With the latest phones featuring incredible photo and video resolution, low light capability and image stabilisation, the question you might rightly have about DJI’s new Osmo Pocket 4 is do I really need it?
It is a super cool little camera with a great two inch screen which can actively track people, pets and other objects on the move.
With its own gimbal which you can control using a 5D joystick, including panning up and down and zooming in and out, it’s a lot more fun to use than your phone.
It now has a 1-inch CMOS sensor, can shoot 4K/240 frames per second footage, as well as stunning low light videos and photos.
The footage truly is cinematic with 14 stops of dynamic range and the ability to shoot in 10-bit D-Log, meaning you can colour grade your work after if you are really looking to take your videos to the next level.
But in our testing, there really is no need for colour grading if you don’t want the hassle.
The real benefits come with the way it follows subjects you choose on screen.
Simply double tap your subject on the screen and it begins to actively track them.
I was amazed at how well it kept up with our dogs zooming around the beach on different shoots.
The Pocket 4 is the sort of camera that will appeal to content creators who might be shooting videos to promote their business or sharing the highlights of their travels with the world.
With the content creator kit which includes a fill light, DJI Mic 3 set up, wide angle lens, mini tripod and extra battery power, together with two cases, you have a very compact kit that can achieve stunning videos and photos.
It’s like having a movie studio in your pocket.
We used it to capture photos of my son competing in the Gold Coast Marathon.
I was pretty amazed at how well it captured pre-dawn shots of him preparing as well as the sound and spectacle of the start.
It also performed beautifully capturing walks around the Gold Coast hinterland including to waterfalls with the three-axis stabilisation great for when you are doing walking shots.
If you love shooting walking and talking videos, this is the camera for you.
During sunrise and sunset shoots, the colours are well represented, while skin tones in family shots were nicely balanced.
The 4x zoom capability is more limited on the Osmo Pocket 4 than most top of the range smart phones.
But you can switch between 1 and 2x lossless zoom with just the tap of the button.
With ActiveTrack 7.01, subjects can now be tracked even at 4x zoom.
You can also add a ‘registered subject’ to ensure your talent is not lost in the crowd.
The tracking modes include Spotlight Follow and Dynamic Framing, which allow for creative cinematic results.
This is a camera which is designed for people who might not have the luxury of someone else to shoot for them with gesture controls including flashing a peace sign (V gesture) to take and photo and start and stop video recording.
Showing your palm will also toggle acting tracking which is a nice feature.
One of the coolest tricks of the camera is how you can start recording by just simply rotating the screen which turns it on.
In horizontal position, you are shooting at 4K while there are very easy to use menu options on the screen to change settings.
Switch the screen to vertical and you can shoot in vertical mode with 3k resolution.
As well as the one touch zoom button there is a custom button which can you customise to do what you want.
The new 5D joystick can be used to recentre the gimbal, move the camera backwards and flip the camera.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 comes with a generous 107GB of on-board storage so even if you forget putting a memory card in, you have plenty of capacity to capture great content.
Transferring the photos and videos from my Osmo to your phone or computer is super quick.
Shooting video, you can choose from a range of film tones to recreate classic styles while beautify settings can give you smoother looking skin or take a few kilos off.
The attachable fill light is a nice option especially if you are dealing with lowlight settings or backlit scenes. There are three different brightness and temperature settings.
The battery on the DJI Pocket can shoot up to four hours of 1080p/24fps footage while it can recharge from 0 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes.
When it comes to sound, the DJI Pocket 4 records voices and ambient sounds very well through a microphone array while it also support DJI Mic transmitters including Mic 2, Mic 3 and Mic Mini.
Video editing on the Pocket 4 is extremely easy.
DJI offers a good array of templates if you are looking for something quick and easy to share on social media.
Overall, the DJI Pocket 4 is superb, especially for solo travellers or families looking for a more fun way to capture their memories.
The Osmo Pocket 4 Standard Combo retails for $769 AUD. It includes the Osmo Pocket 4, USB-C to USB-C PD Cable (USB 3.1), Osmo Pocket 4 Gimbal Clamp, DJI Wrist Strap, Osmo Pocket 4 Handle with 1/4” Thread, and Osmo Pocket 4 Portable Carrying Pouch.
The Osmo Pocket 4 Creator Combo retails for $959 AUD. It includes the Standard Combo plus the Osmo Pocket 3 Wide-Angle Lens, DJI Mic 3 Transmitter, DJI Mic 3 Magnetic Clip, two DJI Mic 3 Windscreens, DJI Mic 3 Magnet, DJI Mic 3 Transmitter Magnetic Charging Cable, Osmo Pocket 4 Fill Light, Osmo Mini Tripod, and Osmo Pocket 4 Carrying Bag.
The Osmo Pocket 4 Essential Combo retails for $749 AUD. It includes the Osmo Pocket 4, USB-C to USB-C PD Cable (USB 3.1), Osmo Pocket 4 Handle with 1/4” Thread, and Osmo Pocket 4 Portable Carrying Pouch.
Originally published as New DJI Osmo Pocket 4 makes shooting cinematic video incredibly simple