The DJI Pocket 2 has received a major update that adds HDR video recording, audio monitoring, and other ease-of-use improvements. The update is the second one the Pocket 2 has seen with some major improvements and many fixes. I have a small adapter that holds my iPhone next to the camera as a viewfinder, and that adapter can’t connect to a tripod. David W The DJI Osmo Pocket camera has received fantastic reviews ever since its release. The device looks like a worthy successor to my GoPro Karma Grip. They’re pretty straightforward — and certainly the Osmo Pocket has far fewer points of failure than a drone.
For starters, the smartphone attachment is tiny – during my time shooting with the Osmo Pocket I misplaced this accessory and the plastic cover that slides off a number of times. To ensure that the connection between the Osmo Pocket and my phone was tight I had to remove my iPhone X from its protective case, which is a setup that I didn’t find ideal. Although attaching a phone and using the app gives you a better idea of what you might be shooting, once the phone is attached the setup feels really unbalanced. I found it difficult to shoot, walk, use my phone as a touchscreen to control the camera, and also make sure I wasn’t about to drop my phone and end up with a dreaded spider web screen.
I think DJI could improve the next iteration of the Pocket by making the screen larger, maybe even have a screen that folds out from the handle, like a camcorder. Because the screen is so very small, it’s also nearly impossible to see what is on it, especially in very bright lighting. I filmed a lot of treetops when I meant to be filming pathways because I literally couldn’t see what was on the tiny screen. Add the products you would like to compare, and quickly determine which is best for your needs.
Additionally, by bypassing the smartphone camera, you get the sharper optics and smoother results of the separate Osmo Pocket, which records to a micro SD card. In taking the Osmo Pocket for a spin, my footage was, indeed, steadier than the Osmo Mobile, and I liked the little 1-inch preview screen to navigate my compositions. Better was when I connected my iPhone to the Pocket and was able to use the larger 6-inch preview screen of the smartphone. So when drone manufacturer DJI in January introduced a new model, the Osmo Mobile, for the then-super-low price of $129, we were excited. And when connected to a mobile phone, the footage had its moments, but it was hard to get many seconds of really clean, steady footage. The new model has four microphones, up from two on the Osmo Pocket, and software adjusts the audio based on which direction the camera is facing.
You can use these to change settings like the resolution you’re using or putting the camera in selfie mode. As you’d expect from a touchscreen of this size, attempting to use it directly is a bit of a pain. The menu options are small and hard to tap accurately, and swiping the bottom menu upward can be a challenge when you’ve got the phone connector accessory inserted beneath it. Beneath the camera, there are a pair of buttons dji drones — one multifunctional and one for recording video and taking photos — and a small one-inch touchscreen. The camera also comes with a small, removable pair of connectors (one USB-C and one Lightning), which you attach to the camera. These then allow the Osmo Pocket to be fixed to the bottom of a phone and held horizontally to allow you to control the camera using your phone’s touchscreen or transfer your footage.