DJI Osmo Pocket 4 vs 3: The differences explained

Three years after the Osmo Pocket 3 launched, DJI has unveiled its successor with the aptly titled Osmo Pocket 4.

DJI promises that the Osmo Pocket 4 is more user friendly and can capture sharper shots compared to the Pocket 3, but how else do the two compare? Are there enough new features with the Osmo Pocket 4 to warrant an upgrade if you’re sporting the Osmo Pocket 3?

We’ve compared our review of the Osmo Pocket 4 to the Osmo Pocket 3 to help you decide whether an upgrade is really necessary. Otherwise, visit our list of the best vlogging cameras and best action cameras to see options for the likes of GoPro and Insta360.

Price and Availability

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is available to pre-order from today ahead of its official launch on April 22nd. There are a few bundle options to choose from, but the cheapest is the Osmo Pocket 4 Essential Combo which has an RRP of £429/€479 and includes a USB-C to USB-C PD cable, handle with 1/4-inch thread and a carry pouch.

Similarly, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 also comes with a few different bundle options that include varying accessories and tools. However, the Osmo Pocket 3 on its own has an RRP of £389/€429.

Design

• DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is lighter
• DJI Osmo Pocket 4 includes a new analog joystick for more “delicate” shooting
• The Pocket 4 includes two new buttons under the touchscreen

Although the Osmo Pocket 4 is slightly heavier at 190.5g compared to 179g, DJI has more or less stuck to the same design as the Pocket 3. In fact, this design was first introduced with the original Osmo Pocket back in 2018.

However, there are a few new features with the DJI Osmo Pocket 4. Firstly, rotate the Osmo Pocket 4’s display and you’ll find two new buttons. One is a toggle button for switching between zoom levels while the other is a customisable button for shortcuts.

DJI Osmo Pocket 4 DJI Osmo Pocket 3

These buttons are alongside the physical controls carried over from the Pocket 3, including the joystick for controlling panning and zooming. Having said that, although the joystick looks similar, the Osmo Pocket 4’s is no longer a single-speed mechanism so you can be more precise with your movements.

Finally, the Osmo Pocket 4 also introduces pogo connectors at the back of the gimbal head which allow the camera to pass power through to accessories that are attached – like the new LED fill light that magnetically snaps onto the top of the Osmo Pocket 4. It’s a seemingly small feature, but will make using compatible accessories that bit easier.

Winner: DJI Osmo Pocket 4

Features

• DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has 107GB built-in storage
• Osmo Pocket 4 has a larger battery, although that’s negated by its ability to shoot in more power-hungry resolutions
• Both include DJI’s ActiveTrack feature but the Osmo Pocket 4’s iteration is newer

Both the Osmo Pocket 4 and Pocket 3 are undoubtedly feature-packed devices and can not only capture videos and pictures with great detail (more on that later) but both also sport DJI’s ActiveTrack feature. ActiveTrack is the company’s clever object tracking technology which is impressively easy to use and can lock into any subject – whether that’s a person, animal or an object. 

The Osmo Pocket 4 actually benefits from the latest version of the technology which promises smoother and more reliable tracking. In addition, if you plug your Osmo Pocket 4 into a computer, enable ActiveTrack 7.0 and select Webcam Mode during a work call or live stream, then you’ll remain in focus and centred in the frame too.

Another key upgrade is that the Osmo Pocket 4 is fitted with 107GB of internal storage and even includes a microSD slot too if you need. That’s a huge upgrade over the Osmo Pocket 3 which doesn’t have any internal storage and requires users to purchase a microSD card separately. 

In addition, DJI promises that the Osmo Pocket 4 is 10x faster at transferring video files from the device to your computer.

That’s not where the new features end with the Osmo Pocket 4, as DJI has fitted the camera with Gesture Control which allows you to start or stop recording with simple hand gestures. You can also control ActiveTrack with a hand gesture too.

Otherwise, although the Osmo Pocket 4 is equipped with a slightly larger battery compared to the Osmo Pocket 3, the actual battery life of the device depends on which features, resolutions and film rates you choose. For example, during our time with the Osmo Pocket 4, we found that shooting up to four minutes in 4K240p with ActiveTrack enabled drained around 6% of battery which would suggest a run time of under 80 minutes.

Keep in mind that you can purchase additional batteries separately, or as part of certain bundles, and that might be a worthwhile investment if you plan on shooting with the highest settings enabled.

Winner: DJI Osmo Pocket 4

Image and Video Quality

• DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has a new 1-inch CMOS and 14-Stop Dynamic Range
• Both can record in 4K60p, but the Pocket 4 records slow-mo in up to 4K240p
• Both sport an admirable audio quality, but it’s recommended to pair with a DJI mic for better results

DJI promises that, thanks to the Osmo Pocket 4’s new 1-inch CMOS and 14-Stop Dynamic Range, the camera results in more detail, accurate colour and cleaner night shots too. 

Undoubtedly, the specs sound exciting but it’s worth noting that we were really impressed with the Osmo Pocket 3’s footage. In fact, we found the Osmo Pocket 3 resulted in sharp and natural-looking recordings, with incredibly smooth video too. Plus, the Pocket 3’s own CMOS sensor offers better low-light performance than its predecessor too. 

During our time with the Osmo Pocket 4, we found overall footage looked sharp and made colours look vibrant and nicely saturated, without looking artificial. Even at night we found the camera did a great job at capturing, however we would recommend nabbing the Fill Light if you plan on shooting mostly during darker conditions. In fact, we’d also recommend the Fill Light if you plan on filming yourself, as we found it does a great job of illuminating faces without looking too bright. 

Both the Osmo Pocket 4 and Pocket 3 can take sharp photos, with the Pocket 4 just sporting an edge over its predecessor, however we still wouldn’t recommend either if you predominately want a stills camera.

Where the Osmo Pocket 4 especially triumphs over the Osmo Pocket 3 is with slow-motion mode, as it can shoot up to 4K240p. We concluded that although this mode is battery-draining, it’s impressively stable, smooth and colour-rich too.

Otherwise, the Osmo Pocket 4 is now fitted with built-in beauty features that allow you to smooth skin, brighten complexion and fine-tune your skin tone too. Whether you use this or not will depend on your own personal preferences.

Finally, and perhaps unsurprisingly, both cameras support DJI’s microphones that are sold separately. While both cameras are kitted with microphones to help reduce wind noise and enhance your voice, and do a solid job at that, we’d recommend including an external mic to your set-up if you’ll be conversing or interviewing.

Winner: DJI Osmo Pocket 4

Verdict

With upgraded ActiveTrack 7.0 technology, the ability to shoot in up to 4K240fps and a whopping 107GB of built-in storage, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 looks like a brilliant and meaningful overall upgrade from the Osmo Pocket 3. 

Having said that, whether you necessarily need to upgrade from the Osmo Pocket 3 is down to whether those additional features will help improve your overall shooting experience. For example, if you’ll benefit from stronger tracking and better slow-mo technology then the upgrade is a no-brainer.

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