That probably needs some expanding (for those that are interested), so apart from the gimbal system – which is THE major feature, allied with Active Track – what other things appeal to me more?
Some of the accessories I have obtained over the years take the Pocket 2 from being what it is out of the box – which is still damned good as it is – to a regular little marvel. Something I would have expected perhaps to see on Star Trek or Dr Who in the 70s.
Do-It-All-Handle
First and foremost is the Do-It-All Handle that I mentioned in the comparison article.
This is like a Swiss Army Knife in a sense with, as the name suggests, it has a whole bunch of accessories in one small unit. The least obvious, but actually useful, is that it extends the length of the Pocket 2 giving to me at least, a better feel and flexibility in handling. Second, as it contains both Wi-fi and Bluetooth modules, you can use it with Bluetooth headphones and wireless microphones.
There is a built-in speaker so when you play back your footage, you can hear the audio. Additionally there is a 3.5mm audio port so you can plug standard headphones in too.
Finally, a ¼” thread lets you attach the Pocket 2 to a standard tripod mount.
If there is one drawback, it is that …
Charging Case
… to put the Pocket 2 into the charging case, you must remove the Do-It-All Handle. But the positives outweigh the negatives really, as with this, you can recharge your Pocket 2 while on the road. In fact it will give you an extra 4-hours of charge.
The Charging Case also allows storage of a pair of microSD cards, up to m4 ND filters and two smartphone adaptors (1for iPhone and 1 for Android say) all in a rugged case that protects the Pockets 2 from damage. It has a USB-C port so can be easily topped in the car or from a power bank.
Phone Clip
The Pocket 2 is unique in that with a smartphone adaptor, it can connect directly to your smartphone’s USB-C or Lightning port. That is, no cables needed. But this can be a little unwieldy.
If you have the Phone Clip, you rest your phone inside this which clamps it securely and gives you much more stability. The Phone Clip also gives you a ¼” tripod mount.
Mini Control Stick
If you are not using the phone adaptor, this instead slides into that port and gives you direct physical control over the camera’s gimbal camera rotation / direction / tilt / pan and zoom capability.
It also lets you switch between the various gimbal modes and is very responsive in operation.
Wireless Microphone Transmitter,
Now this little gizmo has not one but two party tricks. In conjunction with the Do-It-All-Handle, you can plug a standard microphone with a 3.5mm connection into it and transmit audio straight to the Pocket 2. But it is also a wireless mic in its own right too!
Additionally, it can act as a remote shutter release.
Wide Angle Lens
This is one item I don’t have but am seriously thinking about. The DJI Pocket 2 Wide Angle Lens increases the equivalent focal length to 15mm, upping the field of view for the Pocket 2 to 110°. It is simple to attach (it uses magnetism) and will even store in the Pocket 2 cover.
So is there anything else I’d add? Yes. And I have them on order now.
ND Filters
I learnt of the usefulness of ND filters some years back and now all of my cameras and drones have a set – except the Pocket 2!
So what does an ND filter do? For that, I’ll point you to a tutorial I wrote some back at https://filmvideoandvirtualreality.wordpress.com/mini-tutorial-nd-filters/ but in short, they are used to control light.
One of the most common images you will see when you can be pretty sure an ND filter has been used is a water shot – surf, waterfall, stream over rocks etc – where you get that beautiful blurry motion of the water. An ND filter allows you to keep the shutter open longer but not let so much light in your image is overexposed.
Tripod
A mini tripod is also a great thing to keep in the camera bag and many manufacturers make great ones for use with the Pocket 2. I use one from Manfrotto that came with my Sennheiser MKE400 Mobile Connector Vlogging kit and the Phone clip works brilliantly with it.
Conclusion
I find that in the camera / video business, accessories are like lures for fisherman. It’s easy to get caught out and buy stuff you’d like but probably never use. There are many more things I would like to have, but what I have suggested here covers just about all bets.
The only thing I haven’t covered is an underwater housing (there is one available but I doubt I’d use it) and a really secure car mount.
I haven’t had the need as yet to bolt my Pocket 2 to the exterior of my Monaro, but if I ever did, I’d use the Do-It-All-Handle with my suction mount from CamerGrip that I have had for many years (and these I am led to believe are used by the boys from Top Gear / The Grand Tour.
Finally, don’t forget to download and install the DJI MIMO app as this will greatly increase the flexibility of use of your Pocket 2.