DJI is following up and presenting a new edition relatively soon after the 7th generation of the smartphone gimbal. The DJI Osmo Mobile 8 comes with a few exciting new features. These include a 360° rotating pan axis, more tracking features and Apple DockKit support. This makes it the most versatile smartphone gimbal currently available at an attractive price. Our test reveals more.
Technical data
| The product | Osmo Mobile 8 |
| Type | 3-axis gimbal |
| Dimensions | 190 mm × 95 mm × 46 mm (folded); 288 mm 107 mm × 96 mm (unfolded) |
| weight | 370 grams |
| Tilt | -20° to 40° |
| Roll | -67° to 245° |
| Pivot | 360° |
| Number of modes | 4 |
| Battery life | up to 10 hours |
| Charging time | maximum 2.5 hours |
| Cell phone weight | maximum 300 grams |
| Light | 40 lux; 2500K – 6000K |
| Special features | AI tracking, integrated fill light, control panel with joystick, stabilizer, DJI Mic Mini transmitter; Apple DockKit |
| Price | € 159.00 * |
DJI Osmo Mobile 8 review: Little new in terms of looks
- Identical design to its predecessor
- High-quality workmanship
Let’s start our DJI Osmo Mobile 8 test with a search game: The following picture shows the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P and the Osmo Mobile 8. Which smartphone gimbal is which?
Did you know? Okay, that’s difficult. Here’s a second picture. Maybe it will be easier to decide then?
Still no idea? Okay, that’s understandable, because visually the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 and 7P are very close to each other. You could almost say they are almost identical. The dimensions, controls, the gimbal and the telescopic rod with a length of 67 mm are… the same. However, the Osmo Mobile 8 weighs two grams more, but this makes no difference in practice.
BUT: The Osmo Mobile 8 is a step up, especially from a technical point of view. But let’s stay with the design for now. The new model also looks extremely high-quality and robust, which is mainly due to the solid choice of materials and the well thought-out design. The handle has a Teflon-coated, slightly textured surface that provides a secure grip even during longer sessions. The build quality is clearly reminiscent of other current DJI products, which are also known for their robust, practical construction.
Despite its wealth of functions, the entire system remains compact: when folded, the gimbal measures only around 190 × 95 × 46 mm and therefore fits easily into a small bag or backpack. At around 370 g (gimbal without smartphone), it is light enough for mobile filming. DJI also relies on a magnetic smartphone mount that can be attached quickly and securely holds devices between 67 and 84 mm wide, 6.9 to 10 mm thick and weighing 170 to 300 g, which easily covers typical modern smartphones such as the iPhone 17 Pro Max or Google Pixel 10 Pro.
An integrated extension rod in the handle increases the distance between the user and the smartphone, which is particularly useful for selfie vlogs and group shots without negatively affecting the balance of the gimbal. At the same time, DJI installs a small, foldable mini tripod directly in the handle. A 1/4-inch thread allows it to be attached to large tripods.
Setup and operation
- intuitive operation
- quick set-up
- practical fill light
The setup and operation of the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 are also directly based on its predecessors. So anyone who has already used one of the previous models will find their way around immediately.
Setting up the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 is pleasantly uncomplicated for a modern smartphone gimbal. After unfolding, the gimbal automatically raises, the smartphone is placed in the magnetic holder and the connection is made either via Bluetooth 5.3 or via USB-C cable directly on the rotating arm.
Both variants work stably and without noticeable delays in the tests, meaning that spontaneous shoots can also be carried out without lengthy preparation. In addition, the smartphone can be supplied with power from the gimbal battery via a USB-C output on the arm if required, which makes longer shoots with power-hungry devices easier.
A real added value is the Multifunctional Module, a thumbnail-sized attachment that sits on the smartphone arm via a magnet and push-button lock. This module combines several functions: It is a tracking sensor, LED fill light and at the same time a receiver for DJI microphones such as Mic Mini, Mic 2 or Mic 3, so that an additional receiver unit is no longer required on the smartphone. The small LED light offers up to 40 lux and a color temperature of around 2500 to 6000 K, which can be adjusted directly via buttons on the module, which ensures visibly better facial drawing in low-light scenes, even if it does not replace a large video light, of course.
The controls on the handle are logically arranged and easy to reach with one hand. In addition to a joystick for manual control of the arm, there is a shutter release for photo/video, a mode button for switching through the follow modes, a button for switching between the front and rear camera and a side rotary wheel for zoom or focus.
A trigger on the front performs several functions: It can be used to quickly re-center, trigger the change between portrait and landscape format and switch tracking on or off, which allows for very smooth operation in practice. Overall, the operating logic looks familiar, especially for users of older Osmo models, and at the same time remains accessible for beginners.
Practical test of the DJI Osmo Mobile 8
- Excellent tracking
- DockKit support
- 360° rotation of the pan axis (finally)
In practice, the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 delivers exactly what smartphone filmmakers want: stable, steady shots in a wide variety of situations. The mechanical stabilization compensates for walking, panning, tilting and rolling very effectively, which is particularly beneficial for B-roll, vlogs and dynamic scenes where the smartphone’s internal electronic stabilization would reach its limits.
Now in its eighth generation, the gimbal (finally) supports 360° rotation in the pan axis, so that smooth, almost unlimited panning is possible, which creates cinematic effects, especially in landscape or architectural shots. As far as I know, this is currently a unique selling point and opens up completely new possibilities.
With four follow modes – PTF (Pan & Tilt Follow), PF (Pan Follow), FPV (Pan, Tilt and Roll) and the SpinShot mode for almost complete 360° roll rotations, the Osmo Mobile 8 covers a broad creative spectrum. These modes can be changed quickly using the mode button, allowing you to switch back and forth between classic stabilization and more experimental shots with deliberate use of roll. Especially in combination with the extendable extension rod, this creates perspectives that would be almost impossible to achieve with a pure handheld setup, such as dynamic selfie shots or overhead shots in confined spaces.
One of the gimbal’s greatest strengths is in conjunction with the DJI Mimo app. The app is not only used for firmware updates and configuration, but also offers an intuitive recording interface with numerous tutorials and creative recording modes such as “Dyna-Zoom”, which enables a dolly zoom-like effect.
The tracking is particularly successful: the Osmo Mobile 8 uses Tracking 7.0 and ActiveTrack 360° to reliably track people, animals and objects, whereby all you have to do is draw a frame around the desired subject on the smartphone display. In tests, even fast movements – such as people or birds running – remain remarkably stable in the image, as the gimbal tracks automatically and makes good use of the limits of its tilt and pan range.
One small drawback of the system is the strong app dependency for the tracking features. Although the gimbal can also be used with the smartphone’s native camera app, the DJI Mimo app is mandatory for the full range of functions, especially the intelligent subject tracking and some special modes.
On the other hand, it is positive that the Osmo Mobile 8 can also think beyond the Mimo app. For Apple users, at least: via Apple DockKit and the Multifunctional Module, tracking is also possible in third-party apps, which significantly expands the possible applications, especially on iOS and in certain workflows.
Battery life
- up to 10 hours runtime,…
- … but significantly reduced with active accessories
The DJI Osmo Mobile 8 is also very suitable for everyday use in terms of battery life. The integrated battery has a capacity of around 3,350 mAh and is designed for up to around 10 hours of runtime in stationary operation with a balanced smartphone. In real-life scenarios with active use of tracking and fill light, the runtime is significantly reduced, but at around 4 hours it is still more than sufficient for typical filming sessions, vlog days or accompanying events. For ambitious content creators, this means that a complete day of filming with occasional breaks can usually be covered without recharging.
The gimbal can be both charged and used as a power bank for the smartphone via USB-C, which noticeably extends its runtime, especially for 4K recordings or high frame rates. In practice, this results in a flexible system in which the gimbal not only acts as a stabilization tool, but also as an energy buffer, as long as the additional battery consumption is taken into account. As the Osmo Mobile 8 is relatively energy-efficient overall and consumes little power, especially in standby mode, it is well suited to users who are often on the move and do not want to be constantly on the lookout for the nearest power socket.
DJI Osmo Mobile 8 Review: Conclusion
While DJI already delivered an excellent smartphone gimbal with the previous model, the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 proves to be a useful improvement, especially for iOS users. The new edition has made significant improvements, particularly in terms of tracking, and thanks to DockKit support it can be extended to almost every conceivable camera app.
A unique feature, however, is the 360° rotation of the pan axis, which opens up completely new possibilities in terms of image composition. In combination with the excellent workmanship, intuitive app operation and long battery life, the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 is right at the forefront and leaves even the significantly more expensive competition far behind.
- Horizontal 360° tracking
- Tracking also for animals
- Intuitive operation
- Successful app
- Attractive price
- Fill-Light
- Battery life with active accessories
- Very app-dependent
DJI Osmo Mobile 8
Design & Workmanship
User comfort
Features
App & operation
Value For Money
94/100
Outstanding smartphone gimbal with great tracking, successful operation and 360° rotation at a fair price.
