I received the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 on Thursday (3/21). Initial thoughts are below.
I was surprised at the small size of the box! The camera is also smaller than I expected.
The camera's battery had a a 45% charge, so I got to immediately activate it, which was pretty easy - I hear it's easier to set up if you've an iPhone or iPad.
Now, since I'd not been able to purchase Amazon's insurance (the transaction borked but the transaction for the Pocket 3 went through), and the DJI activation process was asking me if I wanted to purchase DJI Care Refresh (which is a protection program), I bought 2 years of that, which is $55. Now I don't have to worry about the camera being damaged. Note that although the unit is covered by insurance, to replace the camera, the owenr would still need to pay $35. As well, I get four replacement instances, if need be.
I was also worried about the battery eventually depleting, but that is covered by DJI Care Refresh, as well.
I bought a 30W charger a few days before I received the Pocket 3. It works well and the Pocket 3 Fast-charged to 100% in like 25 minutes. As much as this camera costs, you'd think they'd include a charger -- maybe they think that folks will already have chargers (30W isn't really commonplace for chargers, though).
The camera easily mounts on a tripod, as it includes a tripod extension that attaches to the bottom of the camera. I've been using it with a desk tripod.
I recorded some test videos, using the camera as a standalone camera. I also recorded test footage using it as a webcam (using Photo Booth and QuickTime). I recorded 1080p footage and the results were astonishing.
I used the following video to get the camera's settings to a baseline state (for me):
I now have the camera configured to use 1440p/60fps as the default video resolution and speed. I recorded some test footage and the result is absolutely astounding! I was able to use face tracking and even used object tracking (I was presenting a firearm and had the camera track it while I handled it). I later posted that footage to YouTube, after editing it with DaVinci Resolve and rendering it (it took a bit for me to determine how to render it in 1440p - I had to render it a second time before I had it correctly configured).
I also have installed LightCut (which is editing software that is published by a company that DJI is partnered with) on both my Macbook Air and my iPhone. I will take a look at the MBA editor tomorrow to see if it'll be worthwhile in using. I do not care to use it on my iPhone, though - I can't imagine editing videos using a smartphone.
The camera isn't waterproof and it's gimbal is probably easily damaged, so my next purchase is probably going to be a case (there's nothing I can do about it not being waterproof, though).
The next following purchase will probably be the Mic 2 transmitter, although the test footage seems to indicate that the mics on the camera are adequate (for me). Or, maybe I should purchase the extra battery handle. Maybe I'll just flip a coin to determine which to get.
I have a lane at the range reserved tomorrow. For now, I'll keep using the GoPro but I might take the Pocket 3 and set it up on my left side on the range table, just to see what type of footage it'll capture.
I'll post updates on my experiences.
UPDATE (8/13/2024):
I've been using the OP3 to capture video footage for my YouTube channel and the captured footage is astounding in quality. What's really cool is that I can set it on my desk and then lock the focus on a particular object - if the object moves (for example, a dog), the camera lens follows. If I have something in my hands and I'm moving my hands around, the camera will follow. Even when using it as a desk camera, capturing my face, if I lock my head as a focus and move my head, the camera will shift slightly to ensure my head is center-frame.
The camera feels fragile but that's why I have DJI Care. I'm considering a 3rd party protective shell, as the gimbal sometimes moves when the OEM shell is mounted onto the camera.
The camera bag/case is too small, in my opinion. I'm looking for a bigger case.
I have used it once while taking a scenic walk around my neighborhood and was shocked at the resulting footage (was daylight with no clouds; in the spring). That's the only time I've used it outdoors but I think I should use it more when outside.
