DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional evaluation: A worthy GoPro rival

For fairly a while, GoPro has dominated the high-end action camera world. Whereas loads of different corporations 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 recognized 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 embody what DJI says is a brand-new 1/1.3-inch sensor with 2.4μm pixel measurement 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 picture high quality, transferring from 3,648 x 2,736 pixels to 7,296 x 5,472 pixels.

Moreover, DJI took its motion digicam to the subsequent stage for water sports with two further meters of waterproofing (now 20 meters) and included a built-in stress gauge to report and show water depth, altitude, and different information in real-time. I have been utilizing the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional for a couple of weeks, however sadly, my schedule has saved me from any extremely adventurous outings. Nonetheless, I have been completely impressed by the digicam on my bike rides, hikes, and through each 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

Professionals

• Wonderful battery life
• Loads of recording modes and shade settings
• Spectacular stabilization
• Magnetic quick-release mounts
• Nice picture high quality with uncooked capturing skills
• Seamless compatibility with DJI Mic 2

Cons

• Video high quality tops out at 4K

Broaden

Value, 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 completely 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 based mostly on the actions you take part in, akin to motorcycling or mountain biking, climbing, diving, street biking, browsing, and extra. At $547, the Vlog Combo is the most costly, however it contains all the things you get within the Customary Combo, plus a DJI Mic 2 Transmitter and Multifunctional Charging Deal with.

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

Simple but spectacular efficiency

Fairly frankly, there’s so much 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 the start, although, the digicam may be very straightforward to make use of. The touchscreen is responsive with intuitive controls. Plus, the entrance OLED can also be a touchscreen and gives settings entry, making it simpler to alter settings for those who’re recording your self.

There are preset modes for all the most typical use circumstances, which modify the kind of recording, discipline of view, high quality, and stage of stabilization. After all, you’ve the choice to totally modify (and save) settings that higher fit your wants. There are additionally guide controls do you have to actually wish to get into the nitty gritty of your digicam settings, making the Professional identify becoming for the digicam. Amongst these Professional controls are 8-bit, 10-bit, D-Log M and HLG shade 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 routinely detect the topic after which crop the footage to a social media-ready 16:9 ratio. I discovered it to work extraordinarily properly with individuals, even in low-light situations. 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 is going to make the method of getting content material posted a lot sooner and simpler.

The Osmo Motion 5 Professional video footage is superb, even with the default shade settings. The footage seems to be sharp (however not overly so) in daylight and well-lit situations 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 properly in low-light situations, 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 superbly clean footage. Must you be recording extra jarring actions, the RockSteady+ mode affords much more stabilization, although with a crop. Plus, the HorizonBalancing mode does job of holding pictures stage in most conditions, albeit with an excellent higher crop.

As a photographer, I used to be additionally very impressed by the SJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional’s nonetheless picture high quality. The 7,296 x 5,472-pixel decision permits loads of room for cropping and captures lots of element for an motion digicam. You may as well shoot in uncooked, and I used to be shocked 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 no ready for it to course of and save earlier than transferring on to the subsequent shot, one thing that could not be mentioned for the GoPro or the Insta360 cameras I’ve reviewed.

The Professional identify additionally suits this digicam due to its construct high quality. It feels actually strong and well-made. I used to be lately 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 completely shocked after I regarded on the digicam afterward. Sadly, I did not have it recording to seize the footage.

DJI says it is going to additionally function in excessive situations, from -4° F to 113° F. I took it on a motorbike experience in 95° F and sunny situations, and sure partially as a result of fixed wind on it, the digicam did not even really feel heat your complete experience. 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 secure to take diving.

The battery lifetime of the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is a star of the present right here as properly. DJI says it could report 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 report at 4K60 with 4K with RockSteady picture stabilization turned on throughout an extended bike experience, and the inner 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 among my favourite options of the Osmo Motion 5 Professional. The digicam itself encompasses a mount on the underside for horizontal capturing, and it comes with a body that not solely provides some further safety however affords a vertical mounting location. Then, you’ll be able to merely snap your mounts or equipment on or off, which means it takes solely seconds to alter your setup. It made it a lot simpler to shortly examine the digicam on my bike experience 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 fundamental competitor, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, affords 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 best match as a result of decrease high quality. Nonetheless, for most individuals (myself included), 4K decision is loads.

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

Motion cameras usually are fairly dangerous at any type of closeup shot, and certainly, that’s the case with the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. It may well’t focus very shut in any respect, and even the narrowest lens choice is just too huge 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 capturing normal motion camera-style footage, it will not be an issue. Nonetheless, anybody who desires extra out of their tiny pocket digicam could favor the flexibility of GoPro’s new system.

Must you purchase the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional?

Should you’re available in the market for a complicated, high-quality motion digicam, then sure, you completely ought to by the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. It affords very good high quality in each picture and video settings, with plenty of flexibility by way of settings and recording modes. The stabilization is simply nearly as good as GoPro’s, smoothing out even jarring actions. Plus, with the magnetic quick-release mounts, the choice to hook up with the DJI Mic 2, and Topic Monitoring mode, the digicam affords fairly a little bit of versatility for these seeking to create content material with a pocketable digicam.

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