Without a doubt, technological miniaturization has brought to us many wonders. Devices that were once bulky, heavy, and complicated have become smaller, lighter, and more easy-to-use, thanks to miniaturization. One ideal example, today’s smartphones successfully evolved from their brick-sized ancestors, thanks to miniaturization. Attempting to replicate this success story in the field of digital cameras, DJI recently introduced the Osmo Pocket.
Measuring 121.9 x 36.9 x 28.6mm and weighing 116g, the Osmo Pocket is dubbed as the smallest 3-axis handheld camera DJI has ever designed. With the camera module attached to a 3-axis mechanical gimbal with brushless motor, the Osmo Pocket produces high-quality videos minus the blur or shake that you get when you record videos whether on a DSLR that uses electronic stabilization or a smartphone with optical image stabilization.
Understanding that most consumers these days are accustomed to using a smartphone, DJI has adopted the popular candy bar form factor in the case of the Osmo Pocket. Built-in touchscreen and buttons are strategically placed on the handle, which are easily reached by the thumb, for quick, single-handed user experience. Meanwhile, the sandstone handle is made non-slip and sweat-proof for better grip. The candy bar form factor, ergonomic buttons, touchscreen display, and sandstone handle all contribute to the enhanced maneuverability of the Osmo Pocket.
Inside the small body of its camera module, the Osmo Pocket comes with a 1 2/3-inch CMOS image sensor, the same sensor size which can be found on some mirrorless cameras. The camera also features an FOV of 80 degrees and an aperture of F2.0, large enough to accommodate more light when snapping or filming images in lowlight scenarios. Speaking of lowlight shooting, the Osmo Pocket has an ISO range of 100 to 3200 and features a NightShot mode, which automatically adjusts the device’s settings to let you capture great evening images. The Osmo Pocket can record videos at up to 4K/60fps, slow-motion videos at 1080p/120fps, and still images with 1.55 micron pixels at 12 megapixels.
Apart from NightMode, the Osmo Pocket also comes with other presets which creative users will find handy. FPV mode follows the gimbal’s orientation when recording action shots, allowing you to recreate the action from your point-of-view without the shakiness. In ActiveTrack mode, the Osmo Pocket can intelligently follow and focus on a subject when you tap it on the device’s touchscreen display. Entering Selfie mode, the device automatically activates FaceTrack, making the camera focused on you as the main subject. For scenarios involving breathtaking vistas and landscapes, the 3x3 Panorama is the best mode in these cases to capture these subjects with stunning definition and detail. Timelapse sums up the best footages of a day by turning hours into seconds, while Motionlapse adds smooth camera movement for a dramatic effect. Videos that were captured by the Osmo Pocket can be enhanced, edited, and instantly shared on social media with the help of DJI’s Mimo app installed on a smartphone.
Packed with an 875mAh lithium polymer battery, the Osmo Pocket can last up to 140 minutes or more than two hours and 30 minutes of continuous operation. The battery can be fully recharged after 73 minutes or over an hour by using the bundled 10W charger.
In a nutshell, the DJI Osmo Pocket intelligently squeezes all the features of a gimbal-equipped digital camera into a diminutive, sensibly-designed device. With the summer season upon us, if you are considering a dedicated image shooter and video recorder for your outdoor adventures, you can bring the Osmo Pocket with you for the price of P23,200.