Verdict
The DJI Osmo Action 4 is the good summary low - light action photographic camera around , and a credible alternative to the GoPro Hero 11 Black .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
DJI may be king of the photographic camera drone pipe , but in the action television camera public it ’s still playing second ( or perhaps third if you askInsta360 ) fiddle to GoPro .
DJI ’s Osmo Action range has never matched up to the grocery loss leader ’s equivalent good example in damage of image quality or operation , but new improver to the range the DJI Osmo Action 4 takes the fight right to theGoPro Hero 11 Black – in the main through a big 1/1.3 - inch sensor which promise better low - light video than its rival .
With a Mary Leontyne Price ticket that set it firmly in Hero 11 Black territory , the Osmo Action 4 ca n’t be looked at as a chinchy choice to the market loss leader , but rather as a direct competitor . Does it release the Hero into a Villain ? translate on to receive out .
Design and handling
The DJI Osmo Action 4 wait almost exactly the same as theOsmo Action 3 , with the vast majority of its improvements happening under the hood . Like its forerunner , the Action 4 has front and rear touch screen , a vast top - mounted criminal record / shutter button and comes with a Horizontal - Vertical Protective Frame which not only gives it an spare layer of drop protection , but countenance users to promptly exchange between horizontal and vertical orientation course .
With magnetised clips on both the bottom and side of the frame , it allows you a 16:9 clip one moment , then release from whatever you have it mounted , tack it 90º , re - mount up it and frivol away a 9:16 video that ’s idealistic for TikTok or Reels . It ’s a good root to the issue of upright video ’s increase popularity , if not as graceful as the one GoPro has engineered for the Hero 11 Black , where everything is shot on the almost - substantial sensor , then cropped to fit the desired data format .
One thing the Action 4 has the GoPro beat on is ruggedness . It ’s waterproof to 18 m without any extra tribute ( the GoPro only pull off 10 m ; the Action 3 ’s limit is 16 m ) , and DJI claim the bombardment are contrive to serve in temperatures as low as -20ºC.
As with previous Osmo Action cameras , it ’s compatible with the same type of screw in mounts as a GoPro , so there ’s no shortage of third - party mount options useable . DJI offers a wide kitchen stove of mounts and appurtenance too , so wherever you want to put this – your bike , thorax , skateboard , helmet , selfie stick – there ’s potential to be at least one option usable .
As for handling , it ’s like any other small , lightweight loge - work camera : not as comfy to hold as a ‘ right ’ DSLR - determine photographic camera . But you ’ll mostly have it hop on on something , so this barely matters , and the preferences menu UI is pleasingly straightforward to utilize .
Features and performance
The DJI Osmo Action 4 comes with a couple of illustrious carrying into action and feature upgrades over the Action 3 : microSD carte up to 512 GB ( rather than 256 GB ) are now patronage and the prototype stabilization has been given a slight bump from Rocksteady 3.0 to 3.0 + ( more on that below ) .
But in most aspects – assault and battery life , connectivity , filmdom resolution , ISO and shutter fastness – things are basically the same .
The 1770mAh swappable battery delivers about 160 minute of tape on a full flush ( at 1080p/24fps character – it ’ll be less if you ’re recording at 4K/120fps naturally ) , and during the review period of a few days I only found myself needing to recharge once . It ’s well-off to top things up though , withUSB - Chandling the duties with the battery installed . you could also buy the camera with a three - barrage charging typeface and extra battery , which we ’d powerfully notify heavy user to invest in .
The twin touchscreens , retained from the Action 3 , are a great ghost ( no punning intend ) . The front screen allows you to preview your image framing and exposure ( except when recording at 4K/60fps or above , in which case it ’s disabled , which is a chip annoying ) , and it supports menu inputs and preferences tweak . I still preferred using the rear screen to do this , however , as its big size makes it easier to use .
Connectivity consists of aUSB - Cport for charging and data point transfer , plus dual - band Wi - Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 . you could utilize the wireless tech to unite to a smartphone lead the DJI Mimo app , using it as a outback control and viewfinder , or to the wireless DJI Mic if you want to commemorate clearer audio .
Image stabilization is entirely electronic here and do in several contour . you could ferment it off completely , make full use of the full image sensor ’s surface but lay on the line lots of photographic camera shake if you move while shooting . Then there ’s RockSteady , which feels like a overnice mid - point : it smoothen motion well without cropping the image much . RockSteady+ take the smoothing to an even more telling level but come in with a noticeable crop that means you ’ll get less in the figure .
There ’s also HorizonSteady , which keep get to the frame grade with the horizon up to 45º in either direction , and work on very efficaciously . Overall , I ’m very impressed with the figure stabilisation setup here ; it decidedly gives GoPro a campaign for its money .
Video and photo quality
The DJI Osmo Action 4 ’s gravid draw is its 1/1.3 - inch sensor , which is significantly handsome than the 1/1.9 - inch sensor on the GoPro Hero 11 Black and the 1/1.7 - in sensor on the Action 3 .
The enceinte pixels on the Action 4 ’s sensor mean it can suck up more spark than most legal action camera sensors , and this gives it an edge over its competitor – include the otherwise mighty GoPro – in low lightsome situations .
By crushed light , I should clarify that I think of a coloured night , outside , with only a few streetlights and other forms of ambient miniature providing any light . natural action cameras have always struggled in these weather condition , but the Action 4 can resolve a surprising amount of item and contrast if used correctly . It wo n’t exceed afull - soma mirrorlessor anything , but if you want tovlogin the even or fascinate your former - nighttime rides it ’s a peck better than any other action Cam River I ’ve seen .
In better lighting conditions , I ’d probably still peck the GoPro Hero 11 Black over this , at least where consecutive - out - of - the - camera telecasting is concern : it just looks a turn more naturalistic , punchy and detailed to my center . That ’s not to say the Action 4 ’s 4 K content is bad – it ’s not at all , and you’re able to also spud in 10 - spot D - Log M and color grade and correct your own footage if you want the absolute best active compass and color reproduction .
As a distillery photographic camera the Action 4 is ok by action television camera standard , but not particularly impressive compared to , for representative , a decent smartphone let alone a mirrorless or DSLR television camera . You probably wo n’t be using this to take your nuptials snap fastener , but it can do a job if there ’s nothing good to hand .
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Should you buy it?
: No other model on the grocery can match the Action 4 in the shadow – but do n’t expect DSLR - style image quality either .
The Action 4 ca n’t quite fit theHero 11 Black ’s 5.3K/60 or 2.7K/240 video in in effect light conditions .
Final Thoughts
The DJI Osmo Action 4 is a very substantial natural action television camera – both literally and figuratively . I have no problem with its size , work up quality , substance abuser interface or battery liveliness , and its image quality is consistently decent all round . It ’s also a sound photographic camera in bad lighting than any of its current competitor .
In ideal inflammation conditions , however , I still think theGoPro Hero 11 Blackedges things in term of out - of - the - camera video , while offering a ranking 5.3 green firmness of purpose and 240fps inning charge per unit at 2.7 K ( the Action 4 only does 240fps at 1080p ) . And with the GoPro Hero 12 seemingly decent around the corner , the Action 4 ’s low-pitched light ascendance may not last long .
That said , it ’s a capable alternative to the Hero 11 Black with a great 10 - number coloration visibility for demanding videographers and I cogitate 4K/120fps is sufficient for 95 % of user , so if you do buy one you ’re unlikely to be left feeling foiled . Check out ourBest Action Cameraguide for more options .
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We thoroughly test every natural process television camera we critique . We ’ll always tell you what we find and we never , ever , accept money to retrospect a intersection .
FAQs
The DJI Osmo Action 4 is waterproof to 18 grand without any extra protection from a causa .
Full Specs
