Review: DJI Pocket 2 Camera
Nearly every day, there is a new gadget hitting the market that makes capturing memories easier. Cameras have gotten smaller, cheaper, and so, so much better over the years. Today, most of us are carrying several professional-grade cameras on our smartphones.
Small Yet Mighty
Enter the DJI Pocket 2. As its name suggests, it’s a pocket-sized, yet mighty, gimbal-stabilized camera that can shoot video in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second and 64-megapixel photos. This pint-sized camera packs a punch when it comes to video production.
In the box you get the camera, charging cable, wrist straps, a threaded base for tripod use, a joystick, and phone adapters. DJI offers a range of accessories such as wireless mics, a wide-angle lens, and a waterproof case. The Pocket 2 is easy and quick to use with a bit of practice. Just pull it out of its protective case, power it on, and roll. It’s equipped with a touch screen and three buttons. The controls are intuitive and can be navigated quickly. There’s multiple gimbal modes to select from to suit your filming needs. You can pan the gimbal manually using the included joystick or touch screen controls and the camera offers up to four times digital zoom that uses the same controls. I don’t find myself using the joystick much as the added functionality is limited and the same commands can be accessed quickly in the touch-screen system.
But why pick the Pocket 2 over your smartphone camera? Although modern phones can shoot pro-level video, they can lack the smooth quality an electronic gimbal can provide. Smartphones are also often thousands of dollars, whereas the Pocket 2 has an MSRP of $349. This makes it a touch more suitable for the pocket of a motorcycle jacket when snow biking in the backcountry of Wyoming. Another positive point is the little camera’s discretion. It’s usually even less noticeable than filming with a phone—not to mention a huge DSLR—which is nice if you’re trying to avoid that “touristy” look.
The small screen on the Pocket 2 is very useful for framing, but the camera can be docked to a smartphone, allowing the user to frame shots on the phone screen as well as control the Pocket 2. Additionally, the Pocket 2 is equipped with DJI’s subject tracking software, ActiveTrack 3.0. This allows tracking fast-moving subjects—such as motorcycles!
The Pocket 2 is a useful tool and an excellent supplement to a camera or a phone. For shaky or fast action shots, scenarios where a full-size camera is not practical, or situations where you don’t want to risk a multi-thousand dollar DSLR or phone, the DJI does a superb job filling in and providing stunning video or stills of your motorcycle memories.