DJI have long had ambitions beyond the consumer drone market. A natural move has been to branch out into professional and amateur photography, through the Ronin series and the Osmo range respectively. The Chinese manufacturer has just launched a new handheld camera/gimbal combo, the Osmo Pocket, which could be the most ‘mainstream’ device DJI has ever taken to market.

Introducing the Osmo Pocket

The Osmo Pocket is a tiny, three-axis stabilized camera that DJI says has been created for everyone. It’s certainly small for enough for anyone to carry around: It sits at just over 4 inches tall. The compact form makes the tiny camera – with a 1/2.3-inch sensor that records 12-megapixel photos and 4K video up to 60fps at 100Mbps – all the more impressive.

Beyond the specs, Osmo Pocket comes with a load of intelligent features that, at the push of a button, allow users to capture creative videos and photographs. It also has a battery life of over two hours.

”Innovation is at the heart of every product we create and DJI Osmo Pocket is here to change the way photos and videos are captured, not just by professionals but by parents, couples, adventurers, travelers, and everyone in between,” said Roger Luo, President at DJI. “Osmo Pocket is a portable personal camera crew and we can’t wait to see how people use it to capture their stories and share them with the world.”

Size Isn’t Everything

One of the things you get used to as a drone pilot is the attention. Mostly it’s just curiosity from folks passing by, but sometimes flying can be an uncomfortable experience. DJI have attempted to partially solve that problem with the introduction of low noise props. But with the Osmo range it’s clear the company wants to appeal to ground-based camera creatives, too, and offer an alternative way to capture moments for when flying isn’t the best option.

The tiny Osmo Pocket is subtle by way of design, but that doesn’t mean DJI has scrimped on features.

The gimbal camera uses a 1-inch integrated touch screen for a live view and has the ability to toggle through the various shooting modes, adjust settings, review footage and gain access to a full suite of creative features. Some of these will be familiar to DJI pilots already:

• ActiveTrack– DJI’s image recognition algorithms allow Osmo Pocket to recognize and follow subjects of your choice, perfect for capturing family moments easily with the tap of your finger.
• FaceTrack– FaceTrack takes ActiveTrack one step further. With enhanced ActiveTrack algorithms, FaceTrack automatically recognizes a human face and locks the subject in center of the frame at all times. It does not identify individual faces, but keeps the camera centered on one. To initiate FaceTrack, simply select selfie mode and the camera will detect your face.
• Timelapse & Motionlapse– If you’re looking to turn minutes into seconds, Timelapse is perfect for capturing unique content with the effect of the world moving faster around you, while Motionlapse adds the dynamic element of camera movement to your Timelapse.
• FPV Mode– FPV Mode lets you capture your greatest adventures by recording video from your perspective. Instead of locking the gimbal to maintain the horizon, FPV tells the camera to follow your every tilt and lean, shooting dynamic footage exactly as you experienced it.
• 3×3 & 180° Panorama– For capturing breathtaking wide-angle photos, Osmo Pocket offers two Panorama modes. 3X3 takes an expansive 9 images in total while 180° mode captures 4 images. Osmo Pocket software stitches them together automatically so you can focus on the framing of the scene.

You Can Plug the Osmo Pocket into Your Phone

A universal port under the Osmo Pocket’s touchscreen allows users to connect their mobile devices. They can then use the new DJI Mimo app to view the live feed on a bigger screen and take advantage of more intelligent features and recording modes, which include:

• Story Mode – Bring creative editing to your video with a host of preset music, video transitions and coloring. Choose one of 10 fun templates and Mimo will handle the camera movement for you. After finishing, Mimo automatically generates your very own short story, ready to be shared.
• Pro Mode – If you want even more control over your content, “Pro mode” gives you access to camera setting adjustments and exposure settings to let you create exactly how you want, from rich video in bright conditions to a perfect handheld long exposure photo at night.  Whatever you want to shoot, Osmo Pocket and DJI Mimo let you explore and expand your creativity. Osmo Pocket automatically detects and illuminates low-lit scenes into bright photos. This helps eliminates the need for a tripod, and you can rely on the gimbal to keep the camera still for a shutter speed of up to three seconds. Illuminate the dark, or capture the movement of light in a “light painting.” You’re only limited by your imagination.

DJI are also offering a range of accessories to work alongside the Osmo Pocket, including an underwater case that will allow users to dive with the camera to a depth of 60 meters.

Final Thoughts

The Osmo Pocket looks like another compelling product from DJI. The tiny, compact form, camera quality, intelligent features and creative potential make it a steal at $349. The folks at GoPro must be hoping this doesn’t turn into another case of bad karma, particularly as the camera company’s core products are (more expensive) smart action cameras just like this one.

Osmo Pocket: Price and Availability

Osmo Pocket is launching at the very reasonable price of $349. It’s now available for pre-order at store.dji.com, DJI Flagship Stores, DJI Authorized Retailers. Pre-orders will start shipping on December 15th. For more information on all the new features and capabilities of Osmo Pocket you can visit DJI’s product page.