DJI Pocket 2 - ahem - WAS a promising product, with advertised interesting potential, that has not been realised in any firmware update - last released January 2021. The product is not reliable, overpriced, and the latter is especially true for the Creators Kit, if actually delivered video quality is taken into account.

You can for many purposes get by without a smartphone, but really…. That’s a disaster waiting to happen in many cases.

In short: Without a smartphone, the Pocket 2 is severely hamstrung. This brings up the sorry, badly documented compatibility issues with some modern smartphones. Issues, that do not seem to be high on the DJI support agenda.

As a still photos tool Pocket 2 leaves much to desire; most flagship smartphones are far better with faster delivery and enormously more flexible. Compared to iPhones ProRAW (DNG format) images, even the 64 megabit (slow as hell) DNG format of the Pocket 2 is an “acquired taste” (diplomatic expression ;-), and in low light the iPhone ProRAW images runs rings around the Pocket 2 DNG format (especially regarding noise).

On the video front, the Pocket 2 turned out to be so-so in many cases, with a plethora of “personality” and “stubbornness” (users call it bugs). If you really need a gimbal to complete a project, the Pocket 2 is - or rather was - a viable option, although even the video quality was somewhat lacking in reality. Most flagship smartphones could do better, and if required far less money might be better spent on a dedicated smartphone gimbal.

I use 25fps, UHD best quality where possible. On Pocket 2, that’s UHD, 25 fps and the critter only delivers 80 megabit/sec (100 megabit/s only possible at 50 fps), h264, 8 bit, 4:2:0 and BT709. Fairly below UHD standard for even 7-8 year old pocketable real cameras (like LX100), so…

DJI Pocket 2

With FiLMiC Pro (costs far, far less, than even cheap accessories for the Pocket 2) I get these results:

My iPhone 12 Pro has always been capable of handling 25fps, UHD, HEVC (h265), 150 megabit/sec (roughly equal to 250+ megabit/sec in h264), with Dolby Vision HLG compatible HDR, 10 bit 4:2:0 and BT2020 color space. I can select mono 48kHz, 16 bits uncompressed or, if I use external USB microphone, stereo, 48kHz, 16 bit uncompressed audio. I have access to all three built-in lenses (plus the selfie lens - even dual lens recordings).

iPhone 12 Pro

The reason I decided to look at this, was that my Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (late 2019) recently was updated to Android 11 firmware (originally had Android version 9), and I noted that video files suddenly exploded in size.

Hmmm…. Let’s look, and boooyyy was I surprised.

I got 25fps, UHD, HEVC (h265), 281 megabit/second (roughly equal to 450 megabit/sec in h264), HDR 10 compatible SMTP ST 2086, 10 bit 4:2:0 and BT.2020 color space. I have access to wide and super wide lens, as well as selfie lens. Sadly not the "tele".

Samsung Note 10+

Woooouuuuwwww!!

Now I really, really have to be in dire need of a gimbal, to even contemplate using a Pocket 2 for video if nothing else is at hande (there is ;-). Or even carrying the critter along with me, as an add-on to my smartphone, that delivers video quality in a class so far better than the Pocket 2, that mixing media from the two devices simply is a no-go, unless it is the ONLY option.

As I don't plan on carrying the Pocket 2 along anymore, no conflict ;-)

Sadly audio is only 256kbit AAC, 48kHz stereo on the Samsung (unless I have overlooked something). Both when using internal and external microphone. Still better, than 192kbit on Pocket 2, but not ideal.

I'm not waiting for any firmware upgrades. I simply do not believe, that the current Pocket 2 hardware has any chance for becoming a viable and reasonably bug free product as well as supporting better video quality in the near future - ef ever. Competing with video quality of yesterdays flagship smartphones? Forget it!

Bye DJI. It wasn't even fun, while it lasted ;-)

P2 battery saving mode gives best quality 100 Mbit/s.

Note 10 costs more than P2 + you need to add a gimbal to the cost also.
So the price will double from what P2 cost!

So what do you expect?

johansenfoto Posted at 7-22 03:30
P2 battery saving mode gives best quality 100 Mbit/s.

Note 10 costs more than P2 + you need to add a gimbal to the cost also.

No, the price will not double. Modern smartphone gimbals are cheaper than the Pocket 2, and the flagship smartphone cameras are far better, than the one in Pocket 2. Pocket 2 is a downgrade in image and sound quality.

By the way: When I select 25fps, I do only get 80 megabit/second (‘best quality’ mode is not best possible quality for editing later). Even if 100 megabit was possible (8 bit, h264) is very far from 10 bit hdr h265 at 150 megabit/sec (delivered by my iPhone 12 Pro)  or 280 megabit per second (that my nearly two year old Samsung delivery). Both at 25fps.

I need it. I have the gear (TV, Pro monitor, computers etc) to both edit and display in real HDR. You may have other needs, but it does not alter the fact, that the current state of the Pocket 2 has severe limits compared to widely available smartphones.

I can live perfectly well without my Pocket 2, but I would have a very hard time to live without at least one of my smartphones (even without Pocket 2 ;-)

You know, they can communicate  with the outside World, they get up to monthly security and firmware updates. I can install a lot of extra functionality. I can not even get new and really needed firmware updates for my Pocket 2.

Regards

kfh Posted at 7-22 04:04
No, the price will not double. Modern smartphone gimbals are cheaper than the Pocket 2, and the flagship smartphone cameras are far better, than the one in Pocket 2. Pocket 2 is a downgrade in image and sound quality.

By the way: When I select 25fps, I do only get 80 megabit/second (‘best quality’ mode is not best possible quality for editing later). Even if 100 megabit was possible (8 bit, h264) is very far from 10 bit hdr h265 at 150 megabit/sec (delivered by my iPhone 12 Pro)  or 280 megabit per second (that my nearly two year old Samsung delivery). Both at 25fps.

But you didn't get my point, Iphone or Note 10 is double the price of what P2 cost + you need a gimbal that is 1500ish danish kroner extra.

If you like your iphone for video, stick to it. But it can't even compare to a dslr in quality for video.
How many Mbit/s doesn't mean much when there is a ...ty glass infront compared to a quality lens on dslr.

Når jeg vil ha kvalitet, velger jeg mitt systemkamera. Når jeg ikke gidder å drasse på den, bruker jeg mine action-kameraer evt. P2

johansenfoto Posted at 7-22 13:45
But you didn't get my point, Iphone or Note 10 is double the price of what P2 cost + you need a gimbal that is 1500ish danish kroner extra.

If you like your iphone for video, stick to it. But it can't even compare to a dslr in quality for video.

You did not get MY point!

Pocket 2 was an add-on to my smartphone(s), which I already owned or in case of the iPhone, was bought NOT as an add-on to the Pocket 2, but as an upgrade to an existing smartphone. Pocket 2 does not count in that respect. Just as my previous Osmo Pocket was an add-on to an earlier iPhone 8 Plus. The smartphones are far, far more than a simple, rather restricted  camera on a gimbal. In some ways, the Osmo Pocket delivers better video, than the Pocket 2 (I own both).

These phones were bought without any consideration for any DJI product. They were completely independent.

What I have now concluded, is that the Pocket 2 Creators kit was a waste of money, and a better, more reliable result could have been obtained by buying a cheap smartphone gimbal instead (at roughly 20% the cost of the Pocket 2 creators kit). I would have had far better video and much more flexibility as well as the use of a gimbal for virtually any smartphone - present and future - at a far lower cost. Now I know!

In my view, the Pocket 2 (Creators kit or not) is not worth the money, and badly supported by DJI; lot’s of known bugs and insufficiencies still await a firmware update after half a year. Even low cost basic  smartphones - costing less than the Pocket 2 Creators kit - are granted a better firmware support these days.

Both quality AND support is lacking for a product, that relies on the presence of a smartphone to reach its full potential (a smartphone is required to even initialize the critter, as well as update any firmware - although that option seems to be purely theoretical in real life ;-).

That you can reach better still photo and video plus audio quality without buying the add-on is a bit of a wake-up call, don’t you think?

Are you convinced, that anyone buys a flagship smartphone just to supplement the Pocket 2 critter?
Added: What on earth does DSLR cameras have to do with a discussion about Pocket 2 qualities compared to a smartphone used to control the Pocket 2?