DJI is well-known for its sports action cameras and drones, both of which offer great camera stabilization technology. Their Osmo Mobile series takes that technology and learnings and allows you to bring the camera, in the form of a smartphone. The latest addition to this lineup is the Osmo Mobile 7P.
This new model introduces enhanced features and improved ease of use. This gimbal is aimed at content creators, turning regular footage into buttery smooth video that looks like it’s shot by expensive professional equipment.
After spending a couple of weeks thoroughly testing this gimbal, it’s evident that DJI continues to refine its successful formula.
Design
The design of the Osmo Mobile 7P represents a natural step forward in the series. It retains the convenient foldable form factor, ensuring excellent portability for users on the go. The overall build quality feels reassuringly robust, featuring a sturdy handle and a secure magnetic phone clamp mechanism. Depending on your phone, the button placement and the clamp can be an issue, so I hope they can offer some placement options in future revisions.
Compared to some competing gimbals on the market, the Osmo Mobile 7P boasts a sleek and minimalist aesthetic, avoiding unnecessary bulk. The placement of the controls is intuitive, falling easily within reach during operation.
New this year is the inclusion of a built-in extension rod, a particularly welcome addition. This provides you with greater flexibility in framing shots and capturing unique perspectives. This feature distinguishes it from some earlier models and competitors.
I also love the built-in tripod at the base of the device. When you need to set it down, simply extend the 3 arms, fold them out and you have a steady base to set on a table.
In what can only be explained as great design work, there’s also a standard tripod mount embedded in the base, allowing for setups that need to take place over long periods of time where holding the device isn’t practical.
Performance
The performance delivered by the Osmo Mobile 7P is great, naturally in it’s 7th generation, DJI has been able to refine the gimbal hardware and software combination to deliver amazing smoothness from the 3-axis stabilization system.
This allows you to capture buttery smooth footage, removing the up an down movement as you walk or even run, movements are significantly smoothed, flattened out, like a series of bézier curves. The resulting video you create will be easier and more enjoyable for your audience to consume.
I’ve been really impressed at the results when capturing video with the Osmo 7. Regardless of the portrait or landscape orientations, the footage looks great. The gimbal offers multiple modes.
PTF (Pan-Tilt-Follow): The gimbal follows both pan and tilt movements, allowing for smooth tracking of subjects in dynamic scenes. In this mode, you can achieve larger-angle tilt rotation by holding the gimbal in the Side Grip position and pushing the joystick up or down. Osmo Mobile 7P users can also extend the built-in extension rod and adjust the pan motor’s angle parallel to the horizontal plane for maximum tilt angle.
PF (Pan-Follow): The gimbal only follows pan movements, keeping the tilt axis locked, which is ideal for horizontal tracking shots.
FPV (First-Person View): The gimbal follows the handle’s movements across all three axes (pan, tilt, and roll), mimicking the perspective of a first-person view for immersive footage.
SpinShot: The gimbal rotates the camera in an “Inception”-style spinning motion, creating dynamic, spinning shots for creative effects.
Beyond its video capabilities, the inherent stability of the gimbal also proves surprisingly beneficial for productivity tasks.
When placed on a desk surface, it offers a rock-solid platform and could be even be used as a camera and can track your movement, great for those creating solo content like TikTok dances.
This year the new LED lighting accessory is great. I love the ability to adjust the lighting levels without moving your hand from the grip, just roll down on the silver knob and you can move through various colour temperatures. Turning the light or or off is also done wirelessly, but pressing and holding in the scroll wheel.
Sometimes you need a little extra light to hide shadows, or other times, it may be dark when you’re trying to film, so this LED attachment can make the world of difference and even be the difference between the resulting shot being useful or not. It is fixed, so there’s times where the light feels like it’s a little bright in your eyes, but if it means not having to carry a dedicated light and tripod, it’s a good tradeoff.
Features
ActiveTrack 6.0
This intelligent tracking feature has undergone further refinement for enhanced performance. It now offers even more accurate and dependable subject tracking capabilities.
The system smoothly follows your chosen subject, ensuring they remain within the frame. This holds true even if the subject moves rapidly or is briefly obstructed from view.
DynamicZoom
This creative shooting mode empowers users to achieve dramatic zoom effects with ease. It allows for the addition of a professional flair to your video projects.
The mode generates a visually engaging push-in or pull-out effect. Importantly, it maintains sharp focus on the primary subject throughout the zoom operation.
Gesture Control
Users can initiate and cease recording or capture still photographs through simple hand gestures. This provides a convenient hands-free method for controlling the gimbal’s functions.
It proves particularly useful when you are filming yourself or when your hands are otherwise occupied.
Built-in Extension Rod
The inclusion of an integrated extension rod provides users with additional reach. This extended reach simplifies the capture of selfies, low-angle shots, or group photographs.
This design choice eliminates the necessity for a separate accessory. It also enhances the overall versatility of the gimbal for various shooting scenarios.
Magnetic Quick-Release Design
The process of mounting and unmounting your smartphone is now quick and effortless, thanks to the magnetic clamp system. This secure connection ensures that your phone remains firmly in place during use. Simultaneously, it allows for rapid setup and removal when needed.
Intelligent Shooting Modes
The gimbal offers a diverse array of pre-programmed shooting modes to explore. These include options such as SpinShot, Story Mode, Timelapse, and Panorama.
These modes provide creative avenues for capturing unique and engaging content with minimal user effort.
Issues and Opportunities
While the Osmo Mobile 7P presents itself as a highly capable piece of equipment, there are a couple of areas that could benefit from future improvement.
While the accompanying mobile application unlocks a significant range of features and functionalities, its interface can occasionally feel a little overwhelming, particularly for individuals new to gimbal technology. Streamlining the user interface design and incorporating more comprehensive in-app tutorials could significantly enhance the overall user experience for novice users.
While the magnetic clamp system offers considerable convenience for quick phone attachment and detachment, ensuring broader compatibility with a wider variety of smartphone case sizes and designs would be a welcome enhancement for future models.
Price and Availability
The DJI Osmo Mobile 7P is currently readily available for purchase across Australia through a variety of authorized retailers. Interested consumers can typically find it at major electronics retail stores as well as numerous online marketplaces.
It’s important to note that this price range can fluctuate slightly depending on the specific retailer and any promotional offers that may be in effect at the time of purchase.
For your convenience, here are a few direct links to potential purchasing options for the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P within Australia (prices at the time of writing):
- JB Hi-Fi: A$219
- DJI Official Store (Australia): A$219
- Harvey Norman: A$218
It is always advisable to verify the most up-to-date pricing and availability information directly with the respective retailers before making a purchase.
Overall
In conclusion, the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P establishes itself as an exceptional smartphone gimbal. It offers a compelling combination of high-level performance, a comprehensive suite of features, and impressive portability for content creators on the move.
Its standout stabilization capabilities make it an indispensable tool for anyone serious about capturing smooth and professional-quality mobile video content.
The unexpected yet valuable utility it provides for productivity tasks within a single-monitor setup further enhances its appeal. While there are a few minor areas identified for potential future refinement, the Osmo Mobile 7P undeniably delivers excellent value for its price point.
The gadget will appeal to content creators, vloggers seeking stable footage, and even sim racing enthusiasts looking for a reliable and steady camera platform.
If your goal is to elevate the quality of your smartphone videography through enhanced stability and versatile features, the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P is undoubtedly a product worthy of serious consideration.
