DJI Osmo Mobile 3 folds up, fixing the biggest problem with smartphone gimbals

Today, DJI is launching the newest entry in its line of smartphone stabilization gimbals: the DJI Osmo Mobile 3. As with previous iterations in the Osmo Mobile series, you snap your smartphone into the gimbal and use Bluetooth to get crisp and stable video shots.

However, the Osmo Mobile 3 has a distinct advantage over previous DJI gimbals as well as most competitor products: the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 folds up, making it incredibly portable.

One of the biggest annoyances when it comes to smartphone gimbals is how big they are. Sure, you can make them flat so they take up less room, but they still take up way more real estate in a backpack than most travelers would like.

If you fold up the Osmo Mobile 3, the device takes up less backpack space than pretty much any other gimbal, which is terrific news. Although it’s far from pocket-sized, it could now easily fit into a shoulder bag or fanny pack.

Another notable upgrade to the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 over the previous two Osmo gimbals is the introduction of USB-C charging. Not only will this make charging faster (DJI says it will go from zero to fully-charged in about two hours), but it means your smartphone charger will also charge your gimbal. That’s one less cable to pack in your bag!

Aside from these two major upgrades, there are a few other DJI Osmo Mobile 3 features that might interest you. You now have the ability to automatically turn your phone from portrait to landscape mode (you needed to do this manually with previous Osmo Mobile devices), for example. Additionally, the rear trigger button is back (the Osmo Mobile 2 abandoned this feature for some reason) and supported devices will now have Active Track and Story Mode, both of which we first saw on the DJI Osmo Pocket.

Speaking of the Osmo Pocket, that device is still the traveler’s best friend when it comes to video stabilization as it is quite literally pocket-sized. However, the Osmo Pocket is nearly three times as expensive as the Osmo Mobile 3, which starts at a fairly-economical $119 for the gimbal, wrist strap, storage pouch, and anti-slip pads. If you want to get the full package deal –which comes with an extra carrying case and a tripod stand — it will cost you $139. For reference, the Osmo Pocket starts at $349 for the gimbal alone.

Stay tuned for our full review of the DJI Osmo Mobile 3! In the meantime, click the link below to grab yours.