DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs. iPhone 17 Pro: In-Depth Video and Photography Comparison

The Film Alliance

Osmo Pocket 4P vs iPhone 17 Pro [0:54]

This video presents an in-depth, unsponsored comparison between the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P and the iPhone 17 Pro to help users understand their capabilities and make an informed purchase decision. The Osmo Pocket 4P is designated as Camera A, and the iPhone 17 Pro is Camera B throughout the comparison.

Camera Specifications and Focal Lengths [1:22]

• Osmo Pocket 4P (Camera A):
  • Primarily video-focused.
  • Features a 1-inch main sensor with a 20mm equivalent lens.
  • Includes a 60mm telephoto camera lens with 3x optical zoom.
• iPhone 17 Pro (Camera B):
  • Offers a more flexible camera system with three rear cameras.
  • Comes with a 13mm ultrawide lens, a 24mm main lens, and a 100mm 4x telephoto lens.
  • The Blackmagic camera app was used on the iPhone 17 Pro to allow for manual exposure comparable to the Osmo Pocket 4P.

Low Light and Log Profiles [2:34]

• Low Light Performance:
  • Both cameras retained information well in a low-light environment.
  • In a dessert shot under controlled lighting, both D-Log (Pocket 4P) and Apple Log 2 (iPhone 17 Pro) performed well.
• Log Profile Comparison:
  • The Osmo Pocket 4P's D-Log (used with the 3x camera for a tighter shot) did a spectacular job, retaining detail and colors without overexposure in a controlled lighting environment.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro's Apple Log 2 showed more vibrant colors and perfect exposure in the same scenario.

    

  • Standard Color Profile:
    • When shot in standard color profiles, both cameras showed surprisingly similar color science, suggesting they could work well together as an A-cam/B-cam setup in well-lit conditions.
    • The iPhone 17 Pro, however, requires significant light to perform optimally in standard modes.

Slow Motion Test [3:25]

• Frame Rate Capability:
  • The Pocket 4P has a significant advantage, capable of shooting 4K video at up to 240 frames per second (fps).
  • The iPhone 17 Pro supports 4K at 120fps but drops to 1080p for 240fps.

    

• 4K 120fps Comparison: Both cameras delivered good results in 4K 120fps.
  • The Pocket 4P showed better contrast in the foreground and background, offering a more appealing look.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro also performed well at 4K 120fps.
• 4K 240fps vs 1080p 240fps:
  • In a backlit shot with debris, the Pocket 4P's 4K 240fps footage maintained better detail and sharpness.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro's 1080p 240fps footage appeared softer, with debris mushing together, highlighting the resolution difference at higher frame rates.

    

Studio Lighting and Detail Test [4:36]

• Controlled Lighting (Orbital Spinner Rig):
  • The iPhone 17 Pro started to show weaknesses, with midtones being lifted, which is undesirable for product videography.
  • The Pocket 4P maintained better control over highlights and shadows.
  • Shooting in 4K 60fps for slow motion required a higher shutter speed, reducing light to the sensor.

    

• Morning Sun Test:
  • The Pocket 4P produced a more cinematic sun flare and maintained truer, darker green foliage colors.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro showed a more pronounced "ghost flare" around the sun, which can be distracting without a tripod. A tripod is essential for such shots with the iPhone 17 Pro to avoid stabilization artifacts.

    

Photography and Stabilization [5:34]

• Photography Resolution:
  • In an overhead photo, both cameras showed minimal difference, mainly a slight white balance shift fixable in post-production.
  • The Pocket 4P shoots stills up to 37 megapixels.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro shoots up to 48 megapixels.

    

• Stabilization:
  • The Pocket 4P's built-in mechanical gimbal provides excellent, natural stabilization with no digital artifacts.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro uses digital stabilization, which, while effective, can introduce artifacts at the edges of the frame.

    

Green Screen and Color Board Test [6:20]

• Green Screen Performance:
  • The Pocket 4P showed light bleeding onto the green screen, requiring significant post-production work for a clean key.
  • Surprisingly, the iPhone 17 Pro performed much better, allowing for an almost ready-to-export key with minimal effort. This is a big advantage for fast-paced green screen content creation.

    

• Color Board Test:
  • Using a color checker in a standard color profile, the iPhone 17 Pro displayed more saturation compared to the Pocket 4P, consistent with observations throughout the video.

    

Zoom Color Shift Test [7:08]

• Pocket 4P Zoom Ranges:
  • The most noticeable color shift occurred between the 1x and 3x cameras, though it was not drastic.
  • From 3x to 6x, a slight difference in magenta was observed.
  • From 6x to 12x (digital zoom), there was very little color difference.

    

• iPhone 17 Pro Zoom Ranges:
  • A significant color shift was observed between the 1x and 2x cameras.
  • Between the 2x and 4x cameras, the green color notably shifted from a darker green to a lime green, which could be problematic for editing shots together.
  • From 4x to 8x (digital zoom), minor color differences were present but less problematic.

    

Sharpness and Product Shots [8:16]

• Sharpness Test:
  • Despite the iPhone 17 Pro having a 48-megapixel sensor compared to the Pocket 4P's 37-megapixel sensor, both cameras demonstrated equivalent sharpness when scaled in.
  • The larger sensor of the Osmo Pocket 4P is attributed to its comparable sharpness.

    

• Product Shots:
  • Both cameras held a similar amount of detail in product shots.
  • The Pocket 4P's colors appeared truer to life. For quick product shots without extensive post-production, the Pocket 4P is preferred for its color accuracy.

    

Backlit Talking Head Test [9:04]

• Standard Color Profile:
  • Both cameras performed similarly when exposed for the background, resulting in a dark foreground subject.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro showed slightly more facial detail due to midtone lifting and computational photography.
  • For such a shot, a key light would be necessary to illuminate the subject.

    

• Log Profile:
  • When shooting in D-Log2 (Pocket 4P) and Apple Log 2 (iPhone 17 Pro) in a heavily backlit scenario, it was difficult to recover colors because the entire image was overexposed when exposing for the background.
  • The iPhone 17 Pro exhibited poor skin tones when shooting indoors with the standard color profile in a controlled environment.
  • For indoor skin tones with the iPhone 17 Pro, using Apple Log 2 and color grading in post-production is highly recommended.

    

Final Thoughts [10:08]

The reviewer ultimately prefers the Osmo Pocket 4P for its:

• Cleaner image and more natural colors.
• Built-in mechanical gimbal, making filming significantly easier.
• Dedicated camera feel, fostering creativity and intentional filmmaking.

While acknowledging the impressive advancements in smartphone cameras like the iPhone 17 Pro for everyday use, the Pocket 4P is highlighted as a superior creative tool for specific filming purposes due to its intentional design and higher-quality output in most comparative tests.