DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Review: Smooth Operator

At a look

Skilled’s Score

Execs

• Nice stabilisation
• Helpful zoom and focus wheel
• Helps a number of cameras on many telephones

Cons

• Android app isn’t in Google Play Retailer
• Can’t modify sensitivity of the zoom wheel
• Fill-light clamp is an optionally available further

Our Verdict

Though a bit of on the expensive aspect, the Osmo Cell 6 is a superb cellphone stabiliser that mixes nice {hardware} with easy-to-use software program.

Worth When Reviewed

$159

Finest Costs In the present day: DJI Osmo Cell 6

$159.95

$159.99

For its sixth iteration, DJI has made a few important modifications to its Osmo Cell phone stabiliser.

One is the addition of a helpful show to indicate which mode it’s in and the opposite is a mixed dial and button on the aspect which can be utilized for zoom and focus.

The opposite apparent change is a return to the black of the unique mannequin, though right here it’s extra of a darkish gray charcoal and the whole lot is constituted of plastic.

It’s nicely made, although, and feels good and light-weight in your hand.

Comparisons to the unique are irrelevant, in fact. The true query is: in 2023, is that this the cellphone gimbal to purchase?

Options & Design

• Auto energy on
• Mimo app launches mechanically on suitable telephones
• Telescopic pole

There’s actually so much to love concerning the Osmo Cell 6. It’s very compact when folded up, that means you’ll take it extra locations reasonably than leaving it at residence.

There’s a comfortable bag included within the field, together with a mini desk tripod which lets you use the Osmo Cell 6 hands-free – splendid when you plan to make use of it to document you when you’re doing one thing, or need to shoot panoramic pictures from exactly the identical spot.

Going hand in hand with that’s Energetic Monitor 5.0 which might comply with a topic mechanically, even when they stroll behind a tree, for instance.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Plus, gestures mean you can begin and cease recording palms free, and this labored nicely throughout testing.

Like earlier Osmo Mobiles, the ‘6 has a joystick which helps you to management the gimbal manually, panning and tilting the digicam when you maintain it nonetheless.

However the great thing about a gimbal is that it may possibly clean out hand movement once you’re not holding it nonetheless. Say you rotating your wrist left, the gimbal will assist to isolate your cellphone’s digicam from that motion, however will slowly comply with it – and that’s what makes your movies extra cinematic.

A set off on the other aspect to the joystick can do just a few issues, one being to lock the lean once you maintain it down. That is good once you’re transferring round a topic because it prevents the digicam from tilting up or down even when you tilt the deal with.

Relying upon what number of occasions you faucet it it may possibly additionally do different issues, equivalent to switching between video and picture mode and re-centering the digicam. Equally, the mode and change buttons have varied capabilities.

Clearly, mode toggles between the totally different modes (Observe, Tilt Lock, FPV and SpinShot), however a protracted press turns the gimbal on and off – barely complicated till you discover the facility icon across the nook from the button.

As you toggle between these 4 important modes, the show will present the corresponding icon so you possibly can see which one is getting used.

The change button toggles between the entrance and rear cameras, however a double press rotates your cellphone between panorama and portrait.

Jim Martin / Foundry

The brand new zoom / focus wheel can also be a button, and a single press switches between these modes. On the time of assessment there have been no settings for this, that means you possibly can’t modify the sensitivity (I discovered it was too delicate, particularly for zooming) and nor are you able to reverse the path to zoom. Naturally, I’d flip clockwise to zoom out, however the default is to zoom in, with anticlockwise zooming out.

When utilizing handbook focus, there’s nothing to inform you when your topic is in focus, so that you’ll must depend on your eyes and your cellphone display screen.

Jim Martin / Foundry

As with the Osmo Cell 5 and Osmo Cell SE, the OM 6 helps all current iPhone cameras, which implies as you zoom by way of the vary the Mimo app will mechanically change to the suitable digicam. Android help is extra restricted, however you’ll discover a record on DJI’s web site.

The opposite characteristic house owners of current iPhones profit from is that Mimo will mechanically launch once you connect your cellphone to the Osmo Cell 6 utilizing the magnetic clamp (which is reassuringly sturdy, even when it does block some buttons on some telephones).

Jim Martin / Foundry

No matter cellphone, the gimbal will mechanically energy on once you unfold it, making it faster to stand up and working.

Useful in sure conditions is the built-in telescopic pole with extends from the deal with round 220mm (8.5in). This makes it a lot simpler to shoot excessive up – to get a greater view when you’re in a crowd, for instance – or near the bottom to comply with a child, pet or one thing else with out bending down a lot.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Stabilisation efficiency is superb, dealing with trendy ‘heavy’ telephones with out issues. DJI says it would deal with telephones as much as 290g, which implies a 240g iPhone 14 Professional Max with a case ought to be high quality.

The provided clamp can maintain telephones as much as 10mm thick and between 67 and 84mm huge.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Mimo app

Whereas you need to use some buttons and options of the Osmo Cell 6 together with your inventory digicam app (or considered one of your alternative), you’ll solely get the total expertise by utilizing DJI’s Mimo app.

It’s very similar to a inventory digicam app, and carefully mimics the iPhone model. There’s a mode carousel together with the anticipated picture and video, however there’s additionally Slowmotion, Timelapse and Hyperlapse. Solely the primary of these can be dependent upon your cellphone’s capabilities, with the second being a static shot taken utilizing the tripod over a time period, and Hyperlapse being a timelapse taken whereas transferring round, to hurry up a journey, for instance.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Dyna-zoom might be a mode you’ll use the least, because it replicates the Hitchcock-style impact of zooming in or out whereas transferring away from or nearer to your topic. This usually requires a dolly, so could be tough to grasp utilizing a handheld gimbal.

There’s additionally Story mode which provides you dozens of capturing templates for various types, telling you learn how to shoot every shot throughout the story and controlling the gimbal mechanically for a few of them.

Jim Martin / Foundry

Android customers gained’t discover Mimo within the Google Play Retailer (like DJI’s different apps). The official motive for that is unknown, however no matter it’s, it’s a ache for Android customers who must get the app from DJI’s web site and alter the settings on their cellphone to permit its set up from an “unknown” supply.

Worth & availability

The Osmo Cell 6 prices $159 / £145 direct from DJI’s web site, however you too can purchase it from Apple, Amazon and different retailers.

As we’ve seen earlier than, if you need a magnetic cellphone clamp with a built-in LED fill mild for vlogging, that’s an optionally available further and prices $59 / £42.

This implies the Osmo Cell 6 is likely one of the dearer cellphone gimbals and you may get comparable ranges of stabilisation from the cheaper SE mannequin when you don’t care concerning the zoom wheel or the telescopic pole.

The newest SE has the identical small standing display screen, Energetic Monitor 5.0 and ShotGuides, however prices solely £95. The unhealthy information is that it’s not out there within the US. Consumers can solely select the older OM 4 SE.

For extra options, see our roundup of the perfect cellphone gimbals.

Verdict

As DJI so usually does, it has but once more improved on a earlier product and made a tool that’s the better of its kind.

The Osmo Cell 6 actually not the most affordable, however when you’ll use the modes it provides – each {hardware} and software program – and wish management over focus and zoom, it’s laborious to consider a greater possibility proper now.

It’s an actual disgrace the app doesn’t mean you can modify the sensitivity, so that you’ll want cautious managed rotation when zooming specifically.

The brand new display screen can also be useful for letting you already know which mode you’re in, in addition to an concept of remaining battery energy.

Though I haven’t talked about it but, the Osmo Cell 6’s analogue joystick can also be a boon, because it permits you extra management over pan and tilt pace in comparison with the Osmo Cell 5 which I discovered supplied no such management: you’re both panning / tilting otherwise you’re not.

If the value is simply too excessive and also you’re not within the US, the brand new Osmo Cell SE is a greater worth different at beneath £100.