DJI Osmo Action Camera Meta-Review (Everything You Need to Know)

msinger · May 16, 2019

Overview

Whether you want to record your world from behind a lens or be the star of the show, the Osmo Action’s dual screens allow you to capture it all with a touch of a button. A vivid front screen lets you frame yourself effortlessly in any setting, while the back screen delivers a crystal-clear, hyper-responsive display. This durable, versatile action camera is jam-packed with advanced technology that lets you spend less time worrying about equipment and more time living the action.

DJI Osmo Action Specs

General

Size	2.55 x 1.65 x 1.37 inches (65 × 42 × 35 mm)
Weight	124 g

Screens

Brightness	750 nits
Front Screen	1.4 inches, 300 ppi
Back Screen	2.25 inches (640 x 360 pixels), 325 ppi

Camera

Sensor	1/2.3" CMOS (12M pixels)
Lens FOV	145° f/2.8
ISO Range	100-3200
Shutter Speed	120-1/8000s
Max Image Size	4000 x 3000 pixels
Photo Modes	Single Countdown: 3s/10s Timed: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 60 seconds Burst: 3/5/7 seconds AEB: 1/3EV×3, 2/3EV×3, 1EV×3, 1/3EV×5, 2/3EV×5, 1EV5 Timelapse: 4K/2.7K/1080p at interval of 0.5/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/10/13/15/20/25/30/40/60 seconds and duration of ∞/5/10/20/30/60/120/180/300 minutes
Video Resolutions	4K (16:9) at 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, or 24fps 4K (4:3) at 30, 25, or 24fps 2.7K (4:3) at 30, 25, or 24fps 2.7K (16:9) at 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, or 24fps 1080p at 240, 200, 120, 100, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, or 24fps 720p at 240 or 200fps
HDR & Timelapse Video	4K at 30, 25, or 24fps 2.7K at 30, 25, or 24fps 1080p at 30, 25, or 24fps
Slow Motion	720p at 240fps at 4x/8x speed 1080p at 240fps at 4x/8x speed
Max Video Bitrate	100 Mbps
Video Formats	MOV MP4 (H.264)
Photo Formats	JPEG JPEG + RAW
Audio Output	48 KHz; AAC

Battery

Type	1300 mAh LiPo (3.85 V)
Operating Temperature	14°F to 104°F (-10°C to 40°C)
Operating Time	1080P/30fps for 135 minutes (with RockSteady ON) 4K/60fps for 63 minutes (with RockSteady OFF)
Charging Time	90 mins

Connection

Bluetooth	2.400-2.4835 GHz (BLE 4.2)
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac

DJI Osmo Action Features

Design

Rugged, durable, and dust-proof camera body (withstands drops up to 5 feet)
Waterproof up to 11 meters (36 feet)
- Waterproof up to 60 meters (196 feet) when using the DJI Osmo Action Waterproof Case
- Watertight seal with hydrophobic coating on the back touchscreen
Back screen
- Delivers crystal-clear, hyper-responsive display
- Can be locked to prevent accidental touching
Front screen
- Lets you easily frame yourself
- Front screen is only for viewing (not a touch screen)
Switch between front and back screen by:
- Double tapping the back screen with two fingers
- Press and holding the QS button
- Saying “Screen Switch”
- Tapping “switch screens” in the DJI Mimo app
Microphones
- Has two built-in microphones (one on top and the other on the left side)
- Connect 3rd party microphone through USB-C port with a 3.5mm adapter
Streamlined UI and 3 accessible buttons allow for quick access to powering on, recording, and setting camera modes
Custom Modes
- Lets you store, list, and select frequently used shooting modes and settings
- Create your own custom modes by selecting the desired exposure, white balance, resolution, etc.
QS (Quick Switch) Button
- Located on the side of the camera
- Press button to quickly switch between your custom modes
- Press and hold button to switch between front and back screen
Camera Lens
- Features three aspherical layers that effectively reduce glare and distortion and deliver crystal-clear images even in direct sunlight
- Protective, anti-fingerprint coating repels oil, water, dirt, and other small particles
- Fixed focal length
- Subjects are automatically in focus when they are at least 2.3 inches (60 mm) away from the camera
Efficient cooling system makes it possible to shoot consistently for long periods
Camera will function in temperatures between 14°F to 104°F (-10°C to 40°C)
Universal port on the bottom of the camera frame allows the Osmo Action to be used with DJI accessories or 3rd party action camera accessories
Unscrew the included UV filter and securely screw on an ND filter

Photo & Video

RockSteady image stabilization
- Combines EIS with complex algorithms, delivering stable, shake-free footage
- Cannot be used along with HDR video
D-Cinelike
- Designed to capture a wide dynamic range from the sensor
- Distributes colors evenly to improve the dark areas of a picture
- Flat color profile is good for post-processing
4K HDR video
- Dramatically enhances the dynamic range of your footage
- Delivers natural transitions between light and dark areas
- Captures rich details that are often lost in environments with complex lighting
- Enhances image quality, restores details, and increases layer of colors for more vivid video
Custom exposure settings allow up to 120 seconds of exposure
Individual Timelapse photos from can be downloaded and viewed on a computer
When recording video, remaining available time will be displayed at the top left of the screen
When taking photos, remaining number of photos will be displayed at the top left of the screen
Able to auto set exposure on the face when a face is detected
Adjustable video playback volume
SnapShot
- Press shutter button to power on and begin recording in under two seconds.
- Press shutter button once when the camera is sleeping or powered off to engage preset shooting modes
Viewing photos and videos
- Method 1: Swipe the touchscreen to the right to access the album
- Method 2: Connect the DJI Mimo app and tap album icon at bottom, right corner
Exporting photos and videos
- Method 1: Connect the DJI Mimo app and download the content to your phone/tablet
- Method 2: Remove memory card and insert it into your computer using a memory card reader
- Method 3: Connect Osmo Action to a computer with the included USB-C cable

Other Features

Battery
- Charge battery while in the camera using the USB-C port
- Charge up to 3 batteries in 130 minutes using the Battery Charging Hub
- Screen auto sleeps after reaching preset time period to save power
Removable Micro SD card
- Supports Micro SD cards with capacities of up to 256GB
- Micro SD card must have a minimum write speed of 30MB/s (or higher)
Voice Control
- Voice commands allow you to easily access most used camera functions
- Available voice commands: Take A Photo, Start Recording, Stop Recording, Screen Switch, Shut Down
- No special word/phrase needs to be said before saying the command
- You can speak the commands in English and Mandarin Chinese
Firmware Updates
- Update the firmware by tapping the update notification in the DJI Mimo app
- Or download the firmware from the Osmo Action Downloads page, place the BIN file in the root of the memory card, and power on the Osmo Action to start the update
Wirelessly connect the Osmo Action to the DJI Mimo app to:
- Control the Osmo Action camera
- Update the Osmo Action camera firmware
- Access editing tools
- Share photos on social media
DJI Care Refresh
- Protect your camera from accidental damage with a DJI Care Refresh policy for $29
- This protection is in addition to the things covered by the DJI Warranty
- Covers two camera replacements for the one year policy period
- Pay an additional $29 for the 1st replacement
- Pay an additional $39 for the 2nd replacement

msinger · May 16, 2019

What People Are Saying about the DJI Osmo Action

A lot of people had a chance to test drive the DJI Osmo Action before DJI made the official announcement. Here’s what they had to say about it:

Likes

The things I like about the DJI OSMO Action would be the dual screen – which is tremendously useful for framing, the stabilization is as the name implies – rock solid, and the ability to have a non-fisheye mode for every resolution/frame rate is huge. [DC Rainmaker]
On a GoPro I’m limited to 2.7K/60FPS for linear (non-fisheye), whereas on the DJI OSMO Action I can go to 4K/60 (with stabilization on too!). [DC Rainmaker]
The photos are clean in good lighting conditions. [The Verge]
The most noticeable difference is the Action’s front-facing selfie screen, which is a game-changer for
selfie footage. [The Verge]
The Action has ND filters for bright, sunny days, and they won’t fall off when you jump in the water, thanks to the screw-on mounting system. [The Verge]
The LCD on the back has a 16:9 aspect ratio. It feels more spacious than what you’ll find on the GoPro, but the real perk here is that videos and the viewfinder fill up the whole screen – no letterbox effect like on the Hero 7. [Engadget]
There’s no wake word here; simply say “start recording” and it’ll begin. I found it responsive, perhaps more so than its rival. [Engadget]
DJI’s camera has more frame-rate options across the board. DJI includes 50, 48 and 25 at most resolutions. Things get even busier at FHD, where you’ll find 240, 200, 120 and 100 FPS in the mix. [Engadget]
RockSteady works really well. After recording several side-by-side comparisons, I can’t decide which I prefer. [Engadget]
I’d lean toward the Action for handheld walking shots; it’s a shade smoother, but the difference is subtle. [Engadget]
When we compare the stabilization of both cameras, the new Osmo Action’s RockSteady even outperformed the very good HyperSmooth of the HERO7. [Cinema5D]
DJI brands its system as RockSteady and, while it’s good, it’s not as good as the HyperSmooth stabilization GoPro puts in the Hero7 Black. [PC Magazine]
It has one big feature missing from the Hero7 Black—HDR video recording. If you’re often working in mixed lighting, it’s a plus. [PC Magazine]
The small sensors in action cameras are prone to blowing out highlights and crushing shadows, but shooting in the optional D-Cinelike color profile, we found the Osmo Action captured a decent amount of dynamic range. [Digital Trends]
Stabilization performance is certainly very good, but likely not any better than what we’ve already seen with HyperSmooth. [Digital Trends]
In most situations its video quality and stabilisation matches GoPro’s flagship (without surpassing it). [Trusted Reviews]
Speedy operation and a polished interface also make it the most user-friendly action camera around. [Trusted Reviews]
It refines some areas (usability, manual shooting options) while drawing level with the Hero 7 Black in others (video quality, stabilization). [Trusted Reviews]
Whatever processor it uses (DJI won’t comment on components), it’s super snappy in operation. [Trusted Reviews]
The GoPro Hero 7 Black’s big advantage over other action cams has been its HyperSmooth stabilisation, but DJI pretty much matches it in most ways, except in hyperlapses which are smoother on the GoPro. [Trusted Reviews]

Dislikes

Low-light video footage is not awesome. But neither is a GoPro. It’s really best to focus your action related activities on days with good light. [DC Rainmaker]
The lack of a super-wide option may be a downside to some, especially in certain sports, as is the slightly more cropped regular wide angle compared to a GoPro. [DC Rainmaker]
Neither GoPro or DJI action camera is perfect, and both can find certain wind-specific situations which solidly suck and sound horrific. [DC Rainmaker]
The [DJI Mimo] app is the exact same app that DJI used for the OSMO Pocket mini-gimbal, except now the shortcomings of the app become more apparent in an action camera setting. Be it clunky wireless pairing/connectivity, or inability to transfer certain video types to your phone, most of it feels half-baked. [DC Rainmaker]
The photos are pretty grainy in low light. [The Verge]
There are some glaring omissions, including GPS, limited voice controls and basic social sharing options. [Engadget]
The 1.4-inch second display is small enough that beyond arm’s length it’s hard to make out what it’s showing. [Engadget]
There’s no HDMI port on the Active. If you like to connect your camera to a TV or monitor to view your footage, you’re out of luck. [Engadget]
The Action has fewer of the “exotic” resolutions that GoPro has supported for years. If you’re a fan of the 1440p, 960p or SuperView, know that you still do have 4:3 options on the Osmo (at 4K and 2.7K), but that’s it. So GoPro definitely offers more flexibility here – especially if POV video is your thing. [Engadget]
While it’s nice that it’s here, I struggled to spot major differences between HDR and regular video. [Engadget]
Big downside with HDR mode, however, is that the image stabilization does not work in this mode at all. This makes it less suitable for point-of-view action scenes, as the image will be quite shaky. [Cinema5D]
The rolling shutter distortion is considerably worse in HDR mode, compared to normal filming mode. [Cinema5D]
DJI’s stabilization comes at the expense of some wide angle, and you can clearly see the difference in field-of-view once you switch RockSteady on. [Cinema5D]
The image from GoPro is slightly more pleasing. This is partly thanks to a higher maximum bitrate. GoPro’s HERO7 tops out at 75Mbps in H.265 whereas the Osmo tops out at 100Mbps, but only in H.264. [Cinema5D]
If switching the screen during video recording, video stops and restarts (creating a 4 second gap). [iPhonedo]
RockSteady crops about 10% of the video. [iPhonedo]
The lens produces an insane amount of distortion, to put it mildly, which can fortunately be corrected in-camera by turning on Dewarp. [Digital Trends]
GoPro maintains a slight edge in the UI department, and a much more noticeable edge with its mobile app. [Digital Trends]
GoPro’s ‘TimeWarp’ mode is smoother and more polished than the Osmo Action’s hyperlapses. [Trusted Reviews]
The microphones are very easily overwhelmed by loud noise, and for vaguely professional sound you’re going to want to want to mount an external microphone, like a Rode Videomic Go, and plug it into DJI’s forthcoming adapter. [Trusted Reviews]

Final Thoughts

There’s no question that DJI has made an impressive camera, especially for a first try at a pure action camera unit. It’s without question competition for GoPro…but, I’d stop short of calling it a GoPro killer. [DC Rainmaker]
If you’re looking for a GoPro alternative, the Action is a solid choice. For everyone else, it’ll come down to some minor differences. [Engadget]
I would say GoPro still has the edge, but for a first action camera from a company with deep resources, it wouldn’t surprise me if DJI quickly closes that small gap. [Engadget]
The GoPro HERO7 still remains the king of action cameras when it comes to image quality. [Cinema5D]
The Osmo Action is not perfect, and despite the fact that I still prefer the image from a GoPro, there are a series of mighty impressive innovations in the Osmo Action that could convince a lot of existing GoPro users to upgrade to the new DJI camera. [Cinema5D]
It certainly doesn’t feel like many first-generation products. It feels polished and refined, with excellent 4K video quality, a full-color front LCD, and easily swappable filters. [PC Magazine]
Performed exceptionally well in all of the categories when compared to the GoPro HERO7 Black. [Peter McKinnon]
It doesn’t blow the GoPro Hero 7 Black out of the water, but the Osmo Action’s all-round performance and lower price mean it’s our new number one action camera. [Trusted Reviews]
If you’re more of a casual user and already own a GoPro Hero 7 Black, then it’s probably not worth switching to the Osmo Action. The difference in video quality is marginal, and although DJI has impressively managed to match GoPro’s Hypersmooth stabilisation in most situations, its Mimo app doesn’t quite have the editing options of its main rival yet. [Trusted Reviews]

DJI Osmo Action vs. GoPro HERO7 Black

Here are the major differences between the DJI Osmo Action and GoPro HERO7 Black:

	DJI Osmo Action	GoPro HERO7 Black
Accessories	Limited OEM accessories	Lots of OEM accessories available
Battery Life	63 min @ 4K/60	45-50 min @ 4K/60
Battery Size	1300mAh	1220mAh
Fisheye	Removable at any resolution	Only removable at 2.7K/60
GPS	No	Yes
HDR	Video only	Photos only
Livestream Video	No	Yes
Max Video Bit Rate	100Mbps	78Mbps
Microphone	Left & Right	Left, Top, Right
Price	$349	$399
Size	65 × 42 × 35 mm	62.33 x 44.9 x 33 mm
Waterproof	11 meters	10 meters
Video Format	MOV & MP4 (H.264)	MP4 (H.264) & MP4 (H.265)
Video Modes	4K/30 HDR 4K/60 Stabalized w/RockSteady	4K/60 Stabalized w/HyperSmooth
Voice Commands	5 commands	16 commands

Side-by-Side Comparisons

Here are some comparisons that show key differences when the DJI Osmo Action and GoPro HERO7 Black are compared side-by-side:

Audio [iPhonedo]
Audio [FlytPath]
Audio [Peter McKinnon]
HDR [FlytPath]
Image Quality [iPhonedo]
Image Sharpness [Peter McKinnon]
Image Stabilization [FlytPath]
Image Stabilization [Peter McKinnon]
Lens Angle (4K) [DC Rainmaker]
Lens Angle (Superview) [DC Rainmaker]
Low Light [iPhonedo]
Low Light [Peter McKinnon]
Timelapse [FlytPath]

What Comes in the DJI Osmo Action Box

Instructions
Osmo Action Camera
Osmo Action Battery with Storage Case
Camera Frame Kit
(1) Flat Adhesive Mount & (1) Curved Adhesive Mount
USB-C Cable (for charging)

Watch iPhonedo unbox the DJI Osmo Action in this video.

DJI Osmo Action Accessories

Here’s a limited list of official DJI accessories that are currently available in the DJI Store:

Since the Osmo Action frame kit uses a universal two-pronged mount, it's compatible with many of the GoPro accessories that connect via that two-pronged mount. Here are some commonly used GoPro mounting accessories:

Additional mounting accessories can be found here on Amazon.

Best DJI Osmo Action Video Reviews

While there are a sea of Osmo Action reviews available on YouTube, I recommend you at least watch these reviews since they are well-made, contain useful information, and have detailed product shots:

iPhonedo
DJI OSMO ACTION vs GoPro Hero 7 Black [4K]
Peter McKinnon
DJI OSMO ACTION - FIRST LOOK & COMPARISON
FlytPath
DJI Osmo Action Unboxing and Review
Tom’s Tech Time
DJI Osmo Action Review

More DJI Osmo Action reviews can be found here on YouTube.

DJI Osmo Action Links

See these links for more information about the DJI Osmo Action camera:

Where to Buy the DJI Osmo Action

The DJI Osmo Action is available here in the DJI Store. It’s currently shipping one business day after payment confirmation.