The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is a curious little device, coming in hot not three months after its main series sibling. The “P” which undoubtedly stands for “Pro” entails quite an upgrade to the already capable Pocket 4. Namely, an additional 60mm-esque f/1.8 telephoto lens that allows some sweet lossless zoom action that its predecessor didn’t have. So, what does this mean?
More cinematic capabilities–that’s what. Added depth and longer range are some pretty cool additions to a very solid foundation, and this gimbal series already has the necessary features to go head-to-head against more expensive photography gadgetry. That being said, how was our brief experience with it, and how would a complete newbie fare with the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P straight out of the box?
Sleek and Stylish
We can’t ignore its design–striking as it is. Firstly, if you’re more of a cam-grip kind of individual with hipfire sensibilities, this isn’t for you. Now, if you have the patience and curiosity to handle something more slim and upright for your creative pursuits, then you’re in for a treat. Measuring 159.5 × 63.3 × 33.5 mm all around, and weighing a light–but subtantial 230 grams, it’s pretty easy to wave around without issue.
You have a matte finish, a premium hard plastic build, and a gimbal axis that doesn’t feel like it’ll get dislocated once you throw it into your bag. That swivel touch screen snaps into place snugly without any unwanted wobble. Buttons and joystick are clicky and tactile, too. Good stuff so far.
We’re rocking the Creator Combo, so you get some goodies to help out in your content creation journey: a DJI Mic Mini 2 transmitter, Osmo FrameTap monitor, a Osmo Pocket 4 fill light, handle and tripod, plus all the necessary charging cables neatly packed in a stylish pouch.
Even without proceeding with the actual shooting, you already get a feel for how things are going to pan out (pun absolutely intended). There will be a learning curve, but it won’t be as steep as you think.
Shoot to Chill
Now, you’re probably thinking this will be complicated, right? Yes and no. Remember that learning curve? Coming from someone who’s only shot on analog cameras and smartphones, the Osmo Pocket 4P was a pretty wild first date. Thankfully, you’ll be properly guide.
You’ll need to download the dedicated DJI Mimo app to get things fired up. Upon powering on the devices, you’ll go through a brief tutorial on how to not completely go off the rails. Afterwards, it’s all about tinkering and experimenting.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P has a very organized and handy user interface which pops up nicely from its 2-inch rotatable OLED touchscreen. Everything is laid out for you, whichever direction you swipe. Want to switch between photos and videos? Tap on the icon. Want to see your settings? Swipe down. Camera features? Swipe up and left. While it may be easy to get lost at first, it’s even easier to get back on track.
You also get a customizable button that you can program for quick functions. For us, it’s to make the 4P do a quick 180 turn with one click. There’s a variety of pre-programmable commands to choose from. Regardless of your vlogging habits, you’ll be covered.
In terms of longevity and space, the 4P lands right on the sweet spot. We have a 1545 mAh battery that can have you shooting for up to 3 hours of continuous 4K video. While that can be daunting, you can top it up to full, no sweat, in less than 30 minutes. You’ll need a battery pack or power bank for an all-day shoot. As for storage, you have 103 GB of built-in storage. This is perfect for creators who shoot short clips and edit on the fly via the DJI Mimo app. Rinse and repeat. For anyone who does more long form content, you might want to invest on an SD card.
Welcome to The Show
Here’s what you came for: camera capabilities and beyond. So, you’re packing a 20mm equivalent lens with f/2.0 aperture and a 1-inch CMOS sensor. Pretty much what you got with the Osmo Pocket 4. However, this time you’re also packing a 60mm equivalent lens with f/1.8 aperture and 1/1.28-inch CMOS–a lens that offers 3x optical zoom and goes the distance up to 12x. That’s way more than a linear upgrade. In gaming terms, it’s less DLC and more of an entire sequel.
If the Osmo Pocket 4 offered a pure, unadulterated videographic experience, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P offers versatility. You can go in nice and close to shoot your subject in all its glory–or you can take it easy and do it from a slightly longer distance.
What’s more is with the DJI Mic Mini 2 and Osmo FrameTap, you can leave the 4P unattended and shoot at will. You’re basically limited solely by your creativity and multitasking skills.
As for the output, we were able to shoot a bit of footage to tease your palate. Just in case you’re curious as to how a first time user fares with it. For an initial foray, things went quite smoothly. You can either use the joystick, or swivel it to your liking with a variety of tilt and orientation settings. “Follow” and “FPV” were the most useful, mainly for basic capturing and more creative shots respectively.
You can shoot up to 4K 60fps by default, and Slow Motion mode goes up to 4K 240fps. If you’re dedicated to videos in landscape orientation, you’ll be able to use the full range of these features at maximum quality.
Shooting vertically has its limits, though. Primarily, because you’re limited to 3K 60fps–without the capability to shoot in slow mo. Of course, you can work around this by cropping your video vertically in post, but it would’ve been nice to automatically shoot in slow motion even in native portrait orientation.
As for the additional creature comforts, you have ActiveTrack 8.0 that works seamlessly with Gesture Control and Registered Subject Priority–the latter of which allows the 4P to choose between focusing on one person in frame, or the entire squad in motion. For the more meticulous and seasoned video veterans, you get a professional D-Log 2 profile for the main camera. It’s a nice dynamic range boost allowing for very flexible color grading.
Of course, we can’t forget photos. Yes, you can shoot both in RAW and JPG, or go into Pro Mode and tinker with your white balance and exposure. You can also be like us and leave the parameters on auto. You can also choose between the standard 5MP shot or 21MP “SuperPhoto.” For our website’s sake, we went with the former.
Still, the default snaps come out nice and crisp, where the desired bokeh will be purely up to you just eyeballing the distance. It’s a rewarding feeling to get that background blur right off the bat. The sensors also work really well under low light–and its quite evident both in videos and photos.
Final Recommendation
If you’re looking to explore the entire scope of your creativity, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is definitely for you. The additional camera offers tremendous flexibility, and snagging the Vlog Combo essentially provides you with a videography partner. If you’re more point and shoot, and never leave the length of your arm, the equally capable DJI Osmo Pocket 4 might be up your alley.
All things considered, why not run the gauntlet and go pro–so to speak? The features offered by the 4P aren’t gimmicks, and you’ll definitely find a way to use this device to its fullest potential. Whether you’re a budding creator or a master of your craft, this is definitely a moviemaking marvel that should be on your radar.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Standard Combo is now available via Shopee and priced at PHP 37,790, while the Vlog Combo comes in at PHP 42,290. For more updates, follow DJI Philippines’ official social pages.