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 regulate sensitivity of the zoom wheel
- Fill-light clamp is an elective further
Our Verdict
Though a bit on the expensive facet, the Osmo Cellular 6 is a superb cellphone stabiliser that mixes nice {hardware} with easy-to-use software program.
For its sixth iteration, DJI has made a few important modifications to its Osmo Cell phone stabiliser.
One is the addition of a useful show to indicate which mode it’s in and the opposite is a mixed dial and button on the facet 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 produced from plastic.
It’s effectively made, although, and feels good and lightweight in your hand.
Comparisons to the unique are irrelevant, in fact. The actual query is: in 2023, is that this the cellphone gimbal to purchase?
Options & Design
- Auto energy on
- Mimo app launches routinely on appropriate telephones
- Telescopic pole
There’s actually quite a bit to love concerning the Osmo Cellular 6. It’s very compact when folded up, that means you’ll take it extra locations fairly than leaving it at residence.
There’s a tender bag included within the field, together with a mini desk tripod which lets you use the Osmo Cellular 6 hands-free – excellent in case you plan to make use of it to document you when you’re doing one thing, or wish to shoot panoramic photographs from exactly the identical spot.
Going hand in hand with that’s Energetic Observe 5.0 which might comply with a topic routinely, even when they stroll behind a tree, for instance.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Plus, gestures permit you to begin and cease recording palms free, and this labored effectively throughout testing.
Like earlier Osmo Mobiles, the ‘6 has a joystick which helps you to management the gimbal manually, panning and tilting the digital camera 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 digital camera from that motion, however will slowly comply with it – and that’s what makes your movies extra cinematic.
A set off on the alternative facet to the joystick can do a couple of 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 digital camera from tilting up or down even in case 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 digital camera. Equally, the mode and change buttons have numerous capabilities.
Clearly, mode toggles between the totally different modes (Comply with, Tilt Lock, FPV and SpinShot), however an extended press turns the gimbal on and off – barely complicated till you discover the ability icon across the nook from the button.
As you toggle between these 4 most important modes, the show will present the corresponding icon so you’ll be able to 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 overview there have been no settings for this, that means you’ll be able to’t regulate the sensitivity (I discovered it was too delicate, particularly for zooming) and nor are you able to reverse the course 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 let you know when your topic is in focus, so that you’ll need to depend on your eyes and your cellphone display screen.
Jim Martin / Foundry
As with the Osmo Cellular 5 and Osmo Cellular SE, the OM 6 helps all current iPhone cameras, which suggests as you zoom by way of the vary the Mimo app will routinely change to the suitable digital camera. Android assist is extra restricted, however you’ll discover a record on DJI’s web site.
The opposite characteristic homeowners of current iPhones profit from is that Mimo will routinely launch once you connect your cellphone to the Osmo Cellular 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 routinely energy on once you unfold it, making it faster to rise up and operating.
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 in case 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 excellent, dealing with fashionable ‘heavy’ telephones with out issues. DJI says it would deal with telephones as much as 290g, which suggests a 240g iPhone 14 Professional Max with a case must be fantastic.
The provided clamp can maintain telephones as much as 10mm thick and between 67 and 84mm huge.
Jim Martin / Foundry
Mimo app
Whereas you should use some buttons and options of the Osmo Cellular 6 along with your inventory digital camera app (or one in all your selection), you’ll solely get the total expertise through the use of DJI’s Mimo app.
It’s very similar to a inventory digital camera 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 troublesome to grasp utilizing a handheld gimbal.
There’s additionally Story mode which supplies you dozens of capturing templates for various kinds, telling you how you can shoot every shot throughout the story and controlling the gimbal routinely 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 cause for that is unknown, however no matter it’s, it’s a ache for Android customers who need to 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 Cellular 6 prices $159 / £145 direct from DJI’s website, however you too can purchase it from Apple, Amazon and different retailers.
As we’ve seen earlier than, if you would like a magnetic cellphone clamp with a built-in LED fill mild for vlogging, that’s an elective further and prices $59 / £42.
This implies the Osmo Cellular 6 is likely one of the dearer cellphone gimbals and you will get comparable ranges of stabilisation from the cheaper SE model in case you don’t care concerning the zoom wheel or the telescopic pole.
The newest SE has the identical small standing display screen, Energetic Observe 5.0 and ShotGuides, however prices solely £95. The dangerous information is that it’s not out there within the US. Consumers can solely select the older OM 4 SE.
For extra alternate options, see our roundup of the very best cellphone gimbals.
Verdict
As DJI so typically does, it has but once more improved on a earlier product and made a tool that’s the better of its kind.
The Osmo Cellular 6 actually not the most cost effective, however in case you’ll use the modes it gives – each {hardware} and software program – and need management over focus and zoom, it’s exhausting to consider a greater choice proper now.
It’s an actual disgrace the app doesn’t permit you to regulate the sensitivity, so that you’ll want cautious managed rotation when zooming particularly.
The brand new display screen can also be useful for letting you recognize which mode you’re in, in addition to an concept of remaining battery energy.
Though I haven’t talked about it but, the Osmo Cellular 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 Cellular 5 which I discovered provided no such management: you’re both panning / tilting otherwise you’re not.
If the worth is just too excessive and also you’re not within the US, the brand new Osmo Cellular SE is a greater worth various at beneath £100.