Owning a piece of professional videography gear like the DJI Osmo 360 II is intimidating—at least, that’s what I first thought. Vlogging is nothing new for us; it has become a way many of us document our lives, important occasions, best trips, ordinary quotidian routines and, of course, our annual team trip to Penang, where I was tasked with recording the moments. Having an action camera that comes in so handy, even for a first-timer like me, is a big relief.
As a casual user, my biggest fear with cameras is complexity, and the DJI Osmo 360 II has none of that. The 183g palm-sized camera features two bulging lenses, front and back, a touch screen with a straightforward menu, plus a couple of side buttons: power on/off, the red record button and a mode switch. Mounting it on the Invisible Selfie Stick is hassle-free too. Pop the camera on, extend it, and the stick simply vanishes from your footage—perfect when you’re on the go.
As the GRAZIA team squeezed into a late-night corner stall filled to the brim, the panic of wanting to get everything in frame without being a nuisance set in. With Dual Recording, I captured both the wide shots of the sweaty, glorious scene and the reaction shots of everyone wolfing down the gorgeous heap of Nasi Kandar. For someone who has spent years fumbling with camera menus while everyone waits impatiently, the Gesture Control and Voice Control features are transformative—good news for outdoor enthusiasts who would like to record while on a motorcycle or a bicycle.
Not many people talk about the hassle of getting footage off a camera, but anyone who has done it knows the struggle. Hence, the NFC tap-to-connect feature deserves a mention. One tap and the camera syncs with the DJI Mimo app. Footage is transferred, and the editing page opens. No cables (though the option remains), no Bluetooth pairing, and no swearing at technology.
I tend to be sceptical about night mode, but leaving Penang at night—wet streets reflecting lights, pushing open doors into dimly lit bars with surprisingly expansive drinks menus—out is such a shame. With the DJI Osmo 360 II, the AI SuperNight 2.0 handled all the fuss. Shots came out clean instead of the grainy mess I expect from low-light footage. Now, mechanics may not be my forte, but the results speak for themselves. The advanced square HDR image sensor certainly comes into play, increasing sensor utilisation by 25% while sipping less power.
When I say the newbie will rejoice, I mean it—the stabilisation smooths out the rough footage, even with my shaky hand-held shots. The Spotlight Follow feature offers tremendous help, as subjects were kept centred automatically and I didn’t even have to worry about framing when I shot as we walked. One thing I really appreciated as a clumsy first-timer is knowing that the lenses are replaceable. I didn’t need to use that feature, thankfully, but knowing a scratch wouldn’t mean the end of the camera was a huge relief.
Also, most of the time, audio is the least concern of all, since the camera is also compatible with a wide selection of DJI Mics, but the audio captured by the built-in four-mic array and the wind noise reduction come off as a big surprise. If you’re serious about sound, you have options, but for casual vlogging, the built-in mics are more than capable.
Apart from that, the 105GB built-in storage also meant I didn’t have to frantically buy an SD card before the trip. Battery, too, lasted the entire day—a miracle for a camera on standby. If the numbers amazed you, the spec sheet says the camera can record continuously for 100 minutes at 8K/30 fps resolution, and if anything, a 22-minute fast charge will fill it to 80%. For longer shoots, the optional Battery Extension Rod adds up to 180 minutes. And it’s also built for proper adventures: think 10m underwater without the extra underwater housing, 50m in the Invisible Waterproof Case, and it also works down to -20°C—divers can strap the action camera on while they explore the vast sea, whereas skiers can double-twist the selfie stick to start shooting.
And if you want to capture moments without getting bogged down in the how-to, this camera is a revelation that meets you where you are. It’s the one that felt less like a gadget where you need to download endless manuals or watch hundreds of videos to get a grasp—only to later fumble again—but more like an on-the-go plus-one that will work as and when. And if you want to dig into the professional workflows like DaVinci Resolve, you have that option as well. Best of both worlds, really.
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