Is the new DJI Osmo Action better than GoPro?

Originally published at Gadget Flow on May 15, 2019.

• What is the price of the DJI Osmo Action? The launch price begins at $349.
• Where can you find more action cameras? Check out our latest action camera finds under the search results here.
• What are some of the other DJI products you need to see? Yes DJI is known for its drones, but it’s also stepped up its game recently by designing outdoor cameras. Check out our favorite DJI products here.

Action cameras have been around for quite some time, with GoPro setting the industry standard a decade ago. These days, we see fewer new action cameras, and instead there is a focus on VR and 360° cameras.

That is, until now. DJI teased customers for weeks with the launch of new products. Rather than new drones, as many suspected, the brand launched a dual-screen action camera that lets you see the shot from either side. Here’s everything you need to know about the Osmo Action and how it stacks up against GoPro cameras.

Firstly, let’s just begin with the fact that both the DJI Osmo Action and GoPro Hero 7 have a lot of similarities in terms of design. The Osmo Action is a little wider than the GoPro, but, if you place them side by side, they look a lot similar in design. Although DJI is renowned for its drones, this happens to be its first foray into the action-camera industry. But it’s been doing quite a great job with cameras in general, if you consider its previous releases in the Osmo category. Now, with this dual-screen action camera, will DJI be able to outdo its GoPro contemporaries? Let’s find out from the specs.

Hardware

– The camera comes with a dual-screen display, so it has a screen on the front as well as the back. The front screen allows you to frame yourself in any setting, whereas the back screen gives you a crystal-clear, hyper-responsive display. This is a new feature that makes this camera worth a try. If you are into action-adventure videography, you’ll know the difficulties of not being able to frame your shot in real time. Osmo Action solves that problem instantly with a vivid front screen.

– There’s no HDMI port on the Osmo Action, which comes as a drawback. Unlike with its GoPro contemporary, you won’t be able to connect your camera to a TV or monitor to watch the footage. In order to view your photos and videos, you will have to connect the camera to the DJI Mimo app and tap the album icon in the bottom right corner to view existing photos and videos.

– By using the USB-C port, you can connect external microphones to the camera. In fact, Engadget reports that an official accessory for this purpose may be available soon.

– Osmo Action comes with a 1300 mAh battery capacity as compared to GoPro’s 1220 mAh battery. That means it can offer up to two hours constant FHD recording (about a half hour more than GoPro).

– The LCD on the back has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes the footage fill up the entire screen. This is way better than GoPro’s letterbox effect.

Video features

– Both GoPro and DJI can shoot 4K videos at 60 fps, along with the availability of 30 and 24 fps.

– You also get the usual time-lapse and hyperlapse modes for photos.

– However, if POV video is what you look forward to, the GoPro is the winner with its resolution range.

– The Osmo Action offers an HDR mode, which you won’t get on a GoPro. This mode can enhance the image quality, restore details, and increase the layer of colors to make your video more vivid.

– If you’re still struggling with the Hypersmooth feature on the Hero 7 Black for stable footage, Osmo Action’s RockSteady feature will come to your rescue. This EIS technology is realized by increasing the shutter speed, analyzing the images captured by the CMOS sensor, and compensating by cutting off the edges of these images. In this way, multiple frames are overlaid and finally combined into a single frame that is sharp, clear, and accurately exposed.

– DJI drones are known for their no fisheye effects. In the Osmo Action, this feature is called Dewarp, which gives you a fisheye-free video on the ground.

Having said that, it’s clear that DJI launched this camera with its Mavic and Phantom users in mind. The similarity in a few settings, plus the app compatibility, makes this camera quite comfortable for DJI users. It’s got a user-friendly design and is quite packed with features to make your action-life content more vivid and smooth.