DJI Osmo Mobile 3 vs Freefly Movi – Buyer’s Guide

Have you noticed the difference in YouTube videos stabilizing? When one user uploads a smooth, stable video, even if they are holding the phone and jumping, and another one’s video is shaking even though the phone is still? The deal is a good gimbal.

While phone cameras tend to integrate stabilizers in their newest models, they aren’t as developed as a separate piece of equipment. It’s compact, portable, helps charge your phone and create great content. The sunset shot from a car on a bumpy road won’t bring tranquility to the watchers unless the shot is smooth.

The latest user dispute is DJI Osmo Mobile 3 versus Freefly Movi Cinema Robot. We loved both for their features, and both models have passed the field tests, so the final decision is yours. Nevertheless, there are comprehensive reviews with feature information, a bit technical data, and innovations that will help you!

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 vs Freefly Movi Cinema Robot

DJI OSMO Mobile 3 – Impressive Battery Life, Phone Charging, and Great Stabilization Options

The third model of the series, Osmo Mobile 3 has improved some mishaps of the second version and brought back something interesting from the very first one.

Overview

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is portable, easy to pack even if you decide to leave the phone in. It’s simple to use and offers great stabilization in its multiple shooting modes. The Mimo app will introduce you to a whole new world of video content creation. Object tracking is especially good in this model, even though you have to rebalance it every time you connect the phone.

Features

The first thing you see is a foldable design, and while it’s not an innovation, in combination with the ease of use this model becomes quite unique. There are no countless details, pitches and twists, you just fold and unfold it.

Some of the most prominent features are:

• Object tracking is especially great, just focus the box you see on the screen on the person, animal, another object, and it will become the stable focus of the shot.
• Sports Mode. Everything ActiveTrack doesn’t catch, the Sports Mode does. Press the trigger button two times and then press it for a couple of seconds one more time to access the feature.
• A derivation of Timelapse, this feature will help you shoot a time-lapse video while moving.
• Story Mode. This feature will help you create stories with your content. There are templates with a number of pre-made presets that create the atmosphere you need. There’s music, colors, and you can widen the angle by shooting panoramic pictures. The angles can be 180 or 330 degrees.
• Gesture control. If you need to be fully in the shot and can’t control the gimbal, use gestures to trigger the camera. The bundle pack includes a small tripod that will help stabilize the phone where it’s needed. The gimbal will then focus on you and adjust according to your movements.
• Phone charging. It also helps you charge the phone when needed, sharing its battery life, which is, by the way, 15 hours!

There’s also a swap feature that allows you to switch between horizontal and vertical orientation fast, but it might be a bit inconvenient. You can do it accidentally, and let’s face it, vertical videos are only for selfie stories on social media. To use the feature, though, just click the lower joystick button two times. To change the mode back, do it again.

Field Test

The field test of the most prominent feature, ActiveTrack, has shown great results in two major scenarios:

• Locking on an object and moving around it in different directions. The object has to be fixed to create an impressive shot;
• Locking on a moving object and letting the gimbal track it.

In case you need to track someone or something really fast, ActiveTrack may not catch it. But for this purpose, there’s Sport Mode. It can help you shoot a footage of a football match or your kids running around the house (which is often even more difficult to capture).

Remember, though, that the auto tracking feature will be off then. So, to catch the fastest objects and achieve precision, you should practice moving the gimbal a bit.

This is one of the most compact and convenient to use gimbals at the moment.

The range of features is impressive, the only disadvantages are the 60 fps limitation for iPhones and the fact that you have to rebalance the phone every time using the stabilizer. Other than that, with its 15-hour battery like and the ability to charge your phone as well, it’s an amazing option.

Freefly Movi Cinema Robot Smartphone Stabilizer – Eventual Android Compatibility, 4K Video

Freefly Movi is a great tool that can almost turn your phone into a professional movie camera.

TL; DR Overview

It’s an easy-to-use, convenient gimbal that shoots videos that are stored in your camera roll. There’s no need to use a different SD card for the tool. It will turn every bump and hole into a smooth, flawless road (only on video, unfortunately).

A free application comes with the gimbal and helps more professional users to enhance the cinematic experience their content should provide. Besides, it’s finally compatible with Android, even though only with flagship models. Before that, this stabilizer was only compatible with iPhones on iOS 11 and higher.

Features

There’s a wide range of features that will help you create great content:

• This is a standard stabilizing feature. You can level the horizon and switch between presets to find the right shot.
• Moving slower, the gimbal will create dynamic yet balanced time-lapse videos. The speeds of playback vary from x5 to x20.
• Fix the focus on a stable object and move around, and this preset will compensate all the shaking and distance fluctuations.
• The Echo Mode creates an algorithm of different presets that move in a sequence you choose. As a result, you get an automated moving camera, switching between modes exactly when you need it without any additional manipulations.
• Barrel Roll. This mode will create a balanced 360-degree shot at the speed you specify in the settings.
• An extended version of Timelapse, this feature will cover more time and distance.
• This feature allows you to fix the gimbal on any point and it will maintain the position for as long as you need.

The tool allows shooting in 1080 and 4K, delivering great quality. Keep in mind that to make sure the stabilizer helps you, it’s important that you move as steadily as possible.

Field Test

The Majestic Mode delivers shots so smooth you’ll want to watch them over and other, better than most of Freefly Movi’s competitors. By working with the speed of movement, you can create impressive cinematic shots using only your phone.

If shooting while walking, you’ll need to get used to the tool a bit. Sometimes it seems like it’s overcompensating every move, but as you adjust to it, the shots will come out smooth. Same with shooting in a car, your videos and pictures will be very stable. Just don’t mount the tool on the window of the car. The vibrations of the vehicle and overexposure may cause disturbance in the stability.

Usage Recommendations

You can also try additional equipment like lenses, microphones, and lighting tools. None of them come in the package, but you get:

• The device;
• 2 Li-Ion batteries;
• USB charging cable;
• Travel case.

Here are some tips for beginners:

• Take advantage of online tutorials to avoid a bumpy start;
• If considering this for an Android phone, check compatibility;
• Contact Freefly customer support for answers;
• Consider adding external equipment;
• Adapt the Tilt and Roll to your liking for a perfect shot;
• Control the amount of movement that the gimbal should ignore.

We recommend this option as well, especially if you have an iPhone. With Android phones, there’s no guarantee your model will be compatible. If you have a Samsung, Google Pixel, or Xiaomi phones, the chance is that you’ll get the match. Get this one if you’re planning on creating special videos or short movies. It would be a shame to leave all these professional presents and shoot simple Instagram stories with this one.

Buyer’s Guide: Professional Tips on Using a Gimbal for Your Smartphone

Here are some tips on using gimbal that will suit both beginners and pros. Sometimes you can set everything fine but the shot comes out absolutely not as you imagined it. Maybe these will help:

• • Quit vertical shooting.
    Unless required or your story needs it (or it’s for a fancy Instagram story), consider using horizontal shots. They look more balanced and make a better impression. Wide shots will give a true cinematic experience. Also, this will allow you to use the full potential and feature base your gimbal has.
  • Adjust frame settings.
    When you shoot anything but a slow-motion video, choose 4k 30fps setting. Less frames means more light exposure time, which will capture better shots. Also, if you try to shoot a video in the dark, in addition to the Night Mode presets on your phone, it’s also important to decrease the number of frames shot per second. The lens will get more light and show better quality. Then, if you need a picture from that video, you can use any shot and it will look just like a high-quality well-lit pic.
  • Walk steadily.
    Yes, the gimbal will compensate more shakes, bumps, and other unwanted movements, but you have to help it to make perfect content. Avoid vertical movements for the smoothest shots that capture the whole frame and doesn’t need to be cropped to compensate the horizon level change.

• • Make use of the “push in/pull out” shots.
    It’s very popular now for simple videos, but you can upgrade the feature by using your gimbal’s controls to make the push-in and pull-out shots. To make the object you’re shooting more noticeable and important, push in. The shot will show more details like facial features and expressions if you’re making a video of a person. The pull-out shots will help you create a harmonious image of the object with the surroundings.
  • Create adequate algorithms.
    Following to a more sophisticated level, you can program your gimbal or perform several options in a sequence or manually help it do so. Don’t limit yourself to one preset, but also learn about the balance. Using everything in a 1-minute video will make a good presentation of all the features your stabilizer has, but it won’t make an adequate video.
  • Try using other applications to enhance the picture.
    Not all smartphone cameras have all the settings you may need. Try one or several applications that have more professional options and presets for exposure, contrast, focus, color balance, and more. Make sure the app doesn’t decrease the quality of your videos. When you find one, use it instead of your camera and try different shots to adjust every parameter manually. It’s a lot of work but a perfect shot is worth the effort.
  • Try different lenses.
    You can find anything online nowadays, even external lenses for a phone camera. Some may distort the image while others will enhance it and make your video not just a piece of content but a full experience. Using different focus features, 360-degree spinning, or focusing on an object and moving around it – all these will look so much different if you get an external lens. If you’re interested in zooming options and shooting macro videos, there are lenses for that as well. Improving the zoom optically is much better than doing so digitally.

• Don’t be afraid to play.
  Unless shooting the final version of your exam clip or something like that, don’t be afraid to play with the presets and settings. Maybe you’ll find a new combination of settings that will create a unique style. Trial and error is a great way to original shots.
• Don’t forget about post-production.
  Once you’ve filmed and cut the video, make sure you grade it and give it a feeling with a touch of colors. If you’re a beginner, make use of LUTs and presets available online. They will give wholeness and a certain mood to the video, uniting all the shots and scenes in one color palette. Later on, you’ll be able to play with colors and adjust them according to the mood of every scene, improving the quality of perception.

Try these one at a time to get used to the equipment and get to know what you want to shoot. Later on, you’ll find your best shots and techniques, what works the best for your story, and more.

Create Cinematic Masterpieces with Your Phone

A suitable gimbal will help you focus on an object and stabilize videos, making them look professional. Nowadays, to create high-quality content, you don’t need a ton of equipment and a professional camera. A smartphone with a great camera and a stabilizer will be alright at first. And when you become a true professional using that, move to a new level. That being trying additional equipment like lights, lenses, and more.

You can find those on Amazon or directly in the online shops of the gimbal you want to buy. Make sure the equipment is compatible with the stabilizer, as well as if the latter is compatible with your phone. As you can see, a lot of equipment works better with iPhones, so if you have an Android phone, it’s crucial to check the match.

Getting a gimbal is the first step to becoming a filmmaker.

Sometimes videos made only with the phone and some additional equipment become trampolines for a whole new career. But even if you only need it to make good content for Instagram, choose your best model and master it.

Considering the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 vs Freefly Movi debate, they are both at the same level of sophistication. The first one is slightly more convenient in usage due to its joystick controls, while the second one is more impressive feature-wise. To make the final choice, find video examples made with both gimbals and see for yourself which one fits your mood and needs better.