📸🤘 DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Review: The Tiny Camera That Could Change Festival Filming Forever
Is DJI’s New Dual-Lens Pocket Camera the Ultimate Gig Companion?
If you’ve ever stood halfway back at a festival trying to film your favourite band, you’ll know the struggle.
The singer looks about the size of a Tic Tac.
The guitarist disappears behind a sea of raised phones.
Someone wearing a Viking helmet suddenly appears directly in front of you.
And despite spending hundreds on your smartphone, your video somehow ends up looking like it was filmed through a wet pint glass.
Thankfully, DJI thinks it has the answer.
The company has unveiled the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P, a more advanced version of its hugely popular Pocket camera that introduces something fans have been asking for—a dedicated 60mm telephoto lens.
At first glance it doesn’t sound revolutionary.
“It’s just another camera.”
Except it really isn’t.
For music journalists, festival vloggers, YouTubers, TikTok creators and anyone who spends their summers chasing riffs around muddy fields, the Pocket 4P could become one of the most useful cameras ever slipped into a jacket pocket.
Small enough to disappear into your jeans.
Powerful enough to capture cinematic footage.
And smart enough to follow your subject while you concentrate on not spilling your beer.
Welcome to the future of portable festival filmmaking.
🎬 What Exactly Is the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P?
DJI’s Pocket series has always been about one thing:
Professional-looking video without carrying professional-sized equipment.
Instead of balancing a mirrorless camera on a huge motorised gimbal, DJI shrunk the whole system into something only slightly bigger than a chocolate bar.
The result?
A camera that stabilises footage mechanically while remaining genuinely pocket-sized.
The Pocket 4P takes that concept and pushes it much further.
The headline feature is simple but incredibly important:
Two cameras instead of one.
You now get:
✅ 20mm wide-angle camera
✅ 60mm telephoto camera
✅ Three-axis mechanical stabilisation
✅ 4K recording
✅ High-frame-rate slow motion
✅ 10-bit colour
✅ D-Log recording
✅ Intelligent ActiveTrack subject tracking
On paper it sounds like an incremental upgrade.
In reality, it completely changes how you can shoot.
🤘 Why Rock Fans Should Care
Let’s put specs aside for a minute.
Imagine you’re standing at Bloodstock.
You’re halfway back.
The lights go down.
Lamb of God hit the stage.
The pyro erupts.
You pull out your phone.
Everything looks miles away.
Now imagine using the Pocket 4P.
One tap switches to the telephoto lens.
Suddenly Randy Blythe fills the frame.
The drummer is visible.
The guitarist isn’t a tiny dot.
That’s why this camera matters.
Not because it has another lens.
Because it’s the right lens.
🔍 The 60mm Telephoto Lens Explained
For years, most compact cameras have relied on wide-angle lenses.
They’re brilliant for:
• Landscapes
• Selfies
• Vlogging
• Campsites
• Walking videos
But live music?
Not so much.
Wide lenses make everything look further away than it actually is.
That’s why even standing close to a stage can still produce footage where the band looks tiny.
The new 60mm lens changes that.
Instead of digitally enlarging the image, DJI has fitted an entirely separate camera.
That means:
🎤 Better singer close-ups
🎸 Better guitar solos
🥁 Better drummer shots
🤘 Better crowd reactions
🎥 Better interviews
📷 Better portraits
It sounds obvious.
But it’s probably the biggest practical improvement the Pocket series has ever received.
🏕️ Built for Festivals
Here at The Riff Report, we’re always asking one question.
“Would we actually take this to a festival?”
The answer here is absolutely yes.
Think about everything you already carry.
Wallet.
Phone.
Power bank.
Keys.
Festival programme.
Rain poncho.
Questionable kebab.
The Pocket 4P adds very little weight while massively improving your ability to document the weekend.
Instead of lugging:
❌ DSLR
❌ Huge lenses
❌ Gimbal
❌ Camera bag
❌ Extra straps
You’ve got one tiny camera.
That’s it.
🎥 Walking Shots Look Incredible
One thing DJI has always nailed is stabilisation.
Walking through a festival is rarely smooth.
Mud.
Grass.
Hills.
Beer.
Friends barging into you.
Yet Pocket footage somehow looks like you’re gliding on rails.
That’s thanks to the three-axis mechanical gimbal.
Unlike electronic stabilisation, the camera physically moves to counter your footsteps.
The result feels cinematic.
Perfect for:
🎡 Festival entrances
🎪 Arena tours
🍔 Food villages
🏕️ Campsites
🎸 Merch stalls
🤘 Queue updates
Those moving shots instantly make videos look far more professional.
🔥 Pyro, Lights and Night Shows
Concert lighting is brutal.
One second the stage is pitch black.
The next second someone fires enough flames into the air to toast marshmallows in the front row.
Cheap cameras panic.
Highlights blow out.
Shadows disappear.
Everything becomes mush.
DJI’s improved image processing and wider dynamic range should help preserve detail in these extreme situations.
That means:
More colour.
Better contrast.
More visible faces.
Cleaner highlights.
While no pocket camera will outperform a full-frame cinema setup, the Pocket 4P punches well above its size.
🎤 Interviews Become Easier
One of the underrated benefits of the telephoto camera is interviews.
Instead of standing inches from somebody’s face, you can take a comfortable step back.
The framing looks more natural.
Backgrounds become softer.
Subjects stand out.
Perfect for chatting with:
Bands
Festival organisers
Fans
Vendors
Crew
Security
Volunteers
Even random blokes proudly showing off inflatable guitars.
📱 Built for Social Media
Let’s face it.
Most festival content ends up on:
TikTok
YouTube Shorts
The Pocket 4P embraces that reality.
Vertical shooting is quick.
File transfers are fast.
DJI’s companion app keeps editing straightforward.
That means less time staring at a laptop.
More time watching bands.
Exactly how it should be.
🔋 Battery Life
Nobody enjoys battery anxiety.
Especially halfway through a headline set.
The Pocket 4P promises several hours of recording depending on settings.
Of course…
If you’re filming in 4K.
Using ActiveTrack.
Keeping the screen bright.
Constantly switching lenses.
You’ll drain it faster.
Fortunately, USB-C charging means topping up from a power bank is simple.
If you’re heading to Download, Bloodstock or Steelhouse, we’d still recommend carrying a decent battery pack.
You’ll thank yourself by Saturday afternoon.
🧠 ActiveTrack Is Smarter Than Ever
DJI’s tracking technology has become ridiculously clever.
Select a performer.
The camera follows them.
Walking presenter?
Tracked.
Interview subject?
Tracked.
Friend sprinting towards the arena because they’ve just realised Municipal Waste are starting?
Tracked.
It feels like having an invisible camera operator.
🎒 Festival Packing Score
Here’s where the Pocket 4P shines.
Instead of packing…
❌ DSLR
❌ Three lenses
❌ Heavy gimbal
❌ Camera bag
❌ Shoulder strap
❌ Spare tripod
You pack…
✅ Pocket 4P
✅ Mini tripod
✅ Power bank
✅ SD card
Done.
That’s a massive difference when you’re hiking across a campsite.
🤔 Is It Better Than Your Phone?
This is the obvious question.
Modern smartphones are brilliant.
But physics still matters.
Dedicated optics.
Mechanical stabilisation.
Better tracking.
Dual focal lengths.
Manual controls.
Cleaner movement.
Those are advantages phones still struggle to match consistently.
If filming concerts is something you do regularly, you’ll notice the difference.
💷 Is It Worth the Money?
There’s no getting around it.
The Pocket 4P isn’t cheap.
But compare it with buying:
Mirrorless camera
Telephoto lens
Wide lens
Motorised gimbal
Extra batteries
Camera bag
Suddenly it starts looking surprisingly reasonable.
Especially for creators producing content every weekend.
🎵 The Riff Report’s Dream Festival Test
If we had one tomorrow, here’s exactly how we’d test it.
Friday morning.
Drive into the campsite.
Film arrival.
Record setting up the tent.
Capture campsite atmosphere.
Walk into the arena.
Food review.
Merch hunt.
Signing sessions.
Band interviews.
Main stage.
Night shots.
Crowd singalongs.
Fireworks.
Then repeat for three straight days.
By Monday we’d know exactly whether DJI has built the ultimate festival camera.
On paper…
It’s looking incredibly promising.
👍 Pros
✅ Genuine telephoto camera
✅ Tiny enough for any backpack
✅ Superb stabilisation
✅ Excellent tracking
✅ Great for travel
✅ Fantastic for festivals
✅ Easy vertical content
✅ Professional colour options
👎 Cons
❌ Premium price
❌ Still not a replacement for professional cinema cameras
❌ Limited zoom compared with interchangeable lenses
❌ Battery can disappear quickly during heavy recording
❌ You’ll probably become the designated videographer for all your mates
🤘 Final Verdict
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P isn’t trying to replace a £4,000 mirrorless camera setup.
It’s trying to solve a much more common problem.
How do you capture brilliant-looking footage without carrying half a camera shop on your back?
And judging by what DJI has packed into this tiny device, they’ve come remarkably close.
The addition of a true 60mm telephoto lens transforms what a pocket camera can do. Suddenly you’re no longer stuck with distant stage shots or blurry digital zoom. You can move effortlessly between sweeping festival panoramas and tighter, more intimate moments that actually make viewers feel like they were there.
For gig-goers, music journalists, independent creators and festival addicts, that’s a huge leap forward.
Could it become the ultimate camera for festival coverage?
We’ll reserve final judgement until we’ve had the chance to put it through its paces in front of a wall of amps, a mountain of mud and a crowd louder than the PA.
But one thing’s already clear…
DJI hasn’t just made another Pocket camera.
It’s built a serious creative tool that could become the go-to companion for anyone chasing riffs, festivals and unforgettable live moments.
If your summer is spent bouncing between Steelhouse, Bloodstock, Download, Stonedead or any other rock ‘n’ roll field in Britain, the Osmo Pocket 4P deserves a place on your packing list.
Now all we need is some sunshine…
…or at least rain that isn’t horizontal.
Rock on, keep filming, and we’ll see you down the front. 🤘📸🔥
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘