The Osmo Pocket 3 is a killer little camera for car rollers, but it’s only as good as what’s holding it to the car. I’ve run three different mounts at three different price points. Here’s what each one is good at, what bugs me about it, and the other two things you need before any of it looks cinematic.
Before the mount: audio and ND filters
Get the Creator Combo if you can. It comes with the DJI Mic 2, and you can’t have a cinematic car clip without clean sound. I stick the mic somewhere in the engine bay, pointed away from anything that’ll pick up valve tick or an exhaust leak, and use its little magnet to hold it on a plate bolt or wherever it fits.
Then get ND filters. Everyone asks why their footage looks bad. It’s because you can’t shoot 24 frames per second in bright daylight without them. The image gets blown out and you lose the motion blur. I use the BRDRC ND set: five magnetic NDs plus a CPL. The big reason I recommend them over other brands is that the gimbal still folds closed with a filter on. A lot of other filters stick out enough that the gimbal jams when you stash it, and that’s how you break one in your pocket. If you’re on a budget, Neewer makes a cheaper set too.
Option 1: Ulanzi suction cup (about $46)
This was my first mount, a pump-action Ulanzi suction cup with a quarter-inch screw. It’s super adjustable. You can run it vertical or horizontal, hang it upside down for a low shot, whatever you need, and it locks with a twist. I’ve used it on a Porsche hood and on my own windshield and rear glass, and it held at around 70 mph. There’s no official speed rating, so that’s on you, and you do get some vibration in the gimbal at speed.
Option 2: GoPro suction cup (about $40)
The GoPro suction cup is a little cheaper. Downsides: it uses the GoPro prong connector, so you’ll need a clamp adapter for the Pocket 3, and it doesn’t articulate like the Ulanzi. Upside: the smaller cup fits on flatter, tighter spots. My rear bumper area has rough edges everywhere, so that matters. It’s just press and lock. GoPro says it’s good for 150+ mph, which I haven’t tested and won’t, because I didn’t buy DJI Care. Good pick if you’re on a budget. If you want to go even cheaper, there’s a $17 suction cup too.
Option 3: Cravenspeed tow hook mount (the safest)
This one bolts into your car’s tow hook point, so it’s probably the most secure mount on this list. BMW, Subaru, Mini and I think Audi and VW have that tow hook spot. Check Cravenspeed’s site before you buy, they have a year/make/model dropdown, and if your car isn’t listed you can reach out to them. It’s basically a bracket that threads into the car, an L bracket with a thumb screw, and a quarter-inch mount for the camera. It comes with a little tool to crank the thumb screw tight. It’s what I use for almost all my rollers now.
You’re limited to the front or back, and I only run it on the rear. Up front you can get some cool low shots, but most people want to see the front of the car, and the rear is where the sound is. Even without the DJI Mic, the audio from back there is pretty good.
Which one should you get?
- Most flexible: Ulanzi suction cup
- Tight budget: GoPro suction cup or the $17 one
- Most secure: Cravenspeed tow hook mount, if your car has the tow point
Whatever you pick, tether it. Suction cups fail. And the case on my Pocket 3 is from my buddy’s 3D print shop, Ark Made This on Etsy. Code EDM10 gets you 10% off.
Grab the camera itself here: DJI Osmo Pocket 3. Prices are what I paid when I filmed this, so double check them.
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