How a Tiny Camera Beat the Larger Options on a Major Trip

Traveling with the right camera is essential, especially when shooting across multiple locations. Whether you’re trying to keep things light or aiming for the highest image quality, your gear needs to fit the conditions you’re working in.  

Coming to you from Jason Row Photography, this engaging video recounts a five-week adventure across Asia, where Row experimented with multiple cameras. His original plan was to rely on his phone for its portability and ease of use in hot, humid environments. With its ability to shoot 10-bit ProRes Log and three different lenses, it seemed like the perfect compact tool. However, challenges with screen brightness and usability quickly pushed it out of the spotlight. The lack of a tilting screen made composing shots at various angles nearly impossible, limiting its usefulness beyond eye-level shooting.  

Row also brought along the Sony a7R V, expecting it to serve as his primary camera for both photography and video. Its 8K capabilities, 10-bit S-Log3 footage, and high-performance lenses seemed like the perfect combination. However, the intense heat and humidity of Southeast Asia, combined with illness, made it difficult to manage such a heavy setup. While the Sony excelled for handheld photography with its low-light performance, the effort required to carry it with a gimbal for smooth video footage proved too exhausting. This situation underscores how even the best equipment can be impractical under certain conditions.

The real surprise of the trip was the DJI Pocket 3. Despite being the least capable camera on paper, it became Row’s most used tool for stock video. With a 1-inch sensor, built-in gimbal stabilization, and 10-bit D-Log M footage, it offered just the right balance of portability and functionality. The Pocket 3 allowed Row to shoot discreetly in crowded spaces and temples, setting it up easily on a Gorillapod for time-lapse shots without attracting unwanted attention. While it lacked zoom capabilities and had limitations with its fixed 20mm lens, these drawbacks were outweighed by the ease of carrying it everywhere—even for quick coffee runs.

Row also shared some technical insights on how the DJI Pocket 3 performed in low light. Using manual exposure adjustments, he achieved better results than the camera’s low-light mode, especially during night shoots in Singapore. The ND filters he used—ranging from ND8 to ND64—proved essential for managing exposure in the bright cityscapes of Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. While the ultra-wide lens presented challenges with polarization, the overall simplicity and versatility of the Pocket 3 made it the standout performer for capturing spontaneous moments. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Row.