DJI unveils Osmo, the world’s first fully integrated, stabilized handheld 4K

The Osmo shares a lot of DNA with the Phantom drones, actually – it uses a similar gimbal system for stabilizing footage shot from the air.

Popular consumer drone manufacturer DJI is taking a step away from drones to launch the world’s first fully integrated, stabilised handheld 4K camera, which looks like a really fancy selfie stick.

Rather than design a fixed single-purpose unit, the Osmo comes with a 12-megapixel 4K camera but is also compatible with DJI’s Zenmuse cameras. The 94 degree field of view lens is easily the best camera that you can find right now, and the Osmo is likely to create a trend of professional selfie sticks in the future.

Intelligent controls built into the handle make changing between shooting angles, capturing photos or recording video effortless.

DJI has programmed in several smart-shooting modes, such as the Panorama mode, where you can take a picture, and the camera will then automatically pan around 360°, taking and stitching overlapping photos to create a panorama.

Osmo’s handle has an integrated 3.5mm jack for those times when you prefer higher-quality audio recorded with an external microphone.

“Traditional handheld cameras are either shaky, or require bulky stabilisers that are hard to set up”, said Paul Pan, DJI’s senior product manager. Check out the buttery smooth video. There’s an included universal mount that works with smartphones, as well as optional gear for other uses, such as tripods and bike mounts. With regard to the availability of Osmo, DJI said that it has efforts underway to commence the shipping of the camera next week; most probably on October 15.

The Osmo handle, which can be bought separately without a camera, is fully compatible with DJI’s existing Zenmuse series, making it the flawless accessory for everyone who already owns an Inspire 1 with a Zenmuse X3, a Zenmuse X5 Pro or a Zenmuse X5 Raw.

Tripod – Place the Osmo securely on nearly any surface.