I've been using the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for about six months now, and this little camera has been the biggest surprise of the year for me Whenever I travel, work on more adventurous projects, or just want to shoot crisp video without having to hurt my back with bulky gear, the Osmo Pocket 3 has become part of my setup

The video quality (especially dynamic range) of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is phenomenal, with super smooth image stabilization and one of the best subject tracking systems I've tried And you can get all of that in a camera this size, which should worry any other camera brand

I am surprised that the Pocket 3 has not yet gained more rivals Come to think of it, one of my first videos about the Pocket was how I replaced my $3,000 Sony a7S III and DJI Ronin gimbal combo with this little thing

That got me thinking, “How does this compare to the camera I already have with me all the time, the iPhone 15 Pro?” But if you're ready to step up your video production and want a camera that's almost as small and easy to use, here are five reasons I still reach for the Osmo Pocket 3 every time

The biggest selling point of the Osmo Pocket 3 is undoubtedly the built-in gimbal iPhone 15 Pro and now iPhone 16 Pro have great software stabilization, but nothing compares to the physical 3-axis gimbal on the Osmo Pocket 3 The iPhone 15 Pro and current iPhone 16 Pro have great software stabilization, but they cannot match the physical 3-axis gimbal in the Osmo Pocket 3 Whether I am walking, running, or shooting out of a car window, the images are unwavering

As I recall, the iPhone is one of the best phones in terms of video stabilization, but its electronic and software magic limits what it can do Setting the ultra-wide camera to action mode produces impressive results with slow motion, sometimes even far exceeding what it is entitled to But aside from 28K 60fps being the best, video quality also breaks down quickly in low light Even under ideal conditions, the system tries to keep up, resulting in strange choppiness and distortion

In comparison, the Pocket 3, with its actual gimbal, can take incredible shots in dark scenes

Not only are gimbals excellent for hiding motion bumps, but they are also a great tool for adding more cinematic pans and tilts Of course, you can mimic the motion by holding the camera handheld, but unless you are very steady and slow, you are likely to get unwanted blur in your shots Of course, just as when walking or running, digital image stabilization really struggles in the dark

With the Osmo Pocket 3, gimbal movements can be manually controlled or programmed in seconds to improve the quality of the shot Taking this a step further, one can shoot time-lapse, repeatable camera movements, and other creative shots with very little effort

If you want a camera for blogging, the Osmo Pocket 3 may just be the perfect camera I am someone who hates taking pictures in public, but the Pocket 3 makes it much easier It's small and unobtrusive, so it won't draw attention It can also be brought into venues and other places where a “traditional” camera setup would not be allowed

I also like that with three taps, the camera flips around to face you and say what you want to say, and with three more clicks, it goes back to shooting what's in front of you The bright 2-inch screen makes framing easy, and when paired with the excellent built-in microphone (or support for two wireless DJI Mic 2s), the Osmo Pocket 3 makes it even easier to capture quick, impromptu, personal moments

Another thing that makes the Osmo Pocket 3 shine compared to iPhone videography is depth of field You get a beautiful cinematic bokeh that blurs the background nicely and provides subject separation that only larger, more expensive cameras can provide

It won't be f/12 like a full-size 50mm prime lens, but it can give your images a polished, professional look that no other small camera can Cell phones are getting better, especially in portrait and cinematic modes, but these software tricks can be hit or miss and often look fake, especially with messy hair or complex subjects Even when you're not shooting yourself, but want to show off that cool new gadget you're reviewing, Pocket 3 helps you take all the beauty shots without the need to pack a big setup

When you're out and about shooting content, the last thing you want to do is worry about your device running out of battery or storage space, and the Osmo Pocket 3 has you covered with an impressive battery life of up to 166 minutes of 4K shooting on a single charge If that's not enough, opt for the Battery Grip accessory (which I highly recommend) to extend the recording time to up to 253 minutes or over 4 hours of continuous shooting

I often go an entire day without worrying about battery life Unlike a cell phone, which is a lifeline, the Osmo Pocket 3 is a dedicated tool This means I don't have the stress of draining my phone's battery while shooting

Similarly, I hate running out of Phone space, and the Pocket 3 has 64GB of built-in memory and supports up to 1TB of microSD cards I really hope the Phone gets this back, but I think we are way past that now [But if you want to take your content creation to the next level with minimal effort and investment, I think the Osmo Pocket 3 is a great choice Cell phones continue to get better and better every year, but just as Apple and other brands are trying to get better and better, mainly in software, there is only so much you can do with a camera sensor that fits in a small cell phone Osmo Pocket 3 effectively bridges the gap between “professional” and “casual” filmmaking in a way that is accessible and fun for everyone, yet ultra-portable and relatively affordable