It sure seems like while the world is getting dumber, technology just keeps getting smarter. And why would the film and video game be any different?
As soon as smartphone videography and filmmaking became a thing, companies like DJI have hyper-shifted their tech research to focus on these aspiring smartphone-ographers (a term I just smartly coined myself).
And while many will debate the value of smartphone-ography to begin with, it is undeniably here to stay—and for anyone looking to film smooth and stunning footage from their phones, this should come as very welcome news.
DJI has unveiled its newest flagship OM series smartphone gimbal with the DJI OM 5. Let’s take a look at this sleek, smooth, and quite smart new gimbal and how it might up your smartphone-ography.
The DJI OM 5
So, snark aside, this is a really cool new gimbal from DJI that should help with pretty much any smartphone videography needs. It’s compact and lightweight, but still quite packed with features that are all aimed at adding near-flawless stabilization—so you can rest assured that pretty much every shot or sequence that you record will result in smooth footage that looks great.
DJI really does have great tech at this point as its three-motor system is more than enough power to keep your incredibly lightweight smartphones perfectly in control.
It’s also designed to fit in the palm of your hand, which opens the door for all types of fast or tricky movements, as you can reliably trust the OM 5 gimbal to keep your camera safe as you parkour around (or do whatever else your shots might call for).
There’s also even an extension rod built-in for those looking to record selfie-style videography with much of the same reliability and stability intact.
But How Is It So Smart?
So, this is where the DJI OM 5 gets interesting… it is truly a smart device.
I haven’t gotten my hands on one yet, but as you can see in the video teasers above, DJI promises that this OM 5 has the "smartest algorithms" that they’ve ever made.
This means that the OM 5 is going to be able to adapt to your movements while filming. So, whether you’re taking a leisurely walk or riding a bouncy mountain bike, or even using different gesture controls, the OM 5 will learn how to give you the best ultra-smooth results.
The OM 5 also boasts some fancy ShotGuides to help get creators easily set up with the right looks and templates. These ShotGuides might, again, feel like dumbing down some functionality that is there already, but it’s also most likely quite helpful in a pinch as you can quickly get set up to record different footage types and for different formats.
Finally, in the brains department, the OM 5 has a new and improved ActiveTrack 4.0 system with some advanced recognition capabilities for higher responsiveness. So you can rest assured that your bright face will stay bright and focused when you flip around for selfie mode.
Specs and Price
Overall, this new DJI OM 5 does look quite promising and should be another great gimbal option for anyone looking to either dabble or fully dive into smartphone filmmaking and videography.
It’s also competitively priced at well under $200 at launch, so it’s not a huge investment either for hobbyists just looking for a small and easy gimbal for a vacation, or a smartphone video professional who needs the full array of functions for tons of projects.
- Portable and Foldable
- Magnetic Design
- Built-In Extension Rod
- ShotGuides
- Active Track 4.0
- 3-Axis Stabilization
Price: $159
You can also purchase the OM 5 on an installment plan for as low as $15 a month for 12 months (rates from 10-30% APR).
Let us know if you try it out!
