When DJI announced the Osmo Pocket back in 2018, no one expected that there is a market for a gimbal-stabilized camera that can fit in your pocket and can shoot 4K60 video at 100mbits. Fast forward to 2020, DJI has unveiled its successor, which is now simply called the Pocket 2.
While it looks very similar to the Osmo Pocket, the Pocket 2 gets a number of upgrades. These include:
- A bigger sensor. Instead of a 1/2.3-inch 12-megapixel sensor, the Pocket 2 gets a 1/1.7-inch 16-megapixel sensor that can shoot 64-megapixel photos in high-resolution mode. The new sensor lets the Pocket 2 do up to 8x zoom (with lossless zoom at 4x), along with up to 240FPS in Full HD video recording and HDR video—which will be added later on via a software update.
- A wider (and brighter) lens. One of the complaints with the Osmo Pocket is its 26mm 2.0 lens, which is deemed narrow by vloggers. The Pocket 2 addresses this with a wider 20mm lens with a brighter f/1.8 opening, which means that the Pocket 2 should do better in low-light than its predecessor.
- A better microphone array. The Osmo Pocket’s audio recording is not the best one out there, so DJI addressed that in the Pocket 2 with four mics for Directional Audio, SoundTrack, and Audio Zoom—we have to try out the latter two to see if they are any good in real life.
- New software tricks. Aside from an improved ActiveTrack autofocus system, the Pocket 2 has new tricks like the ability to live stream directly to Facebook and YouTube, a Drop Aware that protects the lens in case you accidentally drop the Pocket 2, and Fast Wake for lightning-quick recording sessions.
- More on the mods. Unlike its predecessor, the Pocket 2 has a detachable bottom for adding features like a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi module, a microphone jack, or a wireless receiver (if you prefer a wireless mic).
The Pocket 2 will be available in the US starting November 1 for $349(Php 17k). That gets you the Pocket 2, mini control stick, and tripod adapter. If you need the accessories, there’s a Creator Combo that costs $499(~Php 24.3k). For that price, you get additional accessories like a wireless microphone module, wide-angle lens, Do-It-All Handle, and Micro Tripod.