DJI Osmo 360: Bringing Fun Back To Content Creation

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The purpose of this camera goes beyond capturing 360° videos and photos—it’s about bringing fun back into content creation like it used to be. Let’s explore why the DJI Osmo 360 could attract an entire new generation of 360 camera enthusiasts. Content creation should be about fun, and 360 cameras have been trending upward over the past five years. This growth stems from their improving capabilities and appearance, plus more people learning to enjoy themselves again when creating content. The Osmo 360 is making the world of 360 video more approachable, and this upward trend in content creation will likely continue.

Note: this video is sponsored by DJI.

Addressing 360 Camera Challenges

However, several considerations remain for anyone thinking about getting a 360 camera. The camera that can address and minimize these negatives will rise above the rest long-term.

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Extra editing time presents the biggest hurdle. Every single clip captured needs manipulation and trimming to achieve the desired result, which can intimidate new users. While the biggest benefit of a 360 camera creates the biggest inconvenience—that extra editing time—the Osmo 360 addresses this problem with the new DJI Studio app. This simple, user-friendly program allows anyone to become comfortable after just a couple of minutes of use.

File size concerns cannot be eliminated, even by DJI. 360 video files are huge, especially now that they can record in 8K at 50 frames per second. This presents a big challenge for most computers, so checking recommended computer specifications before purchasing a 360 camera is essential, particularly newer models that record in 8K.

The 360 camera look keeps many people away from these devices. Sometimes the video footage simply looks goofy, and for people wanting exceptionally fine-tuned videos, that look isn’t suitable. With the Osmo 360, the distortion that many despise is less noticeable, especially with DJI’s dewarp button—it literally looks like an action camera when used. Users can still access the ultra-wide look, wide look, or tiny planet effects when desired.

Performance in Challenging Conditions

Two additional negatives about 360 cameras—low light performance and audio quality—have always been struggles for most action cameras and 360 cameras, but they’re improving. The Osmo 360 excels at both of these areas.

Whether using Super Night mode or regular panoramic mode, this camera handles low light exceptionally well. Testing at the Scandinavian Heritage Park’s dark buildings revealed the Osmo 360’s wonderful job adjusting for lighting conditions. The camera demonstrated exceptional dynamic range performance, handling the contrast between bright outdoor areas and very dark indoor hallways.

The Osmo 360 also delivers the best native audio experienced in this category. However, it’s still not as good as using an external Bluetooth microphone like the DJI Mic Mini While the audio directly from the Osmo 360 is actually pretty good compared to other action cameras and 360 cameras seen over recent years, an external microphone sounds much better and provides a more pleasing experience for viewers.

Stabilization on the Osmo 360 is excellent. Even when riding on an ATV with the camera bouncing around, the footage comes out great. It’s difficult to imagine how stabilization on action cameras and 360 cameras could improve further, but the Osmo 360 ranks among the best currently available.

The image quality has been another deterrent for potential 360 camera buyers, but with 10-bit video recording and the ability to record in D-Log M, the Osmo 360 produces the best-looking video footage available. Compared to the new Insta360 X5, the colors on the Osmo 360 appear more natural—less saturated and more crisp. While it’s still a 360 camera requiring cropping into the image, so expectations shouldn’t match a full-frame mirrorless camera, it’s very solid for what it is.

For those already in the DJI ecosystem, this camera makes perfect sense. It integrates with the DJI Mimo app, uses the same mounts as the action cameras, shares the same batteries, and maintains the same build quality as other high-quality DJI products. The 105 GB of onboard storage eliminates the frustration of forgetting to insert a memory card before leaving home.

One of the most enjoyable activities with a 360 camera involves mounting it on top of a drone. While drones already have cameras, the 360-degree view provides a cool perspective allowing users to pan around and observe surroundings differently than with just the drone camera. This creates unique content that generates viewer interest because it’s immersive and different.

Areas for Improvement

Several opportunities exist for improvement on the Osmo 360. Most importantly, users cannot replace the lenses themselves, which is significant . While DJI offers repairs at affordable prices, the downside requires sending the camera in and waiting for its return—potentially one to two weeks . Since these fragile, vulnerable lenses will likely break, having replaceable lenses would allow users to resume recording within minutes.

The software needs more fun modes and post-processing features. Currently offering panoramic photo, panoramic video, Super Night mode, selfie mode, vortex, and time-lapse or hyperlapse, it’s a good start, but Insta360 provides significantly more user modes and post-processing features.

The DJI Studio app has one frustrating issue: when moving the cursor during footage editing, it flashes different clips and angles in the preview panel. This becomes incredibly distracting when the playhead is positioned at a specific timeline spot. Additionally, the Mimo app needs a split feature for video editing—the ability to razor cut or split video clips like the studio software allows.

One major positive feature allows editing files while they remain on the camera, then exporting only the edited files to the computer. This saves significant time and hard drive space.

Who Should Consider This Camera

If interested in action sports like biking, skiing, motorsports, or skateboarding, this camera is basically a no-brainer. Users never worry about aiming the camera at the right angle and get footage that feels far more immersive than standard GoPro or other action camera shots.

Travel vloggers or those documenting adventures and locations might find this camera beneficial. It allows packing one single device to capture multiple perspectives while carrying less gear—crucial for adventure travelers. Professionals working in real estate walkthroughs, small business promotions, or behind-the-scenes content also benefit from 360 cameras. The unique perspective generates recognition and appreciation from viewers because it’s immersive and different.

For creators wanting to push creativity, maintain flexibility in post-production, invest extra editing time, and have fun doing something different, the Osmo 360 makes considerable sense. DJI has made 360 cameras more approachable, and the progression over the next few years should prove exciting.

Check out more content from Russ at 51 Drones and subscribe to the 51 Drones YouTube channel for comprehensive camera comparisons and drone reviews.