The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is here to challenge the mighty GoPro just weeks after the company released its new flagship, the GoPro HERO13 Black. It might look the same as every other action camera on the market. However, it packs a next-gen 1/1.3-inch sensor with a mirrorless-camera-like high dynamic range of up to 13.5 stops, and that arrives alongside a market-leading battery life that’s achieved more than 2 hours of 4K video in our testing. If you’re shopping for a new GoPro and don’t care for the new (and expensive) interchangeable lenses, this DJI action camera could be the better option, as we’ll explain in our DJI Action 5 Pro review below!
Table of Contents
- How Much Does the DJI Action 5 Pro Cost?
- Why DJI Action 5 Pro Remains the Best Choice for Content Creators
- There’s an Updated Design, Bigger Battery, OLED Screens
- What’s the Video Quality Like on the DJI Action 5 Pro?
- Still Photos Have Taken a Significant Step-Forward
- How Long Does the Battery Last in the DJI Action 5 Pro?
- Man of Many’s Verdict on the DJI Action 5 Pro
RELATED: DJI Mic 2 Review: The Perfect Content Creator Setup Does Exist.
How Much Does the DJI Action 5 Pro Cost?
Here’s how much the DJI Action 5 Pro costs:
- Osmo Action 5 Pro Combo: AUD$599
- Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure Combo: AUD$769
With an entry price of AUD$599, the Osmo Action 5 Pro is of great value and undercuts the recently released AUD$649.95 GoPro HERO13 Black. Here’s what you get in each DJI Action 5 Pro Combo:
- Osmo Action 5 Pro Standard Combo (AUD$599) includes:
- Osmo Action 5 Pro
- Extreme Battery Plus (1950 mAh)
- Horizontal-Vertical Protective Frame
- Quick-Release Adapter Mount
- Curved Adhesive Base
- Osmo Locking Screw
- Type-C to Type-C PD Cable
- Rubber Lens Protector
- Glass Lens Cover
- Osmo Action Anti-Slip Pad
- Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure Combo (AUD$769) includes:
- Osmo Action 5 Pro
- Extreme Battery Plus (1950 mAh)
- Horizontal-Vertical Protective Frame
- Quick-Release Adapter Mount
- Curved Adhesive Base
- Osmo Locking Screw
- Type-C to Type-C PD Cable
- Rubber Lens Protector
- Glass Lens Cover
- Osmo Action Anti-Slip Pad
- Osmo Action Quick-Release Adapter Mount (mini)
- Osmo Action Multifunctional Battery Case
- Osmo 1.5m Extension Rod
When comparing the price of the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Standard Combo to the camera-only GoPro Hero 13 Black, it’s worth noting that the GoPro has the majority of accessories found in the DJI Action 5 Pro Combo box. The real advantage is when you look at the Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure Combo (AUD$769), which comes with a 1.5m extension rod, battery case, and a quick-release adapter mount. This is significantly more than you get in the $729.95 HERO13 Black + Accessories Bundle and would be our suggestion when shopping for one of these action cameras.
Competitors to the DJI Action 5 Pro include:
- GoPro HERO13 Black: AUD$649.95
- GoPro HERO12 Black: AUD$579.95
- DJI Osmo Action 4: AUD$469
- Insta360 Ace: AUD$400.99
- Insta360 Ace Pro: AUD$567.99
- Insta360 X3: AUD$679.99
- Insta360 X4: AUD$879.99 (8K-capable)
As we mentioned in our GoPro HERO13 Black review, we haven’t had the chance to test the Insta360 Ace Pro. However, its primary selling point is the 2.4-inch flip-up screen and large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 2.4μm pixel size for quality videos in low light. Due to the flip-up screen alone, this camera could be a good option if you shoot vlog-style content. However, as we’ll now explain, the DJI Action 5 Pro is our favourite action camera.
Why DJI Action 5 Pro Remains the Best Choice for Content Creators
DJI owns the content creator space, and the Osmo Action 5 Pro Combo extends its lead on the competitors with two specific features:
- Subject Centering and Tracking (1080P/16:9, 2.7k/16:9, 1080P/9:16, 2.7k/9:16)
- Native Vertical Video with the included Horizontal-Vertical Protective Frame
With Subject Centering and Tracking mode selected, the DJI Action 5 Pro can take a vertical 9:16 crop from a horizontal 16:9 video and keep you (or whatever object you’re attempting to track) centred in the middle of the frame. It does this automatically, without a manual override, and is quite quick to respond to changes in direction. Most importantly, it requires no skill and is far easier to use than subject tracking in post-production.
Of course, the brand’s Osmo Pocket 3 remains superior overall, with a gimbal-based subject tracking system that follows a user in every direction and on a 16:9 horizontal aspect ratio. However, we still found it impressive that you’re getting an advanced feature like subject tracking in an action camera.
Like the DJI Action 4 we tested last year, the Action 5 Pro also has a Horizontal-Vertical Protective Frame that lets you mount the camera vertically for native vertical video. It’s confusing why no other action camera has a feature like this. Yes, the GoPro can shoot a cropped 9:16 video when mounted horizontally, but native vertical video quality is always superior, and that’s the case with the Osmo Action 5 Pro.
There’s an Updated Design, Bigger Battery, OLED Screens
While it might look vaguely similar to the previous generation camera, there are fundamental improvements to most DJI Action 5 Pro aspects. They include:
- Dual OLED high-brightness touchscreens
- Always-on display: recording specifications and duration
- Waterproof to 20m/ 65ft (without waterproof case), 60m (with waterproof case)
- Magnetic quick-release, native vertical shooting
- Wi-Fi 6.0 & USB 3.0
- 47GB built-in storage and optional external storage (MicroSD)
- 1950 mAh battery with fast charging (vs. new 1900mAh Enduro Battery in GoPro)
- Claimed operating time of 210+ mins (vs. claimed 107.7 minutes in GoPro)
- Replaceable lens protector
The most notable change is the addition of OLED and HLG touchscreen displays on the front and rear of the DJI Action 5 Pro.
This is important because no other action camera on the market offers this functionality. The Insta360 Ace Pro has a flip-up rear screen, but you can’t use it when the waterproof case is attached. The GoPro HERO13 Black has a front preview screen but is not touch-controlled.
The DJI’s 1.5-inch front OLED screen is surprisingly easy to navigate, and with 800 nits of peak brightness, you’ll have no trouble seeing yourself in full sunlight outdoors. The rear OLED screen is larger than before at 2.5 inches and has 1,000 nits of peak brightness, which is plenty for all scenarios. It’s worth mentioning that both these screens are far better than those on the new GoPro HERO13 Black.
You can control the Action 5 Pro with swipe gestures. Still, like the GoPro, we prefer to use the Quick Switch (QS) button on the side of the camera that cycles through seven modes: Photo, Video, Slow Motion, Subject Tracking, Timelapse, Hyperlapse, and Playback. If you have the camera mounted to a hard-to-reach place like a helmet, the camera reads out the modes to you. Alternatively, you can use voice commands to start or stop recording, take photos, etc.
What’s the Video Quality Like on the DJI Action 5 Pro?
The DJI Action 5 Pro’s video quality has improved over the previous-generation camera. Its new 1/1.3-inch image sensor can output 4K/60fps in a 16:9 aspect ratio. While this is less than the 5.3K60 video capabilities of the GoPro HERO13 Black, there are questionable advantages to 5.3K video. Most televisions, phones, computers, and monitors are only 4K-capable.
DJI’s Action 5 Pro offers up to a 155° Ultra-Wide FOV, which compares favourably to the 113° FOV available on the GoPro HERO13 Black. However, as we explained in this video, the GoPro can easily be upgraded with the Ultra Wide Lens Mod (177° FOV), which takes advantage of a clever 1:1 aspect ratio. Like the GoPro, you can also capture 4K/120fps footage, but it’s locked to the 4:3 aspect ratio.
The Action 5 Pro stands out in low light, with up to 13.5 Stops of dynamic range. However, it also has a larger sensor than the one found in the GoPro HERO13 Black—1/1.3-inch vs. 1/1.9-inch sensor—and our tests found that it produces a better overall image in a wider range of lighting conditions. Still, our early tests have shown that the sensor (or software, it’s hard to tell) struggles slightly with shadows and balancing the contrast and exposure levels between the inside and outside of the car, e.g., the road ahead. Of course, this is less of an issue when vlogging or using the camera in natural light, as most people will.
We haven’t posted the results of the 4K/30fps SuperNight Mode, but it’s showing promise in early testing. Few people will shoot much content in the dark using an action camera.
Overall, we’ve been very impressed by the sharpness and natural look of videos recorded on the Action 5 Pro. More testing needs to be done, but we’ll update this article as we uncover the DJI’s pros and cons.
How does it compare to the HERO13 Black? Well, it’s too early to say, but it seems to be on par, if not better than that camera. More testing must be done to share a hand-over-heart verdict, and if you’re trying to decide right now, consider the ecosystem, the value, and the environments you plan to video. We’re reaching for the DJI when we shoot in low light or dusk, and when we want to get creative and swap lenses, we’re reaching for the GoPro.
We’ll also say that we’re not action sports stars, but we find RockSteady (DJI’s version of GoPro Hypersmooth image stabilisation) to keep the image smooth in every situation we put the camera through. That includes hand-held while mounted to the extension pole, mounted to the body of a car, and mounted to our chest and head when shooting unboxing videos for our social media accounts. Still, we plan on further test both these cameras side-by-side shortly.
Like most action cameras on the market now, the DJI Action 5 Pro can capture images in 10-bit, D-Log M, and HLG formats for more flexibility at a professional level. However, we haven’t had a chance to test this feature in-depth yet. Here’s a list of scenarios where you should use each function:
- Standard (8-bit): Ideal for low-light and Super Night Mode (24/30fps)
- Standard (10-bit): Ideal for bright light, richer colours with more depth
- HDR HLG: Use this mode when watching videos on an OLED TV
- D-Log M: Flat image (will require colour-editing or a LUT)
You can also record 48 kHz 16-bit audio using dual DJI Mic 2’s, which is cool. We discovered that the GoPro lets you connect a DJI Mic 2 with Bluetooth, but it only records in 16 kHz.
Still Photos Have Taken a Significant Step-Forward
We typically avoid shooting still photos on an action camera because the wide FOV creates an undesirable fish-eye effect. However, we also understand it can be beneficial for shooting thumbnails for videos, car interiors, hands-on photos, and panoramic images of landscapes. Outside of a flagship smartphone like the new iPhone 16 Pro Max, the DJI Action 5 Pro might be one of the best options on the market because of its new 40MP photo resolution.
That 40MP figure is up from 9.98MP on the Action 4 and beats the new 27MP sensor on the GoPro HERO13 Black.
How Long Does the Battery Last in the DJI Action 5 Pro?
We never find battery life a problem when testing any of the best action cameras on the market. Most cameras can record more than 2 hours of 4K30 video, and there are very few use cases for filming a single continuous shot of this length. However, more is always better, and the DJI Action 5 Pro is the longest-lasting action camera we’ve ever tested.
The brand claims 4 hours of battery life while filming a 1080p/24fps (16:9) video. However, they tested this camera under laboratory conditions at 25°C while recording a 1080p/24fps (16:9) video with RockSteady on, Wi-Fi off, and screens off. Our real-world testing pushed the camera to more than 2 hours while filming a 4K30 video with everything turned on. If you require more than this, we suggest investing in the Osmo Action 5 Pro Adventure Combo (AUD$769) as it includes a battery charging case.
It’s worth noting that we haven’t been able to overheat the Action 5 Pro during our use so far. You’ll struggle to overheat the new GoPro HERO13 Black, but older GoPro’s suffer from overheating when shooting indoors.
Man of Many’s Verdict on the DJI Action 5 Pro
If you don’t care for the interchangeable lenses on the GoPro HERO13 Black, the DJI Action 5 Pro is the best action camera on the market. It has superior battery life, image quality, mounting options, and audio recording (both internal and external). Above all else, it’s cheaper to buy than the GoPro HERO13 Black, and that’s before you factor in the exorbitantly expensive lenses to make the purchase of a GoPro worthwhile.
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