Here’s a detailed DJI OM 4 review! Read on to find out if you need to upgrade from DJI OSMO 3 to DJI OM 4!
DJI OM 4 Review
DJI OM 4: Overall Verdict
The DJI OM4 is the successor to the DJI OSMO 3. It introduces its first generation of magnetic attachment system. It provides exceptional convenience when it works. Other than that, the new motor inside provides better battery life and an overall sleeker package. Lastly, the companion app provides some excellent features as long as you have the right phone.
Pros
- Compact size and great performance
- Convenient, Secure magnetic Clamp
- Excellent battery life, even more than the OSMO 3
Cons
- More expensive than the OSMO 3
- Ring mount needs some improvements.
- Using the standard clamp attachment isn’t possible with phones which have a middle volume or power button.
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- Related: DJI Crystal Sky Review
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- Related: DJI Mavic Air Review
If you are still unsure about the DJI OM4 and whether the magnetic clamp is for you or not, we go into more detail, comparing it to the best priced and performing gimbals on the market, seeing if it holds up.
DJI OM 4: Unboxing
When you unbox the DJI OM4 you will find
- The DJI OM4 gimbal itself
- Magnetic ring to attach to your smartphone
- Magnetic Clamp For attaching your phone
- USB-C to USB-A cable
- Soft carrying bag
- Manual
- Tripod Stand
- A wrist strap.
The unboxing experience is quite good as well. DJI is no small company and they know what they are doing. So, everything comes packaged nicely, plus you get some extras like the tripod stand and a wrist strap.
Here is a video by DJI on how to set it up:
Most of the setup is pretty straight forward. The clamp stand has a silicon pad, for phones which are less thick and for phones thicker than the size of the clamp are meant to be used with the magnetic attachment.
DJI OM 4: Design and Specs
The exact specifications are
- Unfolded size: 276 x 119.6 x 103.6mm
- Folded size: 163 x 99.5 x 46.5mm
- Weight: 390g (without clamp or ring attached)
- Weight: 423g (with magnetic clamp)
- 2,450mAh battery (USB-C charging)
- ~15 hours operating time
- 2.5 hours to fully charge (w/10W charger)
- Bluetooth LE 5.0
The actual feel of the gimbal is quite sturdy and premium. Iit doesn’t feel like a cheap device, even though it is mostly made out of plastic. The plastic helps keep the gimbal light, so as to not make the user get tired of holding the gimbal. That said it doesn’t compromise on feel. It is durable and well-built gimbal through and through.
The DJI OM4 comes with a three-axis gimbal with a pistol grip design. The body is made up of sturdy polycarbonate with a rubberized mount. It’s a little heavier than the DJI OSMO 3 but that is to be expected it packs more in a smaller package, Yes. It’s smaller in size to the OSMO 3 and provides better performance.
DJI is one the biggest companies when it comes to Drone Cinematography and photography. And DJI’s line of ronin stabilizers are extremely well received in the professional camera community as they are known to provide some of the best quality stabilization to handheld DSLR’s and Mirrorless cameras. It’s safe to say they wanted to bring everything they had into these smartphone gimbals as well.
The motor on the DJI OM4 is even better than the DJI OSMO3, which was already considered the king of stabilization when it came to smartphones. The battery improves in 2 main ways, first is the amount of weight it can comfortably handle, it can now support up to 300g phones. A big upgrade from the 230g limit from the OSMO 3.
The motor also brings better battery life, which is up to 15 hours on a single charge. The battery however isn’t removable and requires a full 2 hours or more to fully recharge. The OM4 is clearly an all-day gimbal but the lack of a changeable battery is a bummer.
It comes with this unique magnetic mounting system, which attaches the gimbal to the magnetic clamp or magnetic ring mount. I will be detailing its actual performance below, but in short, it’s nice to have and going forward it’s only going to get better in future generations.
Attaching the magnetic clamp is pretty straight forward but if you have a phone with a middle-positioned volume or power button you might be in trouble, as it will most likely press them in when clamped. Your best bet with phones like those is to use the magnetic ring and attach it to the back of the phone. This will make it remarkably easy to attach your phone to the gimbal anytime you want.
The ring however, isn’t perfect. It sticks to the back of the phone semi-permanently. If you have a skin on the phone, you might not want to do that as it will mess up the entire look. Removing the magnetic ring might even break the glass or damage the finish of the device. Hence applying the ring to a smartphone case and then putting the case on your smartphone is recommended.
The same can’t be said for the clamp. The clamp doesn’t support anything thick. So, you most likely won’t be able to use it with a phone case on. The bottom line is, it’s compatible with everything provided you know what you are doing. I will cover what to do for your specific smartphone later on in the article.
Check out its specs in detail on Amazon
DJI OM 4: Features and Capabilities
DJI OM4 comes with some unique features which might or might not work on your phone. First of all, the OM4 connects with your phone via Bluetooth and uses the DJI Mimo app for controls, firmware updates and custom features. The app is, however, not necessary but I do recommend getting it in case of updates to the firmware.
Why wouldn’t you want to use the DJI Mimo app? Well, on android the compatibility is hit or miss. The thing about android phones is that not all the camera features are accessible to third party software’s.
This isn’t really DJI’s fault. Android phones have different manufacturers and some of them allow the camera API to be modified some don’t. And then there are different android versions on top of that. DJI is aware of this, and is actively trying to get API access by communicating with phone manufacturers.
So, if you are using an android phone, recording through the built-in camera app is probably better than using the DJI Mimo app. Of course, I urge you to try out the app to see the resolutions and framerates it brings to the table. If it fits your needs, use the Mimo app.
Otherwise, on android, stick to the stock camera app. On the iPhone everything is supported well. So, if you are using an iPhone then you don’t need to worry about the performance of the app.
The camera app, other than being able to record slow Motion video at 4x or 8x, gives you a variety of gimbal specific features. The most notable of these is the Dynamic Zoom. This essentially crops into the video while zooming with the gimbal or vice versa to create a cool looking zoom in or zoom out effect. It’s hit or miss but when it works well, it looks like a professional piece of work.
You have your standard, Spin Shots, Time-lapse, Motion lapse, Hyper lapse and Sports mode – all make a return from the DJI OSMO 3 and work just as great as expected. These features made the OSMO 3 stand out. Since then the competition has caught up a little bit but still no one does it better than DJI.
DJI OM 4: Performance
The performance of the DJI OM4 is; as expected, quite impressive. It packs the same kind of stabilization as the OSMO 3, in a smaller footprint and gives even longer battery life. Honestly, DJI is its own competition. They have a habit of out doing themselves and bringing innovation in the most unlikely of places.
This brings me to its next feature/gimmick. The magnetic mounting system. It’s a great idea, the execution is hit or miss though. On one hand it’s super convenient to just snap your phone off the gimbal and put it in your pocket if you are using the magnetic ring attachment. Or just switch between 2 phones, for example, between a pixel and an iPhone by just detaching one and attaching the other.
The problem Is that it doesn’t always work. It’s first generation and it aims to fix a problem that plagues the industry as not all gimbals clamp properly to smartphones. Having both a magnetic ring attachment and a clamp style attachment aims to fix this issue. It’s a step in the right direction for sure. It just needs to be polished.
If you plan to be using your phone for extended video recording sessions on this gimbal then I recommend using the magnetic clamp and leaving the phone in it as long as you use it. If you intend to just put the phone in once in a while for taking a video or a long exposure shot, I recommend using the ring attachment – as you can easily detach and can just put the phone in your pocket once done.
The variety of options for mounting are appreciated. As some phones, like the pixel, with their volume buttons in the middle don’t play well with clamp style attachments and hence the magnetic ring attachment is a very welcome option. Also, two styles of attachments enable extremely fast switching of phones on the gimbal.
You can be recording video with an iPhone and then immediately switch over to a pixel to take long exposure night time shots. In both cases, you will get excellent performance. The stabilization is top notch and best in the industry. It’s almost exactly the same as the OSMO 3, the previous champ of smartphone stabilization, if not better.
Here are some video samples captured using the DJI OM4:
Conclusion
The DJI OM4 is an alternative to the DJI OSMO3 and not a complete successor, it doesn’t provide better stability but rather the same. And at this point the OSMO 3 is available at less than a 100$ while the DJI OM4 will retail for around 150. For the extra 50$ you are getting more battery life and a sleeker, smaller design.
If that is more important to you, which it might as well be, and you intend to use the gimbal extensively then the OM4 is a reasonable buy. If you already have a OSMO 3, the OM4 isn’t really so much of an upgrade.
The DJI OM4, honestly feels like a beta test for a new upcoming feature of magnetic attachments. It’s not a bad gimbal but it is more expensive than its predecessor most likely due to the magnetic technology implemented, which is luxury at best.
If you are new to the world of gimbals and want a device that will last you a long time, go for the OM4. It’s future proof as well. If DJI decided to improve upon the magnetic functionality then this gimbal is only going to get better with updates.
DJI is known for pushing its limits, that’s why no one in the market is able to keep up with the brand and most likely this will continue. The two best gimbals on the market are The OSMO 3 and OM4 both by DJI. Both have amazing build quality and great features.
If this trend continues, this gimbal could become even better with software updates. It already beats the OSMO 3 in terms of size, battery life and versatility. That’s why we recommend it even for its slightly higher price.
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Jon is a passionate photographer and videographer who has been flying DJI drones for over 5 years. He loves the freedom and creativity that comes with capturing aerial footage and the unique perspective it provides. Jon is always on the lookout for new locations to explore and capture with his DJI drones. His favorite DJI drone is the Mavic 2 Pro, which he uses to capture stunning 4K footage with its Hasselblad camera. Jon is always eager to share his knowledge and experience with other drone enthusiasts and is a member of several online drone communities. When he’s not flying his DJI drone, Jon enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with his family.
