pros and cons
- Compact and lightweight design for adventures and daily use
- 4K/120fps recording and D-Log M profile offer excellent video quality and editing flexibility
- Built-in storage and fast-charging battery.
- Harder to recommend to newbies due to the depth of recording features
- Limited durability compared to other rugged action cameras.
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It seems like everyone and their dog is recording their adventures these days. And why not? Whether it’s for posterity, to bore your friends and family, or for YouTube fame, it’s never been easier to capture important moments.
Unlike the cameras I used to use “back in the day” — which required shouldering and holding up to your eye (so the person recording the moment got a weird filtered reality) — cameras are now small enough to clip onto a baseball hat or hang off a pendant.
Cameras don’t get much smaller than the DJI Osmo Nano, and I’ve been testing this setup quite extensively over the past few weeks.
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The Osmo Nano is marketed as a 4K POV camera and vlogging camera. It’s a step down in performance and robustness compared to full-on action cameras like the Osmo Action 6 or GoPro HERO13 Black, but it’s a step up in compactness and usability.
A tiny camera that packs a punch
The Osmo Nano is tiny. The main camera measures 2.25 × 1.16 × 1.1 inches and weighs 1.8 ounces. It’s not much bigger than my thumb (though I do have large thumbs). Even when combined with the multifunction Vision Dock, which adds another 2.33 × 1.66 × 0.88 inches and weighs 2.5 ounces, it remains compact.
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Both units are built to handle the outdoors, with the camera able to be submerged down to 30 feet and the dock able to shrug off rain and splashes.
But don’t let the size fool you. That tiny camera features a 1/1.3-inch sensor with an incredible 13.5 stops of dynamic range (putting it on par with pro-grade cameras). This means it’s perfect whether you’re out in bright sunlight, snow, or low-light conditions. It can capture video in cinematic 4K/60fps or 4K/120fps slow motion using the 143° ultra-wide lens.
Output can be saved as 10-bit video, capable of discerning a billion colors, or as a pro-grade D-Log M profile that preserves more detail in highlights and shadows, allowing for much greater flexibility in color grading during editing.
There’s also a SuperNight mode for getting the best, least-grainy night shots.
A note about the D-Log M profile: Only use this profile if you’re going to do some editing beyond the basics and know what you’re doing (and what a LUT is). If you try using the raw footage, it will look flat, washed-out, desaturated, and low in contrast. While it does have more color and contrast than a full D-Log profile, it still requires editing.
Built-in storage goes a long way
Video can be stored on the internal memory (the Osmo Nano comes in 64GB and 128GB variants), and you can expand it with microSD cards up to 1TB. I love that modern cameras have built-in memory because it eliminates those heart-stopping moments when you realize you’ve hiked out to a cool location and left all the microSD cards at home.
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While DJI is known for its drones, the company really knows how to get the best out of small cameras, and it applies this expertise to its ground-based cameras.
Battery life is surprising adequate
Since these cameras are designed for on-the-move use, they need their own power, and batteries are another area DJI knows a lot about. The camera houses a 530 mAh battery, and the dock adds an additional 1,300 mAh.
The camera alone can run for around 60 minutes, with the dock extending this to 200 minutes. I’ve tested this, and this is definitely achievable. When the battery is low, I found that a 20-minute charge brings the camera up to about 80%. The camera can also run while connected to the dock, which can itself be charging.
What about audio?
Audio is often the Achilles’ heel of this sort of compact action camera, but the Osmo Nano once again delivers. It has two microphones built into the Osmo Nano, perfect for capturing both talking and ambient sounds. If you want more, you can connect the camera to up to two DJI Mic 3 transmitters, making it a perfect setup for vlogging and even interviews.
Integration with the DJI Mic 3 microphones is a winner for me.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
This feature, for me, takes the Osmo Nano to a whole new level because I’ve found that audio — especially voice recording — is often a weak point in many action-style cameras.
Strength in numbers
OK, so what’s the deal with the dock? In addition to the extra battery, the multifunction Vision Dock adds a touchscreen. This gives you a quick, simple way to interact with all the camera’s settings, as well as a screen for framing shots.
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You’ll save on battery if you learn to use the button controls to navigate through all the different shooting menus instead of pawing at the touchscreen. However, if you’re like me and don’t use the camera regularly, that easy-to-use screen interface is a welcome addition.
Even with the dock attached, it’s not too big.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The dock also has another trick up its sleeve: You can use it to transfer video files from the camera’s internal storage to microSD cards. This offers a quick and easy way to free up the camera’s internal storage while on the move.
The combo kit also comes with some neat accessories. There’s a magnetic pendant for wearing the camera around your neck and clamping it to clothing (you put the pendant under your clothes), and a swivel clip that can attach to the pendant or clip to a hat.
The magnetic pendant makes attaching the camera to clothing easy.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
There’s also a protective case for the camera that DJI recommends using if you hold it for extended periods (because it can get somewhat toasty). I tend to keep the camera in the case most of the time for added protection (I’m not using it in particularly hot conditions here in the UK).
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The combo kit also comes with a suction cup holder, which is great for occasional use, but I wouldn’t attach it to a car or anything where I could lose the camera. But if you unscrew the suction cup, you’ll find a super-useful and ubiquitous 1/4″-20 threaded hole for a tripod or selfie stick.
There are some additional accessories that those wanting to take their videography to the next level might appreciate, such as a set of ND (neutral density) filters, a must for bright-lit scenes.
Why I Switched from my GoPro
OK, so why has the Osmo Nano replaced my GoPro HERO13 Black? Bottom line: convenience. With the Osmo Nano, there’s built-in storage for those “aww shhhhhhhhh….ucks!” moments, and a built-in fast-charge battery means there’s no faffing with external batteries.
It’s also smaller and lighter, and I can dispense with the screen when I need a compact system.
Connection to my iPhone is rock-solid every time, and I like the DJI Mimo app (iOS/Android) for quick footage editing before uploading. And throw in the ability to connect to my DJI Mic 3 transmitters, and that’s the cherry on the already overflowing cake for me.
It’s this marriage of hardware and software that feels like a meaningful advantage for DJI over my existing GoPro setup, and why I’m especially excited to see what’s next for GoPro as it’s releasing the Mission 1 soon
ZDNET’s buying advice
The DJI Osmo Nano is proof that good things really do come in small packages. It’s compact, feature-packed, and incredibly easy to use, making it perfect for adventurers, vloggers, and anyone who wants to capture life’s moments without the hassle of bulky gear.
At $409 for the 128GB version (I recommend this over the 64GB version since this compromise only saves you $30), it’s not a cheap camera, but it’s an exceptionally good setup. It’s perfect for
If you’re looking for a camera that’s both portable and dependable, the Osmo Nano might just be your new best friend. It’s definitely become my bestie!
