DJI Osmo Mobile 8 Gimbal Boasts 10-Hour Battery Life, Apple DockKit Support

Photo credit: DJI
Folded up, DJI’s new Osmo Mobile 8 fits neatly into a coat pocket like a thick paperback, neither too big nor too little. But when unfolded, that dark gray arm of its predecessor, the 7P, swings open with a satisfying snap – except now there’s a smart little swivel joint you can’t see that allows the camera to revolve in a full 360-degree circle. Simply point your phone at whatever and press the record button; the horizon will remain visible with no shaking.

Hold the handle low so that the ground brushes against it, and the gimbal will tilt forward on its own as you walk. A toddler rides by on a tricycle, as the lens lowers, follows, and rises without your awareness. Pets, children, strangers—anything that’s moving, warm, and full of life—all stay right in the center of the picture. Apple refers to this as DockKit. But honestly, DJI could have simply called it “Tuesday” and nobody would have batted an eyelid.

You want the camera to begin filming quickly, so you tap the side of the handle with the back of your iPhone. After thirty seconds, you’re up and running. There’s no need to meddle with apps or navigate menus; everything works seamlessly with your default camera app. Android users must continue to use the Mimo app, but iPhone folks like you now have access to a charming little feature that everyone else has long envied. You get a small black puck that clamps onto the handle. Plug a Mic Mini into it, and you’ll have terrific audio without the need for a separate receiver attached to your collar. Twist the puck 90 degrees, and a halo of soft light appears around a face that would otherwise be cast in shade.


The battery life is now up to ten real-world hours. You can simply leave your phone hooked into the base, and the gimbal will charge it while you continue to video. The built-in tripod collapses in half a second, and the extension rod telescopes out eight inches if you need it for a group selfie with the kids cut off in the middle.

Yes, the weight has increased slightly to 370g overall – but you’ll only notice this if you compare it to the previous 7P, which is now shaking precariously on a table while the new one sits perfectly still. The seventh generation motors are quieter than a refrigerator whirring away at night. If you need to move from portrait to landscape mode, the screen will flip before your thumb leaves the button.


Low-angle shots used to require getting down on your hands and knees till your knees screamed for mercy, but now you can simply flip the grip upside down, triple tap the trigger, and the screen rotates 180 degrees. Film a dog’s perspective of the park without lying in the mud. Panoramas are also a breeze. Lock the phone horizontally, swipe up, and the arm spins around once, twice, or three times – all by itself – and the strip stitches itself together directly in the camera, eliminating the need to complete everything on the desktop. Spin videos for the story now loop indefinitely, with no visible seams.


Gesture control continues to function as expected: a raised palm begins recording, and a peace sign stops it immediately. The puck can pick up your hand signals from up to 10 feet away, allowing you to fire up a take even if both hands are busy handling shopping bags. After 10 hours of constant use, the battery has approximately half of its capacity remaining. Simply plug in at night and the gimbal will be completely charged and ready to go the next day.


The pricing remains $149, the same as when the 7P debuted. And, as expected, the box includes the gimbal, the puck, a solid magnetic clamp that holds firm, a pair of cables, and a good pouch with a zip closing. Everything else, including extra mics, spare pucks, and a wrist strap, will cost extra, as DJI has trained us to expect.