GoPro Karma Grip vs DJI OSMO Mobile 2

Most of us today depend on our mobile devices to take videos and there’s nothing more frustrating than a shaky movie. It is easy to film when standing still, but it becomes very tricky when on the move, especially when you’re walking, running, chasing someone while filming, during sports activities, etc.

I’ve been testing the 3 popular Gimbals / Stabilizers (GoPro, OSMO, and FeiyuTech) and here’s what I got:

GoPro Karma Grip with GoPro Hero 6 Black:

GoPro has been the industry leader for quite some time now, it has lost it’s momentum a while ago with all the hype around drones but is currently regaining traction in the market. I have been using the GoPro Hero3+ for quite some time now and was reluctant to upgrade to the Hero 6, but, given that I already most of the GoPro accessories and knowing that they would still work on all GoPro models, so I ended up upgrading to the Hero 6 Black + Karma grip.

Pros:
It is as simple as plug and play. All you need to do is to insert the camera in the Karma cover, turn it on, and start shooting. The camera and the Gimbal automatically adjust so that it is in shooting mode without the need of calibration.
The battery of the Karma lasts for more than 2 hours of on and off shooting. The cool part is that you can charge both camera and grip at the same time in one go since they are already connected via USB-C.
The Karma grip is relatively light to hold, although it is a tall device the overall weight distribution makes it a comfortable product to hold.
Stabilization is excellent, I was walking, running, jumping, and inside moving vehicles. The output was always constant and stable.

Cons:
It is a long device and not easy to carry around. It comes in a bulky box that is hard to fit in a backpack most of the times. I had it with me during my travels, I was happy with the pictures I took but got frustrated with the volume it was taking in my bag.
The Karma grip doesn’t have a joystick to maneuver the camera, so you have to get used to physically maneuver the grip to move the camera in all the directions.
Given that you are technically shooting via a third party camera and not your mobile phone makes it not so practical when editing on the move. You will need to shoot, download to your phone and edit. Many times if you are using specific high-speed formats the phones won’t be able to support them, so you will end up waiting to get to a computer to preview the videos.

DJI OSMO Mobile 2 with iPhone X:

DJI has proved to be a trustworthy name in the industry, it has created a niche market for itself and dominated it for a good amount of time. DJI was flexible enough to evolve into the different categories of camera handling and stabilization, from drones to handheld gimbals like the OSMO Mobile 2

Pros:
The device does not need any third party device or camera. It will connect to any iOS or Android mobile phone. All you need is the DJI app for better syncing and handling of the camera and phone.
The DJI OSMO Mobile 2 is shorter than the GoPro Karma Grip, so it will fit in most bags, but on the other hand, it takes a lot more depth, so it is a bit of bulky device when carrying around but it will hold the phone firmly so you will not worry about dropping your phone when jumping around.
The Joystick makes it easier to maneuver the camera direction and tilt.
With this device, you can shoot both horizontal and vertical videos.

Cons:
It is a bulky and noticeable device when using. The battery will not last as long as the GoPro Karma and takes a longer time to get charged. Installing a device is not plug and play since you have to calibrate the weight of the phone every time you install it and this takes a few minutes and is quite frustrating.

FeiyuTech SPG with iPhone X:

I got the FeiyuTech few months ago before I got the GoPro Karma and the DJI OSMO Mobile. I wanted something cheap and accessible. At the time the DJI was expensive and the GoPro was not an option. To be honest I used it a couple of times and dropped it all together.

Pros:
It is a light device to carry, it will fit most of the mobile phones, it charges rather fast and can be easily carried in any backpack or case.

Cons:
It takes a lot of time to adjust and mount the device. Many times it will not sync properly. Movies won’t stabilize perfectly with dynamic movements, the device has a chance to slip from the grip with harsh movements. If you have a large phone size the device will not be able to rotate fully to take vertical videos.

Conclusion:

The DJI OSMO Mobile 2 is the cheapest and most flexible item to use. It delivers high-quality portable stabilization with a video resolution as good as the phone you are using.

On the other hand, the GoPro Karma Grip has a much better delivery in terms of stabilization, a better resolution and wider angle to cover (naturally since you are using the GoPro Hero 6 camera) and a more dynamic/fun user experience.

In terms of portability, cost and less hassle; The winner is the DJI OSMO Mobile 2
In terms of Quality, maneuverability, but with a lot more equipment to carry around and a bigger cost; The winner is the GoPro.

My overall winner and a personal favorite is the GoPro Karma Grip with Hero6 Black