The DJI Osmo is a very successful hand-held camera with a stabilizing solution, from the same company that offers the huge Ronin gimbals. But when it comes to sound, the reviewers had a hard time.

From adjectives as “unusable” to “non-existant”, or “terrible at doing sound” and “unacceptable quality”, the audio capture area of the DJI Osmo has not been very well received. People started to look for alternatives, and some commercial packages even come with an external microphone that does the trick. Well, that somehow made DJI change gears and now they’re offering a Osmo FlexiMic free of charge for all Osmo owners. It is said to be “a sign of our appreciation on the occasion of DJI’s 10th anniversary” and it well may be, but it is also a quick solution to a problem. Fortunately, there is a 3.5mm socket for external audio.

Right after launch of the Osmo, DJI suggested, after “testing hundreds of different microphones” a list of six models they recommended. While that’s a viable option, an in-house solution was expected, and that’s how the FlexiMic appears. It will be interesting to see if this solution works for better audio, considering it is still close to the built-in microphone.

The new plug-in microphone will, as DJI says, “offer users of our handheld, stabilized 4K camera and gimbal system an even more powerful experience, taking them one step further towards professional-level filmmaking.”

All new DJI Osmo units sold since the end of January will have included a FlexiMic, but those that bought their Osmo before will have to find which of the multiple solutions provided by DJI works better for them. According to information provided by DJI, these are the options available, from the beginning of March:

1. Customers who bought their DJI Osmo in our Online Store or at our Shanghai Airport store, will receive an email with a coupon code, which can be redeemed for a free FlexiMic at the Official DJI Online Store. If you don’t receive a coupon, please contact [email protected].

2. For those that purchased their DJI Osmo from an affiliate website, please contact the affiliate in question for a coupon code to use in the Official DJI Online Store.

3. If a user has purchased their Osmo from an Authorized DJI Dealer, they can receive their FlexiMic by contacting the dealer. For any questions, please contact [email protected].

Customers, adds DJI, may “also call us at 0755-8665-5264 and provide their serial number and contact information so that we can send them the FlexiMic.”