The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has finally landed after weeks of leaks and rumors – and the little, gimbal-stabilized video camera is a strong contender for the title of best vlogging camera and, for those on a budget, best video camera, too.
If you aren't familiar with the Pocket series, they're a popular line of compact video cameras that have a three-axis gimbal for powerful stabilization and creative camera moves. Three years on from the launch of the DJI Pocket 2, we now have a modern version with a host of big upgrades that make it ideal for shooting social media videos.
The headline improvement is the move from a 1/1.7-inch sensor to 1-inch sensor, a change that our DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review calls a "game-changer" for the Pocket series. It results in better image quality and "greatly improved" low-light performance.
The Pocket 3 also brings a much larger 2-inch touchscreen for composing your shots, the ability to shoot 4K/120p slow-motion video, ActiveTrack 6.0 autofocus to help the camera follow you around a scene, a tripod mount, and a host of other improvements. Here's a full rundown of everything you need to know about the DJI Pocket 3.
DJI Pocket 3 price and release date
The DJI Pocket 3 is available to order right now in two different bundles. The standard Pocket 3 bundle costs $519 / £489 / AU$849, and includes the camera plus a few accessories including a wrist strap, USB-C charging cable and a handle with a standard 1/4-inch thread. That is quite a price increase on the Pocket 2, which cost $349 / £339 / AU$599 when it launched in 2020.
If you need a full vlogging setup, then the Pocket 3's Creator Combo is also available for $669 / £619 / AU$1,129. That extra outlay gets you everything in the standard bundle, plus a DJI Mic 2 transmitter, mic windscreen, a mic clip magnet, battery Handle, mini tripod, and a carry bag.
DJI Pocket 3 features and design
As you can see from the Pocket 3's specs below, DJI has brought some pretty big hardware upgrades to its little video camera – which is a physically a beefed up version of the Pocket 2 with a better screen.
Alongside the new 1-inch sensor (now capable of shooting 4K/120p video) and larger 2-inch touchscreen, there's also now a larger battery (upgraded from 875mAh to 1300mAh) that gives you around two hours of 4K recording from a charge. It can also recharge very quickly, in only 32 minutes with a Power Delivery charger.
Sensor: 1-inch CMOS sensor
FOV/focal length: 20mm
Max photo resolution: 3648 x 2736px
Video: Up to 4K 120fps (16:9)
Stabilization: 3-axis gimbal mechanical
Tracking: ActiveTrack 6.0
Audio: Stereo recording
Screen: 2-inch rotatable screen
But there's also a range of new features that make the Pocket 3 an ideal camera for shooting social media or family videos. One is a new portrait mode, which lets you shoot TikTok-friendly vertical videos in up to 3K resolution.
There's also ActiveTrack 6.0 on board, which includes some pretty powerful face detection, and shooting modes like 'spin shot' to help you create some dynamic spin transitions for your videos. The inclusion of a livestreaming mode is another big bonus.
Perhaps the only slight disappointments, alongside the Pocket 3's larger footprint, are that the audio options are the same as on the Pocket 2 (a three-mic array). Still, if you get the Creator Combo, this gives includes an external wireless mic and a windshield, and the Pocket 3 is compatible with the new DJI Mic 2 transmitter.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | DJI Pocket 3 | DJI Pocket 2 |
| Sensor | 1-inch CMOS | 1/1.7-inch |
| Lens | 20mm f/2.0 | 20mm f/1.8 |
| Screen | 2-inch (314x556, 700 Nits) | 1-inch |
| ISO range | 50-6400 (video), 50-16000 (low-light video) | 100-6400 (video) |
| Charging time | 32 mins (with DJI 65s PD charger) | 73 minutes |
| Autofocus | ActiveTrack 6.0 | ActiveTrack 3.0 |
| Max video bit-depth | 10-bit | 8-bit |
| Size / weight | 139.7x42.2x33.5mm / 179g | 124.7x38.1x30mm / 117g |
Naturally, the Pocket 3's extra power has come with a few compromises. It's chunkier and heavier than the Pocket 2 (62g heavier, to be precise), though it does handle well and that heft isn't too bad when you consider than 1-inch compact cameras like the Sony ZV-1 II weigh in at 292g.
We've also been impressed with the Pocket 3's build quality, with the rotatable 2-inch screen not feeling at all flimsy, and there's also a handy tripod mount on the camera's base.
DJI Pocket 3 verdict
The DJI Pocket 3 fixes most of our criticisms of its predecessor, making it an excellent little camera for shooting social media videos or family moments.
Its 1-inch sensor boosts low-light image quality, while a range of handy shooting modes – from portrait shooting to timelapses – make it a versatile upgrade on filming videos on your smartphone.
Perhaps the only real disappointments are the lack of built-in storage and the considerable price bump from the Pocket 2. But it's still relatively affordable when compared to some of the best vlogging cameras, and we think its versatility and image quality make it worth the price of admission. To read more, check out our in-depth DJI Pocket 3 review.
