I Recommend This 4k Action Camera Over Your Iphone 16 Pro For Travel Vlogging

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has a reliable 1-inch CMOS sensor that captures stabilized 4K footage.
• It's compact, has a built-in gimbal, and is very easy to use.
• The power pad tin beryllium wonky, and low-light capacity takes a hit.

I didn't expect a pouch camera to beryllium 1 of my favourite tech gadgets of this twelvemonth -- not erstwhile smartphone cameras person gotten truthful bully -- but nan DJI Osmo Pocket 3 managed to alteration that.

I've seen nan Pocket 3 takeover firsthand, witnessing different tech journalists slow replacing their heavier, bulkier, and much analyzable DSLRs and smartphones pinch nan flip-out camera. My default shooter, a Sony A7S III pinch a GM 16-35mm lens, weighs almost 3 pounds, truthful I get it.

Also: The champion vlogging cameras of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

But there's much than meets nan oculus pinch nan Pocket 3; its portability and convenience will tie you in, but its extended shooting modes and signaling devices will make you travel backmost for more. I've been testing nan Pocket 3 for astir 2 months now, and here's what you should cognize astir nan hottest camera successful tech.

While this is nan 3rd loop of nan DJI Osmo Pocket, nan institution has upgraded nan instrumentality successful almost each way, from nan larger two-inch show that tin flip from vertical (portrait) video signaling to horizontal (landscape) to nan larger, much tin one-inch CMOS sensor. Altogether, you're getting a very tin camera that will fresh successful astir pants pockets, enarthrosis bags, and backpacks.

That flip-out show is 1 of nan Pocket 3's champion features, arsenic it lets you quickly move connected nan camera (when you flick it out) and grounds successful your desired orientation. In this time and age, nan expertise to sprout some vertical and horizontal videos is essential, whether you're casually grabbing a clip for societal media aliases posting connected TikTok and YouTube arsenic a contented creator. 

Also: One of nan astir versatile action cameras I've tested isn't from GoPro - and it's connected sale

There will beryllium occasions erstwhile you're shooting astatine a little aliases higher perspective and won't beryllium capable to usage nan viewfinder arsenic effectively, but I mostly recovered nan two-inch touchscreen sheet reliable capable to framework subjects. Like pinch astir different cameras, you tin ever brace nan Pocket 3 to your telephone for a larger reappraisal screen. 

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Navigating nan settings is simply a elemental strategy of swipes, taps, and agelong presses. If you've utilized an action camera before, nan personification interface will beryllium very familiar, from basal signaling functions for illustration adjusting zoom and video format to much master modifications for illustration turning connected D-Log M, should you want to further modify colors and opposition levels aliases amended lucifer your footage pinch a 2nd camera. 

One advantage of utilizing nan Pocket 3 complete nan latest iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, is its three-axis gimbal mechanical stabilization. Compared to nan smaller optical image stabilizers recovered successful smartphone cameras, which are often paired pinch immoderate level of artificial physics stabilization, location are noticeably less jitters and shakiness erstwhile signaling pinch nan Pocket 3. Since nan camera is held up by a rotating gimbal, you tin swivel it side-to-side for smooth-panning videos and move it 180 degrees for vlogging.

Also: New photographer? Here's nan camera I urge (and no, it's not a Sony)

While I recovered software-enabled search features for illustration ActiveTrack 6.0, which prompts nan camera to automatically travel your desired subject, very useful erstwhile capturing products astatine tech briefings aliases of presenters stepping around, nan physical, joy-stick-like power pad was clunkier to operate. 

For example, holding nan power pad successful 1 guidance for a panning changeable often resulted successful footage pinch little earthy movement. The camera besides moves a spot excessively slow for my taste, truthful I've reconfigured nan power pad to set nan zoom scope instead.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

In position of video quality, I wouldn't put nan Pocket 3 supra a DSLR aliases mirrorless camera pinch a existent lens, but it surely thumps retired flagship phones from Apple, Samsung, and Google -- astatine slightest successful mean to bully lighting conditions. 

The one-inch CMOS sensor gets nan in installments here, pulling acold much ray and item while processing a earthy separation (read: bokeh aliases blur) betwixt nan taxable and background. The camera and gimbal strategy are little effective erstwhile shooting videos astatine night, wherever it struggles pinch sound and mobility blur.

Since a batch of my video activity involves focusing connected a merchandise successful hand, nan Pocket 3 is very ideal. Its portability, especially, helps maine drawback shots that I'd typically struggle pinch erstwhile utilizing a larger camera.

Also: I tested DJI's palm-sized drone, and it captured things I had ne'er seen earlier (and it's now only $159)

DJI offers nan Pocket 3 pinch an assortment of optional accessories, including an expandable artillery battalion (that comes pinch a 1/4"-20 mount) and a Mic 2 transmitter for on-device audio recording, but I really recovered nan modular configuration (the camera connected its own) bully capable for casual use. I conscionable wish nan Pocket 3 came pinch a 1/4"-20 equine by default, arsenic it's useful to equine onto tripods and different stands for much imaginative shots.

My usage, which includes 15-minute stints of 4K signaling for activity and immoderate 1080p videos erstwhile capturing scenic views during travel, often near maine pinch 10-20% artillery by nan extremity of nan day. When I'm done, I link nan Pocket 3 to my laptop via USB-C for some charging and information transfer.

ZDNET's buying advice

That's to say, nan DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has go a champion successful my activity and recreation backpack. Its portability, easiness of use, and elastic shooting modes make it almost irreplaceable for contented creation. 

(Update: DJI has confirmed that nan value of nan Osmo Pocket 3 has been accrued from $519 to $799. While it's still a awesome vlogging camera, I urge it only to those pinch nan fund to walk connected it.)

At a starting value of $799, nan Pocket 3 is pricier than astir action cameras and moreover immoderate midrange phones. But nan worth tin beryllium justified, based connected my testing and each nan real-world testimonials that I've gathered passim nan past year.

If you're superior astir contented creation aliases want to put much successful your recreation camera, I'd urge the Creator Combo, which bundles nan camera pinch a Mic 2 transmitter, artillery handle, mini tripod, carrying bag, and wide-angle lens attachment. For vloggers who want a instrumentality that tin do it all, that package is almost arsenic bully arsenic it gets.

This article was primitively published connected December 24, 2024, and was updated connected July 16, 2025.