DJI has just thrown down the gauntlet with the Osmo Action 5 Pro, and it’s not messing around. This latest incarnation of the Osmo line of action cameras is packing some serious heat with a 13.5-stop dynamic range that sounds more like something from a pro-level studio camera than something you’d strap to your helmet while mountain biking.
With a 1/1.3” sensor and 2.4μm pixels, it’s all about balancing the shadows and highlights to make sure you look like a cinematographer, even if you’re just stumbling through the woods.
Battery anxiety? Not here. You get a solid 4 hours of continuous use, which means you’ll run out of adrenaline long before the camera runs out of juice. And if you happen to be filming in sub-zero temperatures, say at -20°C (68 Fahrenheit), the Osmo Action 5 Pro still goes for almost 3.6 hours. Plus, a 15-minute charge gives you two hours of filming, which is faster than you can say “Did I hit record?”
Tracking subjects is child’s play for this beast. No gimbal? No problem. The Osmo Action 5 Pro keeps you perfectly centered even if you have no clue where the camera is pointing. The machine-learning wizardry onboard means your footage will stay focused, even if you’re not.
For those who fancy a dip, it’s ready for some serious underwater adventures without the hassle of an extra case—down to 20 meters (66 feet). And if you’re trying to capture life in the deep blue, the built-in color temperature sensor ensures your footage won’t look like you shot it through a blue lens filter.
Both screens are bigger, brighter, and OLED, so you can see what you’re filming even in blinding daylight. And since no one has time for bad audio, it syncs up with the DJI Mic 2 for crystal-clear sound without the need for extra receivers.
DJI throws in some nifty features like 47 GB of built-in storage, which is great because who remembers to carry spare SD cards? Add Wi-Fi 6.0 transfer speeds, live-streaming support, and even a handy timecode feature for syncing multiple cameras, and suddenly you’re ready to tackle your next blockbuster—minus the budget.
All this tech comes at a surprisingly reasonable price: the Standard Combo is US$349, and for US$449, you can grab the Adventure Combo with extra batteries and gear. Whether you’re conquering mountains or just recording your dog’s latest trick, the Osmo Action 5 Pro has your back. Just try not to outshine Spielberg too much.
Images: DJI.