DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Twin-Lens Review: Worth the Upgrade?

Verdict First: A Pocket Studio for Solo Creators

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is a compact stabilized camera with a twin-lens gimbal system that combines a 1‑inch wide sensor and a telephoto module in a handheld form, aiming to give solo content creators phone-like versatility with far more stable, high‑quality video in one pocketable device. In plain terms, this is the Pocket many video‑first creators were waiting for. The second 60mm lens finally fixes the “too wide for everything” problem of earlier pocket gimbals, and image quality plus stabilization are excellent for its size. If you already own a Pocket 3, this is a meaningful upgrade for talking‑head work, travel vlogs and social clips; if you mostly shoot wide establishing shots and don’t need telephoto, you can hold off.

Twin-Lens Design and Handling: Pocket Gimbal Evolved

The headline feature of this dual lens gimbal camera is the 20mm equivalent wide lens on a 1‑inch CMOS sensor plus a 60mm module on a 1/1.28‑inch sensor. The wide sensor includes LOFIC circuitry to capture extra highlight detail and reduce blown-out skies or windows, which pairs well with 10‑bit D‑Log 2 recording. The telephoto’s f/1.8 look gives genuine background compression and shallow depth compared to a phone’s artificial bokeh. Physically, the handle is made of tough plastic with a secure grip and feels close to previous Pockets, though the larger gimbal head makes it a bit top‑heavy. The rotating 2‑inch, 1,000‑nit touchscreen doubles as the power switch and reveals two new customizable buttons when active, while the 5D thumb joystick plus swipes handle most operations. Control depth is high but becomes intuitive after a day of use, apart from the awkward joystick mode switching.

Stabilization and Image Quality: Better than a Phone, Smarter than a GoPro

In real-world handheld shooting, stabilization is where this compact stabilized camera earns its place in your bag. The 3‑axis mechanical gimbal keeps walking footage smooth and horizon‑level; the reviewer had “no complaints about the mechanical stabilization,” even at 4K. ActiveTrack 8.0 locks onto faces or objects and keeps them framed, which makes walk‑and‑talk pieces to camera practical for solo shooters. Image quality is a clear step up from phones, with natural color in standard modes and flexible grading from D‑Log and D‑Log 2 on the 1‑inch wide sensor. The 60mm lens excels for “real” depth‑of‑field, giving flattering portraits and vlogs without fake blur. Recording modes depend on sensor mode, resolution, aspect ratio and codec, which together decide frame rates, data rate, bit depth and file format options for each mode. Slow‑motion is available up to 4K/240fps, though D‑Log 2 is missing in some high‑frame‑rate settings.

Battery Life, Storage and Everyday Use

Battery life is quoted at 240 minutes for the Pocket 4P’s 1545 mAh cell, but in testing it delivered about 210 minutes, roughly half an hour less than the single‑lens Pocket 4 because of the heavier gimbal. High‑demand modes like 4K60, hyperlapse and slow‑motion drain it faster, yet fast charging to around 80% in under 20 minutes keeps it usable over a long day. A newer battery handle accessory further boosts runtime and counterbalances the top‑heavy head. Internal storage has been bumped to 103GB alongside microSD support, turning the camera into “a mobile creator’s studio” with generous space and simple DJI Mic pairing for synced audio. Wi‑Fi 6 and USB 3.1 make offloading high‑bitrate clips quick, even for dense 200Mbps footage. The main ergonomic miss is the lack of a built‑in tripod thread on the base; you must attach an add‑on handle with a tripod mount when you want to lock it off.

Pocket Gimbal Comparison and Upgrade Value

From a pocket gimbal comparison standpoint, the Pocket 4P folds in all the refinements of the recent Pocket 4 while adding the “big thing” earlier owners were waiting for: a second camera with meaningful telephoto reach. Against action‑camera‑style rivals like the Insta360 Luna Ultra, the 4P leans into its gimbal strengths: stabilized, controllable framing and reliable face tracking instead of fixed‑lens ultra‑wide footage. According to one hands-on verdict, “strictly within the terms the camera sets itself, the performance is excellent.” For Pocket 3 users, the extra dynamic range and Log 2 alone may not justify upgrading, but the 60mm lens does; as one reviewer put it, they “would not upgrade for the extra dynamic range and the Log‑2” but found the telephoto reason enough. If your work is built around vlogs, travel, vertical clips and solo talking heads, the 4P feels like the current sweet spot in the Osmo Pocket line.

Buy if / Skip if

• Buy the Osmo Pocket 4P if you are a solo content creator who relies on ActiveTrack subject tracking and wants a pocket studio with stabilized 4K video.
• Skip the Osmo Pocket 4P if you already own a Pocket 3 and rarely need telephoto framing or background compression for your shots.
• Buy the Osmo Pocket 4P if you want a dual lens gimbal camera that outperforms phones for natural color, depth of field and low‑noise footage.
• Skip the Osmo Pocket 4P if you need full D‑Log 2 support across every frame rate and mode, including slow‑motion.
• Buy the Osmo Pocket 4P if long battery life, fast charging and generous internal plus microSD storage matter more than shaving off a few grams of weight.
• Skip the Osmo Pocket 4P if you require a built‑in tripod thread and a dedicated physical zoom slider rather than accessory mounts and shared controls.