DJI Pocket 3 Discontinued: Real-World Usage Experience After 14 Days

Just yesterday, I parted ways with my DJI Pocket 3—a device that had been mine for a mere 14 days. And today, I want to share my experience with all of you (keep in mind, this is coming from a beginner who simply wanted to document daily life).

**Purpose:** My motivation for purchasing the Pocket 3 was straightforward: I wanted to record my life, specifically focusing on myself. You see, I spend a lot of time alone, and there’s rarely anyone around to help me capture photos or videos. While my phone’s front camera lacks resolution, the back camera often makes me look unflattering. That’s when I decided to invest in the Pocket 3.

**Usage Experience:** Once I started using it, I quickly realized that its usage frequency was lower than expected. Here’s why:

1. **Overprotection:** I valued the device so much that I hesitated to use it without its protective case. This meant I always carried it safely tucked away. When I wanted to shoot, I’d have to retrieve it, set it up, capture the moment, close it down, and return it to its case—a process that felt cumbersome. By the time I pulled it out, my enthusiasm to use it had already faded.

2. **Monotonous Life:** Let’s face it—my life isn’t exactly filled with excitement. Most days revolve around exam prep and working out. I don’t travel much, and the scenery around me is rather ordinary. To be honest, there just aren’t many compelling moments worth capturing for an average person like me.

3. **Beauty Mode Limitations:** While the camera does come with a beauty function that delivers a natural glow, exporting these enhanced clips requires the official app, which can be painfully slow. The beauty effect can only be applied one clip at a time, and batch exports lack this enhancement altogether. It’s a tedious process that demands constant attention, making it far less convenient than I’d hoped.

4. **Post-Production Hassle:** For someone like me who simply wants to document life, the post-production process felt overwhelming. I’m not particularly skilled at editing, and the results were underwhelming. On top of that, I wasn’t sure where to share these videos, further dampening my desire to use the device regularly.

5. **Gimbal Learning Curve:** Adjusting the gimbal to capture the perfect angle takes some getting used to. Whether tilting up, down, left, or right, it requires patience to find the ideal shot. Occasionally, you’ll hit the gimbal’s limits, forcing you to figure out how to reset it—a minor but recurring inconvenience.

6. **Photography Quality:** While the video quality shines, the still photography leaves something to be desired. Without a beauty mode for photos, they feel lackluster compared to what my phone offers. Overall, it’s not as effortless or polished as snapping pictures with a smartphone.

**Advantages:** Despite these challenges, the Pocket 3 did impress me in several ways:
1. The beauty mode genuinely enhances skin clarity and brightness, creating a radiant look.
2. It captures full-body proportions beautifully, making subjects appear slimmer by finding the perfect positioning.
3. The gimbal stabilization is exceptional, even while biking, ensuring smooth footage.

4. The video quality is crystal clear, with vibrant colors that surpass what my phone can produce—I truly appreciated this feature.

I managed to create a fitness vlog, a makeup vlog, and even used it once during a date with my boyfriend. After reflecting on my experience, I realized that, while I liked the device, I didn’t have enough content to justify keeping it. However, if my life becomes more dynamic in the future—or after this phase of staying home—I might reconsider purchasing it again. For now, I’ve sold it to save up for a different camera. If anyone has any recommendations, feel free to chime in!