Action cameras got incredibly popular within the past years and you can now find them everywhere and from many brands. We followed the development of cameras and equipment with excitement, since these tools now allow us to get shots that are used only from cinema productions (to be frank – it’s getting closer but we are still not there yet) for a fraction of the cost. One issue I always had and many of you will agree on is, to get smooth and steady shots in the outdoor environment. I think most of my action shots, I considered as useless after recording since camera movements or vibrations are so extreme that it was not even possible to stabilize it in post production.
When I heard that gimbals – mounts with electronic stabilizers to remove or reduce unwanted camera movements – are available for actions cams, I got excited and wanted to get my hands on one of these devices. The choice fell on the new DJI Osmo since it is a turnkey solution rather than an additional equipment for the action camera. So the whole Osmo Camera and Gimbals is one set, with each individual part optimized for each other. The only thing you need is a smart phone which is used as a screen, but since you run the DJI Osmo app on it, I still consider it as a turnkey solution.
I will not talk much about the technical features; you can look this up in detail online. The camera is powered by Sony’s 1/2.3-inch 12-megapixel sensor that can record videos of up to 4K resolution — 4,096 x 2,160 at 24fps or 3,840 x 2,160 at 30fps/24fps, to be exact — with a maximum video bitrate of 60mbps. If you want a smoother video, you can go up to 60fps at either 1080p or 720p, or even do slow motion with 120fps at 1080p. The camera with the gimbal and handle is approximately half a kilo of weight only. The Osmo comes with a carry case, battery, charger, phone holder and there are plenty of accessories already available like a bike holder with a build in shock absorber. The camera and gimbal also fits DJI drones (check compatibility).
The battery last only for about an hour so it is advisable to get one or more extra batteries if you go outdoors.
Now the big question, you might have and I had – does this magic toy really work?
I saw amazing footage online and was not sure how well the camera will do in a real outdoor test. First of all, it does work and you can get amazing shots. It is actually quite easy to get started and when you power up the camera it gives you a short run through the options. But the camera is not that magical and can read the mind of a director, what shots he might want to have, so planning and the right use of the camera is essential. Algorithms decide, which movement should be equalized, so you will face some problems if you go mountain biking in a very bumpy track with many sharp turns – the camera will have issues to determine where you want to go, so it is a bit of a gamble it the result is what you wanted or not but no matter what you do, the camera is smoothening out movements a lot. And to be honest and not too harsh – how many times will you try to attach a camera to a MTB while you ride a rodeo.
If you don’t go hardcore, and plan to have more straightforward movements e.g. just follow someone walking on a track, you will get amazing and steady shots. So if you know about the limitation of the camera you can make the most use of it to get great shots.
Also the recoding quality is great so you can use it in your post production workflow. Soon you can check out some footage we recorded on our website.
So the quick and straightforward judgment is the Osmo will be a permanent tool we will be using. Since this is also the latest development in the action cam industry I think we will see more and even better solutions soon.
The DJI Osmo Camera and Gimbal is available in the UAE through RCCorner.ae for 2,460 AED. For more information, give them a call at 04 335 7899
Words + Photos by: Daniel Birkhofer
