I Tested Every Pocket Camera... Here’s the One I’d Buy

0:00Thanks to Storyblocks for sponsoring this video. I tested just about every pocket camera you can buy right now from the Pocket 3 to the 4 and 4P and the Luna Pro and Ultra. And having all these in front of me has me thinking if I could only have one, which one of these would I actually keep? So, in this video I want to walk you through which each camera does and what you gain with the newer models and what are the differences that you're actually paying for. And a quick disclaimer before we begin, this video is not sponsored by any of these camera companies. I personally own the Pocket 3 and each

0:34camera company did send out these latest models, but I've already done full reviews on each camera if you want to check those out. With that out of the way, let's start with the camera that started all, the Pocket 3. There's a reason why so many creators picked up the Pocket 3 for their kits. You have a critically small camera with a 1-in sensor, built-in gimbal, the ability to connect a wireless microphone, and the footage is still really impressive for a camera of this size. I use it all the time when I'm traveling and want to get some higher quality footage and B-roll or just even walking and talking with

1:07the camera when I'm out on the go. The built-in gimbal gives you incredibly smooth footage and you don't have to worry about buying a separate gimbal or stabilizer. You just have everything nice in a small form factor. And if you film by yourself, you can use the tracking mode as you move around and the camera will follow you. And those features really make this camera such a useful camera specifically for YouTube and content creation. You could truly build your whole setup around a Pocket 3 especially if you vlog or make videos on the go. But of course, you're not limited to just that. You can use it as

1:38your main camera for talking head YouTube videos in a studio, which I've done a full video on that. You can check it out in the links and description down below. But rather than seeing the DJI Pocket 3 as a replacement for a mirrorless camera, I think this gives you something different. This is a camera that you actually want to bring with you when you don't feel like carrying a bunch of gear. And that's the way myself and a lot of creators see these pocket cameras. They're just another tool in your bag. Chances are many of you already own the Pocket 3, and if you are still happy with it, I

2:09wouldn't be in a rush to replace it. It's still an incredibly useful camera that was ahead of its time. And over time, the Pocket 3 has become more affordable, so I still think it's a great option if you are looking for a pocket camera. Now, taking a look at the DJI Pocket 4, it feels very familiar if you have used the Pocket 3. It's identical in many ways. You still have a small, single-lens camera that is easy to pick up and easy to film with. And there are a few upgrades that do make it easier to use and give you a smoother experience. One of my favorite features

2:41is the built-in storage of 107 GB. I don't have to worry whether I left a microSD card in the camera. I can just turn it on and start recording. And believe me, that has saved me more than once. And I will mention 107 GB is plenty, and you could totally just shoot without an SD card, just shooting to the internal storage and transferring to your computer. You could totally do that. And the extra buttons are nice, too. Having a dedicated zoom control and custom button means I'm not reaching for the screen to do all my adjustments. And I find that to be a little bit faster

3:14and just easier to use. You also get improved tracking, higher resolution, and better frame rates in the slow-motion mode. And if you like to color grade your videos, having the full D-Log profile is a big step up over the Pocket 3's D-Log M. But when it comes to the actual image quality, when I put the Pocket 3 and 4 side by side, I actually expected more of a difference. Both look really good, and it isn't always easy to tell which one is better. Now, the Pocket 3 does give you more dynamic range, a cleaner and brighter image in low-light conditions. But if you're shooting in the automatic mode and in

3:48decent lighting, it's really hard to tell the difference between the two. Overall, do think the Pocket 4 is a really good first pocket camera if you can readily buy it where you live. The built-in storage, extra controls, and the flexibility when it comes to shooting in D-Log do add up to a better everyday experience. But, if you already own the 3, I would only upgrade to the 4 if those things are actually meaningful to you. But, no matter how good your camera is, there are always moments where you don't have the time or the

4:17ability to capture every shot you want. Whether I'm making YouTube videos like this or more travel vlogs and I need extra B-roll, that's where I turn to today's sponsor, Storyblocks. Storyblocks is a 100% human-made stock media library, which means every asset is created by professional artists and filmmakers. With one subscription, you can get unlimited downloads of stock footage clips, music tracks, sound effects, templates, images, and more. I use Storyblocks whenever I need additional B-roll or an asset to help me complete an edit. I can just search for the video I'm looking for, find the option that works best, download it, and bring it into my editing project. It

4:54saves me so much time and helps add more production value to my videos. Plus, every download directly supports a real working creator. If you want to try Storyblocks, they're offering 15% off of any annual plan for a limited time. So, head to storyblocks.com/thinkmedia or check out the link in the description down below. Now, both of these cameras have one limitation and that is you're pretty much stuck to that one wide-angle field of view of 20 mm. Yes, you can digitally zoom in if you want some flexibility,

5:22but you will sacrifice image quality. But, that's where the Pocket 4P changes things by adding in a secondary 3x telephoto camera. For the way that I record my videos, that is a big deal. With the wide camera, I can vlog or film myself, get some establishing shots, everything I would normally do with a Pocket 3 or Pocket 4. But, then I can switch over to the telephoto camera to isolate a subject, pick out a small detail, and it just adds a lot more visual variety to my videos without

5:52needing to bring another camera or lens. The 4P also adds D-Log 2 on the main camera, which is capable of capturing up to 17 stops of dynamic range, which is kind of hard to believe at first, but actually using it, I believe it. There is just a lot of range to work with the highlights and shadows, and I really love the image I can get after color grading in the D-Log 2 profile. And with the right settings and filters, I feel like the image quality is a lot closer to something I would expect from my larger mirrorless setup. There's also a lot of practical upgrades that is shared

6:26with the Pocket 4, such as built-in storage, fast file transfers, quick charging, and those extra buttons for customization. And of course, the compatibility with DJI mics and other Pocket accessories. Now, there are some weird quirks with the DJI Pocket 4P. One of those is when you are shooting in D-Log 2, it's only available on the main camera. So, if you want to switch over to the telephoto camera, you have to shoot in regular D-Log, which by itself is not that annoying, but when you are trying to switch between the two cameras quickly, it does become a bit annoying because you have to switch your color profile, and it's just it's just a bit

7:02too much. Of course, there are some workarounds. You could just shoot in the regular D-Log profile on both cameras, and they'll match pretty well. So, I feel overall, the Pocket 4P requires a little bit more technical expertise to fully take advantage of it. Of course, you could just shoot in the auto profile and still get a really nice image, but if you're really trying to squeeze the amount of image quality, it is just a little bit complicated. But for me, the biggest reason to get the 4P over the Pocket 3 and 4 is that secondary telephoto camera. It just makes the

7:31camera that much more versatile to use. Even something as simple as taking photos, by switching over to that telephoto camera, it's a lot easier to take portraits of somebody, and I actually do see myself taking photos with the 4P if that is the only camera I have on me. Now, if you do want that second camera, the Pocket 4P isn't your only option. You can also check out the Luna Ultra from Insta360. [music] This is their direct competitor to the Pocket 4P. It gives you both a wide and telephoto camera, so you can easily film yourself with the wide angle and then switch to that tighter perspective for

8:04portraits or detail shots. But, as I compare footage from the Luna Ultra to the Pocket 4P, obviously both can create some great-looking video, but I do notice a few differences. The Luna often gives you a very clean, vibrant image straight out of camera, and the Pocket 4P gave me a bit more detail and dynamic range and sometimes a more natural-looking image, but there were a few shots where I actually preferred the image quality coming out of the Luna Ultra. But, image quality is not the only part of the decision-making factor because the Luna Ultra has one of my favorite features, is the fact that you can actually remove the screen and use

8:41it as a remote monitor. If you film yourself, you can immediately understand why this is such a useful feature. You can put the camera across the room, stand where you want to stand, and still see your frame and control the shot and change settings. And the cherry on top is that the remote also has a microphone built in, so if you are in front of the camera, you can speak directly into the remote and get some really decent-sounding audio. Now, you don't have to go out and get the Luna Ultra if you just want that removable screen. The Luna Pro keeps much of what makes the

9:12Ultra appealing, but it's a little bit cheaper and only has the one wide camera. And that's what makes it more of an alternative to the Pocket 4. Both are the single-lens options, but with the Luna Pro, the big appeal is how easy you can set up a shot for yourself and still monitor it from a distance thanks to that removable screen. And another advantage with the Luna Pro is it's the first camera to actually unlock 4K vertical filming, so you can actually get higher quality social media videos, which [music] is a big plus. Now, this feature actually has rolled out to the Luna Ultra as well, so if you do a lot

9:46of short social media content where you're primarily filming vertical video, then you might want to consider these two. Now, in terms of the image quality that you get out of the Luna Pro, it's actually very close to the Luna Ultra. Now, if you really pixel peep, there are some differences in the color. One thing I did notice on the Luna Pro is that it is more prone to lens flares. I don't think this is something I wouldn't notice if I just picked up the Luna Pro, but comparing it to the Luna Ultra, I did notice that the flares are much more controlled on the Ultra. And of course,

10:17you do lose that telephoto camera, so if you like getting close-ups and more variety in your b-roll, you will kind of notice that difference. Now, if you don't mind losing a little bit of image quality, you can still utilize the digital zoom of up to 4x on the Luna Pro, so you do have some flexibility, although it's not as nice as the range you get from the Luna Ultra. Now, because you only have that one camera, you do get some nice benefits as well, such as a longer battery life. The Luna Pro lasted about 45 minutes longer than the Ultra in my testing, which is a

10:48pretty big difference, although both cameras do recharge very quickly, so it may not be as much of a deal breaker for you. So, if you find yourself mainly shooting with that main camera and occasionally zooming in, you could actually save some money by going with the Pro. So, now that we went through all these

11:03cameras, which camera should you buy? Well, I think we should narrow down to four main questions you should ask yourself. Number one, do you already own the Pocket 3? If you continue to use the Pocket 3 as a workhorse of a camera for your filming, these newer cameras are better, but the Pocket 3 is still really easy to use and still produces footage I'm happy to put in a video. If you're on a tight budget and looking for your first pocket camera, I would really look at the Pocket 3. You could find one used or even on sale for much cheaper, and honestly, it's just as capable [music]

11:36in many cases. Now, maybe you already own the Pocket 3, but are still looking for an upgrade and aren't interested in these other cameras. I would actually skip the Pocket 4 and Luna Pro and go for these bigger Pro models because you'll actually find [music] more of an upgrade. And I think the most logical upgrade is to go with the 4P if you can get it because it'll work with most of your accessories you've already invested with the Pocket 3. The second question I would consider is would you use the telephoto camera? I know I definitely would, and it's one of those things I miss on these single-lens

12:09models. I love being able to shoot b-roll at that telephoto camera, shooting at higher frame rates to get really smooth slow-motion footage, and then also being able to go to a wide angle to film myself. That adds so much more flexibility and versatility when I'm out filming. If that sounds like you, then your choices are narrowed down to the 4P and the Luna Ultra. And the third question to ask is how do you normally film? Are you mainly behind the camera thinking about different shots, knowing you're going to be color grading them later? Maybe you're a little bit more filmmaker focused, then I would lean towards the DJI cameras. But if

12:44you're more of a solo content creator and stepping in front of the camera, the Luna's removable screen is one of those features that could make your filming days much easier. And number four, look at what these cameras cost where you live cuz they vary dramatically depending on what country you live in, the time of day, the position of the

13:02stars. It just changes so dramatically. But as of now, the Pocket 3 is pretty much readily available in every country and is quite affordable. The Pocket 4 and 4P aren't officially available in the US, although you can get them in the US, but there will be additional cost to do so. If you live in a different country, then these DJI cameras might be less expensive and easier to pick up compared to the Insta360 options, which are available in the US, but they are a little bit more expensive. I think the Luna Ultra is the most expensive out of all these cameras. Now, I'm sure you're asking, "Nate, I know you've used each

13:37of these cameras, but what is the one camera that you continue to pick up and shoot with?" Well, the answer to that question is the Pocket 4P. It really does fit the way I shoot. I can use it as a simple camera when I want to to film myself, but also having that secondary telephoto camera when I want to get better b-roll, and adding more

13:57visual variety to my video is so handy. I also really like what I can do with the image in Dlog-M when I color grade my videos to get the way I want it to look. Plus, it works with the microphones and accessories that I already use. But, I would love to know which one of these cameras you would choose. I'll leave links to all the gear mentioned in the description of this video. And if you are still debating between the Pocket 4P and the Luna Ultra, check out this video on screen where I compare the two side-by-side in

14:24depth. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.