The GoPro brand may be synonymous with action cameras, but there are plenty of other makers getting in on the act, including rival DJI, which has launched an update to its own action cam offering, the DJI Osmo Action 3.
The DJI Osmo Action 3 aims to “capture moments beyond the edge”, and amongst the updates over the previous version are new, longer battery life and native support for vertical shooting for social media channels and smartphone consumption.
The new 1770mAh Extreme battery offers a recording time of up to 160 minutes, which is pretty impressive in a camera of this size, and it comes as standard rather than as a paid extra. The new battery will work down to a temperature of -20° C and can charge to 80% in just 18 minutes and to 100% in 50 minutes thanks to native fast-charging support – which DJI claims is a first for action cameras.
Inside the Osmo Action 3 is a 1/1.7-inch sensor a fraction smaller than the 1/1.9-inch sensor in the Hero11 Black, but one that can shoot 4K at up to 120fps and offers a 155° field of view. Improved heat management means you can record 4K at 60p until the battery runs out, and there’s a D-Cinelike Color Mode designed for more editing headroom, that’s available in regular video, slow-motion and timelapse modes.
The Osmo Action 3 looks tough, too, with waterproofing to an impressive depth of 16m without the need for an additional housing, and 1.5m drop resistance.
DJI’s RockSteady 3.0 digital stabilization system corrects camera shake in all directions, a HorizonSteady option keeps the horizon level however you tilt the camera (like GoPro’s new Hero11 Black) and HorizonBalancing offers a middle ground, correcting tilt up to +/-45° for more dynamic moves.
The DJI Osmo Action 3 costs $329 and is available from the DJI store and other resellers.