DJI Osmo Mobile 6 One Year Later: Is it Still Worth it?
DJI is one of the best gimbal manufacturers with a vast camera and mobile gimbal portfolio. Today, we are reviewing the latest DJI Osmo Mobile 6. The 6th generation of one of the best mobile phone gimbals has arrived with a bunch of improvements, massive firmware updates, and we have also got a new color. For me, DJI OM is the ultimate mobile phone gimbal that is affordable and has fantastic software integration with both iOS and Android smartphones.
It’s been a year since the device came onto the market. So, it will be interesting to see if it is still worth it.
Let’s Inspect!
Summary
Pros
- Decreased price
- Solid build quality
- Easy controls
- Exceptional smartphone app
- AI features for better controls and handless recording
Cons
- Limited angle of operation
- Small battery
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 – Price
DJI has gone in the opposite direction in 2023. Instead of increasing the price of the newer version, DJI has reduced it to 149$. It is surprising and pleasing because every tech company is significantly increasing their prices to meet the drastic economic conditions. One of the competitors that I can think of is Insta360 Flow.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 – Unboxing
I have got a new color called Platinum Grey. The unboxing experience is good, but the previous generations have better and more exciting packaging. It is pretty compact and looks good. Inside, we have the gimbal and a few accessories. DJI has not added a hard case; instead, it has a fabric pouch, which also feels nice. The rest of the accessories include a standard tripod, charging cable, and magnetic clamp.
Appearance and Build Quality
The first thing that strikes me is the weight; it’s very light and feels solid and sturdy in hand. Moreover, the size also feels a little smaller than the previous generation. All the axis are very smooth and has an ample range of movement. The only thing that can be better is the Tilt angle. It is very limited.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 also has a hidden extension rod. It may look like a standard feature, but it adds significant value to the video quality and performance of the gimbal. It also compensates for tilt angles. The magnets are super strong and can easily hold up to 290 grams of cell phones.
The controls are placed perfectly; in fact, we have a slight change in the control that makes it more functional. The mode button is on top, and you don’t have to remember keys; you will scroll through modes with a single press. In addition, there is a wheel on the left and a trigger button behind the buttons. The charging port is also on the right side of the trigger button. Lastly, it also has a ¼ mounting hole for tripods.
Technical Specifications
- Stabilization: 3-axis Stabilization
- Mechanical Range: Pan: -161.64° to 173.79°, Roll: -120.30° to 211.97°, Tilt: -101.64° to 78.55°
- Battery: 1000mAh
- Weight: 304 grams
- Max Payload: 290 grams
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
- App: DJI MIMO
Controls and Calibration
As mentioned above, DJI Osmo Mobile 6 has a different button style, which makes perfect sense. The first thing is the status panel in which you can check the battery level system status indicator and switch between gimbal modes with swipes. The “M” beside the status panel can also be used to switch modes. Then, we have the joystick, power button, and a repeat button on the front. DJI OM 6 also has a rotating wheel to zoom in and out and a trigger for various purposes.
The new design is incredibly functional and easy to learn, making it an exceptional gimbal for all smartphones.
There is not much to do in terms of calibration as OM 6 automatically adjusts itself perfectly after we attach the smartphone.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 – Performance
The mobile phone gimbal is an exceptional performer. As expected, the stabilization algorithms are on point and show that the product comes from the best gimbal manufacturers for professional, basic, and mobile phone cameras. Tilt axis motion is limited but can be compensated with an extension rod, making it great for close-up action shots of RC cars, bicycles, and electric scooters.
The gimbal has gesture controls, and it can resume tracking even after losing the object for a few seconds, which is excellent if you are shooting videos in a crowded place.
DJI MIMO App
DJI MIMO adds significant value to the smartphone gimbal. It unleashes its true potential and makes the gimbal more functional. It has many features and options, including presets to help you shoot stunning videos.
The app works perfectly on iOS because it does not have many Android-like features, and the apps on iOS are generally designed better. For example, if you want to record in 8K or on 24FPS, you will not find the options in the app. It is a bit of a bummer because there is no point in having a camera gimbal if we cannot shoot in the highest possible quality. Similarly, the HDR 10 feature is also not there.
This time, DJI MIMO also has some parts of the LightCut app. DJI has been developing it for years to make smartphones a standalone video editing system.
Battery Endurance
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 has a 1000mAh battery. It is reasonable and provides a solid run time of 6 hours, but I would have loved to see a power bank kind of integration as we have in Insta360 Flow.
Drawbacks
- Hard Shell case was a miss
- Limited angle of operation on tilt axis
- Small battery capacity
Conclusion
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is still a solid smartphone gimbal even after a year. It has excellent software and stable hardware. But to keep the size small and foldable, DJI has compromised the angles and flexibility, which can be compensated with expandable rods, but still, it does not have proper gimbal-like movements. On the contrary, features like AI object tracking, gesture controls, revamped controls, a status panel, an exceptional smartphone app, and more make it an excellent gimbal.
Stream our YouTube video for more information.
