360 cameras just got some new competition with the new DJI Osmo 360.
If you’ve ever tried capturing an entire moment with a standard camera, you’ll know the frustration of missed angles or awkward framing.
That’s why 360 cameras have begun popping off on the tech market in recent years. With easy-to-use applications and compact footprints, these cameras enable you to capture everything, anywhere, all at once.
Insta360 has pretty much captured the market since it launched its range years ago. Now though, DJI wants a piece of the action with their new Osmo 360.
Design & Handling: Pocketable Yet Rugged
The first time I held the Osmo 360, I was struck by how solid it felt, dense yet deceptively light at just 183g. At approximately 81×61×36 mm, it slips into a jacket pocket and asks little of your carry load, unlike bulkier rivals that feel like lugging a brick.
What’s smart is the pair of square 1/1.1-inch HDR sensors with f/1.9 lenses. DJI has cleverly folded the full 360° image onto square sensors, instead of the usual rectangle, redeeming a neat 25% more usable sensor area.
This gives you sharper footage, better low-light performance, and more dynamic range.
The controls are intuitive, the magnetic mounts familiar if you’ve handled DJI gear before (i.e. Action 5), and the IP68 rating gives peace of mind for light splashes. But, dip it deeper and stitching quirks may mar your footage.
Image Quality: Crisp, Bright, and 8K Real
The DJI Osmo 360 is the first 360° action camera to capture native 8K at 50 frames per second.
You can also shoot:
- 6K at 60fps
- 4K at 100fps
- Single-lens mode at 5K/60fps or 4K/120fps with ultra-wide fields of view between 155° to 170°
Those square sensors make a difference. Colours pop, clarity endures, even when reframing after the fact. In dim light, detail remains, thanks to intelligent HDR software and efficient pixel design.
Battery Life & Performance: Marathon, Not Sprint
A camera this compact handling full 8K/30fps for up to 100 minutes (and up to 190 minutes in 6K/24fps mode) is nothing short of impressive. I took out the camera for a morning of shooting at a local water theme park, and struggled to drain its battery.
Together with 10-bit colour, D‑Log M, and 120 MP 360° stills, it feels like a cinema-grade tool for creatives on the move. The camera also boasts generous 128GB internal storage and space for microSD expansion up to 1TB.
For those who misplace SD cards often, the internal storage can save your life/shoot someday.
Stabilisation & Usability: Smoother Than Butter
DJI’s RockSteady 3.0 and HorizonSteady stabilisers erase shake and drift so well that mounting this on a helmet or bike feel cinematic rather than jarring. Even for 360° footage.
The built-in 2-inch touchscreen is bright enough for sunny Singapore afternoons, and the invisible selfie stick effect works without editor sweat, though it demands precise placement.
Software & Ecosystem: Robust but Not Without Limits
The DJI ecosystem lends a leg up; DJI Mimo app and Studio editor make stitching, reframing, and exporting smoother. Tethering mics is easy via the action-cam-compatible mounts, a boon for content creators.
Still, compared with Insta360 X5, there’s no user-replaceable lens, and the audio with built-in mics tends to falter in wind. Those in media production might opt to add external audio gear, and like other DJI products, the Osmo 360 can wirelessly connect to a Mic 2.
A 360° Rebel with a Cause
This isn’t a reinvented wheel, but a wheel refined to spin flawlessly.
The DJI Osmo 360 arrives not just as an alternative in the 360° space, but as a contender that combines compactness, cinematic image quality, and thoughtful ergonomics in one.
For adventurers, journalists, or vloggers pushing the envelope, it’s a vibrantly capable piece of kit.
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