DJI Osmo Action 3 Standard Combo, Waterproof Action Camera with 4K HDR & Super-Wide FOV, 10-Bit Color Depth, HorizonSteady, Cold Resistant & Long-Lasting, Vlogging Camera for YouTube

Product Information

Generally speaking, DJI has done a great job of making the Osmo Action 3 feel robust, though the lens frame does protrude slightly around the sides of the camera. This could catch in the heat of the action, making it a potential weak point versus the GoPro Hero line, whose lenses are flush with the top and sides of the camera. Case or not, this camera is tough. It’s able to survive drops of up to 1.5m unscathed and be dunked up to 16m in water without a dive case (an optional dive case is available, boosting water resistance to 60m). The lens is swappable too, so if it gets scratched or otherwise damaged you don’t need to replace the entire camera. The dual screens offer the same options presented to suit the display size. (Image credit: Adam Juniper / Digital Camera World)

HorizonSteady helps to eliminate camera shake in all directions and even horizontally corrects tilt at any angle. That means footage can remain horizontally level, even through heavy bumps and 360-degree rotations, creating the effect of a perfect horizon without any post-production, even in off-kilter pursuits like surfing. The DJI Osmo Action 3 has a tough battle on its hands. Its main rival, GoPro, dominates the market so completely that to make any headway it has to offer something extra, and ideally for less money. Multi-way height adjustment: A choice of 20 rear wheel positions, elevating legrests, and amputee supports offer optimal height adjustment and comfort. And, yes, it is also significantly cheaper than its main rival. The big question is can it compete where it matters: image quality?Tested in a 25° C (77° F) laboratory environment while recording 1080p/30fps video in normal video mode with Enhanced Image Quality disabled, EIS disabled, and the screens off, and should be used for reference only. In addition to 4K120 with sound, the Osmo Action 3 has a dedicated slow-motion mode that records silently and slows down footage in camera, with a 4x slow-mo effect available at 4K and 2.7K, and either 4x or 8x at 1080p. And the Osmo Action 3 supports time lapses, both from a fixed camera position or with motion. Both are available at 4K. Tested in a -20° C (-4° F) laboratory environment while recording 1080p/30fps video with EIS disabled and both screens off, and should be used for reference only. The first Osmo Action brought a color screen to the front of the action camera, a move that GoPro later copied. Now DJI has upped the ante again by adding a touchscreen to the front of the Osmo Action 3, allowing you to not only frame shots, but also control the camera as well. Using your fingers to control a tiny screen might sound cramped, but it works surprisingly well. I had no trouble adjusting basic settings like mode and shooting resolution.

Tested in a -20° C (-4° F) laboratory environment while recording 1080p/30fps video in normal video mode with Enhanced Image Quality disabled, EIS disabled, and the screens off, and should be used for reference only. Despite these limitations, however, I found performance to be pretty impressive. The camera’s image stabilisation ensured footage remained smooth, even while the camera was shaking around quite violently, and the horizon levelling was effective, keeping video dead level. The feature-list is still not (quite) as rich as the GoPro Hero 10 (there is no equivalent of ‘Hindsight’) but the price is lower too. In fact in some areas it outperforms its competitor; water resistance, temperature resistance and image sensor size. You can of course use your smartphone and the DJI Mimo app as a form of remote control, and it works brilliantly thanks to simple controls, big screen viewfinder and solid wireless connection. Using the app also enables livestreaming.As you can see from the image gallery above, the DJI OSMO Action 3 takes decent photos, although due to the wide-angle lens mounted on the action cam, up-close images can be distorted. Not sure if anyone would use the OSMO Action 3 to shoot portrait photos, but I'm telling you, it's not suitable for that kind of work. The other place the Osmo Action 3 impresses is battery life. DJI claims 160 minutes at 1080p. I only managed 140 (with the rear screen off, the front screen used about half that time), which is slightly more than I managed with the GoPro Hero11 (which claims 137 minutes, I got 124 minutes). Moving to 4K at 30fps, the Osmo Action pulled off 75 minutes to the GoPro Hero11’s 70 minutes. Also impressive is the recharge time—I was able to get the batteries fully recharged in 52 minutes. Like the Action 2, the Osmo Action 3 is based on a 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor and f/2.8 aperture lens with a wide-angle field of view. At 155º, this is actually wider than the FOV offered by GoPro Hero models, which is potentially a big deal if you’re looking to get as much in frame as possible.