Ozmo Pocket 3
Osmo Pocket 3 Photography Test
Can this tiny camera handle street photography in Lisbon?
Can the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 take good photographs? I put it to the test on the streets of Lisbon — from long exposures to trams, golden light, and harsh shadows. Here's what I learned about this tiny camera's photography capabilities.
Hello there folks and how is it going? Welcome to Lisbon.
In today's video, we are going to answer the age-old question: can the Osmo Pocket 3 take good photographs? That's ultimately what we're here to try and do.
As many of you know, I got this Osmo Pocket 3 as part of my kit before we left home to come on this adventure, and I've been testing the waters a little bit in terms of taking pictures with it. So, I've ultimately decided to come to Lisbon and put it to its test.
Lisbon has some absolutely gorgeous architecture and it's a wonderful city for new meets old. I've been to Lisbon many times and really love it. It's probably one of my favorite cities in Europe, if not the world. And I figure this would be a good opportunity to put this little camera to the test.
The Experiment
I'm not going to get too overly technical in this because I don't really do that kind of stuff. But maybe we'll pixel peep a little bit if we feel like we want to do something along those lines.
I was taking some photographs as I was walking into the city this evening, testing the waters with the little variable ND filter and the wide-angle magnet thing, seeing if we can go about taking some long exposures as well.
One of the main reasons why I wanted to create this video was because I always found myself being quite drawn to street photography. For me, travel photography always encompasses a deeper story to a location, and it's not just about that one particular scene. I used to take pictures all the time, and I still walk around with my camera in hand, but it's a very different kind of situation nowadays.
Street photography in Lisbon — beautiful light and long shadows.
16x9 vs 1:1 Aspect Ratio
It dawned on me when I was looking through the pictures that they were all shot at a 16x9 aspect ratio. Now look, I love a good 16x9 aspect ratio, but for this kind of stuff, I don't think it really works too well.
You basically have two options with this little fella: the 16x9 aspect ratio and the 1:1 aspect ratio. I do like a good 1:1 aspect ratio. The problem I have with 16x9, particularly in a portrait orientation, is that they're just too long. They're too Instagram stories, and I'm not really super keen on that.
I think the next images I take will be in a 1:1 aspect ratio. It gives you that framing on the camera, so it enables you to be a bit more intuitive in relation to what you're shooting.
1:1 aspect ratio — a cleaner frame for street photography.
Long shadows in golden light — Lisbon at its best.
I am super happy with how these images turned out. I love the long shadows of street photography, particularly in golden light like this. It really lends itself super duper well to capturing really nice story-driven images.
Long Exposures with the Osmo Pocket 3
I also decided to try some long exposures. I have this little variable ND filter, and I popped it on to see about taking some longer exposures.
When the sun starts to set in Lisbon, you need to be very high in order to see it and get those really beautiful sunset views. Which I'm not — I'm right down at the bottom. So I tried to play around with this little fella and see if I could handhold some longer exposures.
In terms of the long exposure capability, I was only able to get it down to about a half a second, even with the variable ND on. Which is okay. Half a second is always nice.
Long exposure in Lisbon — half a second handheld.
I'm super happy with the idea and the notion that you can take long exposure images to a certain degree, handheld, with this Osmo Pocket 3. There's still plenty more to experiment and find good compositions and streak those lights as we all so enjoy.
The Trams — Quintessential Lisbon
One of the most iconic subjects in Lisbon is the trams. I stood there waiting for one to come around the corner so I could capture it in motion.
I love this kind of scene. Coupling this with a long exposure gives a nice sense of motion. And for me, there's nothing as quintessentially Lisbon as these beautiful trams roaming through the town.
The iconic Lisbon trams — captured in motion.
These particular images I'm actually very happy with. I think these might be my favorite ones from the lot. The idea of travel photography really hits home when you are photographing scenes like this because these trams tell such a deep story to the city of Lisbon.
Harsh Shadows and High Contrast
The next day, I was out again, this time seeking harsh contrast. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, so if there was ever a day to do that, it would be this one.
Whereas the previous evening we were looking at beautiful long, soft shadows in the dying light of the day, today we seek harsh contrast. I love street photography and architectural photography where I've got these really harsh shadows and lines.
Harsh shadows and high contrast — a different side of Lisbon.
I love scenes where you've got a gorgeous harsh shadow on one side and beautiful sunlight on the other. The intention is to capture somebody either in the shadow with light on their face or in the bright sunshine. It's a wonderful thing because you've got the beautiful texture of the wall and then the shutter acting as a lovely background.
The contrast between light and shadow creates drama.
Street photography in Lisbon — finding the story.
Verdict — Does the Osmo Pocket 3 Take Good Photographs?
Does the Osmo Pocket 3 take good photographs? Yeah, sure. Of course it does.
The term "good photograph" is quite a subjective thing. So really, you know, it works. It takes photographs and that's what it does. There's no denying the video capabilities of it. The convenience of this little thing has been total game-changer stuff.
I think the shortcomings for me, anyway, and what I set out to do with it — the gimbal just not being able to keep up. It's just so quick. And then of course the fact that you can only shoot at a 16x9 or 1:1. You can always crop it after the fact, whatever. It's fine.
As Chase Jarvis once said, "The best camera really is the one that you have with you."
In terms of moving forward, trying to use it as part of my workflow when I want to create a bit more behind-the-scenes stuff — if I have it in my hand, I can turn it around, grab a picture. Fine, dandy, whatever.
But the responsiveness of my phone, the Google Pixel, will probably be quicker. Phones are always in your pocket anyway. I'd probably reach for that sooner than trying to faff this thing out of the little case.
Inspired to explore Lisbon with your camera?
Whether you're using an Osmo Pocket 3 or a full-frame DSLR, the key to great street photography is learning to see the light. If you'd like to take your photography to the next level, I'd love to have you on one of my photography workshops — where we focus on the art of seeing, not just the gear.
Beyond the Frame — Master the Skill of Seeing
Whether you're shooting with a smartphone or a professional camera, the most important tool is your eye. Join me for an All The Ways You Wander workshop, where we move past the technical physics of the camera and learn to truly converse with light.
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