Judgment
The OM 5 is an affordable and highly functional gimbal for smartphones, offering great stability and fun features valued by Vlogger and content creators. It’s easy to set up and it’s a pleasure to use the Mimo app. That being said, those who have OM 4 or even Osmo Mobile 3 have some reason to upgrade. In fact, the 15-hour battery life of the OM 4 has been reduced to just six hours on the OM 5, significantly reducing the weight of the new model.
Professional
- Easy control and set up
- Excellent companion app
- Lighter than the old OM model
Cons
- Not a huge upgrade over the OM 4
The main advantage
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Magnetic hugKeep your phone in place while shooting -
Built-in extension rodPerfect for taking good selfies -
Accessories includedTripod, carrying case and wrist strap
Introduction
DJI has already proven four times how it knows how to create a great mobile gimbal, and in the case of the company’s fifth Osmo mobile / OM model, the new OM 5, we do not expect any major departure from this winning formula.
Vloggers and other creative types, such as mobile gimbals, keep your smartphone stable and level while taking or taking pictures – the idea is to use your phone’s handheld to eliminate most of the camera jolt.
Priced at £ 139 (roughly equivalent to the 2020 DJI OM 4), the OM 5 offers some key differences from previous models – though not probably enough of them for immediate purchase for current OM owners. Read on to find out why.
Design
- Apparently it has a lot in common with its predecessor
- But it is much lighter and has a stronger clamping mechanism
The OM 5 looks similar to the OM 4, and incorporates the same nice magnet clap design. Fit a spring-loaded clamp around your phone and it can be popped in place with a very satisfying “blur”; When you finish filming, a hearty tug removes the phone. This magnetic grip feels terribly strong, so much so that I had no fear of my iPhone 8 loosening from the gimbal and falling helplessly onto the sidewalk.
According to DJI, the clamp can accommodate phones 67mm to 84mm wide and 6.9mm to 10mm thick. Depending on the weight, it is designed to work with handsets that fall between 170g and 290g – anything light or heavy will make the Zimbal’s stability system fox.
The first big difference between the OM 4 and the OM 5 is that the new model weighs much less: before you add the clamp and your phone, it’s 290g compared to the 390g of the OM 4. When folded, it is about one third smaller than the predecessor. This is a big plus point for your weapon, if you are going to start long day vlogging. However, there is a downside to the size of many small capacity batteries.
The second notable change is the inclusion of built-in extension rods. 215 mm long, it comes out of the handle of the OM 5 to give the user a little more breathing space from their phone. It seems to be especially valuable for Vloggers who just want to fit a little more into their face as well as frame and using it will give the user more control over the height of the phone while placing the OM 5 on a flat surface. Mini-tripod accessory included.
In addition to the mini-tripod (which screws to the base of the OM 5’s handle and folds when not in use), the box has a wrist strap to secure the gimbal in your arm when used. A soft bag for storage. DJI sent me an optional fill light phone clamp accessory (£ 42) to try. Replacing the standard phone clamp, it features two fairly strong banks of LED (with adjustable brightness and color temperature) to illuminate your face while filming. It works well in dark or interchangeable lighting conditions, but if you spend most of your blogging out in the sun, this is probably not essential.
The general build quality of the OM 5 is excellent, as we have come to expect from DJI. The gimbal is made of hard plastic, well-folded and feels comfortable in your hand, with all its controls within easy reach of a finger or thumb.
App
- It supports DJI Mimo app
- The app’s editing controls are tight for basic blogging
You can use OM 5 with apps like built-in camera software or FaceTime on your phone, but when combined with the DJI Mimo app, it really becomes its own.
The app lets you adjust gimbal performance settings, fine-tuning speed and responsiveness where the rig removes your phone. Also, as before, it has several trick shot modes, including Diana-Zoom (achieving an uncomfortable, Hitchcock Dolly Zoom effect), Hyperlapse, Timelapse, and Clooney Panorama (easily insert your own three versions into one photo).
You can also use gesture controls to take a picture or stop / start recording: just show the camera the palm of your hand, or a V-shaped peace sign, and it will instantly start a count – no button-pressing required.
One of the best parts of Mimo is that it provides access to ActiveTrack 4.0, an automatic tracking mode that allows gimbals to follow objects around the frame. Most effective when blogging or filming with the OM 5 set up on its tripod, it specializes in keeping a subject’s face focused all the time; It may even regain a face that is temporarily blocked or otherwise out of frame. This is nothing new in a DJI mobile gimbal, but the company says that it has been updated for OM 5.
DJI has added a variety of tutorial templates to inspire and guide users on how to achieve specific types of shots, such as themes such as “Beach” or “Food”. Personally, I’ve found this bit unnecessary; But newcomers may feel differently as they struggle to work out how to make their videos look more engaging and engaging. The app comes with an incredibly rich editing suite for those who want to shape and polish their videos on their smartphones.
Finally, there is a range of beauty filters that smooth, thin, lighten and otherwise transform your awesome look into a worthy look of a full-time influencer. I turned them all on and pushed the sliders to the maximum to test the functionality, instantly transforming me into a malnourished slave-style figure, though with great cheekbones. I’m not a fan of these, it’s true – but I doubt the feature will be used more in the Far East, or when used with a little more subtlety and restraint.
Stability and performance
- It provides excellent stability for smooth video capture
- Its battery life is much shorter than its predecessor
All of the above would be worthless if the OM 5 could not stabilize a phone properly – but, fortunately, this is an area where it is very difficult to find fault.
A button switches the phone between classic landscape and Instagram story-friendly portrait orientation, as well as toggling between front and rear cameras. The trigger allows you to maintain gimbal angles or reset face to default. It takes a while to get used to it, but once you get used to it you will feel like the master and master of your own smartphone Steadcam.
The Gimbal Arm is amazingly strong and responsive, and when used within its limits (quick pans with Activtrack will turn the Gimbal into a visible and audible strainer to maintain) will smooth your handheld footage nicely. If your vlogging style tends to be classic walk-and-talk, the OM 5 is the perfect partner for your smartphone, with its outstretched arms and light weight giving it a clear edge over the OM 4 and other earlier models.
One downside to the OM 5’s small size and low weight is that its battery life is much shorter than the OM 4’s 15 hours. According to DJI, you get only 6.5 hours of use from a full tank here. How significant this reduction is depends on how much you have to shoot, but I think 6.5 hours is perfectly acceptable due to the much improved portability. The battery is recharged via USB-C port and takes about 1.5 hours to fill from empty with 10W charge delivery.
The latest deal
Will you buy it?
You are in the market for your first mobile gimbal The OM 5 DJI is more flexible and portable than previous models and an excellent travel companion for any Vlogger.
You already own OM 4 or even Osmo Mobile 3 If you don’t really struggle with the weight or size of the older device, the general gimbal performance is much the same here and the battery life is shorter.
The latest thought
While the OM 5 doesn’t represent a huge power jump compared to its predecessor, its light weight and the addition of an extension rod make it a bit easier to live with – even if the OM 4’s epic battery life is sacrificed to get there.
How do we test
OM5 was tested in different places using an iPhone 8. The device was used as the reviewer’s initial gimmick for a whole week before it was scored.
Tested with DJI app to measure software support
FAQs
The battery lasts 6.5 hours, which is much less than the previous model
The biggest difference is that the OM 5 is smaller and lighter than the OM 4