If you hold products up to the camera for a living, focus is the whole game. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 has a focus mode built for exactly that job: Product Showcase Mode. With it selected, the camera prioritises close focusing and gives you a wider area to hold a product while it still locks focus, instead of forcing everything into the centre of the frame.
The standard close focusing is already strong. Held at arm’s length, an object brought close to the lens sits in sharp focus while the presenter falls into a pleasing blur. Product Showcase Mode takes that further, and this guide covers what it does, how to turn it on, and when it beats the default.
Watch the video above for the side by side demonstration, with the same item brought in from the side in both focus modes so you can see where each one succeeds and where one gives up.
What Product Showcase Mode actually does
Product Showcase Mode is a focus mode made specifically for product review videos. As the description puts it, the camera prioritises close focusing and gives you a wider area to hold your product while it still locks in focus. The favourite part is that it locks tight on the product even if your face is visible, something noted as a struggle for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
In practice, that wider area is the headline. Hold an item up inside that zone and focus snaps onto it, you stay blurred in the background, and when your hand moves away, focus snaps back to you. The behaviour looks like the default mode at first glance, which is why the grid lines matter so much.
How to enable Product Showcase Mode
The steps shown in the video are short. Swipe in from the right of the screen, make sure you are in Pro mode so you can access more settings, then scroll down until you see Focus Mode. From there, select Product Showcase. Switching back follows the same path.
One setup tip: it really helps to have the grid lines turned on. The grid is not decoration here. Its one third line marks the boundary that decides whether the camera will grab your product, so it tells you exactly where to hold the item.
Product Showcase Mode vs continuous autofocus
Continuous focus is the default mode, and the one you will use most often. It is good. Hold something near the camera and it picks the item up, keeps you blurred in the background, and snaps back to you when the item leaves. For general filming, it is a very good focus system.
The difference shows up at the edge of the frame. In continuous mode, an item held at the one third grid line is not picked up when it enters from the side. Move it into the centre and focus grabs it, and continuous mode will then hold that focus if you move the item back out to the third line. But entering from the side at that position, it simply will not pick it up.
Product Showcase Mode closes that gap. Come in from the side in that mode and, as soon as the item reaches that one third position, it locks in, even though your face is fully visible in the background. That is the practical upgrade: reliable focus on items held off centre, without your face stealing the lock back.
When to use each mode
If you only occasionally show items to the camera, stay in continuous mode and it will be just fine. It handles items brought up in front of the lens well, and remains the sensible default for everyday vlogging where the subject is usually you.
Switch to Product Showcase Mode when the video calls for showing things to the camera: product demos, reviews, and unboxings, or any format where items enter from the side or sit off centre while you talk. In those situations the mode does its best to lock onto the product, and that reliability saves retakes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you turn on Product Showcase Mode on the DJI Pocket 3? Swipe in from the right of the screen, make sure Pro mode is active, scroll down to Focus Mode, and select Product Showcase. The same menu is used to switch back to continuous focus.
What is the difference between Product Showcase Mode and continuous focus? Continuous focus reliably grabs items near the centre but will not pick up an item entering from the side at the one third grid line. Product Showcase Mode locks onto items at that position, even with your face visible.
Why should you turn the grid lines on for this mode? The grid shows the one third line that marks where Product Showcase Mode will lock onto a product. Holding your item inside that boundary makes the focus lock predictable instead of guesswork.
Do you need Product Showcase Mode for every video? No. If you only show items occasionally, continuous focus is fine and is the mode you will use most often. Product Showcase earns its place when showing products to the camera is the point of the video.
The bottom line
Product Showcase Mode is a small setting with a specific payoff. It keeps the Pocket 3 doing what it already does well in the centre of the frame, and extends that close focus out to the one third line, even when your face is in shot. For product reviewers, the video calls it a fantastic tool.
If that is your kind of filming, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is worth a look for this mode alone. You can check the current price and full details for the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 on Amazon and see whether it fits your setup.