GoPro-like action cameras have yet to match the base quality you can get from full-scale camera setups, even shooting at 4K. DJI, with its Osmo Action 5 Pro, is making big, big claims that it has finally cracked the code for a solid action cam that takes professional shots from your bike’s handlebars or deep underneath the waves.
DJI sent the newly announced $350 Osmo Action 5 Pro to the Gizmodo office, though we’ve had very little time to put it through its paces. The camera is set to match up against GoPro’s $400 Hero 13 Black as well as other companies like Insta360 with its Go 3S and that device’s removable lens capsule. While those competing cameras promise more versatility and customizability, the Chinese drone maker is betting the horse on pure image quality. The Osmo Action 5 should be able to capture 4K, 60 FPS images in low-light conditions and 1080p slow motion video up to 960 FPS.
Dim environments have been the bane of many action cameras’ small sensors, but the Osmo Action 5’s 1/1.3” sensor has a high dynamic range of 13.5 stops, rivaling professional setups. The Osmo shoots 4K at a max 120 FPS (the Hero 13 can hit that and a max 5.3K at 60 FPS), but it promises better low-light imaging without blown-out shadows or haloing thanks to better sensors and on-device processing. The so-called SuperNight mode uses AI noise reduction to enhance low-light video better.
The action cam looks a lot like last year’s $300 Osmo 4, with the same magnetic mounting system. However, this version should now be able to reach depths of 20 meters underwater, compared to the 10 meters on the Hero 13. The new camera supports HLG HDR and 10-bit recording, the same as GoPro’s latest, though it reaches 155 degrees of FOV compared to the Hero 13’s 177-degree UltraWide.
The Osmo Action 5 supports a 1950mAh battery with claims it can go continuously for close to four hours at 4K and 30 FPS, twice as long as the Action 4. DJI says it optimized its cameras with a new onboard chip for better battery savings; it should be able to do 3.6 hours of shooting even in sub-zero temperatures. That’s all well and good, but more importantly, for folks running low on battery, the Action 5 now supports 30W fast charging that can get two hours of shooting after 15 minutes plugged in.
As much as the battery and shooting capabilities sound promising, some features feel extraneous. The camera has an OLED touchscreen with 800 nits of typical brightness, making checking out your shots in direct daylight easier. On the other hand, the rear screen does seem bright, but I don’t have much use for high-quality OLED when watching on a bare 2.5-inch display. Still, it’s one of the few action cams with 64 GB of built-in memory (of which users can manage 47 GB). Unfortunately, the camera doesn’t support a full SD card slot, requiring you to use microSD.
Just last month, GoPro unveiled the Hero 13 Black camera alongside a host of new accessories. The big improvements were a magnetic mounting system and four separate sets of attachable lenses, including several ND filters, an ultrawide lens, and a macro lens. In our hands-on with the device, we were impressed with the modified hardware, though there were relatively few obvious improvements in the camera’s sensor and software.
The image capturing is where DJI plans to hit GoPro hardest. The company directly compared its new action cam to the Hero 13 Black, especially the low-light imaging quality and larger battery. However, what may set the two apart most is base versatility. The GoPro is more expensive, but there are more ways to mount it, and now there are more lenses to select from. The $450 Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure Combo pack includes a handy battery case that charges up to three batteries at once, but the most you’ll get for new lenses is a set of three ND filters.
In the end, it’s the video quality that will crown the action cam king. The Osmo Action 5 is available starting Wednesday. We’ll test it in the coming weeks to compare it directly to Insta360’s and GoPro’s latest.
Trending Products
