Feiyu Pocket 4 Announced – 1/1.55-Inch Sensor, 4K60, 111GB Built-In Storage

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by Johnnie BehiriToday

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FeiyuTech has launched the Feiyu Pocket 4, its new three-axis gimbal camera and the first update to the line since the Pocket 3. The camera gets a much larger sensor than its predecessor, a 2.64-inch touchscreen that slides down to start shooting and up to cover the lens, and 111GB of internal storage. At $299, it costs a lot less than DJI’s Osmo Pocket 4, but the spec sheet also shows where the money was saved.

The Feiyu Pocket 4 uses a 1/1.55-inch CMOS sensor with 50 megapixels behind a fixed-focus 110° lens at f/2.2. It records UHD 4K up to 60fps, 2.7K up to 60fps, and 1080p up to 120fps as H.264 or HEVC in an MP4 container, with a maximum bitrate of 80 Mbps. Stills go up to 8192 x 6144 pixels. A three-axis mechanical gimbal with up to 450° of pan travel stabilizes the image, and AI face and subject tracking work together with gesture control. The camera has 128GB of eMMC storage (about 111GB available to the user) and no microSD slot, and it weighs about 205g / 7.2oz. FeiyuTech sells the camera directly for $299, or $379 in a Creator Kit.

We last covered FeiyuTech’s pocket cameras when the company introduced the Pocket 2 and Pocket 2S in 2021. Since then, this category has changed a lot. DJI released the Osmo Pocket 4 in April and the dual-lens Osmo Pocket 4P in July, and pocket gimbal cameras are now a major part of the market. Our analysis of how DJI and Insta360 now ship more cameras than the mirrorless industry gives the context. The Pocket 4 is FeiyuTech’s attempt to compete in this segment on price.

A sliding screen in place of a lens cap

The most unusual part of the Pocket 4 is its mechanical design. The 2.64-inch touchscreen (480 x 480 pixels) sits on a sliding frame. Slide it down, and the camera powers on and is ready to shoot. According to FeiyuTech’s launch blog post, magnetic sensing detects the movement. Slide it up one step, and the gimbal motors lock. A second step extends a wraparound cover that encloses the camera head, so no separate case or clamp is necessary for transport.

The square screen is also how FeiyuTech handles framing. The camera natively shoots 4:3, and the user can select 16:9 or vertical 9:16 on the touchscreen without physically turning the camera. According to the manual, vertical video goes up to 3K. The user can also rotate the camera 90° to enter the vertical mode. The body is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy and plastic, and it measures 140.5 x 52 x 31.7mm / 5.53 x 2.05 x 1.25in when folded. The Pocket 4 is not waterproof.

Sensor, lens and recording formats

On paper, the 1/1.55-inch sensor is a large improvement over the Feiyu Pocket 3, which has a 1/2.3-inch, 12-megapixel sensor. It is still smaller than the 1-inch sensor in DJI’s Osmo Pocket 4. The 110° lens is wide for a vlogging camera, and the specifications list it as fixed focus. FeiyuTech’s FAQ states plainly that the Pocket 4 does not support autofocus. Thus, close-up product shots or face-to-camera recording at arm’s length can depend on the depth of field of the small sensor, not on a focus system.

Video options include 4K at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, and 60fps, 2.7K (2720 x 1520) at the same frame rates, and 1080p at up to 120fps. A separate slow-motion mode records at 2x or 4x in HD or Full HD. Time-lapse (static, dynamic, and motion), panorama, and a night mode are also available. ISO goes from 100 to 3200, and the electronic shutter goes from 16 seconds to 1/8000s. Users can switch between auto and manual exposure, select average or spot metering, and set flicker reduction to 50Hz or 60Hz.

FeiyuTech does not list a log profile, a 10-bit mode, or an HDR mode on the product page or in the manual. The camera menu has a color option, but the company does not say what it includes. Photos are saved as JPG, and the product page also lists JPG+DNG. The maximum video bitrate of 80 Mbps is less than half of the 180 Mbps that DJI specifies for the Osmo Pocket 4.

Tracking, gestures and gimbal control

The mechanical ranges of the three-axis gimbal are −100° to +350° on pan, −185° to +134.5° on tilt, and −90° to +229.5° on roll, with a maximum controllable speed of 180° per second. The follow modes are: all follow, pan and tilt follow, and pan follow, and users can set the pan speed to slow, default, or quick. A five-way joystick controls the pan and tilt axes, and a double-tap switches it to digital zoom.

Face tracking and subject tracking run on the camera itself; the user taps the subject on the touchscreen to select it. On the Pocket 3, tracking required the Feiyu Cam app. Gesture control has four commands: an OK sign starts or stops tracking, an open palm takes a photo or starts recording, a double L shape sets a custom composition, and a double thumbs-up switches gesture control off. The Feiyu Cam app (iOS 13 or later, Android 6.0 or later) connects over 5GHz Wi-Fi and gives remote control, live preview, file transfer, and gimbal control through the phone’s motion sensors.

Storage, battery and connectivity

The 111GB of user storage replaces the memory card completely. FeiyuTech says this holds approximately 875 minutes of Full HD video. At the maximum bitrate of 80 Mbps, the same storage holds roughly three hours of 4K footage. Users who shoot a full day of 4K must offload during the day. Files transfer over USB-C to a computer, directly to some phones over USB-C, or over Wi-Fi to the app. The Pocket 4 also works as a UVC webcam over USB-C.

Power comes from an internal 1300mAh, 7.4V lithium-ion battery. FeiyuTech gives recording times of up to 2.5 hours at 1080p30, 1.8 hours at 4K30, and 1.5 hours at 4K60, measured at 25°C. Audio comes from the built-in microphone as 48kHz AAC. In FeiyuTech’s comparison table, it lists an external microphone as not supported for the Pocket 4, while the Pocket 3 supports one with a dedicated adapter. The Creator Kit includes a “Microphone & Battery Handle”, but FeiyuTech has not yet published specifications for this accessory. The camera also has a 1/4-inch thread on the base.

How it compares with the DJI Osmo Pocket 4

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has a 1-inch sensor, 4K at up to 240fps, 10-bit D-Log (a later firmware update extended it to slow motion), autofocus, 107GB internal storage plus a microSD slot, direct DJI Mic pairing, and timecode. It weighs 190.5g. In Europe, it started at €479 at launch. The Feiyu Pocket 4 is heavier and has no log profile, autofocus, external audio input, or card slot. Its advantages are the larger screen, the integrated lens cover, the larger internal storage, and the lower price.

For readers who use a pocket gimbal camera as a B-camera in a professional production, the missing log profile and fixed focus are the main limitations. For travel and vlogging users who shoot mostly 8-bit footage for social media, the Feiyu Pocket 4 is a less expensive choice.

Price and availability

The Feiyu Pocket 4 is available now from the FeiyuTech online store. The Standard Kit costs $299 and includes the camera, a carrying bag, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-A to USB-C adapter, a wrist strap, and the manual. The Creator Kit costs $379 and adds the Microphone & Battery Handle and a tripod. A portable bag ($49) and an adjustable extension pole ($39) are available separately. FeiyuTech ships from local warehouses in the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany, with free shipping to these regions. At the time of writing, B&H does not list the Pocket 4, and FeiyuTech has not published a euro price.

Is the Feiyu Pocket 4’s sliding cover and large internal storage enough to choose it over a DJI Osmo Pocket 4, or are log recording and autofocus necessary for you? Let us know in the comments below!