GoPro’s biggest rival.
GoPro faces serious competitive pressure from DJI, the company that dominated drones for years before deciding to challenge GoPro’s action camera monopoly directly. DJI’s engineering expertise translated well into action cameras and created products that rival or exceed GoPro’s capabilities while undercutting their pricing.
The Osmo Action 5 Pro Essential combo costs $259 during Black Friday on Amazon, down from $339, competing directly against the Hero 13 Black that costs more and offers similar features. This record-low 24% discount makes DJI’s flagship action camera accessible at pricing that approached budget action cameras before this sale.
1/1.3-Inch Sensor That Changes How Well It Works in Low Light
The 1/1.3-inch sensor with 2.4µm pixels lets in a lot more light than the smaller sensors GoPro uses. This means that you can use the footage in low light when other action cameras make grainy, unusable video. The 13.5-stop dynamic range keeps detail in both bright highlights and deep shadows at the same time. This stops the blown-out skies or crushed shadow detail that cameras with limited dynamic range often have.
The 4K 120fps video recording makes slow-motion playback at quarter speed super smooth while keeping the 4K resolution and this lets you see details of the action that you can’t see at normal speed. High-frame-rate capture shows small differences in technique that make skateboard tricks, mountain bike jumps, surfing moves, and sports plays much more exciting. The advanced 4nm processor can handle the huge amount of data needed for 4K 120fps without getting too hot or draining the battery, which was a problem with earlier high-frame-rate versions. Standard 4K 60fps works for most action shots and saves battery and storage space. However, the camera can shoot at 120fps when certain shots need to be slowed down.
The advanced chip processing for subject tracking keeps fast-moving subjects in the center of the frame no matter what the aspect ratio is: This means that you don’t have to make manual adjustments to the framing which can be distracting when you’re filming. The 16:9 and 9:16 aspect ratio support works for both traditional video and vertical social media content: This means you don’t have to film them separately or crop them in a weird way after the fact.
The front and back of the phone have dual OLED touchscreens that make it easy to frame shots for both first-person and vlogging views without having to use phone apps or guess at how to do it. When you point the camera at yourself, the front screen shows you what you’re filming. This is important for vlogging and taking selfies because you need to make sure the framing and focus are right. When filming things outside or watching footage, the back screen works like a regular action camera.
The 360-degree HorizonSteady stabilization keeps horizons level no matter how the camera rolls: This makes for smooth footage from handheld or body-mounted recording that looks like it was shot by a professional. Mountain biking over rough ground, skiing down mogul fields, or running through cities all create stable footage instead of the sickening shake that makes action camera videos unwatchable.
Voice control lets you use the device without using your hands, and it works best in outdoor settings with wind and background noise. You can control the camera from up to one meter away with commands like “start recording,” “take photo,” or “stop recording.” This lets you keep your hands on the handlebars, climbing holds, or equipment.
The 1950mAh battery lasts up to 4 hours of recording time in normal conditions and 3.6 hours at negative 20°C. This is much longer than the 1 to 2 hours that GoPro batteries usually last, which means you have to carry multiple batteries. The longer battery life means you can do things all day on one charge instead of having to ration your recording time or carry battery banks that are heavy and complicated. The IP68 rating means that it can be used underwater for up to 20 meters without a case.
DJI’s advanced stabilization, better sensor technology, and longer battery life cost a lot less than the established competitor, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, which is priced at $399.