The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro looks mostly unchanged from the Action 4, but it has a few updates that help it continue to be one of the best action cameras you can buy.
This year’s model introduces a slightly upgraded sensor with 13.5 stops of dynamic range and can now shoot 40mp stills. Perhaps most importantly, it also features a more efficient processor for longer run time and 48GB of internal storage.
But at $349, is the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro worth your money?
Keep reading and then watch our full video to learn more.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: Reasons to buy
Longer battery life
If battery life is important to you, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro should be at the top of your list. The Pro uses a larger 1,950mAh battery and features a more efficient 4nm image processor, which gives it the best battery life of any action camera we've tested.
DJI claims that you can now get approximately four hours of continuous recording, but that's at 1080p30, which I honestly never use. That said, at 4K60 which I primarily record in, I managed to get about 2 hours outdoors which is still incredible while stepping down to 4K30 extends the recording time by another 30 minutes or so.
With a combination of shorter, 2-5 minute clips and a few longer ones at 10-15 minutes, I can easily record all day long without having to charge or swap batteries. You can also opt for their Creator Combo which includes two additional batteries with a battery charging case.
Excellent video quality
While its fixed depth of field won’t trick you into thinking this is a small pocket camera, the Action 5 Pro stands out with its incredible dynamic range, its high bitrate which gives you lots of room to color grade, and its low light performance.
At its widest, you have a 9mm equivalent FOV which tightens up to 17mm with distortion correction and its max Rocksteady+ stabilization enabled. You can also record in 16:9 or the more flexible 4:3 aspect ratio, which is particularly useful when you want to edit widescreen and vertical crops from the same clip without sacrificing much in your framing.
Because of its larger sensor which we first saw on the Action 4, unlike most other action cameras the Action 5 continues to be half-decent in low light. Past sunset, the image quality holds up, though it does get noisier which is expected. Stabilization does still get wonky as things get darker, and this an area where the best phones will likely perform better, but for an action camera, its results are still impressive.
As someone who frequently mixes footage captured from multiple cameras, the DJI Action series has consistently been my preferred action camera due to its natural picture profile which isn't overly saturated or contrasty and its ease of grading to match the visual style of my other footage.
There are three color profiles to choose from: Standard, HDR HLG, and D-Log M, with the latter being my preferred choice because of how well it matches DJI’s other cameras and drones, particularly the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, which has been my primary travel and on-the-go camera for the past year and the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
Larger displays
The Osmo Action 5 Pro includes front and rear color displays, both with touch support. The square front screen measures 1.5 inches diagonally with 800 nits of brightness. While small, it's large enough for framing your shots or quickly changing the camera's settings.
The rear 16:9 display gets a slight bump and is now 2.5 inches diagonally with peak brightness of 1,000 nits. Compared to the GoPro Hero12 and Hero13 Black cameras, it's much easier to read and use in direct sunlight.
Great connectivity & more features
The Osmo has one USB-C port for charging or data transfer and it also lets you use the camera as a webcam when connected to a computer. Also, while it doesn’t have a microphone port, you can either use a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter to connect a wired mic or receiver. But even cooler, just like with the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, the Osmo Action 5 can pair directly with up to two DJI Mic 2s via Bluetooth - no receiver needed. Just like with its picture modes, if you already use other DJI cameras, staying in the same ecosystem really helps out.
The Action 5 Pro is extending its waterproof rating by two extra meters - letting you reach depths of 20 meters without a diving case. Even cooler, it now has a built-in pressure gauge that records water depth, altitude, and other data in real-time. Using its companion app, you can display this data to add more context and dynamism to your footage.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: Reasons to skip
No 5.3k video recording
The first reason you may want to skip the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is that it lacks 5.3k or higher resolution.
In my experience 4K is still plenty of resolution - especially for an action camera. That being said, those who like reframing, cropping or digitally adding movement to their footage would likely appreciate the extra resolution offered by rival action cameras like the GoPro Hero 13 Black or Insta360 Ace Pro. However, this would take a big hit to battery life, but having that extra resolution when you NEED it, would still be great to see.
Lack of new exciting features
The DJI Osmo Action 5 performs exceptionally well. However, it’s been a few years since DJI has introducing anything truly revolutionary with the lineup. One area where DJI could explore is offering GoPro-style lens attachments as seen on the GoPro Hero 13 Black. The ability to quickly attach macro, anamorphic, or extra wide-angle lenses to the camera would allow us to quickly change the look of your video for more dynamic shots.
The Action 4 is already great
Finally, while the Action 5 Pro does bring some handy upgrades, if you already own an DJI Osmo Action 4 or are trying to decide between both action cameras, you may not need to upgrade. Video quality is basically unchanged and the new 40mp sensor will really only stand out if you take a lot of stills. But is anyone really buying an action camera with that as a main feature?
Personally, the built-in storage, the bigger rear display and improved battery life are much appreciated, but if you weren’t concerned with them on the 4, it probably isn't reason enough to upgrade. Both are great choices, but $249 for last year’s Action 4 is an exceptional deal.
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: Buy or skip?
The DJI Osmo Action 5 is a great choice for creators like myself who are already heavily invested in DJI’s other camera and audio gear. From matching the color to pairing and using the same mics between them, that’s a lot of added value to an already very affordable and competitively priced action camera.
If you're deciding between this and last year's model, you can’t go wrong with either, but the $100 premium to get the Action 5 Pro could be worth it if you need those improvements and new features.
