Digital Photographer - UK (2020-01)

A collection of the best fun-yet-functional products out there for photographers

Access ries

DJI is best known for its drones, gimbal

systems and gimbal-mounted cameras, but

now it’s gone head to head with GoPro and

introduced its own action camera. What’s

more, in a pretty shrewd move, it’s opted to

use the same mounting system so most of

the GoPro-compatible mounts on the market

can be used with the Osmo Action.

Inside the Action there’s a 12MP 1/2.3-

inch CMOS sensor, and around the front

there’s an f2.8 lens with a field of view of

145 degrees. When the maximum video

resolution is 4K (3,840 x 2,160), the frame

can be set to 60, 50, 48, 30, 25 or 24fps

when the aspect ratio is 16:9. Dropping to

Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution enables the

frame rate to be pushed to 240fps, which is

excellent for slowing down very fast action for

added drama.

In addition to standard and slow-motion

video modes, there are also HDR video, time-

lapse and stills modes. Time-lapse videos

can be created at up to 4K resolution, with

intervals of between 0.5 and 30 seconds.

There are just three control buttons on the

Action. On the top, there’s the power and

record buttons. Then down on the left side,

as you hold the camera, there’s the quick

switch button. Pressing this when the camera

is powered-up allows you to swipe through

the shooting modes. Once you’ve selected

the mode you want, simply swipe up on the

rear 2.25-inch, 208,000-dot touchscreen to

access the settings. These are laid out very

clearly and are easy to select with a tap. The

settings shown in blue are active.

We used the Action for a few high-octane

adventures, and the results are great. Details

look sharp and the colours are pleasantly

vibrant. Our only disappointments are with

the somewhat muffled audio and the battery

life. In 16:9 4K mode at 60fps, and with the

excellent RockSteady stabilisation active, we

were only able to get 24 minutes of footage.

DJi OsmO ActiOn

There are many contenders, but GoPro may have finally met its match

dji.com

£329 / $349

DJI has created an excellent competitor to the

GoPro Hero 7 Black. The Osmo Action is easy

to use, has a good range of video settings and

produces excellent visual results.

Overall

Ease of use

Value for money

Features

Quality of results

Summary

Far left

Card slots

It has a microSD card

slot that can accept

cards of up to 256GB

capacity. Images are

stored as JPEG and/or

DNG RAW files, while

videos are stored in MOV,

MP4 (H.264) format

Left

Housings

The Osmo Action

requires different

housings to the GoPro

Hero 7 Black. A simple

frame housing is

supplied in the box

REVIEWS

Acollectionofthebestfun-yet-functionalproductsoutthereforphotographers

Access ries

DJIisbestknownforitsdrones,gimbal

systemsandgimbal-mountedcameras,but

nowit’sgoneheadtoheadwithGoProand

introduceditsownactioncamera.What’s

more,inaprettyshrewdmove,it’soptedto

usethesamemountingsystemsomostof

theGoPro-compatiblemountsonthemarket

canbeusedwiththeOsmoAction.

InsidetheActionthere’sa12MP1/2.3-

inchCMOSsensor,andaroundthefront

there’sanf2.8lenswithafieldofviewof

145 degrees.Whenthemaximumvideo

resolutionis4K(3,840x2,160),theframe

canbesetto60,50,48,30, 25 or24fps

whentheaspectratiois16:9.Droppingto

FullHD(1,920x1,080)resolutionenablesthe

frameratetobepushedto240fps,whichis

excellentforslowingdownveryfastactionfor

addeddrama.

Inadditiontostandardandslow-motion

videomodes,therearealsoHDRvideo,time-

lapseandstillsmodes.Time-lapsevideos

canbecreatedatupto4Kresolution,with

intervalsofbetween0.5and 30 seconds.

Therearejustthreecontrolbuttonsonthe

Action.Onthetop,there’sthepowerand

recordbuttons.Thendownontheleftside,

asyouholdthecamera,there’sthequick

switchbutton.Pressingthiswhenthecamera

ispowered-upallowsyoutoswipethrough

theshootingmodes.Onceyou’veselected

themodeyouwant,simplyswipeuponthe

rear2.25-inch,208,000-dottouchscreento

accessthesettings.Thesearelaidoutvery

clearlyandareeasytoselectwithatap.The

settingsshowninblueareactive.

WeusedtheActionforafewhigh-octane

adventures,andtheresultsaregreat.Details

looksharpandthecoloursarepleasantly

vibrant.Ouronlydisappointmentsarewith

thesomewhatmuffledaudioandthebattery

life.In16:94Kmodeat60fps,andwiththe

excellentRockSteadystabilisationactive,we

wereonlyabletoget 24 minutesoffootage.

DJiOsmO ActiOn

Therearemanycontenders,butGoPromayhavefinallymetitsmatch

dji.com

£329/$349

DJIhascreatedanexcellentcompetitortothe

GoProHero 7 Black.TheOsmoActioniseasy

touse,hasagoodrangeofvideosettingsand

producesexcellentvisualresults.

Overall

Easeofuse

Valueformoney

Features

Qualityofresults

Summary

Farleft

Cardslots

IthasamicroSDcard

slotthatcanaccept

cardsofupto256GB

capacity.Imagesare

storedasJPEGand/or

DNGRAWfiles,while

videosarestoredinMOV,

MP4(H.264)format

Left

Housings

TheOsmoAction

requiresdifferent

housingstotheGoPro

Hero 7 Black.Asimple

framehousingis

suppliedinthebox

REVIEWS