Which DJI camera should I buy? Here's our essential guide to your options, including the results of our in-depth testing | Tech Radar

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Which DJI camera should I buy? Here's our essential guide to your options, including the results of our in-depth testing

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Historically, the DJI brand has been all about drones. It remains an undisputed leader in that category, but in recent years its also solidified a name in compact cameras for content capture.

The two key ranges are the Osmo Action and the Osmo Pocket. The Action is DJI's classic action camera, with a rugged build designed to happily capture high-quality content no matter how much you bump, drop, submerge, freeze, or generally throw it about. The Pocket is a compact, image-stabilizing gimbal camera designed for vloggers. It can easily switch between vertical and horizontal shooting, and is set up to make selfie capture easy. There are also a couple of outliers: the Osmo 360 360-degree camera and the tiny, wearable Osmo Nano.

Most of these cams are leaders in their respective categories — this brand crops up in numerous best-of lists, including the best action camera, best 360 camera and best vlogging camera. If you're thinking of buying one but aren't quite sure of your options, or which to pick, you've come to the right place.

Our camera review team has tested every single one of the DJI cameras currently available to buy, and below you'll find a quick guide to the different models, plus summaries of our main testing takeaways, and links to read the full review for each (hit the More details button).

Note: You will only see cards for the products available to buy in your region. Due to FCC fun and games, not all new models are available in the US.

Osmo Actions are traditional action cameras — DJI's answer to a Go Pro. They sport an all-in-one design, with all the hallmarks you'd expect from a good action cam: a robust, waterproof, compact design, front and back screens, mics, and features like time-lapse, slow-mo and (on newer models) subject tracking.

The current generation is the Osmo Action 6, but the Osmo Action 5 Pro (there's no not-Pro version, so treat this like a naming quirk) and the Osmo Action 4 are widely available too, including direct from DJI. It's also quite easy to get hold of an Osmo Action 3.

The specs and features differ slightly from model to model — you can see our review of each one by hitting the 'More details' button, and this DJI Osmo Action comparison page is useful for highlighting the differences.

You'll struggle to find either now, but the two previous models are the Action 2 and the original Osmo Action. The Action 2 was a particularly interesting swerve from DJI — it looked completely different from the rest of the range, with a modular build. For the third gen, DJI pivoted straight back to a more traditional all-in-one design, and that's what it's stuck with ever since.

Osmo pockets are compact, gimbal-stabilized 4K cameras designed specifically for vlogging. The current model is the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 — although it's not yet sold in the US. The Osmo Pocket 3 is still widely available to buy, as (to a certain extent) is the DJI Pocket 2.

Both the 3 and 4 boast a compact design, excellent video stabilization, crisp 4K video, the ability to swap easily between vertical and horizontal shooting. The 4th gen version polishes things up a bit, improving the slow-mo mode, bumping up the video specs, tightening up the subject tracking and making it available in more modes, boosting battery life and increasing the internal memory. It also adds a magnetic gimbal arm, onto which accessories such as fill lights can be snapped.

If you're not quite sure about the Pocket range, another option for content creators is to stick with your phone for recording, but add in a DJI Osmo Mobile — a smartphone gimbal with advanced tracking capabilities.

Finally, there are a couple of (as-yet) standalone DJI cameras. The DJI Osmo Nano is a shrunk-down and stripped back version of its Action series. Small enough to be mounted on a pendant or hat, it's designed for on-the-go content capture. The magnetic, modular design makes it nice and versatile.

The Osmo 360 is a DJI's first 360-degree camera, and we thought it was "undeniably extremely compelling" first effort. We were impressed with the pricing too, which is very competitive within that particular market.

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Ruth is Tech Radar's Collections Editor, responsible for masterminding Tech Radar's approach towards the new Collections format — a themed, curated selection of product recommendations designed to provide readers with an exciting new way to shop for the very best new gadgets and gizmos.

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