DJI’s new Osmo Mobile 8P is basically the “always-with-you camera buddy” the original smartphone gimbals were dreaming of, now rebuilt around one big idea: you don’t have to stand behind your phone to control the shot anymore. With a detachable viewfinder-style remote, upgraded tracking, and genuinely creator-first tweaks, this is very clearly aimed at people who shoot a lot of vertical video, vlogs, travel clips, and B-roll, but are tired of guessing whether they’re actually in frame.

DJI is positioning the Osmo Mobile 8P as the new flagship in its handheld stabilizer line, and you can feel that in the way the product is framed. The company is not just talking about stabilization or “pro video from your phone” this time; it’s talking about composition, subject control, and freeing the creator from being glued to the screen. In plain terms, it wants to be your handheld, remote-controllable cameraman that fits in a sling bag.

The headline feature is the split, detachable remote control. Instead of your phone being the only “screen” you can monitor, the 8P ships with a small viewfinder-like remote that talks to the gimbal from up to 10 meters away. From that remote, you can start and stop recording, snap photos, flip between horizontal and vertical, tweak gimbal modes, fine-tune your framing, and even adjust the brightness and color temperature of the built-in fill light, all without touching the gimbal itself. For solo creators, that’s huge: you can set the gimbal down on its tripod, walk into the frame, frame yourself using the remote’s screen, and shoot without that awkward run-in, run-out dance.

What makes this feel more serious than a gimmick is that the gimbal can pipe the live feed from either your phone or DJI’s new Multi-Function Tracking Module 2 directly to the remote’s display. So when you’re behind the camera, you see what the phone sees; when you’re in front of the camera, you still see what the gimbal is capturing. DJI’s own description sums it up as “the image is in your hand, the composition is in your grasp,” and for travel vloggers or small creators filming in tight spaces, that’s exactly the appeal.

On the tracking side, DJI is throwing everything it has at keeping subjects locked in frame. The Osmo Mobile 8P supports three different tracking paths: standard tracking via the refreshed DJI Mimo app (now with Smart Track 8.0), tracking via the Multi-Function Tracking Module 2, and direct tracking using the phone itself, including Apple DockKit and HarmonyOS-level integrations. In practice, that means you can pick between: tracking built into the phone system camera, tracking using DJI’s own module, or app-based tracking if you need more advanced modes. It’s clearly designed so that no matter what phone you’re on, there’s a path to “set and forget” subject locking.

Smart Track 8.0 is where DJI promises the most visible upgrade. The company is explicitly talking about crowded environments—stadiums, exhibitions, concerts—where older tracking systems would easily lose the subject in a sea of faces or motion. Here, the gimbal is tuned to hold onto your main subject, even as people walk through the frame or lighting conditions shift. Dual Camera Enhanced Tracking uses both a wide and a telephoto view from compatible phones to follow fast-moving subjects across a larger area, then intelligently reacquire them when they briefly leave the frame. If you shoot sports, dance, skateboarding, or basically anything where the subject doesn’t politely stay in one place, this matters more than any spec sheet line.

The Multi-Function Tracking Module 2 is also quietly important. It’s not just “human tracking plus pets” anymore: DJI now says the module can lock onto objects, vehicles, and even things like buildings or toys, and stick with them. On the remote’s screen, a detection frame will pop up automatically; tap the subject you care about and the gimbal starts tracking. You can also switch between different subjects while shooting, creating those more cinematic reframes where the “main character” changes mid-shot without the camera frantically hunting. For creators doing dynamic product shots, car reels, or street scenes, you’re getting a level of tracking flexibility that previously needed more manual input.

On the phone integration side, DJI is finally leaning into platform-level hooks instead of just living inside its own app. The Osmo Mobile 8P supports Apple DockKit, so iPhone users can literally tap their phone on the NFC area of the gimbal to pair over Bluetooth and then magnetically snap on to start tracking. This matters for a couple of reasons: setup time shrinks, and DockKit allows deeper integration with the iOS camera and certain apps. Over on the Huawei side, the gimbal supports HarmonyOS intelligent tracking focus for devices running HarmonyOS 6 and above. That means you can get smooth tracking whether you’re using the native camera app or the built-in camera views of mainstream social apps, instead of being locked into DJI’s own app every time you want subject tracking.

Hardware-wise, the Osmo Mobile 8P continues DJI’s three-axis stabilization tradition, but now with what the company calls its eighth-generation stabilization system. In plain language, that means smoother footage, especially when you’re panning, tilting, or moving through uneven ground. It’s designed to avoid that “micro-jerk” look you get from cheaper single- or dual-axis stabilizers. Coupled with a built-in extension rod, the 8P can quickly transform from a compact grip into a pseudo-selfie stick, giving you more reach for group shots, overhead clips, or low-angle skimming shots along the ground. The gimbal and tripod are integrated, so you can fold it out, drop it on a table, and start shooting without hunting for extra accessories.

Battery life is rated at up to around 10 hours of continuous use, which for most people translates to a full day of mixed shooting. The gimbal can also act as a power bank, topping up your phone over USB-C while you record. That’s a small but important point: many creators already run into the “phone at 15 percent, but golden hour just started” problem. A stabilizer that takes the edge off that anxiety has a real-world impact.

The magnetic phone clip has been updated to support larger flagship camera phones, which is increasingly critical with massive camera islands becoming the norm. Folded, the whole setup still aims to stay bag-friendly, with a compact footprint and a weight that is in line with the previous Osmo Mobile 8 generation, which sits around the 350–380g mark, including the built-in tripod and clamp depending on configuration. It’s the kind of thing you can actually carry on a city day out without regretting it by lunchtime.

On the software and “intelligence” side, DJI is sprinkling more assistive tools on top of the raw tracking. There’s gesture control, so you can start tracking or recording without touching the remote or the phone—handy for group shots or when the remote is just out of reach. There’s composition assistance and shooting guidance for newcomers, helping you line up shots with better framing instead of random, off-center clips. The familiar AI one-tap video creation is still here: the gimbal and app can take your short clips and automatically cut them into a stylized edit with transitions and music, which is perfect for “shoot, export, post” workflows. You also get a decent library of creative modes: 360-degree panoramas, low-angle shots, cinematic slow shutter effects, dynamic zoom (that Hitchcock-style push-pull shot), and widescreen modes that play nicer with platforms beyond vertical-only content.

If you’ve used any recent Osmo Mobile, the overall idea will feel familiar, but the 8P pushes further into making the gimbal itself “disappear.” The new grip and integrated tripod design aim to keep one-handed operation comfortable over longer periods, while still letting you pivot quickly into low-angle moves without awkward wrist contortions. That may sound minor, but when you’re following a subject through a busy street or shooting a festival all day, ergonomics heavily influence whether you actually use the gear you bought.

On pricing and availability, DJI is starting with its home market. In China, the Osmo Mobile 8P standard set is priced at 899 yuan, and includes the gimbal, the viewfinder remote, the DJI OM Magnetic Phone Clip 5, a charging cable, a drawstring bag, and a few other basic accessories. The Multi-Function Tracking Module 2 is sold separately, which is worth noting if you want everything the system can do; there are also bundle options like an AI Tracking Module Kit and a full Vlog Kit that pack in more accessories for creators who want a one-stop purchase. It’s already live on DJI’s official online store and major Chinese e-commerce platforms like JD.com, Tmall, and Suning, as well as authorized offline experience stores.

Support-wise, DJI is bringing its usual Care ecosystem to the 8P. The DJI Care protection plan for Osmo Mobile 8P covers accidental damage, including wear and tear, bumps, and water damage, and gives you the option of a quick replacement for a relatively low fee rather than paying full price for a new unit. There are one-year and two-year Care Trade-in options, priced at 59 yuan and 99 yuan respectively, which allow multiple low-cost trade-ins within the coverage period. For anyone planning to throw this gimbal into travel bags, carry it on hikes, or hand it around during events, that kind of coverage can be a reassuring safety net.

What’s interesting about the Osmo Mobile 8P is how clearly it’s shaped around actual creator pain points. Previous generations already nailed stabilization and decent tracking; this one tries to fix composition confidence, platform integration, and solo shooting friction. The detachable remote means you can treat your phone more like a camera head and less like a screen you must constantly babysit. Platform-level support like Apple DockKit and HarmonyOS tracking makes it easier to stay inside your favorite camera or social app without sacrificing subject tracking. And the evolved tracking module plus Smart Track 8.0 are very much about giving you more control over who or what the “main character” of your frame is, even in messy real-world environments.

For casual users, this is obviously overkill compared to just holding your phone. But if you’re the person in your group who always ends up filming, the one posting reels, short-form travel diaries, behind-the-scenes clips, or dance content, Osmo Mobile 8P looks like one of those rare generational updates that might actually change how you shoot, not just how smooth your footage looks.