While the latest from GoPro and Insta360 get all the headlines, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro sneaks in like a quiet power play or friend who shows up with better stories than expected. The Essential Combo, priced at $269 (was $339), gets you the camera, a spare battery, protective frame, quick-release adapter mount and a locking screw.
Battery life is the core of any adventure gear, and the Osmo Action 5 Pro flexes in ways that will have the competitors scrambling. One 1950mAh battery provides 4 hours of 4K/60fps filming or longer in 1080p. Swap in the spare and you’ll be able to shoot all day without needing to find an outlet. The competition runs out of juice significantly sooner: GoPro’s Hero 13 Black lasts roughly 90 minutes in the same settings, as does Insta360’s Ace Pro 2. DJI does this with its 4nm CPU, which squeezes every drop while maintaining performance.
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Its 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor is larger than GoPro’s and captures more light in low-light situations like evening bike rides. Shoot in 4K at 120fps for slow-motion breakdowns of the perfect ollie, or use SuperNight mode for quiet night rides under streetlights. Colors pop with natural brightness immediately out of the camera, due to 10-bit D-Log M support, which allows editors to fine-tune without banding.
Even in chaotic situations, two OLED touchscreens make framing shots simple. The 2.5-inch rear screen provides 1000 nits of brightness to cut through direct sunlight, while the 1.4-inch front panel lets you take selfies and vlogs without guesswork. Both respond to gloved fingers or wet hands, which provides a tiny advantage during rainy runs. GoPro employs LCDs on its front screen, which wash out faster in high light, whereas Insta360’s flip-out design adds heft that may snag on gear. DJI keeps it sleek at 146 grams, with a 10% smaller body than the Action 4. Mount it vertically with the included frame for social feeds, or use the magnetic quick-release to swap helmets in seconds.
Most small action cameras struggle with capacity, but the Osmo Action 5 Pro gets you started right away with 47GB of internal storage. That’s enough for about an hour of 4K recording right out of the box, no microSD card necessary. Insert a card later for limitless expansion and USB 3.0 transfers to your laptop in minutes. Pair it with the DJI Mimo app for wireless pulling, and subject tracking will detect faces or motorcycles in the blur. Audio gets a boost too: Direct compatibility with DJI Mic 2 transmitters provides great sound with no wind noise, outperforming GoPro’s Bluetooth pairings and Insta360’s USB-C counterparts in windy settings.
Without a case, waterproofing extends down to 20 meters, allowing you to snorkel or puddle jump to your heart’s content. With DJI’s optional housing, you can dive up to 60 meters and resist pressures that would break other designs. RockSteady stabilization eliminates GoPro-level jitters from 4K/120fps rushes, whereas HorizonSteady maintains the horizon level during barrel rolls.
