DJI Osmo Mobile 7 Review

Introduction

DJI recently announced the two newest additions to its OM line of smartphone gimbals, the Osmo Mobile 7 and the Osmo Mobile 7P. 

Weighing around 300g, the Osmo Mobile 7 is the lightest gimbal in its class and the cheaper option of the two stabilisers. However, that doesn’t mean it deserves to be brushed over. The gimbal boasts the same 7th-gen stabilisation, ActiveTrack 7.0 technology and support for the new Multifunctional Module if you decide to pick one up later down the line for $49/£39. 

To learn more about the Osmo Mobile 7P, check out our review of the $149/£135 gimbal. If you’re on a budget or looking for something a smidge more compact and lightweight, read on to learn all about the $89/£85 Osmo Mobile 7.

Design

• The Osmo Mobile 7 is lightweight and folds away compactly 
• The gimbal has a built-in tripod but no extension rod 
• The phone clamp snaps onto the gimbal magnetically 

The Osmo Mobile 7 is a small, compact gimbal that slips easily into most bags and even large coat pockets when folded down. The gimbal also comes in a soft grey drawstring dust bag, perfect for keeping it scratch and scuff-free on the go. 

I am especially fond of the way the tripod is now stored inside the handle of the gimbal, preventing you from needing to carry an additional tripod accessory and stopping the handle from being unnecessarily long with a tripod grip attached. This is a feature already seen on the Insta360 Flow, Flow Pro and Flow Pro 2.

DJI has ditched the built-in extension rod on the Osmo Mobile 7, reserving this feature for the pricier Osmo Mobile 7P. This essentially means you’ll be trading out the built-in extension rod for the built-in tripod when upgrading from the Osmo Mobile 6 to the Osmo Mobile 7. If you don’t find yourself needing a selfie stick, this won’t be a problem. However, if you don’t want to make any trade-offs, the Osmo Mobile 7P and Insta360 Flow Pro 2 offer the best of both worlds in this respect. 

The Osmo Mobile 7 is a bit smaller and more lightweight than the Osmo Mobile 7P, but not by a substantial amount. The Osmo Mobile 7 measures 179 x 95 x 39mm folded, 278 x 107 x 93mm unfolded and weighs 300g, whereas the Osmo Mobile 7P measures 190 x 95 x 46mm folded, 288 x 107 x 96mm unfolded and weighs 368g.

However, if you add the optional Multifunctional Module to the Osmo Mobile 7, as I did, this will bring the weight a bit closer to the Osmo Mobile 7P’s. 

The Osmo Mobile 7 can support phones weighing 170 to 300g, meaning my iPhone 14 was on the lower side. However, most phones should easily fit in this range – with or without factoring in a case – including larger lens Android phones. 

To get started all you need to do is rotate the arm of the gimbal and snap the phone clamp (either the basic one included in the box or the one that comes with the Multifunctional Module) onto the arm using the magnetic mechanism. I found the tripod easy to put up and fold away, with each motion taking a matter of seconds. If you’re using the Multifunctional Module you can simply snap that onto the side of the clamp. 

I’d love to see DJI implement a MagSafe mechanism in the future to cut down on the more fiddly part of clipping a smartphone in place. Third-party accessory manufacturers have marketed MagSafe adapters on previous generations, but it’d be good to see DJI offer this functionality out of the box. 

App and Tracking 

• The Osmo Mobile 7 works with the DJI Mimo app 
• ActiveTrack 7.0 locks onto a subject and follows them automatically 
• The gimbal can be used alongside the Multifunctional Module (sold separately) 

The Osmo Mobile 7 works in conjunction with the DJI Mimo app. While you don’t need to install the app to use the gimbal or shooting modes, you’d miss out on loads of neat features by opting not to use it. 

Connecting the gimbal to the app is as simple as tapping the camera button. Mimo immediately recognised the Osmo Mobile 7 and, after a brief tutorial, I was good to go. Unlike the stabilisers in DJI’s RS line, the Osmo Mobile 7 doesn’t require any manual balancing when you first attach your phone, making this a much less daunting option for vloggers and content creators. 

Key features available in the app include the ability to manually adjust the exposure, shutter speed and ISO, easily move between resolutions and video frame rates and a series Glamour Effects that allow you to tweak your appearance. While the smoothing and brightening options did a good job of airbrushing my skin, I found it was easy to push the slimming and eye-enlarging filters too far and end up looking a bit like an alien. 

A slider at the bottom of the camera view makes toggling through different effects a breeze. These include Hyper-lapse, Time-lapse, Dyna-zoom, Slow-motion, Video, Photo, Pano, Parents & Kids and Story, with the latter offering a range of templates to choose from. 

ActiveTrack 7.0 is the latest version of DJI’s subject tracking technology found inside the Osmo Mobile 7 and Mobile 7P. This feature allows you to lock on to a human, pet or object with a tap and ensure they remain centred in the frame. ActiveTrack 7.0 can stay locked on someone while zooming and when another person crosses in front of them. DJI has also made switching subjects more seamless by turning cancelling tracking and selecting a new subject into one action rather than two with ActiveTrack 7.0. I found this tracking to be incredibly effective, ensuring I stayed centred in frame even with small movements.

The Osmo Mobile 7 also supports a range of gesture controls, including raising your palm to start and stop tracking and throwing up a peace sign to stop and start shooting. You can also make a double L gesture with two hands to adjust the framing of your subject. 

The gimbal is compatible with the Apple Watch, allowing you to view a live camera feed, frame your shot, control the shutter and set countdown timers from your wrist. 

Pick up the Multifunctional Module and you also get access to intelligent tracking and gesture controls outside of the Mimo app, including in your phone’s native camera app and live-streaming apps. The module includes a fill light with four levels of brightness and colour temperature, which I found to be bright enough to lighten up my face (and temporarily have me seeing stars after the fact) at its top 40 lux level. It can also function as a wireless mic receiver when paired with DJI’s Mic Mini Transmitter for those looking to capture clearer audio. 

Once you’re done shooting, you can assemble clips in the Mimo app with One-Tap Edit, or import them into your favourite editing app to edit them together yourself. 

Stabilisation and Performance  

• 7th-gen 3-axis stabilisation ensures every shot is smooth 
• Shooting modes include PTF, PF, FPV and SpinShot 
• The gimbal has a 10-hour battery life and can be used as a phone charger in a pinch 

All of the above features aside, a gimbal isn’t a gimbal without some effective stabilisation. 

Luckily, the Osmo Mobile 7 isn’t lacking in this arena as it is equipped with DJI’s 7th generation 3-axis stabilisation. This technology ensures every shot is smooth, whether you’re walking with the camera, or letting ActiveTrack 7.0 do the work as you move around the frame. 

There are also several shooting modes available on the gimbal if you prefer to use manual controls over gestures or relying on subject tracking. These can be toggled with the M button, with modes including PTF (pan and tilt follow), PF (pan follow), FPV (first person view) and SpinShot.

You can use the joystick or tilt the handle to control the camera, with other manual buttons including a record button, a button to flip between the front and back camera, a zoom/focus slider on the side of the gimbal and a trigger on the back that can return the gimbal to its default position. 

Finally, the Osmo Mobile 7 can function as a portable charger when your phone is running low on battery. This also works while the gimbal is in use, meaning you don’t need to stop recording or live-streaming to give your phone a quick boost. 

The gimbal itself has a 10-hour battery life which drops down to five hours with the Multifunctional Module attached or four hours with the Module attached and the fill light cranked up. This means you can easily extend the battery life by foregoing the 4-in-1 accessory on days you might not be able to get to a charger.

Should you buy it?

FAQs