The No. 1 drone market DJI has taken a break from ruling the skies to see if it can topple GoPro on the ground, and the Osmo Action brings competitive specs, electronic image stabilization and a front-facing screen for vloggers.
Here we go and see step by step how this fresh competitor shows as the 4K action camera.
The packaging style is similar to that of DJI consistent product packaging style. The front and the simple print of the logo of Osmo Action, as well as the rendering of the product.
First we have a glance at the package. It is similar like the DJI products package, with DJI and Osmo Action logo and a cool main photo of the action camera.
And we could see the detail specifications, such as dual screen, support 4K HDR video, 11 meters waterproof, EIS anti-shake, 4K 60P shooting, 8 times 1080P slow motion and other features. We have compare with the GoPro Hero 7 Black and could see the specs difference as following:
Gopro Heor 7 Black VS DJI Osmo Action specifications, we could see the difference.
Let’s open the brand new package and including the all items as the following photo: Osmo Action camera with the protection frame, as well as quick-release connectors, curved bonding bases, flat bonding bases, locking screws and other accessories. The package contains a Type-C charging cable and a battery. ( Fomaxglass has the related the tempered glass for DJI Osmo Action which not included in the package)
fomaxglass offers the tempered glass screen protector for the action camera Osmo action Dji
Next we look at the main body of the Osmo Action sports camera. The entire product looks the same size as the GoPro Hero 7 Black, with dimensions and weights of 65 x 42 x 35 mm and 124 g. There is a main different from the Gopro hero 7, the Osmo Action with a screen on front left side, itis a 1.4-inch square LCD screen that allows you to see the framing in the lens when you use the front camera self-timer. This is why Osmo Action is called a one Vlogers must have. It is a very innovation part.
A much unexpected cool design is that the camera lens can be screw off allowing people change different lens to fit the cameras. So the camera could work in different actions.
Looking at the back of the product, this should be the biggest screen I have ever seen on a sports camera. The back of the Osmo Action is a 640×360 resolution 16:9 2.25-inch touch screen, and the actual look and feel is not bad.
We now check the camera back side. Awesome, it should be the largest LCD screen we have ever seen in the action cameras: 2.25 inch touch screen, 640×360, 16:9. Looks pretty cool:
On top of it, there is 2 buttons. Power button locates on left, the other one is the shooting camera button. The pickup and indicator lights are also designed on the top of the product.
There is a QS switch button on the left side of the camera. This button can be used to switch between front and rear screens after long-pressing, which is convenient for users to enable different displays in different situations.
The micro SD card slot and the Type-C connector are hidden under the lower protective cover buckle. The cover can be removed if other accessories need to be connected.
Osmo Action’s battery and battery cover are designed together, the battery can be ejected by pushing the buckle, and the other buckle is designed as a safety lock with a battery capacity of 1300mAh.
Frankly speaking, DJI’s design is pretty customer care, for example the battery case that comes with the battery, in addition to the battery, there is a Micro SD card slot, even if you go out with a battery and a Micro SD card, not more worries about losing it.
As a motion camera, various shooting environment scenes may be the conditions that Osmo Action may encounter. As a motion camera, Osmo Action need to suits for all the possible scenes.
Refer to the product accessory, GoPro is a lead brand, there are many suppliers offering different accessories for it, for example, the holder, the case, the tempered glass for the LCD screen, and as one of the suppliers, Fomaxglass manufacture tempered glass for GoPro Hero 7 Black. So people could easy find all necessary accessory tools for the Gopro. However, the Osmo Action has deeply considered the situation; it makes the action camera in a standard type, and suits for most of the 3rd party accessory tool. This is really a smart step.
Furthermore, Osmo Action is waterproof in 11 meters underwater and extreme environmental durability of -10 ° C to 40 ° C, which also allows this device to meet the challenges of a harsher living environment.
Use experience
Osmo Action is equipped with CMOS of 1/2.3 inch, which can shoot 4K@60fps video with 100Mbps stream, and the lens can reach 145° wide angle. It can meet the needs of wide-angle use in most scenes. Close your eyes.
Of course, I personally think that the strongest thing in DJI Osmo Action generation is its RockSteady stabilization technology, which may be because DJI has always had very good anti-shake technology in the field of drones and clouds. Accumulation makes Osmo Action’s anti-shake effect outstanding.
The picture above shows the screen recorded when the RockSteady function is turned on and off using Osmo Action. It can intuitively feel the anti-shake effect of Osmo Action. When the anti-shake is turned off, the insomnia shake can hardly be seen, and the anti-shake is turned on. After the function, Osmo Action brings a very smooth video look and feel.
Next, we tested the effect of Osmo Action while running. Obviously, these are small Cases for Osmo Action, and the resulting video stability is still relatively good. For sports cameras, which almost completely require footage during sports, Osmo Action’s anti-shake feature is clearly enough for most players.
(Screenshot of the video HDR function)
(screen shot when the video HDR function is turned off)
Another core feature of Osmo Action is HDR video, which can improve the dynamic range of 3 files, so that the highlights are not exposed, the details in the dark part, and the transition between light and dark is more natural. However, at present, HDR video recording is not supported for anti-shake, so it is best to use a fixed position to shoot.
Let’s talk back to a lot of consumer concerns: Osmo Action can count as a qualified Vlog camera, my answer is yes.
For each Vlogger, when using a camera to capture a piece of Vlog material in life, the flow should be: 1. Turn on the camera; 2. Open the flip screen (if any); 3. Raise the camera; 4. Press the camera The recording button, although the overall operation is not cumbersome, but if you use Osmo Action, the process can be simplified to: Take Osmo Action to yourself, press the record button to start shooting, this seemingly simple interactive logic, but can make Vlogger Better and faster to record what is happening in front of you. There is a front screen for easy composition and wide-angle lens blessing, and there is no need to worry about the position of the character in the entire video. In addition, the RockSteady feature mentioned above can provide better video anti-shake effect for Vloggers who like to talk while walking, to meet the availability of materials in more scenes.
For Vlogger, radio is an important factor in choosing a camera. Personally think that Osmo Action is still pretty good in the aspect of radio. In the noisy environment, it can still get clearer vocal reservations. Due to the limitations of the text editor, it is not shown here. Interested to see other videos. The evaluation of the radio effect of this camera. If there is a higher demand, of course, you can also purchase the official Type-C adapter 3.5mm microphone interface accessories.
After the video section is finished, let’s talk about Osmo Action’s camera ability.
Osmo Action’s performance in daytime imaging quality is still quite good, we look directly at the proofs.
Osmo Action can be saved in JPG+RAW format at the same time, with a maximum of 12 million pixels, which further enhances the post-production space.
Generally speaking, As the first sports camera from DJI, the performance of Osmo Action is much beyond my expectations. In terms of video shooting ability, stability, double-sided screen, and HDR function,, GoPro now have strong competitor. Also Osmo Action brings a new definition to the sports camera category, not only in the extreme sports field, but also as a good Vlog device.
DJI has become another spoiler in the sports camera market. We also look forward to the future Osmo Action can form a good competitive relationship with GoPro, and bring us more new surprises in the future competition.
