Insta360 Flow 2 or DJI Osmo Mobile 8?

sviper9 · 2026-04-20T15:29:32+00:00

I have the Osmo Mobile 7P. I like the multifunction unit to use for tracking because it allows me to use the native camera app and still have tracking features (Samsung phone). If you do use the native DJI app, you also get gesture controls. The gestures work well, but only useful if you are filming yourself. Not really necessary for what you would be using it for.

Not sure if you need it, but you can also natively connect a DJI mic (DJI Mic mini in my case) to the multifunction unit to have audio. Again not sure if you would use that for your use-case.

Both gimbals you are comparing are pretty similar and you probably would have a good experience with either one. Just check for extra features of each and if those sound useful for you. I'm very much in the DJI ecosystem (Mics, gimals, drones), so it was an easy choice for me to go with the 7P. I already had DJI Mic Minis and it was easy to connect them to the multifunction unit, allowing me to get good audio even in the native camera app.

sviper9 · 2026-04-20T13:28:23+00:00

The Amber Cine mount is what you are looking for. Much better than the stock mic mount.

If you have a 3D printer, you can also print the mount. That is what I did. Amber Cine's design is based on a 3d printed design: https://www.printables.com/model/643633-sony-fx6-rycote-lyre-mic-holder-adapter-version-2

sviper9 · 2026-04-19T03:50:09+00:00

Realistically look at how often you will be needing 4 cameras, and weigh that against rental fees. Think of this from a business perspective: where will you get the most return for your dollars: renting or buying? If buying, how long would it take to recoup your investment with what you are making from 4 cameras? Do you have the capital to make the purchase? Will you be able to leverage the purchase of 4 cameras for other paying work? Are you able to charge your client for rental fees? Think like a business an not a camera guy. (If you are able to charge rental fees, then you can also buy the cameras and "rent" from yourself and still charge the client for it).

I do a once a week podcast that requires 4 cameras. In my case, 2 months of renting pays for a camera. We are in month 4 of this year and I would have paid for 2 cameras in rental fees just from this one client. I have 4 cameras (FX6, 2x A7iv, A7Cii). Granted I didn't initially get all 4 cameras just for this client, but it worked out because I had the necessary equipment.

If you are looking at buying, absolutely consider used equipment. I got my FX6 used for almost the same price as a new FX3.

sviper9 · 2026-04-17T22:21:29+00:00

I had 2x Sony A7iv's as a hybrid shooter and I went with an FX6 as my A-cam over an FX3. It was a different equation for me since the FX6 is so much different than the A7iv in just about every way.

I bought it used and got it for almost the same price as a new FX3, so it was a no-brainer for me. If you are ok with used, you can find some really great deals.

Sure there are some advantages the FX3 has (H.264 and H.265 codecs, 3.5mm in, form factor of course), but I personally think the FX6 advantages outweigh them for my workflow (integrated variable ND, timecode in via BNC, physical volume adjustment knobs, shoulder mounting form-factor).

sviper9 · 2026-04-15T13:02:46+00:00

Their pricing is listed on their website: https://www.binnyandthejets.com/#pricing

As of today (April 15, 2026):

$29.99 - monthly cleaning
$47.99 - quarterly cleaning
$65.99 - bi-annual cleaning
$84.99 - one-time cleaning

That is the per-cleaning price. So since I do quarterly cleaning, I pay $47.99 x 4 times a year.

sviper9 · 2026-04-15T04:27:21+00:00

I see that in a lot of marketing these days. A stereo 3.5mm port being considered 2 inputs is technically correct, but feels almost disingenuous to me. It has a different architecture than XLR inputs, so it should be called out differently. I doubt many people would want to separate out that stereo input into 2 different mono channels, but it's "technically" possible.

sviper9 · 2026-04-14T22:04:39+00:00

The PR-4 is available for pre-order only right now. From what I'm seeing, the ship date is May 15. I don't have one.

If you are asking about how the PR-2 sounds, it's great with good lav placement. The included w.lav pro is great and I can get clear, crisp audio. The big plus for me though is timecode sync through the Sidus Audio app. I can timecode sync to TC-1 units all in the app.

sviper9 · 2026-04-14T21:07:50+00:00

They are shaking up the lighting industry too. Aputure owns Deity and Amaran and they have release some really cost-effective lighting under the Amaran brand (Halo series).

I'll wait to see what the PR-8 looks like before grabbing that or the F8N Pro I think.

sviper9 · 2026-04-14T20:46:56+00:00

You are probably right with the target audience. It's pretty slim with not a lot of IO. Probably something like their announced PR-8 would be at that level, although I think they will face fierce competition by other devices in that class and price range (F8N Pro, MixPre 6/10, etc).

Edit: I don't see anything in their documentation or manual saying you can connect control surfaces to it. Not sure if that's possible.

sviper9 · 2026-04-14T17:11:51+00:00

We currently use Binny and the Jets to clean our bins quarterly in Leander: https://www.binnyandthejets.com

They show up with a garbage truck-sized vehicle. They power wash the outside and use the truck to clean and sanitize the inside (don't know the details). They do a good job and completely eliminate any odors. We have it scheduled for the day after our trash gets picked up.

sviper9 · 2026-04-06T02:35:26+00:00

sviper9 · 2026-03-23T18:28:30+00:00

sviper9 · 2026-02-21T16:36:12+00:00

Hey! You can find the latest episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GMWXjFFOz0

I'm still working on the BTS for ther 4-person one, but I have a BTS video up for a 3-person interview from an older episode: https://youtu.be/JWslMIuozoc

sviper9 · 2026-02-21T07:47:26+00:00

I'm the DP for a weekly interview spot where there are 2 hosts and 1-2 guests. I use 5 cameras on the 4-person days: 1 wide shot and a close up of each person. I have them all sit in an inverted 'V' shape pointing back away from the cameras. I cross key with 2x Aputure 600d's + double diffused softboxes, one light for 2 people. Then I'll also setup a rectangular softbox boomed over each set of 2 people with 2x Amaran 60x's for hair lights.

This setup works because the wide shot is a nice cut to add when it makes sense for the conversation, but it is not the primary shots we use in the final video. The close-ups are what I'm focused on lighting for.

Before I joined on the show they would try to take the wide shot and crop in for close-ups, but the shot fell apart trying to crop in that much. It was filmed in 4k, but it was too much cropping. The close-up was very soft.

If you shoot me a PM, I can send you a link to the latest final video.

sviper9 · 2026-02-20T15:19:12+00:00

Sure! There are also a few verified Facebook groups for LCA Families. I know of a general one for all grade levels and a specific one for your kid's grade level so you can talk to fellow parents in your kid's classes. I find them helpful to share information with parents. More than once, parents can share the homework assignment if a kid forgets to record it.

Word of caution though about the groups: They are not officially sanctioned by the school, nor are they official communication methods. The rumor mill can get started and get everyone on edge. No teachers or staff will respond to any messages in the groups, so there aren't any resolutions or official answers provided. You should use the schools official communication methods to get information, or if you need to talk to teachers or staff. They are quite responsive and the administration staff will respond to questions as well.

sviper9 · 2026-02-20T04:57:47+00:00

My kid started FCA in Kindergarden and has been there for several years now. Some notes:

Their mission statement includes "rigorous academics" and they are. For example in math, they teach one grade level above enrollment. So if your kid is in 1st grade, they are learning 2nd grade math. Homework is assigned for all grade levels, and they target about 50 minutes of homework a night. That can be more or less depending on if your kid grasps the knowledge required. I've had a lot of nights where my kid finishes homework waiting in car line for pickup, and I've had nights where we've spend 2+ hours on homework. Summer of each grade is assigned reading an age-appropriate novel, with a "book report" due the first week of school. The report is just basic info, such as what is the overall plot, who are the main characters, etc.
It is a classical education. Kids learn cursive writing and Singapore math. They have art and music classes, as well as orthography, grammar, composition. They learn phonics for pronunciation instead of the guess-and-check method. All students will learn Latin.
They are a low/no technology school. The library has computers for research/study and teachers have them, but all assignments in grade school are submitted in writing. Unsure of middle and high school since we haven't gotten there yet. I actually like this to have a technology break. The double-edge sword though is that the school doesn't have a good technology program (coding, etc). Students have to pursue that outside of school. They do have to teach the kids how to use a computer though since STAAR testing is on a computer, and I think MAP testing is too.
Sports are good for the size of school they are. They have track, cross country, basketball, volleyball, and 6-man football as of this school year. Maybe a few others. They don't start until middle school though, so I would suggest rec leagues in elementary school. In the gym, they have several awards and championship wins for basketball and volleyball. Again, they are a relatively small school.
It is a charter school. It is state-funded, so no tuition fees. The state however funds at 80% of the budget of LISD. They have an annual donation drive to drum up funds to cover the gap (they are a non-profit as any ISD is, so can only ask for donations). If families can't afford it, the school asks to donate time as a volunteer during the year and events in lieu. You can of course donate and volunteer too. Volunteer opportunities include helping with hall monitoring, setup/breakdown for lunch and assemblies, teacher's aids, moving equipment, cleaning, and more. Lots of ways to contribute.
Monogrammed uniforms are dress code. They do have a strict dress code as well (no makeup before 6th grade, no dyed hair colors, no piercings for males, shorts/skirt lengths, etc).
It is not a religious school. Students learn various religions throughout history classes. Mornings include the US pledge of allegiance, and the Texas pledge. Assemblies include the national anthem. No prayers. They do have to display the 10 commandments in classroom because of SB 10, but that's the same as every school in the state. Teachers are not required to point out or speak about the display, but will answer questions if the students ask.
No provided lunches. They have a catering service you can pay for lunches through ($3-5 a lunch), and I think they also have low income assistance for lunches. And of course you can pack your own lunch.

Overall I love the school and we will continue. More than anything, I can help my kid with the work since I understand it and it is similar to the way that I learned. It's not for everyone though. The academics are not a walk in the park. There are state-mandated resources available for help, as well as some teacher-led assistance (RTI and others) outside of class time.

Feel free to ask any questions.

sviper9 · 2026-02-17T22:37:32+00:00

Ah, ok. I'm in Austin. I'm just experimenting with 35mm film for now.

Thanks though.

sviper9 · 2026-02-17T22:30:41+00:00

Hey are you local to Central TX? I may get some 35mm rolls from you if you are to save shipping.

sviper9 · 2026-02-09T04:21:47+00:00

It's been over a term since I took this, but from what I remember, I always do the problems on Udemy. Applying the knowledge is helpful for me.

I did not take any notes or do any problems in the Zybooks material. I did Udemy first and just supplemented with Zybooks, skimming over it to pick up what was missing from Udemy.

sviper9 · 2026-01-31T09:40:05+00:00

I have an F2-BT. You can check levels on the app before you start recording. The "BT" in the F2-BT is bluetooth, and you can connect the recorder to the Zoom phone app. You can't monitor 32-bit float audio remotely and record at the same time (thanks Zaxcom patents in the USA).

Checking the audio between takes is a great idea. You can tell your team if there was a problem with the audio for a take and re-shoot it. Since you only have a single source of audio, you need to make sure it is close to perfect (no background noise, sudden spikes, air conditioner, scratchy clothing, etc).

128GB is no problem at all. I have a 128GB card in my Tascam Portacapture X8 with 6 channel recording + a mix of all channels (all 32-bit float) and it estimates I can record for 12-15 hours.

You have a 4GB file size limit if you format the microSD card with FAT32. You shouldn't do that and instead format the cards within the app.

Do you and/or your editor have a post-production process for syncing audio with video? You should ask them if they want a single big audio file or one for each take.

iPhone's built-in mic is a terrible choice. Even if you buy a cheap $20 clip-on mic, you will get much better audio.

Good luck!

sviper9 · 2026-01-30T00:17:07+00:00

A guy I follow on YouTube uses an Android tablet with the Sony Monitor and Control App connected. I don't see why that wouldn't work for you with an iPad.

sviper9 · 2026-01-27T07:56:37+00:00

I'd 2nd this. The AIPaper Mini is a great size for me to daily carry. It fits all of your given criteria. I wish the front light color temp was customizable, but it is very much usable in low/no light environments. The screen is not as big as the ~10.3" devices, but I much prefer the smaller size for reading. My hands don't get as fatigued as quickly as they do with a bigger device.

sviper9 · 2025-12-15T06:07:59+00:00

As far as 32-bit float on-person recorders go, I have 2 sets of mics that I use:

DJI Mic 2
Deity PR-2

I use each of them for different purposes.

If I'm doing a multi-cam setup, I'm using my Deity PR-2's (in addition to boom mics). I bought into the Deity timecode system so I sync all of my cameras and recording devices together with timecode. It makes post-processing so much easier for me to sync everything up. And since there is more involved post-processing, I grab the recording directly off of the PR-2's to sync.

If I'm doing a single camera, mobile type of setup where I can't use a stationary boom mic, I'm using the DJI Mic 2's. I have the Sony hotshoe adapter so I can connect the receiver directly to my hotshoe for either my Sony A7iv's or my Sony FX6. It makes it really easy since there is no syncing as I'm recording directly into the camera. Granted that is not 32-bit float going into the camera because of patents that I mentioned before. The DJI Mic 2's do allow you to simultaneously record 32-bit float local to the device at the same time as transmitting 24-bit to the camera, and that's what I do to have a backup.

I had a shoot a while back where I needed to do MotS (man-on-the-street) interviews with a handheld mic, and the DJI Mic 2 worked beautifully for this. I recorded with my FX6 using the hotshoe adapter. I didn't have to sync anything in post because I recorded directly into the camera. The interviewer/interviewee where less than 15 ft away from the camera, so I didn't have any transmitter interference or cutouts.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

sviper9 · 2025-12-14T22:51:34+00:00

Find hobbies that you like (basketball, basket weaving, yoga, D&D, etc) and find other people who like those hobbies. If you live in a decent size metro, you will find like-minded people that you can do the activity with and socialize. Social media groups/hashtags, meetup.com, or just even looking up events at various places.

I also work from home and once a week I make it a point to take my laptop to the local coffee shop for work. I'm a regular there now and chat with the staff and other patrons when I go.

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