DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 4
In short: The DJI Osmo Action 4 costs $70 less; the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro goes 20 m deep with no housing against 18 m; the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro claims 4 h at 1080p24 with RockSteady on.
| Spec | DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro | DJI Osmo Action 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$299 | ~$229 |
| Year-one cost | ~$299 | ~$229 |
| Type | Flagship action | Flagship action |
| Sensor size | 1/1.3-inch | 1/1.3-inch |
| Sensor area | 72 mm² | 72 mm² |
| Max resolution | 4K @ 120fps | 4K @ 120fps |
| Reframed resolution | n/a — already flat | n/a — already flat |
| Max fps at 4K | 120 | 120 |
| Max fps at 1080p | 240 | 240 |
| Max bitrate | 120 Mbps | 130 Mbps |
| Colour depth | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| Log profile | D-Log M | D-Log M |
| Stabilisation | RockSteady 3.0+ | RockSteady 3.0 |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | 360° (full) |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Waterproof | 20 m bare, 60 m cased | 18 m bare, 60 m cased |
| Claimed runtime | 4 h at 1080p24 with RockSteady on | 2 h 40 min at 1080p24 with RockSteady on, Wi-Fi off |
| Tested runtime | 2 h 14 min (road.cc action camera group test) | No third-party test collected |
| Battery | 1950 mAh | 1770 mAh |
| Cold rating | -4°F | -4°F |
| Weight | 146 g | 145 g |
| Screens | 1.46-inch front + 2.5-inch rear OLED touch | 1.4-inch front + 2.25-inch rear touch |
| Mount | Magnetic quick-release | Magnetic quick-release |
| Replaceable lenses | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | No | No |
| Voice control | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | microSD + 47 GB internal | microSD |
| Subscription | None | None |
| Released | 2024 | 2023 |
A highlighted cell is the outright better figure in that row, and only where one direction is unambiguously better. Weight, field of view and battery capacity are left neutral because the better direction depends entirely on what you are shooting.
Strengths and drawbacks
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
- +Double the sensor area of a Hero 13 for less money than one
- +Beat the Ace Pro 2 by half an hour in a same-conditions drain test
- +Internal storage means the camera still records when the card is in the other jacket
- +Twice the bare waterproof depth of any GoPro Hero
- +Rear OLED is the best screen on any action camera at this price
- −Tops out at 4K — no 5.3K or 8K mode
- −No GPS overlays
- −Magnetic-only mount needs an adapter for GoPro-fingered accessories
- −Real-world runtime is closer to two hours than the four DJI quotes at 1080p24
- −Fixed f/2.8 aperture, so bright snow and water still need an ND filter the Action 6 does not
DJI Osmo Action 4
- +Same 72 mm² sensor as DJI's current mid-range, for a hundred dollars less
- +130 Mbps ceiling, slightly above the newer Action 5 Pro
- +18 m bare waterproofing still beats every GoPro Hero
- +Takes the same magnetic mounts and batteries as the Action 5 Pro
- +Owners consistently rate the colour science as the most natural of the three major brands
- −10 MP stills against 40 MP on the newer body — this is the real generational gap
- −No internal storage
- −Smaller 2.25-inch rear screen
- −RockSteady 3.0 rather than 3.0+, a small step back on hard vibration
- −No 1/4-20 thread, so tripod use means carrying the mount adapter