Between devices like the Osmo Mobile 2 and the Osmo Pocket, DJI doesn’t really have any competition when it comes to making portable gimbals. But that hasn’t stopped DJI from trying to make its gadgets even better with the new Osmo Mobile 3.
As with previous models, the Osmo Mobile 3 is a smartphone accessory designed to help you record smoother, more professional-looking video, while also making it easier to capture specialised shots like timelapses and panoramas.
Editor’s Note: The Osmo Mobile 3 is available for purchase via DJI’s store, as well as the Apple Store and is arriving in Australian retail stores next week.
Aside from a new shot guide that helps you create more engaging short-form videos and a handful of new gesture controls, the Osmo Mobile 3’s software remains mostly the same. Instead, the Osmo Mobile 3’s biggest improvements lie in its hardware, which combines the best features from earlier versions in a newly re-engineered body.
DJI says that as much as users liked the Osmo Mobile 2, one of the biggest complaints about its previous smartphone gimbal was that it was just too bulky. So now, the Osmo Mobile 3 features a gimbal with a folding arm that allows the device to take up significantly less room when not in use.
Next, DJI revamped the clamp it uses to attach your phone to the gimbal, switching from a horizontal grip to a new vertical mount. This allows the device to hold a wider range of phones and includes new anchors for attaching counterweights if necessary.
In a nod to the original Osmo Mobile, DJI brought back the trigger on the back of the gimbal’s grip, which puts even more controls at your fingertips.
But the Osmo Mobile 3’s biggest upgrade might be its ability to instantly switch from portrait to landscape modes by double tapping a button. Previously, anytime you wanted to change camera orientations, you had to manually adjust a dial on the back of the gimbal. It was a bit awkward, and often required users to stop recording if they didn’t want to mess up their footage. That’s not exactly ideal for vloggers, especially in the heat of action.
Other small improvements include a USB-C port for recharging the Osmo Mobile 3’s internal battery and a second USB-A port that you can use to keep your phone topped up. New enhanced motion tracking allows the gimbal to follow subjects on its own automatically.
A new standby mode that’s activated by pressing the M button three times allows the gimbal to fold up without being fully turned off, so you can go from the compact travel mode to filming in just a few seconds.
And to top everything off, the new Osmo Mobile 3 costs about $30 less than the outgoing model at $US120 ($177) (versus $209 for the Osmo Mobile 2). There will also be a $US140 ($206) bundle that comes with a mini tripod that screws into the bottom of the Osmo Mobile 3. DJI’s gimbal accepts a standard 1/4-inch threaded screw instead of something like GoPro’s proprietary mounting system, so if you already have a travel-friendly tripod, you don’t need DJI’s add-on stand.
For a device that was already the top pick in its category, the Osmo Mobile 3 is damn impressive. It’s got everything we liked about previous models, improved controls, and a more compact body, all combined with a price tag that’s lower than before.