Why the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Has Become My Favourite Travel Camera
This pocket-sized gimbal camera is transforming the way I film my travels. From walking beside the harbour in Lucerne to recording interviews and travel reports, it offers a tempting alternative to relying on a smartphone alone.
A while ago I was on a big press trip to Sri Lanka with the British Guild of Travel Writers and noticed that a number of the younger bloggers were using a nifty little, pocket-sized, handheld camera perched on a gimbal. Of course, I was envious. I love a bit of tech. But, at the time, my young friends were telling me that the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 was costing more than £700.
This seemed a lot of money to me at the time because I was using my brand-new and totally fabulous Google Pixel 10 Pro for both stills and video imagery. As I will explain in another post, I use it in conjunction with a rather ageing smartphone camera grip which solves the awkward ergonomics of pinching a slippery glass rectangle by adding a contoured DSLR-style palm grip and a tactile, physical shutter button.
All well and good. I have been using this sort of setup for some time and cannot for the life of me understand why other travel writers and general travel enthusiasts don't make more use of such devices.
Here's a video I made recently with the Osmo Pocket 3
But… and it is a big but… no matter how good your smartphone is, you really are attempting to get the best out of several different worlds with it. Which is asking a lot. I photograph on mine, shoot videos, and also use it as an audio recorder for interviews.
Now, I do not want a bloomin' great big video camera to cart around on my travels as well. The fabulous thing about the latest smartphones is that they save me from suffering the shoulder ache I used to get on press trips when I lugged around an enormous camera bag full of SLR lenses and other equipment. I love having something that fits in my pocket.
The trouble is that when it comes to shooting video properly, a smartphone can involve compromises. It is a wonderfully versatile device, but it isn't necessarily the most convenient tool for every filming situation. And unless you start adding accessories, you may not have the dedicated microphone, wind protection and physical stabilisation that make a real difference to a travel film.
And this is when I became envious the first time I saw the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. As its name suggests, it will fit into your pocket — and, as most of my garments have more than one pocket, I can have the Google Pixel phone in one and the Osmo in another.
Imagine my delight, then, when I saw the price of the Pocket 3 falling as newer equipment began to appear on the market. I recently bought the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 kit, which includes additional battery-grip equipment, a wireless microphone with a windscreen, a mini tripod and an attachable wide-angle lens, all for under £350.
What a bargain. Really, I've only just started to use it on my travels, but suddenly this device is making a real difference to my reporting and coverage.
Here's one of the first videos I made with it at night after enjoying a wonderful dinner at the MOR restaurant at Carbis Bay, near St Ives in Cornwall.
A camera that's ready when the moment arrives
One of the first things I noticed is how quickly the Osmo Pocket 3 can be put to work. You can take it out of your pocket, turn it on and start filming in seconds. There is no need to unpack a camera bag, attach a lens or spend precious time assembling a complicated rig.
That might sound like a small advantage, but anyone who has travelled with a group of journalists knows how quickly a moment can pass. The coach stops, a guide points out something interesting, a boat moves across a beautiful harbour or the light suddenly changes. You want to capture it while it is happening, not five minutes later when you've finished setting up.
I particularly appreciated this while walking along the harbour at Lucerne in Switzerland. With the lake, boats, historic buildings and surrounding mountains providing a wonderful backdrop, there was plenty to film. I simply took out the Osmo and walked.
The footage was remarkably smooth and steady. Even as I moved along the waterfront, the camera's little motorised gimbal compensated for my movements and kept the picture looking composed. It was exactly the sort of situation in which a compact, dedicated video camera earns its place in a travel writer's pocket.
The Osmo Pocket 3 uses three-axis mechanical stabilisation. In plain English, the camera sits on a motorised mount that counteracts movement across three axes, helping to keep the image steady as you walk or change direction. It is different from relying entirely on the electronic stabilisation built into a phone.
Of course, it cannot eliminate every bump or sudden movement, and the way you walk still matters. But the results I've seen so far have encouraged me to use it much more often.
Here's another video recently shot on the Osmo Pocket 3
Small camera, serious specifications
For something so compact, the Pocket 3 has some impressive technology inside it.
Its one-inch CMOS sensor is relatively large for a camera of this size. Sensor size isn't the only factor determining image quality, of course, but it can help with detail and performance in more difficult lighting conditions.
The camera can record video at up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second for normal-speed footage. It can also record 4K slow-motion video at 120 frames per second in its dedicated slow-motion mode. That opens up some interesting possibilities for filming moving water, boats, wildlife and other details that add atmosphere to a travel film.
The lens has a 20mm-equivalent focal length, which is useful for capturing scenery and including plenty of the surroundings. The aperture is f/2.0, and the camera has a two-inch rotatable touchscreen that makes it easy to compose shots and switch between horizontal and vertical filming.
That rotating screen is particularly handy. Turn it one way for conventional widescreen video suitable for YouTube and a website; turn it the other way for vertical footage intended for social media.
There is also subject tracking, which allows the camera to keep a person or other selected subject in the frame as it moves. I can see that being useful when filming myself talking to camera, although I still have plenty to learn about getting the most from all the available features.
For the full technical specifications, DJI has a useful official Osmo Pocket 3 product page and a detailed specifications page.
The microphone makes a real difference
The other part of the package that has particularly impressed me is the wireless microphone.
Good pictures are only half the story when you're making a travel film. If you're explaining where you are, talking to a guide or recording a piece to camera, poor sound can undermine otherwise excellent footage.
The Pocket 3 has three built-in microphones, but my kit also includes a wireless microphone transmitter that can connect directly to the camera. The windscreen helps reduce the effect of breezes when recording outdoors, which is especially useful around harbours, on exposed coastlines and in open countryside.
The convenience is terrific. Rather than having to assemble a separate audio-recording system, I can use the little camera and wireless microphone together. DJI's compatible wireless microphone system can also be used for recording a presenter or, with suitable additional equipment, interviews involving more than one person.
I'm particularly interested in how this will help me produce more travel videos in which I speak directly to the viewer. A camera that is easy to carry and quick to start recording is one thing; a camera that can also capture clear commentary is much more useful to a working travel writer.
For anyone considering a purchase, do check exactly which microphone is included in the package being sold. The standard camera and the various bundles don't all contain the same accessories.
And here's an examply of the sort of single clip that can be filmed in an instant while on a press day out...
Why I still love my Google Pixel
None of this means I'm about to abandon my smartphone. Far from it.
The Pixel 10 Pro remains a fabulous all-round device for still photography, quick clips, navigation, communication and recording interviews when circumstances demand it. Its camera is always available, and I wouldn't want to travel without it.
But I've begun to see the Osmo as a specialist companion rather than a replacement. When I'm taking photographs, I'll reach for the phone. When I want a quick video clip, it will often do the job perfectly well. But when I want to walk and film smoothly, record a piece to camera or produce a more considered travel video, the Osmo gives me a dedicated tool that is ready to go.
That is the real attraction of this little camera. It adds capability without requiring me to return to the days of lugging a heavy camera bag around every destination.
What about battery life and storage?
There are a couple of practical details worth knowing before buying one.
DJI quotes a maximum operating time of 166 minutes under controlled test conditions, recording 1080p video at 24 frames per second with Wi-Fi and the screen switched off. That is a laboratory figure rather than a promise of how long you'll get while filming in real life. Using higher resolutions, leaving the screen on and recording lots of footage will affect battery life.
This is why I was pleased to buy a kit with additional battery-grip equipment. Having spare power available is reassuring when you're out for a full day of sightseeing or working on a press trip.
The camera records onto a microSD card rather than storing video internally, so you'll need to buy a suitable card if you don't already have one. For filming at high resolutions and frame rates, it's worth checking DJI's recommended card specifications rather than choosing the cheapest card available.
Is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 worth buying?
For me, the early signs are very encouraging. I paid less than £350 for my kit, and the ability to pull a camera out of my pocket and begin filming almost immediately has already made a difference to the way I approach travel video.
I should emphasise that I'm still learning what the Pocket 3 can do. I haven't yet put every feature through its paces, and I wouldn't pretend to have conducted a comprehensive technical test. But I have filmed enough to understand why the younger travel bloggers I met in Sri Lanka were so enthusiastic about it.
For travel writers, bloggers, vloggers and anyone who wants to record their holidays without carrying a large camera, it strikes me as a compelling piece of equipment. The combination of portability, mechanical stabilisation, high-resolution video and a convenient wireless-microphone option makes it a very appealing proposition.
Prices and bundles vary, so it's worth comparing the current DJI Osmo Pocket 3 range with reputable UK retailers before buying. Make sure you compare like with like: a basic camera package and a Creator Combo containing extra accessories are different propositions.
I'll be using mine on more trips and will report back as I gain experience. In the meantime, if you're interested in the practical technology that makes travelling and reporting easier, I'll be adding more articles to my new Travel Tech section.
For now, I'm delighted to have discovered a little camera that makes filming on the move feel spontaneous again — and that, for me, is worth a great deal.
One last example video - a selfie shot when I first bought the camera
