barely.  It’s the same exact zipper pouch that’s included with the DJI Mic 2 so it’s not like it’s custom made to accommodate either.  You can pretty much fit everything that is included with the Creator Combo in the bag…and not much else.  Get any other accessories and you’ll need another solution.

Obviously I’m a little late to the party with the Osmo Pocket 3 – it’s been an itch I’ve been meaning to scratch for quite some time.  But with an upcoming trip to Europe and a trip to NYC the following month, it was the perfect time for me to pick up the Pocket 3.   The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 can be purchased for $519.oo.  But I strongly recommend the $669.00 Creator Combo Pack that includes some must-have accessories (like the DJI MIC2 and the accessory battery). Below is my video supplement to this written photo review with plenty of example footage I got using the Osmo Pocket 3: