5 minute read
DJI just brought along a gun to a knife fight. The new Osmo Action 4 looks to be an action camera that addresses most of the remaining problems of the genre.
Ask any user of an action camera what they would really love to see in a new device and I can guarantee that better battery life and better low light performance would be top of their list of wants. Well, it seems the Gods have listened and it comes in the form of the DJI Osmo Action 4.
Now, the Osmo Action 3 was only announced last year, on the same day as GoPro announced its HERO11 Black. The Action 3 was an extremely good camera. So good in fact, that there were only a couple of very minor features that just about edged it in favour of the GoPro for me, personally. The announcement today for the Action 4 comes one or two months before we expect GoPro to announce the HERO12, and boy, DJI hasn't pulled any punches in the specs department.
The Osmo Action 4 promises incredible battery life. Image: DJI.
Osmo Action 4 new features
The big new feature on the Action 4 isn't a fancy new shooting mode, nor more resolution or wireless features. No, instead DJI has been focussing on the features that really matter, and in this case it's battery life. DJI hasn't just added half an hour or so to the operating time. No siree! What we have here is a purported 2.5hrs record time down to -20 degrees centigrade (-4°F).
That's a big deal, considering that the Action 4 is pretty much identical in looks and size to the Action 3. Battery life, for me, is one of the biggest limiting factors for this type of camera, and having such a long operating time means that I don't need to carry so many spare batteries, risking opening the camera with dripping wet hands on an unstable kayak in the rain. It also means an overall potentially lower cost of ownership.
Just like the Action 3, the Action 4 features PD based fast charging, allowing 80% of the battery to be charged in 18-minutes. Again, a huge deal if your batteries aren't charged and you're about to head out.
DJI is now offering a dedicated tethering system for high impact sports. Image DJI.
New sensor
DJI has decided to focus on good quality 4K rather than upping the pixel count. 4K recording is still the maximum recording resolution, while 10MP is the highest stills resolution. However, while the resolution may be lower than GoPro, the new sensor on the Action 4 is not only larger than the previous camera, but DJI states the pixel pitch as being 2.4μm. For reference, that's more than double the pixel size of the GoPro HERO11, and is the same as the Sony ZV1 blogging camera. Considering this is an action camera, again this is a big deal.
It means potentially much lower noise, higher dynamic range, and better low light performance. Additionally, the camera takes advantage by offering 10-bit recording with a true log profile called D-Log M.
The Osmo Action 4 can go to depths of 18m without the need for a dive case. Image: DJI.
Other features
The Action 4 continues to feature the white balance sensor found on previous models, as well as the robust and quick to use magnetic mounting system. Waterproofing has been improved to allow the camera to go down to depths of 18m without the need for an additional case. The front and rear screens are both touch controllable, and feature a water stain resistant coating.
The camera has three microphones, and it appears DJI has been working to improve the sound and noise reduction as well. The Action 3 featured a selfie stick removal ability within the DJI mobile app, but it only worked within skiing environments. The same mode on the new camera can cater for a much wider range of scenarios. Live streaming is also possible straight from the camera using the mobile app.
Another nod to how DJI is taking the fight to GoPro is the addition of user configurable mode presets, called Snapshot. This is one of the best features on the GoPro cameras, so it is fantastic to see a similar feature here.
DJI Osmo Action 4 specifications
| Dimensions | 70.5×44.2×32.8 mm (L×W×H) |
| Weight | 145 g |
| Waterproof |
18 m without the Waterproof Case, 60 m |
| Before use, close the battery compartment cover and the USB-C port cover, and tighten the Glass Lens Cover. It is recommended to install the Waterproof Case for long-duration underwater shooting or in environments with high water impact pressure. Osmo Action 4 and its Waterproof Case have an IP68 waterproof rating. Do not use the camera in hot springs or extreme underwater environments, or let it come into contact with corrosive or unknown liquids. |
|
| Number of Microphones | 3 |
| Touchscreens | Front Screen: 1.4-inch 323 ppi 320×320 |
| Rear Screen: 2.25-inch 326 ppi 360×640 | |
| Front/Rear Screen Brightness: 750±50 cd/m² | |
| Supported SD Cards | microSD (up to 512 GB) |
| Recommended microSD Cards | Recommended models: |
| SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB V30 A2 UHS-I Speed Grade 3 | |
| Kingston Canvas Go!Plus 64GB UHS-I Speed Grade 3 | |
| Kingston Canvas Go!Plus 128GB UHS-I Speed Grade 3 | |
| Kingston Canvas React Plus 64GB UHS-II Speed Grade 3 | |
| Kingston Canvas React Plus 128GB UHS-II Speed Grade 3 | |
| Kingston Canvas React Plus 256GB UHS-II Speed Grade 3 | |
| Lexar Pro 512GB SDXC UHS-I V30 R160/W120 (1066x) | |
| Lexar Pro 256GB SDXC UHS-I V30 R160/W120 (1066x) | |
| Sensor | 1/1.3-inch CMOS |
| Lens | FOV: 155° |
| Aperture: f/2.8 | |
| Focus Range: 0.4 m to ∞ | |
| ISO Range | Photo: 100-12800 |
| Video: 100-12800 | |
| Electronic Shutter Speed | Photo: 1/8000-30 s |
| Video: 1/8000 s to the limit of frames per second | |
| Max Photo Resolution | 3648×2736 |
| Zoom | Digital Zoom |
| Photo: 4× | |
| Video: Max 2× (> 60fps) | |
| Slow Motion/Timelapse: Not available | |
| Still Photography Modes | Single: Approx. 10 MP |
| Countdown: Off/0.5/1/2/3/5/10 s | |
| Standard Recording | 4K (4:3): 3840×2880@24/25/30/48/50/60fps |
| 4K (16:9): 3840×2160@100/120fps | |
| 4K (16:9): 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60fps | |
| 2.7K (4:3): 2688×2016@24/25/30/48/50/60fps | |
| 2.7K (16:9): 2688×1512@100/120fps | |
| 2.7K (16:9): 2688×1512@24/25/30/48/50/60fps | |
| 1080p (16:9): 1920×1080@100/120/200/240fps | |
| 1080p (16:9): 1920×1080@24/25/30/48/50/60fps | |
| Slow Motion | 4K: 4× (120fps) |
| 2.7K: 4× (120fps) | |
| 1080p: 8× (240fps), 4× (120fps) | |
| Hyperlapse | 4K/2.7K/1080p: Auto/×2/×5/×10/×15/×30 |
| Timelapse | 4K/2.7K/1080p@30fps |
| Intervals: 0.5/1/2/3/4/5/6/8/10/15/20/25/30/40 s | |
| Duration: 5/10/20/30 mins, 1/2/3/5 hours, ∞ | |
| Stabilisation | EIS: |
| RockSteady 3.0 | |
| RockSteady 3.0+ | |
| HorizonBalancing | |
| HorizonSteady | |
| EIS is not supported in Slow Motion and Timelapse modes. HorizonSteady is only available when the video resolution is 1080p (16:9) or 2.7K (16:9) with a frame rate of 60fps or below. HorizonBalancing is only available when the video resolution is 1080p (16:9), 2.7K (16:9), or 4K (16:9) with a frame rate of 60 fps or below. |
|
| Max Video Bitrate | 130 Mbps |
| Supported File System | exFAT |
| Photo Format | JPEG/RAW |
| Video Format | MP4 (H.264/HEVC) |
| Built-in Storage Capacity | The camera does not have built-in storage, but storage capacity can be expanded by inserting a microSD card. |
| Audio Output | 48 kHz 16-bit; AAC |
| Type | LiPo 1S |
| Capacity | 1770 mAh |
| Energy | 6.8 Wh |
| Voltage | 3.85 V |
| Operating Temperature | -20° to 45° C (-4° to 113° F) |
| Charging Temperature | 5° to 40° C (41° to 104° F) |
| Operating Time | 160 minutes |
| Tested at room temperature (25°C/77°F) and 1080p/24fps (16:9), with RockSteady on, Wi-Fi off, and screen off. This data is for reference only. | |
| Wi-Fi Operating Frequency | 2.400-2.4835 GHz |
| 5.150-5.250 GHz | |
| 5.725-5.850 GHz | |
| Wi-Fi Protocol | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Wi-Fi Transmitter Power (EIRP) | 2.4 GHz: < 15 dBm (FCC/CE/SRRC/MIC) |
| 5.1 GHz: < 16 dBm (FCC/CE/SRRC/MIC) | |
| 5.8 GHz: < 14 dBm (FCC/CE/SRRC) | |
| Bluetooth Operating Frequency | 2.400-2.4835 GHz |
| Bluetooth Transmit Power (EIRP) | <3 dBm |
| Bluetooth Protocol | BLE 5.0 |
Conclusions
It appears that DJI has directly attacked the most common issues users have with the action camera genre, and by announcing it in August it has stolen a march on GoPro. It can't be underestimated how the new battery performance and potentially better low light performance will play into user's decisions on which device to purchase. I hope GoPro hasn't been resting on its laurels with the HERO12, because if the Action 4 performs as well in reality as the specs would suggest, DJI just brought along a gun to a knife fight.
The Osmo Action 4 is available today at £349/€429 for the Standard Combo and £469/€529 for the Adventure Combo. Watch out for our review very soon.
Tags: Production Cameras Action cameras
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