Does The DJI Pocket 3 Live Up To The Hype?

It's Finally Here: DJI's Latest Vlogging Camera Delivers All The Thrills to Live Up To The Anticipation.

The talk around vlogging, streaming, and creating content as quick and agile as possible is a conversation that will continue to be had thanks to the release of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. The highly anticipated mini camera had been hinted at for months by DJI and mini camera enthusiasts all over YouTube, TikTok, and more. Now available, the reviews are pretty much stating what we all had hoped: the camera is a must-have for vloggers.

I recently dropped into the DJI Certified Store in Wynwood Miami recently and was juggling between picking up the DJI Pocket 2 and the DJI Osmo 6. The recommendation I left with was to hold off on the Pocket 2 because the Pocket 3 was expected to be some out of this world. Based on reviews, it's definitely looking that way.

A Light-Weight Option For Shooting On the Go

So, what's the hype? Well, gone are the days of needing to use full DSLR cameras for vlogging. For one, the cameras are somewhat heavy, cumbersome, and their screen usually only face one way. Of course, there are plenty of options for cameras with rotating screens like the Sony ZV-E1, but being able to be light-weight at the pocket level changes things entirely, especially for creators who want to create without all the distraction and attention-grabbing that having a full-blown camera would have.

The Pocket 3 shares the same gimbal head and camera as some of the brand's most powerful drones like the Mavik series and Mini series drones, which means the camera is going to deliver when it comes to gimbal speed, resolutions (2.7K and 4K available), framespeed (up to 120fps). Simply, from what I've seen, it lives and breathes by the idea that it's not the size of the dog in the fight.

When considering the tracking abilities, the gimbal head, resolution, and feet that make it easy to position on any surface as well as attaching to any tripod, the Pocket 3 makes a good case for the best camera for simple, fast, and on-the-go content creation (for introverted creators - let me add that part).

When it comes to showing off just how much you can do with this device and the why behind what some of the configurations, I haven't seen a better review than YouTuber Sam Holland's recent video.

In his review, Sam shows of the Creator Package, which includes manual camera filters, a DJI microphone, and more - all of which enable more creativity and give more range to what you can do and shoot with this.

So, was my decision to hold off on buying the Pocket 2 a wise one?

Hold off on buying the Pocket 2, yes. I feel like it was a pretty wise decision. Buying the Osmo 6 Gimbal, hmmm. It just depends.

The difference is wide. The Osmo 6 is nothing more than a smart gimbal, but it did give me a new discovery about DJI products that I'm not much wiser about. If you're an Android user like myself, DJI products provide a little bit of a silent inconvenience. I've experienced this inconvenience both with my DJI Mini SE 2 drone as well as the Osmo 6.

The software that comes with these devices weighs heavily in favor of iOS.

While the boxes indicate QR codes for the Google Play store, the apps associated usually are some really odd knock off app that gives sketchy vibes and does not have all of the components and features available as expected. Buying the Osmo 6 and driving home with it almost made me throw a fit when I realized the Android app didn't even have gestures for tracking.

There is a solution, though. You have to download an APK from DJI website. A solution, sure, but one that presents an additional problem. When using my Osmo 6, I noticed that the camera associated with the APK is that of an iPhone, not the features and capabilities of my Google Pixel 7 Pro.

And you know by now how much that would annoy me.

Of course, as a standalone camera of its own, this isn't a problem with the Pocket 3, which makes it the ideal vlogging camera, in my opinion. If it has sync capabilties like the drones do, then we are in for a really good time.

Overall, from the looks: it's worthy of dropping the Osmo 6 and copping! The damage to the pocket is equal to a standard camera with the retail amount being $519.00.

So, what's your verdict?

If you're a creator and/or vlogger, does the DJI Pocket 3 have appeal for you? How would you use it?