Quick take: I compared the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and Canon PowerShot V1 category by category. The Osmo wins on price, tracking, stabilization and pocketability, so it's the easy pick for walk-and-talk vloggers and handing to non-camera people. The V1 wins on image quality, audio, battery and power, the lens, and shooting aids like 9:16 frame guides, so it's my pick for events, talking-head YouTube and anyone with a production mindset. Menus were a tie. If I had to keep one, it's the PowerShot V1.
The Test Rig
I built "Compare Rigzilla" to film both cameras side by side: two V-mount batteries powering everything, my phone screen-recording the Osmo Pocket 3 and my Atomos Ninja V recording the V1. You don't need any of that. It just lets me show you both cameras at once.
Price: Osmo Pocket 3
The V1 is $899 and has nearly everything built in. When I shot this, the Osmo Pocket 3 base model was $619 after a price hike. By the time I edited it, it had jumped again to $799 for the base camera, with the Creator Combo at $979 and the Vlog Combo at about $1,048 before tax. A year earlier it was $519, and it went on sale for around $400. The Osmo still has the lower entry point, but it's now neck and neck.
Image Quality: PowerShot V1
The V1 has a larger sensor than the Osmo's 1-inch sensor, which helps as the light drops. Both record 10-bit files and have log modes. On set I called it a draw, since the V1's highlights looked a bit hotter in the preview. But reviewing the footage, the V1 looks clearly better, even in good light, between Canon's color science and the bigger sensor. The Osmo's colors are oddly saturated in some areas and washed out in others, with visible sharpening.
Tracking and Autofocus: Osmo Pocket 3
Autofocus is great on both. Neither has a fast lens, and I haven't had a Canon autofocus problem in years. But the Osmo's ActiveTrack gimbal physically follows you and keeps you centered. The V1 only works if it's pointed at you.
Audio: PowerShot V1
The Osmo's onboard mic has no wind muff option and sounds rough in the wind. The V1 has the best onboard mic I've heard on a camera, with Sony-style automatic directional audio. Both record 16-bit internal audio. The Osmo pairs beautifully with DJI's wireless mics, including 32-bit float, but it has no mic jack, so no shotgun mics. The V1 has a 3.5mm mic jack, a multi-function shoe for Canon's cable-free mic and a headphone jack for monitoring, which matters for podcasts, multi-camera shoots and interviews.
Portability: Osmo Pocket 3
The Osmo is smaller and slimmer, and I can fit it and a mic in one pocket. Protect the gimbal with a case, and consider DJI Care Refresh if you're rough on gear. The V1 still fits in my pocket, but it's bigger and you have to attach the mic each time. It's close.
Menus: Tie
The Osmo uses swipe menus. The V1 has a traditional, clearly labeled camera menu with a Q menu and custom My Menu, which I find more intuitive. But you'll get used to the Osmo in a few days. Neither overheated. The Osmo got warm, while the V1 has a built-in fan.
Battery and Power: PowerShot V1
The V1 is rated around 70 minutes, but I shot about 1 hour 20 minutes of 4K 24. The base Osmo lasts about twice as long, and the Creator Combo's battery grip extends it further. But the V1 has swappable batteries, while the Osmo's is built in, which I hate. And on USB-C power, the V1 bypasses its battery and powers the camera directly, so there's no charging heat, while the Osmo charges its internal battery as it runs, which could cause heat issues on long sessions.
Lens: PowerShot V1
The V1 has a 16-50mm equivalent F2.8-4.5 zoom, like a really good kit lens. It's much wider than the Osmo, close to my Sigma 10-18mm on the X-M5, and gives real optical background blur at the long end. The Osmo has a fixed lens, a wide adapter that costs extra and blocks ND filters, and a newer lossless digital zoom that looks decent but has less reach.
Stabilization: Osmo Pocket 3
It's not close. The Osmo's gimbal handles everything except Z-axis bounce, and there's an accessory for that. The V1 has optical stabilization, which works for my set-down-and-talk style, but walk-and-talk footage is much shakier, even on my rig.
Features and Shooting Aids: PowerShot V1
Both shoot 4K 60 (cropped on the V1), and the Osmo adds 4K 120, which is fun for B-roll but rarely used. The V1 has a built-in histogram, LUT preview and 9:16 frame guides, so you can compose vertical and horizontal video at once from the same 4K recording. The Osmo needs your phone for a histogram, which is why I didn't shoot log on it here.
Which Camera Is for You?
Walk-and-talk vloggers: Osmo Pocket 3. Add a mic and you're done.
Handing a camera to non-camera people: Osmo Pocket 3. Set it to auto and it just works.
Event work and talking-head YouTube: PowerShot V1. Better image, better audio and it matches Canon cinema cameras. It also takes great photos and can use flash through the multi-function shoe.
Smooth B-roll and extra angles: Osmo Pocket 3, especially with 4K 120.
I took off my production-guy hat for this one, and I see the Osmo's appeal beyond being a toy content tool. But if I had to keep one, it's the PowerShot V1.
Keep Reading
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