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The DJI OM 5 Smartphone Gimbal Is an Awesome Gift for Aspiring Filmmakers

The DJI OM 5 Smartphone Gimbal will help stabilize your phone, making any home video look like a Hollywood masterpiece.

Zachary Calabrese
Zachary Calabrese is an Assistant Manager of Media Strategy at Red Ventures and also a part time filmmaker in his free time.
Zachary Calabrese
2 min read

If you enjoy taking videos on your phone and want to take your video quality to the next level, then the DJI OM 5 smartphone gimbal is the gift for you this holiday season. The OM 5 uses stabilization technology that keeps your phone completely steady while filming. With this gimbal, you can achieve smooth, stable videos shot on your smartphone that rival the famous restaurant Steadicam shot in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. 

Why it's a great gift: Anyone has access to the same tools as Hollywood filmmakers today, thanks to the amazing cameras we now have in our phones. Take, for example, Hollywood director Steven Soderbergh, known for directing Magic Mike and Ocean's Eleven. He shot Unsane and High Flying Bird, released in 2018 and 2019 respectively, on the iPhone. That's right. You probably have a Hollywood-level camera in your pocket right this second. But there's one thing you might not have: Filmmakers have traditionally used dollies and Steadicams to achieve smooth, stable shots. This type of equipment is expensive and can only be operated by highly skilled camera operators.

The DJI OM 5 gimbal is the answer to this problem. Now, any amateur filmmaker can achieve a similar level of stability with a device so small it can fit in your pocket. But, you by no means have to be an aspiring filmmaker to get awesome use out of the OM 5. Travelers can use the OM 5 to bring their travel videos to the next level. You'll be itching to post your newest videos on Instagram once you see how smooth they look. And if you'd prefer to stay home, you can use the OM 5 to make your TikToks with friends, pets or kids look as professional as ever. You'll be going viral in no time.

The OM 5's three stabilizing motors are loaded with algorithms to adapt to the dynamic movements you make while filming. That means whether you're shooting while running, biking or skating, your phone will still be exactly where it needs to be during filming. The newest feature added to DJI's fifth iteration of this gimbal is a precision-crafted 215mm extension rod. On the filmmaking side, you'll love using the extension rod to capture DIY crane shots, and on the casual side, it works great as a selfie stick. You can also pair your OM 5 with DJI's app and use new features such as shot guides and active tracking. An amateur filmmaker's dream device, and a casual videographer's best friend, the DJI OM 5 has got it all.

What you'll pay: The list price for the OM 5 is $159, but look out for sales on the device which can bring it down to as low as $129.

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