The DJI Osmo action camera came out much better than I thought.
It was the first action camera from the company but it did not have the reputation or history that GoPro had. It was also palm sized, light and easy to use which I did not expect.
I bought it exactly 2 years ago to the month as I needed one for cycling. Too many missed moments that needed to be captured. I already had the DJI Osmo Pocket but it was no action camera.
Why DJI Osmo Action?
Why indeed as GoPro had at least 7 models out by then. With its first in 2005. And for the longest time, action cameras meant a GoPro.
GoPro defined action footage, software driven stabilisation plus quality image.
Furthermore GoPro had been tested, analysed and reviewed multiple times across trade magazines, YouTube channels by professionals, prosumers and Joe Blow.
In fact the routine was to compare and review between the previous version and the latest version of GoPro. Up to 2019, there was no decent competitor.
2 reasons that led me to the Osmo Action.
One was DJI’s range of camera drones. We are talking about Mavic drones and the company behind it.
I have never seen a product evolved in terms of intuition, engineering, quality and execution like DJI’s drones. It showed me there was might as well as smarts behind this organisation.
Second reason and more compelling is that it had front facing screen to frame your shots. Which GoPro did not have at the time of purchase. GoPro version 9 finally had the front facing screen which came out much later.
GoPro not having a front facing screen all these years did amaze me.
To date I have not seen a product feature omission like this in the consumer and professional World. Did they know their customer and isn’t this intuitive?
It reminded me of Steve Jobs but in the opposite sense.
Steve Jobs that we should remember for
Steve Jobs – ” People don’t know what they want until you show it to them. That’s why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.” And Steve was right as Apple did tell us what we needed. But GoPro was clueless.
The peers and where they stand.
As I write this, things have changed in the action camera World, product wise.
Go Pro Hero 9 and Insta 360’s series of cameras are firmly in the ring with multiple features.
So at this point in time does the Osmo Action have a place? I would say a firm yes.
The is despite one firmware change and no upgrades since it was introduced nearly 3 years ago in May 2019. GoPro most advanced camera then was Hero 7. The 8 was yet to be launched.
It is safe to say that all 3 action cameras have gone well past acceptable standards when it comes to action camera image resolution , quality and stabilisation. There are incremental and some new features that the GoPro 9 and Insta 360 family have but for the main part and for the layperson, all 3 does what is required of an action camera.
It has to be acknowledged that Insta 360 family have some novel features that can be fun and works well for those who want to provide some additional variety to content. I am actually keen to pick one of the Insta 360 cameras to see its range of features.
Anyway action camera enthusiasts are likely to have 2 cameras at a minimum to offer views from 2 different angles or perspectives. Their options are to pick the GoPro or the Osmo Action and the Insta 360 to cover all bases. Or maybe all 3.
Back to the DJI Osmo Action
What are the stand-out reasons for picking the Osmo Action and to continue using it even now. Thats easy.
- Easy to use out of the box.
- Outstanding stabilisation
- Does not freeze
- Delivers quality photo and video image, colour saturation got better with firmware upgrade in 2020.
- Voice command – another thing I did not expect but it makes so much difference.
- Palm size, pocketable and able to work the buttons with one hand while holding it.
- Quality build and professional looking
Here is something else that I realised that the Osmo Action does well and that’s vlogging.
Vlogging is not something one does with an action camera and may explain why GoPro for years did not have a front facing display.
The front facing screen to frame your face and the background is the initial entry point for vlogging.
The microphone pickup quality and volume wise are also good. Without a selfie stick and an extended arm, you had acceptable coverage. No face distortion. Focusing is quick and sharp. As you pan the camera away from your face to capture more of the surroundings the microphone still picks up your voice with little loss.
Though I have an exceptional vlogging camera in the form of Sony ZV1 which I have covered in a previous post here, I found the Osmo Action easier to have in the pocket for that unexpected moment.
The Sony ZV1 weighs 249grams while the Osmo Action is 116 grams, half the weight and much smaller in dimension. The only issue is that Osmo Action cannot handle low light while the Sony ZV1 is a champ at it.
Value – the final attribute
Since it’s launch Osmo Action has dropped in price as GoPro and Insta 360 have launched newer models.
A quick check with JB Hi Fi, shows the GoPro 9 black retails for $629 while the Osmo Action goes for $499. Thats great value to someone looking for an action camera that does 95% of the stuff with ease and content creation.