The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 and the professional-tier Pocket 4P introduce several hardware refinements that elevate the user experience over the Pocket 3. While all of these devices share a portable design with a 2-inch rotatable touchscreen and 3-axis gimbal stabilization, the new Osmo Pocket 4 lineup features a significantly brighter 1000-nit OLED display and a more tactile interface with additional physical buttons for quick zooming. Internally, they offer a massive leap in convenience with built-in high-speed storage,107GB on the standard Pocket 4 and 103GB on the Pocket 4P, ensuring you can keep filming even without a memory card. Furthermore, the Pocket 4 boasts an impressive 240-minute battery life, which is over an hour more than its predecessor. The Pocket 4P offers a slightly reduced, but still highly capable, 210-minute runtime due to its heavier 230g build and more complex dual-camera hardware. Both newer models also feature faster wireless transfers and a gimbal auto-lock feature for safer storage.
In terms of visual and audio performance, the Pocket 4 builds upon the already capable 1-inch sensor of the Pocket 3. It introduces a 14-stop dynamic range to better handle difficult lighting and pushes slow-motion capabilities further with 4K recording at 240 fps. For creators needing ultimate visual fidelity, the Pocket 4P takes this a massive step further by utilizing a dual-camera system equipped with a cutting-edge LOFIC image sensor. This advanced sensor delivers an unprecedented 17 stops of dynamic range, empowering the camera to simultaneously preserve intricate details in the brightest highlights and deepest shadows. The 4P also adds a 60mm f/1.8 med-tele lens for true 3x optical zoom, and introduces the new D-Log 2 color profile, which captures over a billion colors with 10-bit depth for maximum color grading flexibility in post-production. The audio system has also been modernized; while the Pocket 3 used a three-mic array to cancel wind noise, the Pocket 4 series adds 4-channel output and a specialized audio zoom that adjusts the sound focus as you zoom in on a subject.
The software and smart features of the newer Osmo Pocket models provide a more automated, cinematic experience for creators. Upgraded ActiveTrack 7.0 on the Pocket 4, and the even more advanced ActiveTrack 8.0 on the 4P, offer incredibly precise subject locking and the ability to prioritize specific faces. Both models also introduce new gesture controls that allow for hands-free recording and tracking. For those looking for a specific "look" without heavy editing, the cameras include built-in settings to enhance colours and skin texture directly in-camera. When combined with accessories like the adjustable Fill Light, the standard Pocket 4 stands out as a significant upgrade for polished, minimal-effort footage, while the Pocket 4P easily justifies its higher price tag by delivering uncompromising, professional-grade filmmaking capabilities.
Osmo Pocket 4P
Pros
Cons
Osmo Pocket 4
Pros
Cons
Osmo Pocket 3
Pros
Cons
| Osmo Pocket 4P | Osmo Pocket 4 | Osmo Pocket 3 | |
| | | | |
| Price | Starting at $859 CAD Starting at | Starting at $649 CAD Starting at | Starting at $579 CAD Starting at |
| Image Sensor | Wide-Angle: 1″ CMOS, Med-Tele: 1/1.28″ CMOS, | 1″ CMOS | 1″ CMOS |
| Max Video | 4K/240fps | 4K/240fps | 4K/120fps |
| Colour Profile | D-Log 2/D-Log | D-Log | HLG/D-Log M |
| Zoom | 3× Optical Zoom | 2× Lossless Zoom | 2× Lossless Zoom |
| In-Camera | Supported | Supported | Unsupported |
| Tracking and | ActiveTrack | ActiveTrack | ActiveTrack |
| Beauty | App Glamour Effects | App Glamour Effects | App Glamour Effects |
| Storage | 103GB Built-in Storage | 107GB Built-in Storage | No Built-in Storage |
The Osmo Pocket series from DJI is a line of handheld cameras that turn even the most basic shutterbug into a master photographer. Until recently, the Osmo Pocket 4 was DJI’s most advanced handheld camera on the market, with a powerful 1-inch CMOS sensor and superior 3-axis gimbal stabilization. Now that the Osmo Pocket 4P is available, DJI is taking handheld photography to a whole new level.
To help you decide between DJI's three Osmo Pocket devices, we’ve compiled a detailed exploration of how the newest edition compares to its predecessor.
Physically, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and Pocket 4 handheld cameras are almost identical. Both are designed to fit in your hand and your pocket so that you can take them pretty much anywhere in the world. The Pocket 3 and Pocket 4 both have a small camera at the top that rests on a mechanical, 3-axis gimbal. The mechanical stabilization platform and brushless motors provide precise gimbal control, allowing you to record a steady video when you’re on the move.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P stands out from the other two models with its new dual lenses. The top med-tele lens features a 3× optical zoom and up to 12× maximum zoom. Combined with a wide f/1.8 aperture, it produces a natural bokeh that gives your portraits incredible depth and crisp definition. Just below that, the wide-angle lens delivers a massive 17 stops of dynamic range thanks to the new 1-inch CMOS sensor and LOFIC technology.
In the center of all three models is a 2-inch rotatable touchscreen, which displays the camera view so you can adjust the shot and ensure everything is within frame. This lets you shoot in both landscape and portrait modes for better control. At the bottom of the device, there’s a 5D joystick and a button you can use to recenter the gimbal, flip the camera, and power it on or off.
The handheld cameras feature an array of three microphones that record omnidirectional stereo sound while eliminating wind noise, providing an immersive audio experience. This integrated microphone system is intelligent enough to identify sound sources, even in noisy environments like a street corner or a concert. The handheld camera also supports USB Audio protocol, which allows you to connect your own external microphones and monitoring earbuds.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has only one button, while the Pocket 4 and 4P add two more buttons that let you switch between zoom levels and select various preset options. The 2-inch rotatable touchscreen on the Pocket 3 has a brightness of 700 nits, while the Pocket 4 and Pocket 4P feature a 1000-nit OLED display. Sound recording has also been upgraded on the two newer devices with OsmoAudio 4-channel output and audio zoom, which adjusts sound based on zoom level for a more immersive listening experience.
The Pocket 3 has no built-in storage. However, the Pocket 4 offers 107GB and the Pocket 4P provides 103GB, allowing you to shoot without a memory card. Pocket 4 and 4P also support up to 90MB/s wireless transfer and up to 800MB/s wired transfer, making it easy to download the data off the devices as soon as you’re finished filming.
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has an extended runtime of up to 240 minutes when shooting 1080p/24fps footage, which is more than an hour longer than the Pocket 3's 166-minute runtime. It is also longer lasting than the Osmo Pocket 4P, which lasts up to 210 minutes under the same conditions. Both the Pocket 4 and 4P features rapid charging, allowing the devices to reach 80% in just 18 minutes. This is a slight decrease compared to the Pocket 3, which charges to 80% in 16 minutes, but still rapid enough to allow for an extra three hours of filming with only an 18-minute break in between.
There are a couple of other features that make it easier to create content with the two newer Osmo Pocket cameras. The gimbal auto-locks when they are powered off, making them easier to store when you’re not using them. There is also an option to manually lock the gimbal on both devices. Additionally, the Osmo Pocket 4 and 4P support 4K DisplayPort video output and 1080p Wi-Fi livestreaming, so you can broadcast video directly to your social media or business without worrying about stability issues. Lastly, a built-in timecode keeps drift under 1 frame in 8 hours, making it easy to sync multiple cameras in post-production.
The Pocket 3 is equipped with a 1-inch CMOS sensor for shooting images and recording video, including 4K/120 fps slow-motion. HDR video makes dark scenes darker and bright scenes brighter, unlocking crisper details in both shadow and highlights. The camera separates exposure levels by area, layering frames and making the footage more realistic. 10-bit D-Log M and 10-bit HLG colour modes expand dynamic range when recording landscapes, bringing colours to life with spectacular detail. Lastly, you can get a closer look at your subjects with up to 2x lossless zoom and 4x digital zoom.
The Osmo Pocket 4 takes the 1-inch CMOS sensor and f/2.0 aperture and steps things up a notch by adding 14-stop dynamic range, giving you the power to capture rich details even in high-contrast or low-light scenes. You can slow things down even further by recording in 4K at 240 fps, giving you more room to play with slow motion. The Pocket 4 relies on a 10-bit D-Log colour profile to capture more authentic colours, while it features the same 2x lossless zoom and 4x digital zoom as the Pocket 3. However, unlike its predecessor, the Pocket 4 can maintain 2x lossless zoom even in ActiveTrack and D-Log modes, making it much more versatile.
The Pocket 4P features a powerful dual-lens system to elevate your photos and videos. Its wide-angle lens boasts a 1-inch CMOS sensor capable of stunning 4K/240 fps slow-motion, while the medium-telephoto lens packs a 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor with an impressive 14-stop dynamic range. Your footage will look richer than ever thanks to 10-bit color depth capturing over a billion colors, and the new D-Log 2 profile which perfectly preserves delicate highlight and shadow details. For flawless framing, ActiveTrack 8.0 delivers superior stability and keeps your subject centered no matter how you hold the camera. Finally, achieve an instant cinematic aesthetic with just one tap using the six built-in film tones.
The Osmo Pocket 3 features several different smart modes, including ActiveTrack, Timelapse, and Panorama. ActiveTrack 6.0 boasts a Face Auto-Detect mode that keeps tracked subjects centered in the frame as the camera moves. In Dynamic Framing mode, the composition is enhanced with a built-in golden ratio, giving the camera movement a professional feel while keeping the subject framed in an aesthetically pleasing way. Basic mode lets you track objects by double-tapping the screen, giving you more freedom to choose what you focus on.
Timelapse, Motionlapse, and Hyperlapse modes open up limitless creative potential. Record the clouds moving in the sky or the buzz of the city while the Pocket 3 maintains smooth camera movements along pre-defined angles or up to 4 set points. Electronic Image Stabilization keeps footage stable during Hyperlapse recording, letting you record while on the move. With Pamorama mode, you can record either a 180° or a 3x3 panorama shot in incredible detail.
The Osmo Pocket 3 features several different smart modes, including ActiveTrack, Timelapse, and Panorama. ActiveTrack 6.0 boasts a Face Auto-Detect mode that keeps tracked subjects centered in the frame as the camera moves. In Dynamic Framing mode, the composition is enhanced with a built-in golden ratio, giving the camera movement a professional feel while keeping the subject framed in an aesthetically pleasing way. Basic mode lets you track objects by double-tapping the screen, giving you more freedom to choose what you focus on.
Timelapse, Motionlapse, and Hyperlapse modes open up limitless creative potential. Record the clouds moving in the sky or the buzz of the city while the Pocket 3 maintains smooth camera movements along pre-defined angles or up to 4 set points. Electronic Image Stabilization keeps footage stable during Hyperlapse recording, letting you record while on the move. With Pamorama mode, you can record either a 180° or a 3x3 panorama shot in incredible detail.
Finally, several fun features make post-production more engaging and flexible. Story Mode gives you the tools to create your own masterpiece using preset video and music templates. If you prefer, you can hand over the editing to the DJI Mimo AI Editor, which automatically creates cinematic videos for social media in seconds.
Timelapse, Motionlapse, and Hyperlapse modes open up limitless creative potential. Record the clouds moving in the sky or the buzz of the city while the Pocket 3 maintains smooth camera movements along pre-defined angles or up to 4 set points. Electronic Image Stabilization keeps footage stable during Hyperlapse recording, letting you record while on the move. With Pamorama mode, you can record either a 180° or a 3x3 panorama shot in incredible detail.
Finally, several fun features make post-production more engaging and flexible. Story Mode gives you the tools to create your own masterpiece using preset video and music templates. If you prefer, you can hand over the editing to the DJI Mimo AI Editor, which automatically creates cinematic videos for social media in seconds.
The Pocket 4 adds some fun extras that expand the handheld camera’s capabilities even further. ActiveTrack 7.0 is even more powerful, capable of tracking subjects even at 4x zoom. It includes tracking modes such as Spotlight Follow and Dynamic Framing, while intelligent autofocus keeps subjects sharp. Like the Basic mode on the Pocket 3, you can toggle “Subject Lock Tracking” to easily lock onto and track your subject, even switching between subjects by tapping the detection box on the screen. “Registered Subject Priority” prioritizes a pre-registered subject, letting you seamlessly switch focus as the footage moves.
The Osmo Pocket 4 also features the popular Gesture Control, which lets you adjust the camera without touching the device. If you show your palm, you can toggle ActiveTrack to get it to focus directly on you. If you make a peace sign, then you can trigger it to take photos or start/stop recording.
The Pocket 4 adds some fun extras that expand the handheld camera’s capabilities even further. ActiveTrack 7.0 is even more powerful, capable of tracking subjects even at 4x zoom. It includes tracking modes such as Spotlight Follow and Dynamic Framing, while intelligent autofocus keeps subjects sharp. Like the Basic mode on the Pocket 3, you can toggle “Subject Lock Tracking” to easily lock onto and track your subject, even switching between subjects by tapping the detection box on the screen. “Registered Subject Priority” prioritizes a pre-registered subject, letting you seamlessly switch focus as the footage moves.
The Osmo Pocket 4 also features the popular Gesture Control, which lets you adjust the camera without touching the device. If you show your palm, you can toggle ActiveTrack to get it to focus directly on you. If you make a peace sign, then you can trigger it to take photos or start/stop recording.
Like the Pocket 3, the Pocket 4 enables Timelapse, Motionlapse, Hyperlapse, and Panorama shots. However, it also supports slow-shutter shooting in Video mode, allowing you to manually adjust the shutter speed to create motion blur. This provides a unique, cinematic effect that captures movement trails and the movement of time in a really fun way. The gimbal can rotate 180° in SpinShot mode, allowing you to capture smooth, single-handed shots. Instead of manually switching between Landscape and Portrait modes, the Pocket 4 will automatically and intelligently rotate the screen orientation for optimal framing.
The Osmo Pocket 4 also features the popular Gesture Control, which lets you adjust the camera without touching the device. If you show your palm, you can toggle ActiveTrack to get it to focus directly on you. If you make a peace sign, then you can trigger it to take photos or start/stop recording.
Like the Pocket 3, the Pocket 4 enables Timelapse, Motionlapse, Hyperlapse, and Panorama shots. However, it also supports slow-shutter shooting in Video mode, allowing you to manually adjust the shutter speed to create motion blur. This provides a unique, cinematic effect that captures movement trails and the movement of time in a really fun way. The gimbal can rotate 180° in SpinShot mode, allowing you to capture smooth, single-handed shots. Instead of manually switching between Landscape and Portrait modes, the Pocket 4 will automatically and intelligently rotate the screen orientation for optimal framing.
Post-production offers much more than the basic Glamour Effects in the DJI Mimo app. With the Pocket 4, you can choose from various film tones to turn your video into a jazzed-up scene reminiscent of classic film styles. The in-camera Beautify setting fine-tunes the smoothness, brightness, and tone of the subject’s skin, giving you a clean, natural look in both selfies and group shots.
The LOFIC technology found in the Osmo Pocket 4P's wide-angle lens improves how the camera collects light, allowing it to preserve intricate highlight and shadow detail, even in high-contrast or extreme low-light environments. Because of this, high-contrast portraits effortlessly balance lighting, retain natural skin details, and keep complex backgrounds perfectly clear. When shooting backlit portraits, you can face challenging light with total confidence, as the sensor preserves sharp subject definition alongside natural edge transitions for flawless results straight out of the camera. Finally, your low-light portraits will remain beautifully clear even after dark, simply turn on the Fill Light for natural illumination that makes your nighttime selfies stand out.
For creators looking to push this technology even further, the Pocket 4P utilizes DJI's D-Log 2 color profile to fully harness the camera's massive 17 stops of dynamic range. This advanced 10-bit profile is specifically engineered to retain the maximum amount of shadow and highlight data generated by the LOFIC sensor, ensuring you have ultimate flexibility during post-production color grading.
Rounding out its professional toolkit, the upgraded ActiveTrack 8.0 algorithm ensures your subjects remain perfectly centered with rock-solid stability across various dynamic holding positions. Combined with six built-in film tones that deliver a stylized, cinematic aesthetic with just a single tap, this device streamlines your creative workflow from the moment you press record to final delivery.
For creators looking to push this technology even further, the Pocket 4P utilizes DJI's D-Log 2 color profile to fully harness the camera's massive 17 stops of dynamic range. This advanced 10-bit profile is specifically engineered to retain the maximum amount of shadow and highlight data generated by the LOFIC sensor, ensuring you have ultimate flexibility during post-production color grading.
Rounding out its professional toolkit, the upgraded ActiveTrack 8.0 algorithm ensures your subjects remain perfectly centered with rock-solid stability across various dynamic holding positions. Combined with six built-in film tones that deliver a stylized, cinematic aesthetic with just a single tap, this device streamlines your creative workflow from the moment you press record to final delivery.
Accessories unlock even more creative potential, from external microphones to lighting filters.
Nearly all Pocket 3 accessories work with the Pocket 4 and Pocket 4P, with only a few minor exceptions.
The DJI Mic 3 boosts audio recording with intelligent noise canceling, intelligent audio balancing, and a convenient clip-on transmitter.
The Lavalier Mic is a convenient, concealable microphone that’s perfect for recording interviews, vlogs, or livestreams.
The Mini Tripod makes it easy to set up the Pocket 3 or Pocket 4 on the ground while you get into position for filming.
The Battery Handle attaches to the Pocket 3 or Pocket 4 to add a few extra hours of runtime.
The Black Mist Filter helps reduce sharpness and control highlight flares, while also removing blemishes and other skin imperfections. Because it’s magnetic, it clamps right onto the lens for easy attachment and removal.
The ND Filters Set for Pocket 3 or Pocket 4 applies magnetically, allowing you to apply ND16, ND64, and ND256 filters to adjust light levels as needed.
This magnetic accessory for the Pocket 3 or Pocket 4 increases the field of view to 108°, opening up the frame even wider for landscape and group shots.
This accessory is exclusive to the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 and Osmo Pocket 4P. The compact Fill Light offers 3-level brightness and temperature adjustment, delivering natural lighting whenever you need it.
The Osmo Pocket 4P definitely has enough bells and whistles to help it stand apart from the Pocket 3 and Pocket 4. Some of its most notable improvements are 17-stop dynamic range, improvements to ActiveTrack and intelligent focusing, and ultra-slow-motion video. If you aren’t a pro at photo editing and you want a simple way to make your footage smoother and more cinematic, the inclusion of Film Tones and the Beautify setting makes it a breeze to capture life’s joyful moments in style.
For a handheld camera, the Osmo Pocket 4 is also pretty spectacular. Compared to the Pocket 3, it is a decent upgrade. Compared to your average smartphone camera, it’s like night and day. If you decide to try an Osmo Pocket camera, you will see for yourself how the these handheld cameras can fully unlock your creative potential.
Dr Drone
Author
DrDrone is Canada's leading provider of drone technical services, with over a decade of experience and the distinction of being the first company in the country to offer drone servicing and repairs. As the largest drone vendor in Canada, we are also the primary supplier of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) to the Canadian government. Our team members possess extensive knowledge of each drone's technical specifications and have a wealth of hands-on experience. For more than ten years, we have been dismantling and reconstructing drones, ensuring a deep understanding of these systems.