DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: A Powerful GoPro Rival with Extended Battery Life and Advanced Features

DJI's Osmo Action 5 Pro is a GoPro-beating rival with double the battery life and unique features

DJI has announced its first action camera with the 'Pro' monicker and it comes with a raft of impressive new features that will, aptly, impress content creators and other pro users. These include four-hour battery life - that's double that of the GoPro Hero 13 Black, thanks to an industry-first 4nm chip; 20m waterproofing with pressure gauge (which is again double that of its rivals), and larger and punchier twin OLED screens. We've already reviewed the Osmo Action 5 Pro, and we've been majorly impressed during our extended time with what is now one of the best action cameras. There are many other areas in which it outguns GoPro's finest action cam, the Hero 13 Black, including its effortless Bluetooth connection with mics including the DJI Mic 2 for better audio (think of the perfect marriage you get with an iPhone and AirPods), but this is still no one-sided battle. DJI has doubled down on improving its 4K video footage rather than upping the resolution to match rivals - the Hero 13 Black shoots 5.3K video while the Insta360 Ace Pro shoots 8K video - and rumors suggest we'll see an Insta360 Ace Pro 2 soon. What we get instead, according to DJI, is 13.5 stops of dynamic range - that's the kind of performance that you'd expect from a professional mirrorless camera. However, the sensor remains a 1/1.3-inch type as found in the Action 4, where many action cam fans were not-unreasonably hoping DJI would introduce a larger-still 1-inch sensor - after all, such a sensor features in the DJI's own Osmo Pocket 3, which is our favorite vlogging camera. DJI has, however, added internal storage to the tune of 47GB in addition to micro SD, plus matched GoPro with Wi-Fi 6 to speed up image uploads to your phone. With all of these upgrades considered, the Action 5 Pro provides an all-round improved user experience, but at a 10% steeper price point than the Action 4. The Osmo Action 5 Pro costs $349 / £329 / AU$599 for the Standard Combo - that's a little cheaper than the Hero 13 Black in the US and UK - or $449 / £409 / AU$769 for the Adventure Combo, which also includes the Quick-Release Adapter Mount, Multifunctional Battery Case, and 1.5m Extension Rod. We've pitted the GoPro Hero 13 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro in an article to help you further understand the differences between two of the leading action cameras. There's no doubt who's improving faster, and that's DJI. Where the hardware in GoPro's flagship series of Hero Black cameras has remained largely the same for years, DJI has been chipping away with meaningful upgrades to each generation of its Osmo Action series. The Action 4 saw a larger sensor than the Osmo Action 3, with class-leading low-light performance. However, that camera only shoots 4K video and 10MP stills, which means it lags behind rivals for outright detail in good light. DJI has upped the photo resolution to 40MP this time around, while also modifying the hardware for what is undoubtedly a better user experience. That said, GoPro has shown us an altogether new path for action cameras in the Hero 13 Black: interchangeable lenses, which opens up its action cameras to a raft of new users, including vloggers who will appreciate the Macro Lens Mod and serious filmmakers curious about the new Anamorphic Lens Mod. With the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 rumored to be on the horizon with improved 8K video and AI features, we could soon have three very different takes on the action camera from three of the leading brands, and it's us users who are benefitting from the fierce competition. The Osmo Action 5 Pro looks like the best option of the lot for those who want the absolute best-quality action camera together with effortless mic connectivity, and who are happy with being limited to (better-quality) 4K video.

The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Can Capture Your Most Extreme Moments in Almost any Light

Drone maker DJI plans to take on GoPro with its Osmo Action 5’s better low-light quality and improved sensor it claims rivals professional cameras. 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.

DJI launches the Action 5 Pro camera with subject tracking and improved video

It promises longer battery life, bigger touchscreens and 20 meter waterproofing without a case. DJI has been chipping away at GoPro's action cam dominance and just took another big step with the launch of the Action 5 Pro. With a new "next-gen" sensor, it promises improved video quality, along with extended battery life, bigger displays and a new feature, subject tracking and centering. The 1/1.3-inch sensor is the same size as the one on the Action 4, but DJI says it now boasts 13.5 stops of dynamic range, "making it the first action camera with specs that rival professional cameras." Maximum photo resolution is 40 megapixels (MP), up from 10MP on the Action 4. The lens has the same 155 degree field of view and f/2.8 aperture as the last model. You can shoot 4K at up to 120p in 16:9 as before, but it now supports 4K 120p capture at 4:3 (3,840 x 2,880 pixels), slow ultra-slow-mo can be captured to the entire sensor if you want to crop the image later. Resolution is still capped at 4K UltraHD, though, where the GoPro 13 supports up to 5.3K 8:7 (5,312 xs 4,648) capture, giving users more cropping options. As before, images can be captured in 10-bit D-Log M and HLG to boost dynamic range. DJI says you can shoot "high-dynamic, low-light video" at 4K/60fps to capture shadow details without overexposing highlights. It also comes with a SuperNight mode that uses AI noise reduction to yield relatively clean video. The new 1950mAh has a higher capacity than the previous 1770mAh model, which allows for up to 4 hours of continuous use or around 50 percent more than before (the Action 5 Pro can still use the previous model's batteries, though). That was aided in large part by a new 4nm chip and new algorithm that optimizes for energy savings. "Even in temperatures as low as -20° C (-4°F), the camera can reliably record video for up to 3.6 hours," DJI adds. A key new feature is subject centering and tracking that lets creators shoot without a gimbal. As with other DJI products (ActiveTrack on drones), it intelligently detects a subject's position and dynamically adjusts the composition to keep the subject centered in the frame. This is done digitally, obviously, and DJI doesn't say how much (if any) that affects image quality -- but it could be a great benefit for extreme sports and other creators. As before, it offers "robust stabilization" and HorizonSteady that keeps the camera level through 360 degrees of motion. The Action 5 Pro is EN13319 certified to be waterproof without a case down to 20m (66 feet), 2m more than before. It can start recording automatically as soon as you're underwater and comes with an interesting new feature: a pressure gauge to record underwater depth, duration and altitude data to ensure user safety. Though the body is the same size as before, both OLED screens are larger thanks to smaller bezels, up 16 percent. The larger rear screen is now 2.5-inches diagonally, up from 2.25 inches and the largest on any mainstream action cam, according to DJI. As before, the Action 4 works with the DJI Mic 2 for high-quality sound recording and you can simultaneously use the built-in mic for ambient sound. Another nice addition is 47GB of built-in storage and 80MB/s transfer rates via Wi-Fi 6.0 or USB 3.0. Other features include an updated Mimo app, Wi-Fi livestreaming, timecode for multiple camera syncing and a pre-record feature. I've had the Action 5 for a short time and it largely resembles the previous model, other than larger power and record buttons, a different internal mic opening and a hole at the bottom for the pressure sensor. Other features like the magnetic mount are carried over from the Action 3. The improvements look promising, so stay tuned for a more detailed review (where I hopefully won't wreck my face). Perhaps the best news about the Action 5 is that it's cheaper than the Action 4 at $349 in the Pro Combo package that includes the camera and one battery, a protective frame, quick-release adapter mount and more. The Action 5 Pro Adventure Combo adds two more batteries and a charger along with a 1.5m extension rod for $449. Both are now available at DJI's store and most authorized retail partners.