Osmo Pocket 4P vs Action 6 | Which one is really useful for summer travel? Comparing for waterside, city walking, and vlogging

When the Osmo Pocket 4P is released, I can't help but be curious.

A model above the Pocket 4.
Telephoto capabilities.
Higher performance.
A new gimbal camera.

If you are a gadget lover, it is natural to want it.

I am also quite interested in it.

However, if you are thinking about summer travel and outdoor activities,
there is one thing I want to think about calmly just once.

That is, is what you really need right now a "higher-end gimbal camera"?
Or is it a "camera that increases the places where you can shoot"?

The Pocket 4P is surely an attractive camera.

But, the ocean, pools, rivers, rain, sweat, sand, car mounts, bicycles, and children playing in the water.

For these kinds of summer shots, some people might be happier adding an Osmo Action 6.

In this article, for those who are interested in the Osmo Pocket 4P,
I will organize whether the Pocket 4P or the Action 6 is really useful for summer travel.

*For the sake of readability in this article,
I will abbreviate them as "Pocket 4P," "Pocket 4," "Pocket 3," and "Action 6" in the text.

▼ Conclusion: If you want to increase the scenes you can shoot during summer travel, the Action 6 is strong

Here is the conclusion first.

If you want to increase the "scenes you can shoot" during summer travel, the Action 6 is quite strong.

The Pocket 4P is a camera that expands the range of how beautifully you can shoot.
On the other hand, the Action 6 is a camera that expands the places where you can shoot.

This difference is significant.

The Pocket 4P should be able to shoot city walks, meals, hotels, night views, people,
and travel vlogs quite beautifully.

If the telephoto expression is practical,
the fun of capturing parts of the scenery and streets of your travel destination will also increase.

However, the Pocket series is basically a gimbal camera.

In places where it gets wet, places where it is easy to drop it,
and places with sand or water splashes, you inevitably have to be careful.

On the other hand, the Action 6's strengths are its waterproofing, durability, and mountability.

It's easy to use at the beach.
It's easy to use at the pool.
It's easy to use in the rain.
It's easy to use for car mounting.
It's also easy to use for cycling and other activities.

In situations during summer travel where you think, 'I want to film this, but I'm worried about my camera,'
the Action 6 is more reliable.

Therefore, for those who already own a Pocket 3 or Pocket 4,
adding an Action 6 is a viable option before upgrading to the Pocket 4P.

▼ The Pocket 4P is a camera that expands the 'range of beautiful shooting'

The appeal of the Pocket 4P is that it adds even more expressive power
to the level of perfection expected from the Pocket series.

The telephoto capability is particularly significant.

There are many things at travel destinations that you cannot get close to.

Distant buildings.
Signs.
Food.
A fleeting moment in a crowd.
A stage.
The view from an observation deck.
Streetlights and signs at night.

With only a wide-angle lens, everything can end up looking small.

But with telephoto, you can crop in on subjects that are a bit further away.

This is quite significant for vlogging.

Show the location with a wide angle.
Crop in on a detail with telephoto.
Switch back to wide angle.

If you can create this rhythm, your travel vlog will become much easier to watch.

I think the Pocket 4P is a camera for capturing your travels more beautifully
and making them look more like a cinematic production.

However, that is only true in 'shootable environments.'

Places where it might get wet.
Places where sand is blowing.
Places where you might drop it.
Situations where you need both hands free.

In these cases, no matter how high-performance it is, it might become difficult to use.

▼ The Action 6 is a camera that expands the 'places where you can shoot'

The value of the Action 6 is not just in its image quality specifications.

In fact, its greatest value is that it increases the number of places where you can shoot.

Even in places where you might be a bit hesitant with the Pocket series, the Action 6 is easier to take out.

Rainy days.
The seaside.
Pools.
Playing in rivers.
Places with water splashes.
Sandy beaches.
Outside the car.
Bicycles.
Children playing in water.
Playing outside with dogs.

In these situations, the peace of mind provided by the Action 6 is quite effective.

During travel, if you are distracted by trying to protect your camera, shooting becomes a chore.

Being careful not to get it wet.
Holding it so you don't drop it.
Putting it away in your bag.
Missing the right moment to take it out.

If this continues, you eventually stop shooting altogether.

The Action 6 lowers that psychological hurdle.

You can use it somewhat roughly.
You can fix it with a mount.
It's easy to use near water.
You can easily capture short clips.

On summer trips, this ease of use is very important.

▼ Action 6 is better than Pocket 4P for the ocean, pools, rain, and rivers

The most obvious difference during summer travel is around water.

The ocean, pools, rivers, and sudden rain.

In these areas, the Action 6 is clearly easier to use.

The Pocket 4P is a gimbal camera.

Beyond just the lens, there are parts you don't want to get wet, such as the gimbal's moving parts, the screen, ports, and microphone holes.
There are parts you don't want to get wet.

Of course, this doesn't mean it will break immediately in a little rain.

However, it is not a camera designed to be used with the assumption that it will get wet.

On the other hand, the Action 6 is a camera that is easy to use with the expectation of being near water.

Water splashes.
Wet hands.
Sandy beaches.
Poolside.
Moving in the rain.

It's a big deal to be able to shoot without hesitation in situations like these.

Especially when traveling with children or family, the moments you want to capture happen suddenly.

Jumping into water.
Running.
Laughing.
Falling.
Looking back.

In moments like these, if you think too much about protecting your camera, you'll miss the shot.

In terms of preserving summer memories,
there are quite a few situations where the Action 6 is more suitable.

▼ For city walks, dining, hotels, and night views, choose the Pocket 4P

Conversely, there are clear situations where the Pocket 4P is stronger.

City walks
Dining
Hotels
Indoors
Night views
People
Cafes
The atmosphere of your travel destination

For these types of shots, I think the Pocket 4P is easier to use.

Gimbal cameras make it easy to create smooth footage while handheld.

It's easy to keep stable while walking.
It's easy to compose shots while looking at the screen.
Selfies are also easy.
It's easy to shoot food and small items too.

Furthermore, if the telephoto lens is easy to use on the Pocket 4P,
it will add a lot of character to your travel footage.

This is because you can include detailed cuts, not just wide scenery.

The city seen from a hotel window.
Food on the table.
A distant sign.
Night streetlights.
Casual moments at your travel destination.

These kinds of cuts should be easier to shoot with the Pocket 4P than the Action 6.

The Action 6 is tough, but if you shoot everything with it,
the footage tends to lean a bit more toward action.

If you want to create a calm atmosphere for a travel vlog,
the Pocket series is more suitable.

▼ For those who have a Pocket 3 / 4, adding an Action 6 might feel like a bigger change than upgrading to the 4P

This is the most important point.

For those who already have a Pocket 3 or Pocket 4,
upgrading to the Pocket 4P will certainly improve performance.

However, whether it dramatically increases the scenes you can capture depends on the person.

Both the Pocket 3 and Pocket 4 are already quite excellent for travel vlogs and daily shooting.

City walks.
Cafes.
Family photos.
Hotels.
Night views.
Indoors.

You can already capture these well enough with the current Pocket.

Adding the Pocket 4P to that expands your range of expression.

But adding the Action 6 expands the places where you can shoot.

You can shoot in the ocean.
You can shoot in the rain.
You can mount it to a car.
You can use it on a bike.
You can capture water play.
You can shoot hands-free.

This change is quite significant.

Therefore, for those who already own a Pocket 3 / 4,
you don't need to look only at the Pocket 4P as your next purchase.

If you are thinking about summer travel,
I think some people will be more satisfied adding an Action 6.

▼ For first-time buyers, the Pocket 4P / Pocket 4 is the safer choice

On the other hand, if you are buying a vlog camera for the first time, the story changes a bit.

As a first camera, the Pocket 4P or Pocket 4 is safer.

The reason is ease of use in daily life.

You can shoot while looking at the screen.
It's easy to compose shots.
Walking shots are smooth.
Selfies are easy.
It's easy to shoot meals and indoor scenes.

If you are making one travel vlog, the Pocket series is easier to use as a main camera.

The Action 6 is very convenient, but if you use it as your first camera,
it can be a bit tricky depending on the situation.

The field of view is wide.
It's hard to compose shots handheld.
It's a bit difficult to use at meals or cafes.
It tends to lean more toward active footage than calm vlogs.

Of course, if you focus on the ocean or outdoors, the Action 6 is fine as a first camera.

But for general travel vlogs, city walks, cafes, hotels,
and a wide range of family shots, I think the Pocket series is easier to handle.

▼ Having both is quite powerful

Ideally, having both a Pocket series and an Action 6 is quite powerful.

Use the Pocket 4P or Pocket 4 to capture the main footage of your trip. Use the Action 6 to capture waterside, in-car, activity, and rainy day footage.

This combination is quite practical.

For example, for a summer trip,

Pocket for airports and stations
Pocket for city walking
Pocket for hotels and meals
Action for the beach and pool
Action if it rains
Action for in-car and bicycle shots
Pocket for night city walks

You can divide the usage like this.

If you try to capture everything perfectly with just one device, it inevitably becomes difficult.

The Pocket series is weak near water. The Action 6 is a bit weak at calm, everyday vlogging.

Therefore, dividing the roles between two devices makes things much easier.

However, you don't need to buy two from the start.

If you already have a Pocket, add an Action 6. If you don't have anything yet, start with the Pocket series. If your main focus is the water, start with the Action 6.

I think this way of thinking is fine.

▼ How to choose if your budget is limited?

Realistically, there is a budget.

You are interested in both the Pocket 4P and the Action 6. But you can't buy both.

For people like this, it is easier to choose based on the following criteria.

If the focus of your trip is city walking, dining, hotels, and night views, choose the Pocket 4P.

If the focus of your trip is the beach, pool, river, rain, in-car shots, and activities, choose the Action 6.

If you already have a Pocket 3 / 4, add the Action 6.

If you don't own anything yet, go for the Pocket 4P or Pocket 4.

This criterion is the least likely to lead to disappointment.

In particular, if you already own a Pocket 3 / 4,
think about what is missing from your current footage.

Do you want to shoot more beautifully?
Do you want to capture more with telephoto?
Or do you want to shoot in wet environments or places with lots of movement?

If the former, choose the Pocket 4P.
If the latter, choose the Action 6.

▼ People who should wait for the Pocket 4P

Of course, there are people who should wait for the Pocket 4P.

・You want to include telephoto shots in your travel vlogs
・You want to shoot city walks and night views like a pro
・You want a higher-end model than the Pocket 4
・You do more city shooting and daily photography than waterfront shooting
・You want to shoot with the highest possible quality using just one device
・You enjoy reviews and testing

These people have a reason to choose the Pocket 4P.

Especially for those who feel "I wish I could zoom in a little more" while traveling,
the Pocket 4P is quite attractive.

Vlogs that only use wide-angle shots tend to look the same.

Just being able to crop in with telephoto significantly changes the impression of the video.

For those who want to make their city walks and travels look like a production,
I think the Pocket 4P is very suitable.

▶DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Standard Combo

▶DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Vlog Combo

▼ People who should add the Action 6

Conversely, these are the people who should add the Action 6.

・You already own a Pocket 3 / 4
・You are going to the beach or pool this summer
・You want to shoot even on rainy days
・You want to shoot in-car footage
・You want to use it on a bicycle or motorcycle
・You want to film your children playing in the water
・You want to be free from the anxiety of getting your camera wet
・You want to expand the range of your shooting all at once

For this type of person,
adding an Action 6 might result in higher satisfaction than getting a Pocket 4P.

Keep using your current Pocket for the scenes it excels at,
and use the Action 6 to cover the scenes the Pocket struggles with.

This approach is much more practical for summer travel.

Especially near water or on rainy days, the difference between being able to shoot and not being able to shoot is significant.

Rather than slightly better image quality,
there are situations where simply being able to shoot at all is more important.

▶ DJI Osmo Action 6 Standard Combo

▼ Summary: Which one reduces the 'regret of not being able to shoot' during summer travel?

The Pocket 4P is a very attractive camera.

If the telephoto capability is practical, I think it will significantly expand the ways you can present your travel vlogs.

For city walking, dining, hotels, night views, and portrait photography,
the Pocket 4P should be quite strong.

However, there are many situations during summer travel where the Action 6 hits the mark.

• Ocean

• Pool

• River

• Rain

• In-car

• Bicycle

• Water play

• Outdoors

In these situations, you can use the Action 6 with more peace of mind.

For those who already own a Pocket 3 or Pocket 4,
before upgrading to the Pocket 4P,
I think you should also consider the option of adding an Action 6.

If you want to expand the range of beautiful shots, go for the Pocket 4P.
If you want to expand the places where you can shoot, go for the Action 6.

This is the difference.

What matters for summer travel is
not having the camera with the highest specs.

It is being able to shoot without hesitation the moment you want to.

Which regret do you think you are more likely to have on your trip?

The regret of not getting a beautiful shot.
The regret of not being able to shoot at all.

When you think about that,
I think it becomes clear whether you should choose the Pocket 4P or the Action 6.

▼ Recommended reading (Related articles)

Should you buy the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P? Differences from Pocket 4, Luna Ultra comparison, and spec breakdown
I have organized what kind of camera the Pocket 4P is and how it differs from the Pocket 4 and Luna Ultra.

[Waterproofing Warning] Prepare for the rainy season and summer at the beach! The definitive difference in waterproof performance between POCKET 4 / 3 vs Action 6 and essential accessories
I have summarized in detail which one you should use at the water's edge or on rainy days, focusing on the differences in waterproof performance.

Shooting your travels with POCKET 4 / POCKET 3 × Action 6 | A complete guide to using both cameras
I have specifically organized how to use both the Pocket series and the Action 6 when carrying two cameras.

☕️ If this article was helpful

If this article helped you complete your first video or choose a camera,
please consider supporting me with the price of a cup of coffee via the 'Support' button at the bottom of the page; it would be a great encouragement for creating future gear reviews and tutorials!

For International Readers:
If this guide helped you, consider buying me a coffee! ☕️

hal_gadget_lab Hi! I'm sharing the best ways to capture your memories. 📷

*This article contains Amazon Associate links.
If you purchase a product through these links, the author will receive a referral fee.
There is no additional cost to the reader.