The Xtra Muse – a rebranded version of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – is now at its lowest price point yet for Prime members. Knocked down to $499 from $699, this thing is pretty much a no-brainer compared to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. The reason for the massive price drop? They’ve managed to sidestep some pricey import fees that have been jacking up the cost of similar products. This compact beast still packs a 1 inch CMOS sensor, a 3 axis gimbal to make your footage silky smooth and enough smarts to keep your mug in the center of the shot, even while you’re rambling on about the best way to make a decent cup of coffee at the local cafe.
Pull it out of the small pouch it arrives in, and the first thing you notice is how well it balances in your hand – not too big, nor too small. It’s 5.5 inches long, weighs approximately the same as a pack of cards, and can be folded up completely to save room – no bulky case required. Flipping open the 2 inch OLED touchscreen is a pleasure; the device spins easily for all those vertical images that are so popular on social media, and the display has a nice solid click to it. In about 2 seconds, a very tidy interface appears, allowing you to change modes or adjust the exposure. When you push the record button, the gimbal immediately starts to work, employing those smart motorized axes to balance out any wobbling as you walk.
- Cinematic-Style Footage - Experience the power of Xtra Muse's 1-inch CMOS sensor, capable of recording breathtaking 4K resolution videos at 120fps....
- Ultra-Steady Shooting - No more shaky videos! Xtra Muse's advanced 3-axis gimbal camera stabilizer ensures exceptional smoothness. Enjoy smooth...
- Effortless Framing - Enjoy Xtra Muse's expansive 2-inch touch screen, and switch between horizontal and vertical shooting effortlessly.
The video quality on the item is excellent from the start; the sensor captures 4K footage at a massive 120 frames per second, allowing you to slow down any action sequences you choose without losing information. In natural light, the colors stand out – rich blacks, bright greens, and all that jazz. However, for low-light images, the larger pixels really do a decent job of managing dim corners, far outperforming most phone cameras. The auto background blur also works well, keeping distractions out of the way and your subject sharp. The audio is fairly clear with the built-in microphones, picking up voices above background noise without any ugly distortion. But if you want even better sound, simply connect an additional receiver via USB and you’re ready to go.
Solo shooting is made easy thanks to tracking features. Simply tap the screen, and the camera will lock onto whatever is in front of it – face or object – and remain there while you move around the area. In a backyard barbecue test, it kept up with a soccer ball as it bounced and was flung around, effortlessly adjusting focus without the need for a single human adjustment. And panos are simple to create – simply press a button and the camera will capture a 180-degree image, ideal for sweeping landscape photos.
Because of its ease of use, the Muse is a gift for creators working under tight deadlines. It takes less than a minute to get started: simply charge it, launch the companion app, and you’re ready to go. The software even handles simple file transfers to your phone; however, if you want to perform any actual editing, you’ll need to stick to the camera’s screen. When it comes to exporting, the files are ready to go in seconds, complete with 10-bit log profiles that allow you to fine-tune them in post-production.
