Killer firmware makes the already hard-to-find DJI Osmo Pocket 3 vlogging camera even more desirable

Since my initial 4.5-star Osmo Pocket 3 review, the gimbal-stabilized vlogging camera has become a firm favourite, and now DJI has released some significant upgrades via a free firmware update.

Med-tele (2x zoom)

Perhaps the most exciting is a 2x zoom, or "Med-Tele" to use DJI's term. For the mathematically inclined, it offers 40mm effective focal length, but retains the full resolution of 4K video.

There are a couple of compromises you need to make to take advantage of this crop without losing detail – the ISO cannot go above 1600 at this zoom, and ActiveTrack is not supported.

D-Log M (10-bit) in webcam

If you stream content, you now have the option of wider dynamic range and the full color depth of DJI's D-Log M format, previously only available when recording.

Breathing compensation

A smart addition to focus compensation AI, designed to notice the shift in focussing distance when recording caused by the operator's breathing and then make corrections for it.

This trick is especially noticeable at the points where the linear nature of focus transitions are more obvious, such as a focus pull or when tracking a moving subject. The result should be a higher apparent level of quality.

The Mimo app

The DJI Mimo app, which underpins this and other DJI products like the Osmo Action cameras and the OM7 phone gimbals, has also received an update to version 2.2.2.

The most notable update is support for background updates, so you can continue to use the device while files are being transferred. Given that a lot of workflows requite files to end up on the phone of editing and social sharing, this has the potential to prevent awkward halts for creators.

Video screenshots are also now possible in iOS and leading Android devices.

All these features have been available since late February and are delivered by automatic update, or can be found at the DJI Download Center.

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You might also be interested in my guide to the best camera drones (where DJI perfected the technology behind the Osmo Pocket 3), and our guide to the best phone gimbals and the best gimbals for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.