DJI Osmo

fly_it · Oct 9, 2015

Are there any competing products work looking at?

I just got my Phantom 3 Pro in the mail yesterday, flew it for the first time this morning, and came back to my room to a notification that DJI released the Osmo.

I wanted to find something relatively inexpensive to get ground footage, so I'm really thinking about getting one of these. Looks like shipping time is 5-7 days in the

EPT160 · Oct 9, 2015

Well I pulled the trigger one one right away. Stabilized 4K shots, not to mention hyper-lapse made easy. And later swap out the cameras for the RAW video shooter with interchangeable lenses!! It's not much more then the price I paid for my compact Sony RX100 111.
And now I don't have to look like a weirdo waltzing around with a P3 humming prop-less just to get some ground stabilized shots. It is going to place a lot of established products under pressure, including dji's own Ronin.

bbfpv · Oct 9, 2015

It's got a DJI logo on it though, so expect its use to be banned on all public beaches, near large crowds, at airports, and certainly at stadiums.

kenjancef · Oct 9, 2015

bbfpv said:
It's got a DJI logo on it though, so expect its use to be banned on all public beaches, near large crowds, at airports, and certainly at stadiums.

And don't let someone walking down the street see you with it...

pchin2 · Oct 9, 2015

bbfpv said:
It's got a DJI logo on it though, so expect its use to be banned on all public beaches, near large crowds, at airports, and certainly at stadiums.

Lots of people in stadiums/beach taking photo/video, why would they ban DJI?

bbfpv · Oct 9, 2015

pchin2 said:
Lots of people in stadiums/beach taking photo/video, why would they ban DJI?

It was sarcasm, kinda.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

MSBBL · Oct 9, 2015

Anyone try this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OX...s=lanparte&dpPl=1&dpID=51E50SlcEDL&ref=plSrch

TheloniousMac · Oct 9, 2015

3 axis gimbals are great and I've tried pretty much all of them but now that the iPhone 6s has optical stabilisation I'm not sure that the Osmo will be a required tool for B roll ground shots. iPhone cameras are closing the quality gap faster than expected and everyone has a phone on them all the time.

snerd · Oct 9, 2015

That's one wired dog lol!!

witold · Oct 10, 2015

For people who don't have a Gopro or a gimbal or an $800+ phone with optical image stabilization, it's a good deal.

Comparable gimbals with same features cost around $275 and Gopro 4 Black costs $500. That $775 to get the same thing Osmo gives you...

But...

Keep in mind Osmo doesn't have audio. You will be recording dead air. If you want audio, you need to think about wireless mic/shotgun mic/something...

And while I LOVE my handheld gimbals, it's also nice to take the Gopro out and put it in water housing, mount it in spots where you can't mount a giant handle and fragile gimbal motors...

I also get the peace of mind that when Gopro 5 and 6 come out, I can just use my existing gimbals. That's always nice. DJI doesn't seem too keen to integrate their products, forcing people to buy whole new setups.

TheloniousMac said:
3 axis gimbals are great and I've tried pretty much all of them but now that the iPhone 6s has optical stabilisation I'm not sure that the Osmo will be a required tool for B roll ground shots. iPhone cameras are closing the quality gap faster than expected and everyone has a phone on them all the time.

From test footage I've seen, OIS on Iphone is awesome. But OIS has a very limited range. It will stabilize shots where you take great care to be steady already. For more substantial movement, gimbal is still gold.

And also, the ULTIMATE set up is to have a camera with OIS/VR/OSS, and put it on a gimbal. This helps get rid of the "mechanical" feel and occasional jerkiness of a gimbal. It smooths out those remaining imperfections.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

witold said:
For people who don't have a Gopro or a gimbal or an $800+ phone with optical image stabilization, it's a good deal.
Comparable gimbals with same features cost around $275 and Gopro 4 Black costs $500. That $775 to get the same thing Osmo gives you...
But...
Keep in mind Osmo doesn't have audio. You will be recording dead air. If you want audio, you need to think about wireless mic/shotgun mic/something...
And while I LOVE my handheld gimbals, it's also nice to take the Gopro out and put it in water housing, mount it in spots where you can't mount a giant handle and fragile gimbal motors...
I also get the peace of mind that when Gopro 5 and 6 come out, I can just use my existing gimbals. That's always nice. DJI doesn't seem too keen to integrate their products, forcing people to buy whole new setups.
From test footage I've seen, OIS on Iphone is awesome. But OIS has a very limited range. It will stabilize shots where you take great care to be steady already. For more substantial movement, gimbal is still gold.
And also, the ULTIMATE set up is to have a camera with OIS/VR/OSS, and put it on a gimbal. This helps get rid of the "mechanical" feel and occasional jerkiness of a gimbal. It smooths out those remaining imperfections.

Yes the Osmo is a good deal and competitively priced to a GoPro Black 4 with a 3 axis gimbal, with the Osmo you get better image quality, better sound (The Osmo does have microphones on the handheld and also a microphone port), no fisheye and undeniably a better designed gimbal.
I wouldn't be so sure that the GoPro 5 and up is all that compatible with current gimbals and cases, just look at how the 3DR Solo fiasco turned out and how compatibility shrunk from what was announced. GoPro seem to be looking at changing their design with the Session and who knows what for their drone coming out.
Everyone already has a phone with them at all times and I'm just amazed at the quality coming out of the optical stabilisation with the iPhone 6s Plus that the next few years will see that gimbal advantage narrowed down even further.

witold · Oct 10, 2015

TheloniousMac said:
Yes the Osmo is a good deal and competitively priced to a GoPro Black 4 with a 3 axis gimbal, with the Osmo you get better image quality, better sound (The Osmo does have microphones on the handheld and also a microphone port), no fisheye and undeniably a better designed gimbal.
I wouldn't be so sure that the GoPro 5 and up is all that compatible with current gimbals and cases, just look at how the 3DR Solo fiasco turned out and how compatibility shrunk from what was announced. GoPro seem to be looking at changing their design with the Session and who knows what for their drone coming out.
Everyone already has a phone with them at all times and I'm just amazed at the quality coming out of the optical stabilisation with the iPhone 6s Plus that the next few years will see that gimbal advantage narrowed down even further.

Thanks for the info. From the videos above, I was under the impression that Osmo is video only, and you have to plug in a mic into that external mic jack. I really like to have at least crappy reference audio just in case I'm blowing out my mic audio.

Gopro Session has been rejected by the market and just after introduction, they slashed prices on it. The strength of Gopro is that all accessories and widgets are designed for Gopro form factor. I would be surprised if they diverge from this path. But you're right, we never know...

As for cell phones, it's an awkward form factor. No doubt that someone will eventually stick a 4/3rds sensor in one. But given the space constraints, cell phones will always be 3 steps behind. And just as we're not happy with 720p video anymore, we won't be happy with 4/3rds sensor and IS when it reaches cell phones. People will always want more. But maybe I'm wrong... smartphones have decimated the P&S camera market...

OIS is also very limited in what it can do. The latest $3000 Sony camera has internal 5 axis image stabilization. It's probably the most advanced stabilization on any camera right now. And yes, it's great for specific uses. But only for very specific uses... Have a look at actual footage of what it does for you in simple situations like walking (very little):

And this is the latest and greatest on a $3000 camera body. Compare that to a 3 axis gimbal... The greatest OIS/VR still requires a very steady base.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

witold said:
Thanks for the info. From the videos above, I was under the impression that Osmo is video only, and you have to plug in a mic into that external mic jack. I really like to have at least crappy reference audio just in case I'm blowing out my mic audio.
Gopro Session has been rejected by the market and just after introduction, they slashed prices on it. The strength of Gopro is that all accessories and widgets are designed for Gopro form factor. I would be surprised if they diverge from this path. But you're right, we never know...
As for cell phones, it's an awkward form factor. No doubt that someone will eventually stick a 4/3rds sensor in one. But given the space constraints, cell phones will always be 3 steps behind. And just as we're not happy with 720p video anymore, we won't be happy with 4/3rds sensor and IS when it reaches cell phones. People will always want more. But maybe I'm wrong... smartphones have decimated the P&S camera market...
OIS is also very limited in what it can do. The latest $3000 Sony camera has internal 5 axis image stabilization. It's probably the most advanced stabilization on any camera right now. And yes, it's great for specific uses. But only for very specific uses... Have a look at actual footage of what it does for you in simple situations like walking (very little):

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

And this is the latest and greatest on a $3000 camera body. Compare that to a 3 axis gimbal... The greatest OIS/VR still requires a very steady base.

From DJI's website "An integrated microphone allows onboard audio recording. With advanced controls like audio gain settings, you can be sure you’re not only getting the shot but also capturing the sound. A standard 3.5mm port is also available, so you can plug in your own microphone."

The stabilisation on the RX100 IV is also touted as being among the best for hand held cameras and it gets decimated by the new iPhone
What Apple have done is absolutely come closer than three steps behind. GoPro has been stumbling lately and I'm wondering if they've burnt their bridge with Sony as they did with DJI as the last 3 or 4 new GoPro's (Session, Hero, LCD, +) have been focusing on the low end quality rather than trying to keep up with the best. If it wasn't for the sheer number of mount options for the GoPro I wouldn't bother with them but as you said they're fantastic to stick somewhere and know that it's not a fragile camera.
That's the biggest problem with the Osmo right now, the camera can either be on the handheld mount or on an Inspire but cannot be used independently. With an iPhone or GoPro they both can be used extensively without a gimbal.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

It's a pretty solid bet that the next GoPro (Pro model not Session or low end) will have micro USB instead of the mini USB, that in itself will break some compatibility with existing gimbals, drones etc... like the just released FeiyuTech G4S gimbal. Even going from the GoPro 3 to series 4 broke compatibility with the Phantom 2 gimbals and it would not surprise me one bit if the new GoPro 5 came out and needed a new gimbal to work with the 3DR Solo.
DJI however seems to be committing to its proprietary connector fairly well with the new X5 camera being compatible (with a gimbal dampening update) to the original Inspire and the X3 working on the Inspire Pro.
I've heard a rumour that the X3 camera that comes with the gimbal will not work on the Inspire (supposedly firmware restriction, not any actual reason) despite being the same as the X3 on the original Inspire.
Hopefully when the new frame rates on the Osmo's X3 come to the original X3 compatibility will be restored.

Fyod · Oct 10, 2015

TheloniousMac said:
3 axis gimbals are great and I've tried pretty much all of them but now that the iPhone 6s has optical stabilisation I'm not sure that the Osmo will be a required tool for B roll ground shots. iPhone cameras are closing the quality gap faster than expected and everyone has a phone on them all the time.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

The iPhone is in no way meant to be catching up to motorized stabilizers. If you're using a 3axis gimbal to just walk around than you're using it wrong. These things work great on cars, poles to get them high, etc. Most manf. are now making more compact ones for helmets. Believe me, you won't be taping your 6S to your helmet to get some shots.
If you spent $300+ to just stabilize your shaky hand, you're doing it wrong.

There is no reason for GoPro to change their form factor. If they can miniaturize the insides of the GoPro5, they'll likely have a higher cap battery.
The incompatibility with Zenmuse gimbals was not GoPro's fault. DJI's CEO said in an interview that it was due to DJI not wanting to cooperate with GoPro, so GoPro locked the rear connector to certain devices.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

Fyod said:
The iPhone is in no way meant to be catching up to motorized stabilizers. If you're using a 3axis gimbal to just walk around than you're using it wrong. These things work great on cars, poles to get them high, etc. Most manf. are now making more compact ones for helmets. Believe me, you won't be taping your 6S to your helmet to get some shots.
If you spent $300+ to just stabilize your shaky hand, you're doing it wrong.
There is no reason for GoPro to change their form factor. If they can miniaturize the insides of the GoPro5, they'll likely have a higher cap battery.
The incompatibility with Zenmuse gimbals was not GoPro's fault. DJI's CEO said in an interview that it was due to DJI not wanting to cooperate with GoPro, so GoPro locked the rear connector to certain devices.

Yet the iPhone is catching up. That's the ******* point!
The most common use for ground based gimbals is absolutely for panning and moving closer to your subject, ie... walking.
Walking is one of the best ways to test stabilisation as it moves the device sufficiently, merely jiggling the camera won't cut it. Software stabilisation can easily fix footage if it's mounted securely in one spot, like say on a car.
Camera stabilisation is generally designed to give you a few extra stops for photos, few manufacturers design them for video.
GoPro has literally changed their form factor with the last half dozen product releases. Changing weight, size, shape and button placement, occasional LCD screen.
The Phantom 2 gimbals had to be shaved to accommodate the GoPro 4 and weighted with a coin and change a cable. Then they wouldn't stream if you filmed in 4K which was the touted new feature so everyone had to buy a new gimbal as well.
Introducing another new form factor GoPro alongside their own drone next year makes perfect sense. I'm hoping we'll see the next version this year but everything I've heard says not until 2016 for the new models. Improved battery life would be a good start but I just home they do something about that fisheye lens.

Fyod · Oct 10, 2015

TheloniousMac said:
Software stabilisation can easily fix footage if it's mounted securely in one spot, like say on a car.

Nope . Skip to 3:24.
I have owned every iPhone since the 3G, but believe me, an iPhone will never compare to a motor stabilized GoPro. It just won't... ever.
Also, don't forget OIS is on the Plus, not the smaller 6S.

TheloniousMac said:
The Phantom 2 gimbals had to be shaved to accommodate the GoPro 4 and weighted with a coin and change a cable.

The cable change is due to the incompatibility of the rear connector, as I mentioned.
The weight difference doesn't have to be weighted, I use my GoPro on a H3, never had any problems.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

Fyod said:
Nope . Skip to 3:24.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

I have owned every iPhone since the 3G, but believe me, an iPhone will never compare to a motor stabilized GoPro. It just won't... ever.
Also, don't forget OIS is on the Plus, not the smaller 6S.
The cable change is due to the incompatibility of the rear connector, as I mentioned.
The weight difference doesn't have to be weighted, I use my GoPro on a H3, never had any problems.

You're not getting it. That was done with an iPhone 6s NOT the Plus! The 6s has no stabilisation. I did the same test with the RX100 IV and small juddering was fine but with walking the iPhone blew away the RX100 with stabilisation.
If you don't think the next GoPro won't have USB micro (doubt they'd use something modern like USB C) then you're more deluded that everyone thinks.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

Fyod said:
Nope . Skip to 3:24.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

FYI Kai duct taped the iPhone to the front bumper. If that's how you mount a camera then good for you.

TheloniousMac · Oct 10, 2015

The way cameras are mounted makes a huge difference. If I was to do a comparison between the 6s Plus in a 3 axis gimbal and just handheld on a cheap pistol grip I don't think it would be so easy to tell them apart.
Sony have been working on stabilisation with their action cams for years now. We're just used to the **** GoPro puts out. Have a look at some Parrot Bebop videos, the quality is **** but the stabilisation is impressive and that's all digital. Maybe the iPhone 7 won't have optical stabilisation to match a 3 axis gimbal but it's getting closer than YOU can imagine.