DJI Osmo Cellular 8 evaluation: A monitoring gimbal for content material creators on a price range

DJI launched its newest smartphone gimbal, the Osmo Cellular 8, in November, in markets throughout (most of) the globe. It is a first rate choice for budding content material creators on a price range, providing easy controls and clean efficiency that may additionally assist jazz up house films.

The DJI Osmo Cellular 8 is a solidly constructed cellphone gimbal

DJI’s Osmo Cellular 8 has strong construct high quality, largely fabricated from a sturdy-feeling black plastic — however it additionally comes with a barely textured rubberised grip on the deal with’s rear. This addition appears pointless, as the fabric feels barely totally different to the remainder of the deal with and provides little by way of grip.

The seams interrupt the sleek, ergonomic really feel of it within the hand. Making the deal with’s physique a single piece might have been preferable; the micro-channel across the grip appears prone to gather lifeless pores and skin and dirt. Nonetheless, the Osmo Cellular 8 feels good general.

The Osmo Cellular 8 comes with its multifunctional module, a clamp to carry your cellphone, and a material storage pouch. The cellphone clamp connects to the gimbal arm by way of a magnet, which is reassuringly sturdy sufficient to provide customers peace of thoughts. There are additionally two USB-C cables: An extended one for charging the Cellular 8, and a shorter one which connects the module to your cellphone when utilizing a mic. 

Along with these equipment, the Osmo Cellular 8 has an inbuilt telescopic extension rod and a tripod, each of that are solidly constructed. Although the extension rod solely provides round 8.5 inches, it is sufficient to get crowd photographs or a good selfie, and packs away so nicely that you just’re prone to neglect it is there. You may absolutely lengthen it whereas utilizing the tripod as nicely, although it feels simply precarious sufficient that you just would not need to if there’s a lot of a breeze.

Tripod legs stow away within the Osmo Cellular 8’s deal with, making for a really compact and stylish design answer. These legs pull out from the underside after which fold out, connected with metallic {hardware} that feels sturdy.

There’s a good quantity of flex whenever you apply downward strain to the Osmo Cellular 8, whereas the tripod is ready up. It has the form of bounce that makes it really feel it is unlikely to interrupt.

The bottoms of the tripod prongs finish in comparatively sizable rubber toes, which give a superb quantity of stability and grip, in addition to scratch safety for the floor you place it on. It does a good job of standing on uneven surfaces, although is not designed for something excessive.

DJI recommends selecting up its individually offered Grip Tripod accent if you wish to arrange your Osmo Cellular 8 in much less even, extra windy circumstances.

Travelling with the Osmo Cellular 8 is not clean

Sadly, even with its sensible tripod storage, the Osmo Cellular 8 is cumbersome sufficient that carrying it round to shoot on the go appears like a trouble. The gimbal is over twice as heavy as DJI’s fashionable Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal digicam, weighing in at round 370g, and whereas the cell phone arm folds down, it nonetheless leaves the Cellular 8 an ungainly form for transport.

The Osmo Cellular 8’s included material storage bag provides little safety, alas, and would not really feel adequate for carrying it round. Realistically, many customers are prone to depart the Osmo Cellular 8’s magnetic cellphone clamp connected to the gimbal when not in use. (Whereas DJI does have a flat quick-release mount accent for MagSafe suitable iPhones, it is offered individually and is not suitable with the multifunction module.)

The clamp can nonetheless be rotated even whereas the Osmo Cellular 8 is powered off, which might trigger it to get caught within the storage bag’s opening when being taken out or stowed. This half would not spin freely both, because the gimbal’s mechanical vary would not have a 360-degree roll. You would not need to pressure it too far, which does not really feel like an inconceivable mishap that may happen within the backside of your bag.

The DJI Osmo Cellular 8 is finest when used hands-free

Whereas the DJI Osmo Cellular 8’s construct is a bit clunky, it makes up for it with spectacular efficiency. Along with providing a fill mild with eight ranges of brightness and shade temperature settings, the Osmo Cellular 8’s extremely useful multifunction module acts as a microphone receiver for suitable DJI transmitters in addition to permits monitoring of individuals or animals.

Topic monitoring is clean, simple to function, and works nicely. When utilizing the DJI Mimo app, customers select a topic to lock on to easily by tapping them whereas they’re in body. (Topics are mechanically tracked as a substitute when utilizing AppleDockKit within the iPhone digicam app — extra on that later.)

The gimbal will then comply with the chosen topic so long as they transfer at a average, affordable velocity, making it appropriate for vlogging. We did efficiently dodge it when trying to take action, that means folks can duck out of body when wanted.

The Osmo Cellular 8 is nice if you wish to arrange your gimbal for hands-free filming. Except for the built-in tripod and heavier weight serving to to maintain it sturdy, the big cellphone display allows you to verify your framing from an extra distance (supplied you are utilizing your cellphone’s entrance digicam).

Sadly, its weight acts in opposition to it when used as a handheld system. DJI’s smaller and lighter Osmo Pocket 3 is a far superior handheld gimbal expertise, although it is also thrice the worth and has a relatively tiny inbuilt display which makes filming from a distance trickier.

If you’ve completed filming, turning the Osmo Cellular 8 off feels a bit like placing it in a sleeper maintain. Powering it off entails folding down the gimbal arm and rotating it in order that it locks in place, aligning the small, delicate indicators to information you. At first it feels as if you are doing one thing you are not imagined to, because the unit will wrestle in opposition to you, twitching and turning as you pressure it into place.

When utilizing the Osmo Cellular 8, the digicam high quality will depend on the cellphone you employ. The DJI Mimo app dietary supplements this by providing just a few primary magnificence filter choices. All of those work fairly nicely, and may be adjusted in energy if you happen to desire extra delicate touchups.

Nevertheless, the iOS app applies face slimming by default, even if you happen to transfer its slider all the way down to zero. You will need to utterly flip off all magnificence filters to disable it, that means you possibly can’t simply clean your pores and skin or eliminate your darkish circles. In distinction, Android provides extra magnificence filter choices, and would not apply face slimming mechanically.

DJI Osmo Cellular 8 vs 7P: What are the variations?

The Osmo Cellular 8 is identical measurement and roughly the identical weight as its predecessor, the Osmo Cellular 7P. DJI additionally states that each fashions have 10-hour run instances and cost in about 2.5 hours. The first upgrades between the DJI Osmo Cellular 8 and Osmo Cellular 7P are the mechanical vary of the gimbal and AppleDockKit assist. 

Whereas the Osmo Cellular 7P’s mechanical vary restricted it to -109 to 222 levels of panning, the Osmo Cellular 8 permits for full 360-degree pan rotation. This implies which you can set it to trace you by way of DJI’s Mimo app, then stroll in circles across the gimbal and have the digicam comply with you. Such a variety of movement makes the Osmo Cellular 8 a lot simpler to set and neglect, for whenever you need to catch moments like operating round with the children at a household picnic.

The Osmo Cellular 8 additionally introduces AppleDockKit assist, enabling iPhone customers to trace topics within the native iPhone digicam app. Pairing is straightforward, merely requiring you to faucet your cellphone to the NFC tag on the aspect of the gimbal’s deal with. Even so, you possibly can’t instantly select what AppleDockKit tracks, making it best suited for much less busy photographs the place there is a larger probability it is going to lock on to your required topic.

AppleDockKit monitoring works with the Osmo Cellular 8’s cellphone clamp, however will not activate when you’ve got the multifunction module connected. It is extra sensible to make use of the gimbal’s quick-release mount as a substitute when you’ve got it, as its AppleDockKit monitoring would not use the multifunction module anyway. 

Native iPhone digicam monitoring is not essentially a groundbreaking new addition to the Osmo Cellular 8, as monitoring within the DJI Mimo app works nicely. Nevertheless, it might enhance workflow for individuals who desire to movie footage on to their digicam roll as a substitute of by way of the app.

Must you purchase the DJI Osmo Cellular 8?

With compact gimbal cameras resembling DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 out there, comparatively cumbersome devices just like the Osmo Cellular 8 could be a more durable promote even for these keen to pay a premium. The Osmo Pocket 3 is notably extra compact and light-weight, and would not require you to relinquish your cellphone to make use of it.

Even so, the Osmo Cellular 8’s considerably cheaper price makes it a way more engaging choice for many who dabble in content material creation, primarily movie at house, and are curious to learn how a gimbal may improve their setup.

In case you’re after clean topic monitoring on a price range, the DJI Osmo Cellular 8 is a flexible, well-built gimbal that may possible fit your wants.

Sadly, whereas the Osmo Cellular 8 is presently out there in lots of markets, the U.S. stays a notable exception. DJI continues to cope with notable obstacles from the U.S. federal authorities, which have hindered its enterprise stateside. For now, getting your arms on DJI’s Osmo Cellular 8 within the U.S. might require going via third events.