It's officially action camera season now: just a day after a huge GoPro Hero 13 Black leak revealed most of its specs, a new DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro leak has revealed who its most likely rival will be.
Otherwise, it's still unclear why DJI has given this model the “Pro” moniker. One promising spec on the packaging is the four-hour “extended battery life” – our review of the DJI Osmo Action 4 described its predecessor's endurance as “so-so”, so this would be a nice quality of life upgrade.
Another benefit could be “professional audio recording” with a DJI Mic connection, though it’s unclear how this differs from the Action 4. You could already connect the original DJI Mic’s receiver to the camera’s USB-C port, so it’s not yet clear whether this is an update or refinement of that feature.
(Part 2. The #DJIACTION5PRO box) The camera features an “all-new” 1/1.3 CMOS sensor. Precision tracking. 4 hours of battery life. DJI MIC 2 and Horizonsteady connectivity. The package is an #adventurecombo. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/YEt4sEg7dfAugust 30, 2024
One area that does seem to have been polished is autofocus. The leaked box says it can track subjects with “improved accuracy.” We don’t yet know if DJI has improved another of our complaints about the Action 4 (its minimum focusing distance is rather long, at 0.4m), but that would be good news for action scenes at least.
There’s no word on pricing or a release date for the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro just yet, but given that the improvements appear to be minor, we’d expect it to be priced at around $399, £379, or AU$629 (like the Action 4). Does that new “Pro” branding suggest DJI is planning to release a cheaper, non-Pro model? It’s possible, and given the leaks, we might find out for sure very soon, once the DJI Neo’s September 5 launch has become a reality.
Have we reached the maximum level of camera action?
The most surprising thing about this DJI Action 5 Pro leak and the recent GoPro Hero 13 Black leak is that both cameras appear to be conservative upgrades, though that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Many DJI and GoPro fans were hoping for a 1-inch sensor, but the fact that both of its 2024 flagships appear to be sticking with smaller sensors suggests that wasn't practical, perhaps due to the impact on software features and extra processing it would entail.
The 1-inch edition of the Insta360 One R is still an option if you want that sensor for low-light conditions, while we also rate the 8K-capable Insta360 Ace Pro as one of the best action cameras you can buy (despite it costing a whopping $449 / £429 / AU$729). But the Action 5 Pro and Hero 13 Black should still prove to be reliable options at a slightly lower price point.
The real innovators in the action camera field right now are undoubtedly the top 360-degree cameras, such as the Insta360 X4. We can't wait to hear more about the long-awaited GoPro Max 2 (hopefully during the launch of the Hero 13 Black) and perhaps even DJI will be tempted to enter this field, if it doesn't get distracted by its rumoured mirrorless camera.