A few weeks ago, DJI announced the Osmo Mobile 3 – the third-generation model of its smartphone gimbal line. The new gimbal boasts some interesting features that have received praise from reviewers. However, it turns out that another gimbal released much earlier was the first to have these features. This gimbal is the Snoppa Atom.
The Snoppa Atom was released last year. It was originally crowdfunded on Indiegogo and the first batch began shipping in October 2018. The gimbal is made by Snoppa Technology, a Shenzhen-based company. So what are these features that the Osmo Mobile 3 copied from the atom? Let’s take a look at them below:
Folding Mechanism
The Snoppa Atom is the first portable gimbal with a foldable design. Prior to this, smartphone gimbals were not foldable and it didn’t make it easy to pack on a trip. However, Snoppa was able to design its product to be easily foldable. There is even a lock that prevents the arm from moving around when the arm is closed
One-key orientation switching
Some of the complaints from users for the older Osmo Mobile models was the inability to quickly switch between landscape to portrait orientation and vice versa. The Snoppa Atom allows you to change the orientation of the gimbal with a single key (programmable in the app). You can also rotate it manually if you wish.
DJI’s Osmo Mobile 3 allows you to change the orientation by tapping the Mode button three times in quick succession.
These two major features are those that first featured on the Atom but which the Osmo Mobile 3 has copied and which more gimbal makers will also likely adopt.
[envira-gallery id=”272357″]The Snoppa Atom also has some few other unique tricks such as wireless charging for your phone while in use. It also has an interface that allows you to use third-party microphones. Battery life also goes up to 24 hours as against the DJI’s 15 hours.
The Atom is priced at $149, $30 more than the Osmo Mobile 3.
