🎒 Filming a Backpack POV Adventure with the DJI Pocket 3 – Hands-Free, All Day
- gear4greatness
- May 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 23
Last updated: August 2025
🎒 Filming a Backpack POV Adventure with the DJI Pocket 3 – Hands-Free, All Day Category: Creative Field Test Posted by: Gear for Greatness
👀 The Idea: Film the World, Hands-Free
What if you could film your entire day—no rig, no selfie stick, no holding a thing—and still walk away with smooth, cinematic footage?
That’s exactly what I tested with the DJI Pocket 3.
Using a backpack strap mount and the camera’s built-in tracking and stabilization, I recorded an all-day vlog from a chest-level POV—capturing everything I saw without ever touching the camera.
Spoiler: It worked better than expected—and revealed some surprising pros and cons.
🧰 The Gear
🎥 DJI Pocket 3 (standard, not Creator Combo)
🎒 Backpack strap mount (Velcro baseplate + tilt adjustment)
🔋 1 power bank (USB-C tethered for runtime)
🎙️ DJI Mic 2 (optional but great for narration)
☀️ Time: Midday to golden hour
No gimbals. No tripod. No filters. Just the bare bones.
🎬 Setup: As Simple As It Gets
I mounted the Pocket 3 vertically to my backpack strap, angled it upward slightly, turned on FaceTrack, and hit record.
Then I:
Walked through downtown Winnipeg
Sat at a café
Rode the bus
Filmed local street life
Chatted on-camera — completely hands-free
🎯 Pro Tip: You can use the DJI Mimo app (mounted to handlebars or another strap) to monitor your frame. I went blind for realism.
📽 The Results (Footage Coming Soon)
Even without the clip embedded yet, here’s what I learned:
✅ What Worked
Rock-Solid Stabilization – The gimbal handled walking bumps and shifts beautifully.
Cinematic POV Vibes – The angle felt immersive—like watching through my eyes.
Accurate Face Tracking – Stayed locked on me, even as I turned or leaned.
Surprisingly Good Audio – Built-in mics held up, even in moderate city noise.
Total Freedom – Not having to hold gear changed everything.
❌ What Didn’t Work So Well
Angle Drifted Over Time – If your strap isn’t tight, your shot may slowly tilt.
Fast Walking = Micro Bounce – Stabilization is solid, but not magic. Keep a smooth pace.
Limited Framing Control – You rely on FaceTrack. No manual pan/tilt while recording.
🧠 Is It Worth Trying?
Absolutely.
If you own a Pocket 3 and a decent strap mount, this is a low-effort, high-reward shooting method. It can turn:
🚶♂️ Walks into cinematic vlogs
📦 Errands into storytelling content
🌆 B-roll into immersive “day-in-the-life” footage
🎯 It's discreet, steady, and easy to pull off—even if you’ve never filmed a vlog before.
🎒 Filming a Backpack POV Adventure with the DJI Pocket 3 – Hands-Free, All Day
📌 Final Thoughts from G4G
The DJI Pocket 3 was built for more than stick shots and quick handheld clips. Strap it to a backpack, and suddenly it transforms into something different: a hands-free, cinematic POV rig that moves when you move. It’s subtle, immersive, and surprisingly powerful for capturing the feeling of being in the moment.
Sometimes the best camera isn’t the one you point — it’s the one that simply comes along for the ride. When your gear moves with you, it blurs the line between subject and storyteller. That’s where new angles, fresh energy, and unexpected stories are born.
And it all starts with one simple question: What if?
More POV tests are on the way — and maybe even a side-by-side with the Insta360 GO 3. Because sometimes the smallest changes in how you mount your gear can completely change the way you see your world.
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