Let me be upfront: I'm not a typical action camera user, despite reviewing them for a living. I've always been more interested in photography, and general walkaround photography at that.
I own a DJI Osmo Action 6, and I think it's a hugely capable little video camera for vlogging and sports capture, but the idea of using it for street photography had never crossed my mind. Action cams work best strapped to helmets or surfboards, not clutched in the hand while wandering around a city in search of interesting faces, scenes and light. The form factor alone makes the whole experience feel wrong: too small to hold comfortably; buttons that require a firm press (which can nudge the camera just as the shutter fires); it's a photography experience that feels about as intuitive as taking snapshots with a bar of soap.
The cage (which costs $59.49 / £63.90 / AU$109.90) is a surprisingly elegant piece of design for what, on paper, sounds like a purely utilitarian product. The black body with silver top trim is unapologetically retro, and it looks lovely — the kind of thing that would draw compliments rather than confused glances when you're out on the street.
More importantly, it feels great in my hand. The contoured, rubber-coated grip positions the user's forefinger naturally over a large orange shutter button, and the whole thing is substantial enough to hold with confidence without adding enough bulk to make it awkward. I took the setup on a long weekend away to East Sussex and, over several outings, it slipped into my jacket pocket between shots without any fuss.
There are some smart practical details here, too. A hollow section inside the grip can store a spare Osmo Extreme Battery Plus, boosting the Action 6's already formidable battery life. A cold shoe mount and two 1/4"-20 threaded holes (one up top, one on the bottom) offer plenty of expansion options too — I didn't attach anything extra during my testing, but the tripod mount on the base in particular feels like it significantly widens what this little camera can do.
DJI's own mounting points on the camera base remain accessible through the cage, too, which is a thoughtful touch. I could even use DJI's optional Osmo Action 6 Macro Lens or FOV Lens attachments with the cage attached, though I had to leave off SmallRig's own included lens protector. That's not a big issue, frankly: it looks nice but feels more like an aesthetic accessory than a functional one.
The cage also comes supplied with a sturdy shoulder strap, which is adjustable. It works perfectly well as a cross-body or shoulder carry strap, and you can also shorten it enough so that it'll sling round your neck like a classic point-and-shoot neck strap.
Does it actually take better photos?
No — but it was never going to. The image quality is identical to shooting with the uncaged Action 6, because the sensor and lens haven't changed. What has changed, and changed dramatically, is the shooting experience. The button travel issue that plagues hand-held action cam photography is solved here: you're now pressing a proper shutter button with a reassuring amount of feedback, rather than jabbing at a shallow rubbery nub and hoping the camera doesn't shift at the moment of capture. It sounds like a small thing, but it makes a huge difference.
I should be honest about one limitation: there's no viewfinder, and for someone like me who's always found composing shots through a screen somewhat unsatisfying, that does blunt the experience a little. The Osmo Action 6 in its cage is not going to replace a Fujifilm X100VI, a Ricoh GR IV, or a Leica M EV1 — those cameras offer a fundamentally different experience, with far more manual control and, yes, better image quality. What it does compare favorably to is shooting on a smartphone. It's more comfortable, more tactile, and — thanks to the retro-leaning design — considerably more discreet. While I was using it on the streets, nobody gave it a second glance.
If you already own a DJI Osmo Action 6 and you've ever wanted to use it for something other than action footage or vlogging, SmallRig's cage is a transformative add-on. It won't turn your action cam into Henri Cartier-Bresson's Leica. But it might well turn it into something you use a lot more often.
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