DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional overview: A worthy GoPro rival

For fairly a while, GoPro has dominated the high-end action camera world. Whereas loads of different firms have tried to dethrone the motion digicam big, and a few have come shut, none have fairly hit the nail on the top. DJI, the corporate finest identified for its drones, is having a go once more with a new pro-level model of its personal motion digicam.

The DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional brings substantial updates over the Osmo Motion 4. These embrace what DJI says is a brand-new 1/1.3-inch sensor with 2.4μm pixel dimension for improved dynamic vary (13.5 stops) and low-light efficiency, a topic monitoring mode, 50% battery life than the Osmo Motion 4, and higher audio recording. The brand new sensor additionally permits for double the photograph high quality, shifting from 3,648 x 2,736 pixels to 7,296 x 5,472 pixels.

Moreover, DJI took its motion digicam to the subsequent degree for water sports with two further meters of waterproofing (now 20 meters) and included a built-in strain gauge to file and show water depth, altitude, and different knowledge in real-time. I have been utilizing the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional for a number of weeks, however sadly, my schedule has stored me from any extremely adventurous outings. Nonetheless, I have been totally impressed by the digicam on my bike rides, hikes, and through every day life.

Beneficial

DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional

The DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is an upgraded motion cam with a 40-megapixel sensor.

Model

DJI

Sensor Dimension

1/1.3″

Video Decision

4K as much as 120 fps

Picture Decision

40 megapixels

Battery

As much as 4 hours

Dimension

70.5×44.2×32.8 mm (L×W×H)

Weight

146 g

Water Resistance

20m

Lens

155° f/2.8

Execs

• Glorious battery life
• Loads of recording modes and colour settings
• Spectacular stabilization
• Magnetic quick-release mounts
• Nice photograph high quality with uncooked taking pictures skills
• Seamless compatibility with DJI Mic 2

Cons

• Video high quality tops out at 4K

Increase

Worth, availability, and specs

The DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is out there for buy for $349 for the usual combo, which incorporates the Horizontal-Vertical Protecting Body, one battery, and a curved adhesive base. There are additionally loads of different combos to select from with totally different equipment, together with an Journey Combo with two extra batteries, Multifunctional Battery Case 2, and 1.5 meter extension rod for $449. Or, select a combo primarily based on the actions you take part in, reminiscent of motorcycling or mountain biking, mountain climbing, diving, street biking, browsing, and extra. At $547, the Vlog Combo is the most costly, but it surely consists of every part you get within the Normal Combo, plus a DJI Mic 2 Transmitter and Multifunctional Charging Deal with.

What I favored in regards to the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional

Simple but spectacular efficiency

Fairly frankly, there’s rather a lot to love in regards to the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional, and I may simply see this changing the GoPro as my go-to motion digicam. At first, although, the digicam could be very simple to make use of. The touchscreen is responsive with intuitive controls. Plus, the entrance OLED can also be a touchscreen and offers settings entry, making it simpler to vary settings for those who’re recording your self.

There are preset modes for all the most typical use instances, which modify the kind of recording, area of view, high quality, and degree of stabilization. After all, you’ve gotten the choice to completely modify (and save) settings that higher fit your wants. There are additionally guide controls must you actually wish to get into the nitty gritty of your digicam settings, making the Professional title becoming for the digicam. Amongst these Professional controls are 8-bit, 10-bit, D-Log M and HLG colour profiles, providing you with extra management over the look of your footage and the way a lot time you wish to spend enhancing.

One of many newly added recording modes is the Topic Monitoring mode. In it, the digicam will mechanically detect the topic after which crop the footage to a social media-ready 16:9 ratio. I discovered it to work extraordinarily effectively with individuals, even in low-light circumstances. It by no means did register my black cat, although, and was hit-and-miss with my black canine. However, for these recording vlogs for social media, it can make the method of getting content material posted a lot sooner and simpler.

The Osmo Motion 5 Professional video footage is great, even with the default colour settings. The footage appears sharp (however not overly so) in daylight and well-lit circumstances with pleasingly saturated colours. It does not look overly saturated or processed, which has been the case with some motion cameras I’ve reviewed. The digicam additionally performs fairly effectively in low-light circumstances, which is usually a weak spot for motion cameras. It will not equal the standard of a bigger digicam, however is kind of a bit higher than the GoPro Hero 12 (we have not examined the 13, but).

The RockSteady digital stabilization was greater than sufficient for many conditions, leading to fantastically easy footage. Do you have to be recording extra jarring actions, the RockSteady+ mode gives much more stabilization, although with a crop. Plus, the HorizonBalancing mode does job of holding pictures degree in most conditions, albeit with a fair better crop.

As a photographer, I used to be additionally very impressed by the SJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional’s nonetheless photograph high quality. The 7,296 x 5,472-pixel decision permits loads of room for cropping and captures a whole lot of element for an motion digicam. You too can shoot in uncooked, and I used to be stunned by how a lot dynamic vary I had entry to when enhancing the .dng file. The digicam can also be extraordinarily fast to take images, so there is not any ready for it to course of and save earlier than shifting on to the subsequent shot, one thing that could not be mentioned for the GoPro or the Insta360 cameras I’ve reviewed.

The Professional title additionally suits this digicam due to its construct high quality. It feels actually strong and well-made. I used to be not too long ago hit by a automotive whereas out for a stroll with the digicam, and in some way, it does not have a single scratch or scuff on it, which I am unable to say for my physique. I used to be totally shocked after I regarded on the digicam afterward. Sadly, I did not have it recording to seize the footage.

DJI says it can additionally function in excessive circumstances, from -4° F to 113° F. I took it on a motorcycle journey in 95° F and sunny circumstances, and certain partly because of the fixed wind on it, the digicam did not even really feel heat the whole journey. It is waterproof to twenty meters (65 toes) with no case, double the depth the GoPro Her 13 Black can deal with with no waterproof case. DJI says it’s compliant with worldwide EN13319 certification, which means it is protected to take diving.

The battery lifetime of the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is a star of the present right here as effectively. DJI says it could file for as much as 4 hours due to a extra power-efficient 4nm processor, elevated battery capability, and a brand new algorithm that optimizes power use. I set the digicam to file at 4K60 with 4K with RockSteady picture stabilization turned on throughout an extended bike journey, and the interior storage (47GB) was the limiting issue, filling up inside an hour and quarter-hour. The battery, which was at roughly 90% after I began, was nonetheless at 24% after I was out of room for storage. That would not get me to the 4 hours of promised time, however at a decrease decision, that 4 hours is doable.

Lastly, the magnetic mounts are one in all my favourite options of the Osmo Motion 5 Professional. The digicam itself encompasses a mount on the underside for horizontal taking pictures, and it comes with a body that not solely provides some further safety however gives a vertical mounting location. Then, you possibly can merely snap your mounts or equipment on or off, which means it takes solely seconds to vary your setup. It made it a lot simpler to shortly examine the digicam on my bike journey with out having to fuss with unscrewing and screwing a standard mount.

What I did not like in regards to the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional

No 5.6K video high quality choices

The one potential detrimental side of the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is that video high quality tops out at 4K. The digicam’s predominant competitor, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, gives as much as 5.3K60 video. So, these in search of top-of-the-line video high quality ought to go for the GoPro. Equally, for those who want the pliability to crop considerably when enhancing, the Osmo Motion 5 Professional might not be the correct match because of the decrease high quality. Nonetheless, for most individuals (myself included), 4K decision is a lot.

The newest GoPro additionally stands out above DJI’s motion digicam due to its lens mod choice. The GoPro Hero 13 means that you can use lens mods that allow macro taking pictures, amongst different types. These lenses talk electronically with the digicam in order that it mechanically adjusts to no matter lens mod you employ. GoPro gives three choices proper now: an ultra-wide, a macro, and a set of ND filters.

Motion cameras usually are fairly dangerous at any kind of closeup shot, and certainly, that’s the case with the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. It could actually’t focus very shut in any respect, and even the narrowest lens choice is just too large for true closeups. GoPro’s distinctive lens mods then, add fairly a little bit of versatility that you just miss out on with the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. For these simply taking pictures commonplace motion camera-style footage, it will not be an issue. Nonetheless, anybody who desires extra out of their tiny pocket digicam could choose the flexibility of GoPro’s new system.

Do you have to purchase the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional?

In the event you’re out there for a sophisticated, high-quality motion digicam, then sure, you completely ought to by the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. It gives excellent high quality in each photograph and video settings, with numerous flexibility by way of settings and recording modes. The stabilization is simply pretty much as good as GoPro’s, smoothing out even jarring actions. Plus, with the magnetic quick-release mounts, the choice to connect with the DJI Mic 2, and Topic Monitoring mode, the digicam gives fairly a little bit of versatility for these trying to create content material with a pocketable digicam.

After all, GoPro’s new Hero 13 Black gives a number of benefits, together with increased video high quality and the brand new lens mod system for even better versatility. However, for the primary time shortly, the GoPro has an actual competitor with the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. Plus, DJI’s commonplace combo is $50 cheaper than GoPros, providing a little bit little bit of financial savings.

Beneficial

DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional

The DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is an upgraded motion cam with a 40-megapixel sensor.