Traveling by smartphone is becoming increasingly popular and is gradually replacing traditional digital cameras. Especially with videos, a gimbal can help you to take shake-free shots at the resort. The Chinese manufacturer DJI has already launched a whole range of three-axis stabilizers on the market. The Osmo Mobile 3 is also a particularly compact model available. What does the gimbal do in practice? And is it worth the change from its predecessor? In our DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Test we have checked the gimbal for you from front to back. 

If you're using a gimbal for the very first time, a three-axis stabilizer is a truly exciting and magical device. Depending on the model, you can attach your digital camera, action cam or smartphone and experience how the stabilizer keeps the gadget stable, no matter what position you move it into. I first dealt with this last year DJI Osmo Mobile 2 (test) and have since then also other products of the manufacturer like the DJI Mavic Air (test) and DJI Osmo Pocket (test) tried out.

If you want to take photos and videos while traveling and on vacation or are even a travel blogger like me, drones, high-quality cameras, tripods, selfie sticks and stabilizers are almost a must. We have in ours DJI Osmo Mobile 3 review checked the new gimbal in detail. Is the upgrade from the predecessor worth it? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the three-axis stabilizer? We tried out the model together with the iPhone 11 Pro Max on the dream island of Mauritius.

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Our first impression – DJI Osmo Mobile 3 in the test

The new DJI Osmo Mobile 3 makes a valuable and solid impression directly at first glance. The plastic of the device is solid, some components of metal and stable, nothing wobbles and this model version is even delivered with a carrying case. On the product images, the unfolded construction looked wobbly and I was skeptical that the new three-axis stabilizer would be worth the money. But there is no trace of instability. The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is unfolded in seconds and can be used directly from the box.

In the predecessor, I still had some difficulties connecting to the smartphone. In addition, the old model had to be cumbersomely ausmanually balanced with the iPhone. The third model generation eliminates everything. The Osmo would have been set up within three minutes, had it not been for a tiny little hook: I spent half an hour trying to pair the device with the DJI Go app, which was also connected to its predecessor. Who can read, has a clear advantage: The Osmo Mobile 3 is similar to the Osmo Pocket controlled via the Mimo App.

Once I loaded the Mimo app, setup was really a breeze. When the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 came to life, using it became a breeze. The physical quality of the gimbal is very good and the connectivity has obviously been significantly improved compared to its predecessor.

Only the gray color, which the Osmo Mobile 2 also had, could safely be replaced with an elegant anthracite or a multi-colored model. After the first tests at home, I was really looking forward to taking the travel gadget with me on vacation - and I shouldn't be disappointed.

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Overview – the most important features of the DJI Osmo Mobile 3

• three-axis stabilization mechanism for wobble-free motion control
• One-handed control using a well thought-out arrangement of keys
• integrated, powerful battery, with which the smartphone can be charged casually
• Compact gimbal that can be opened in seconds or folded
• QuickRoll: very fast changeover between horizontal and vertical
• Active Track 3.0: Tracking function to reliably follow people, animals or objects
• Panorama photos up to 180 degree panorama from several single images
• various recording modes and recording algorithms such as TimeLapse, MotionLapse and HyperLapses
• DJI Mimo app: a simple program to use the gimbal with popular smartphones
• Charge via USB-C port
• Size unfolded: 285 × 125 × 103 mm - Size folded: 157 × 130 × 46 mm - Weight: 405 grams

The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 for traveling and on vacation

I tried out the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 on our recent trip to Mauritius. The gimbal has proven to be a crucial support for travel photography and travel equipment in general. Of course, the Osmo also has many possible uses in everyday life and can certainly be used wonderfully when strolling through the city at home or on city trips, family celebrations or other events and activities.

Thanks to the Active Track technology, it is also particularly suitable for animal photography, such as raging dogs. However, its greatest strengths come into play when traveling and on vacation, when you want to do more than just take snapshots during the tour.

The significantly more pleasant use is primarily due to a very specific improvement: In the previous model, it was a relatively complicated undertaking to tilt the stabilizer from horizontal to vertical. The gimbal had to be completely readjusted manually each time. With the new DJI Osmo Mobile 3, this can be done in milliseconds. The manufacturer calls the technology QuickRoll, in which the smartphone can be switched from vertical to horizontal in just a few seconds.

In my opinion, this is the biggest improvement over the Osmo Mobile 2 and all competing products. Many vacationers use Instagram or similar social media apps and need portrait photos, while pictures for the family album and especially landscape photos are taken horizontally. This applies to both photos and videos. A quick change is therefore essential.

In addition to this essential function, the panoramic mode has proven itself, in which a high-resolution panorama image composed of nine individual images. To do this, place the Osmo stably on a surface, press the shutter button and watch as the three-axis stabilizer automatically takes nine pictures and joins them together to create a large panorama picture. You can really impressive recordings out

Strengths and weaknesses of the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 in the test

The second generation of the gadget was already quite good, but still had a number of weaknesses. The size and weight alone made it difficult to use. You think twice about taking the three-axis stabilizer with you on a trip so you don't have to lug the bulky gadget around with you all the time.

The manufacturer has obviously noticed this, done its homework and learned from the problems of the previous generation. Because the gimbal is foldable, the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is much more comfortable to transport. Due to the built-in battery, the weight is still relatively high, but much more comfortable than its predecessor.

In its compact form and with the carrying bag, the three-axis stabilizer has become much more manageable. On the other hand, almost the entire manual calibration of the smartphone within the holder is no longer necessary. You simply have to attach the cell phone in the middle, connect it to the gimbal via Bluetooth and you immediately have a functioning device. I'm not the only one who attests that the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is a thoroughly successful gadget that will help you produce professional videos.

In my opinion, the weaknesses of this product are very limited: the main ones are the gray color, the plastic housing and the relatively high weight. However, if the plastic of the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 were to be replaced, the weight would certainly increase even further. The price should also be highlighted positively: While three-axis stabilizers for smartphones cost several hundred euros a few years ago, the RRP for the device alone without accessories is just 100.

Power

• compact, collapsible gimbal
• excellent value for money
• many settings and modes for photos and videos
• improved Active Track for tracking objects
• Charging the gimbal via USB C
• four intuitive buttons for control
• The gimbal can also be used as a power bank via a separate USB-A port to charge the smartphone

weaknesses

• Gimbal gray, bag gray, everything very gray
• as soon as software updates for the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 are available, the app will annoy you until you install them

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Does the Osmo Mobile 3 play its strengths especially when traveling?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is of course ideal for traveling and on vacation, especially for recording shake-free videos. Theoretically you can do without it for photos. When taking photographs, the Osmo primarily serves as an extended arm for selfies and for taking multi-image panoramas. It shows its great strength when recording videos - you just have to film it handheld for fun and use the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 for comparison to see what changed quality you can achieve with the gimbel.

The movements are much smoother and appear more professional within the recordings. Of course, this is especially useful when videos have a lot of meaning for you, such as on vacation or while traveling in the most wonderful time of the year. If you fly halfway around the world to discover a new travel destination, you don't want to make shaky videos there.

But of course the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is not only useful for this reason: Purchasing the three-axis stabilizer also definitely makes sense at family celebrations, when running around with pets or when recording your offspring's first attempts to walk. I now always have the device within reach so that I can take high-quality, professional recordings in a wide variety of situations.

This was unthinkable with the previous model, the operation was simply too slow and the device itself was simply too bulky to always carry with you. The Osmo Mobile 3 shows its strengths not only when traveling, but in any situation in which you want to take stable video recordings, need a solid tripod for your smartphone or want to film yourself with an extended arm.

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 test – better photos on vacation and at home with the gimbal?

In fact, last year I was quite taken with the second generation of the three-axis stabilizer and have used it over and over again. However, at the time I could not have imagined that the third generation would offer such a significant improvement. The manufacturer has indeed eradicated many of the predecessor's mistakes and made the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 a handy, versatile and easy-to-use gimbal, which you will always want to have as an essential part of the travel equipment. On travel and on vacation, in everyday life and especially in activities, the device is an easy and affordable way to get shake-free shots.

To return to the somewhat provocatively formulated initial question: Whether the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is really the best gimbal of all times, is an open question. However, it definitely helps to take smartphone photography and especially videography to a whole new level - at least if you did not want to carry heavy and heavy gear with you on vacation. And that makes it an essential part of the travel equipment, at least for us in the future. I'm curious to see how the Chinese manufacturer DJI wants to improve the gimbal again next year. Until then, we will certainly record many hours of video footage with the current model.

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Test - Have you already bought a DJI Osmo or are you planning to buy it? Share your experience in the comments.

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