DJI is well-known not only for its range of successful consumer drones but also for the smartphone gimbals it has developed. Its portable stabilizers, formerly known as “Osmo,” have made it possible to do some impressive feats.
But with smartphone in-body stabilization constantly improving, is a separate gimbal even necessary? If you’re a severe vlogger, the DJI OM 5 is worth it thanks to its high-tech features.
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Quick Analysis From Us
The OM 5 model is designed for folks who like to vlog, with its integrated selfie stick and automatic face-tracking when using the selfie camera.
Rather than worrying about whether your face is in the center of the frame while taking a selfie, you can hold your phone in front of you and move it as far away as you like while maintaining appropriate framing. With the addition of the discretionary Fill Light, you can even film in the dark if you choose.
Although the OM 5 is an improvement over the OM 4, it doesn’t provide many new features for photographers who wish to capture moving subjects. Furthermore, the unique model is not as sturdy or long-lasting because of the increased number of moving components, hinges, and extended arms. There is no pressing need to upgrade unless you regularly record yourself on camera.
If you’re looking for an intelligent selfie stick with nifty automatic functions, the OM 5 is your best bet. However, the OM 4 from 2020 is still the best option if you want a smart portable smartphone gimbal because it is more durable.
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An Extension, You Say?
DJI has taken some of the best features of the OM 4 and streamlined them into the OM 5 while also squeezing in a party trick in the form of a selfie stick. A few years ago, they were everywhere; now, DJI has included one in its most recent smartphone gimbal.
It’s not a powered feature, which is disappointing (but makes sense). As a result, there is no easy way to make it expand by just pressing a button. You’ll need some heavy-duty pulling to get it to the correct length. We doubt the extra weight and cost of adding motors and complexity to achieve a motorized counterpart would be justified.
The extra 25 centimeters of space between you and the front-facing camera helps film selfies and vlog-style movies to share on social media.
Design-wise, the stabilizer is less angular than earlier versions. The component itself is now slimmer, and the hinge is higher up. On the other hand, the OM 5’s handle is a near-perfect cylinder with a dip on the rear grip that is ideal for concealing the mount and arm when the device is folded up.
There are still all the standard controls on the OM 5, including the directional joystick, record/shutter button, index finger trigger, and directional switcher button up front, the zoom slider and power button on the left, and the Type-C port for charging on the right. The device’s new form factor is purely for aesthetic reasons.
While the reduced size and extended arm are both helpful in terms of portability, there is a distinct impression that durability has suffered in the process. The new gimbal isn’t as solid as the old ones; the same can be said for the button hinge and the other moving parts. Compared to the original, this one doesn’t feel as solid.
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Despite this, the maker has kept the OM 4’s most prominent feature—its magnetic phone attachment system—in the OM 5 version. Instead of struggling with a hard-wired phone clamp to the arm, this one uses magnets to disconnect itself. So, you may snap it on your phone whenever you like.
Furthermore, this allows DJI to release a new accessory clamp with LED strip lights integrated into the grips. By lighting your face with light, you may take a picture of yourself in low light without worrying about your eyes being too dark. It’s not required but comes with a battery and a USB-C charging port.
How Do You Use the Controls?
When you first set up the OM 5, it’s powered on by long-pressing the power button. It’s a method DJI has used on its products for years and stops you from accidentally switching your drone or gimbal on or off.
Then you download the DJI Mimo app and follow the setup guide there. It uses your Bluetooth connection to pair with the OM 5, and then the phone and grip communicate wirelessly.
The OM 5 has several physical buttons, some of which are used to move the camera’s arm, while others are used to initiate and stop recordings. It will swap between the phone’s rear cameras if you have more than one. Take the left-hand slider for zooming in and out as an example.
For instance, if you’re using an iPhone 12 and want to take a wide image, you may switch to the ultra-wide lens by pulling it down. It takes the iPhone around a second to load the view from the secondary camera, so the transition isn’t as seamless as it may be on other devices.
You can begin and end recording (or take a photo) by pressing the grip’s red shutter/capture button or tapping the corresponding red button on your device’s display. Using the joystick, you can smoothly and manually move the arm to the left, right, up, and down to adjust the camera’s perspective.
It has a lot of leeway to the left and right, letting you pan quite a ways. The up-and-down action isn’t nearly as far-reaching, though. The handle can be held upright for a few degrees of downward tilt, but the pointer can only point vertically upwards. If you want a top-down image, you’ll have to either manually hold the camera and point it down or attach it to a frame or arm.
The OM 5 also has a small trigger located on its front. Once pressed, it activates ActiveTrack, which “actively tracks subjects within a frame, regardless of their or the camera’s movement,” and swiftly pushing it twice brings the camera back to its original forward orientation when a subject is in view. When manually relocating the camera, pressing and holding this button will cause the arm to react more quickly.
Easy Robotics
The OM 4 is very similar to the OM 5 in terms of functionality. The automation and tracking features are what sell DJI products. Much of this has been around for many years and remains essentially unchanged.
You can indeed do a lot with simply a phone these days, but the time-lapse motion feature is one automatic software that has possibly the most aesthetic impact. The OM 5 is placed on the provided feet or a tripod, and the Timelapse function is activated.
The duration of the recording, and the intervals at which individual frames should be taken, can be adjusted using the menu at the top of the screen. The program then provides an estimated running time of the final video for editing purposes.
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At the end of this menu, you’ll see options for how the timelapse will be filmed: a simple fixed shot or a square pan to the left or right. There’s also a “custom path mode,” in which you can specify the beginning and end destinations and any intermediate ones (up to four in total). Just press record, and it will proceed along the course you set. Just give it some time to complete itself.
This year, ActiveTrack was upgraded. It’s responsive so that it can handle faster-moving subjects.
More resolutions and frame rates are supported. It works mostly. The selfie camera finds and tracks your face. If you move, the camera arm moves to maintain your face centered. You or the camera are moving. You must manually tag a person, pet, or object to tracking it when photographing another subject.
Drawing a square around the subject on your phone’s touchscreen is easy. It operates in low light. Only when the thing was prevented or moved too quickly did it struggle. Or if the topic approaches too close and fills the frame.
