DJI’s Osmo Action 5 Pro is a GoPro-beating rival with double the battery life and unique features

Has DJI delivered a GoPro-killer?

News By Timothy Coleman published 19 September 2024

DJI has announced its first action camera with the 'Pro' monicker and it comes with a raft of impressive new features that will, aptly, impress content creators and other pro users. These include four-hour battery life – that's double that of the GoPro Hero 13 Black, thanks to an industry-first 4nm chip; 20m waterproofing with pressure gauge (which is again double that of its rivals), and larger and punchier twin OLED screens.

We've already reviewed the Osmo Action 5 Pro, and we've been majorly impressed during our extended time with what is now one of the best action cameras. There are many other areas in which it outguns GoPro's finest action cam, the Hero 13 Black, including its effortless Bluetooth connection with mics including the DJI Mic 2 for better audio (think of the perfect marriage you get with an iPhone and AirPods), but this is still no one-sided battle.

DJI has doubled down on improving its 4K video footage rather than upping the resolution to match rivals – the Hero 13 Black shoots 5.3K video while the Insta360 Ace Pro shoots 8K video – and rumors suggest we'll see an Insta360 Ace Pro 2 soon. What we get instead, according to DJI, is 13.5 stops of dynamic range – that's the kind of performance that you'd expect from a professional mirrorless camera.

However, the sensor remains a 1/1.3-inch type as found in the Action 4, where many action cam fans were not-unreasonably hoping DJI would introduce a larger-still 1-inch sensor – after all, such a sensor features in DJI's own Osmo Pocket 3, which is our favorite vlogging camera.

DJI has, however, added internal storage to the tune of 47GB in addition to micro SD, plus matched GoPro with Wi-Fi 6 to speed up image uploads to your phone. With all of these upgrades considered, the Action 5 Pro provides an all-round improved user experience, but at a 10% steeper price point than the Action 4.

The Osmo Action 5 Pro costs $349 / £329 / AU$599 for the Standard Combo – that's a little cheaper than the Hero 13 Black in the US and UK – or $449 / £409 / AU$769 for the Adventure Combo, which also includes the Quick-Release Adapter Mount, Multifunctional Battery Case, and 1.5m Extension Rod.

Has DJI dethroned GoPro as the king of action cams?

We've pitted the GoPro Hero 13 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro in an article to help you further understand the differences between two of the leading action cameras.

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