Freeing itself from the GoPro-clone mold, the DJI Action 2 offers a modern and fresh perspective on the possibilities of what an action camera might be. It succeeds the first Osmo Action, the Action 2 is lighter, smaller magnetic, and fully modular.
This compact camera can be used as a alone or with two of the expansion modules, and it can be used with a variety of magnetic mounts that are brand new. It’s not a slouch in terms of specs with 4K recording capabilities at 120fps or 244fps at full HD, in addition to RockSteady 2.0 as well as HorizonSteady stabilisation of images.
With top-quality features and prices to be matched it, The DJI Action 2 is clearly placed to compete with GoPro’s flagship Hero 10 Black but with integrated batteries and the tendency to overheat, it isn’t quite up to the task.
DJI Action 2 review: What you should be aware of
Over two years after the release of the first Osmo Action, the Action 2 comes with a completely new and distinctive design. DJI has opted out of the soap bar shape and the plastic shell of the predecessor, and instead chooses an all-aluminium design with an easy-to-assemble modular design.
The heart of the unit is at its core is a 1/1.7in CMOS sensor which has been combined by an ultra-wide, 155 degree f/2.8 lens. The unit is able to be used completely as a stand-alone unit or combine the two with the help of an additional module. Two additional modules are available for purchase at the launch of the touchscreen module we’ll be looking at here, as well as an extended-battery model. They attach to the camera with magnets and are held by two clips that release quickly.
Its DJI Action 2 packs in top-of-the-line video specifications, with four-channel and 2.7K recording with 120fps or more as well as up to 240fps in 1080p. It also supports 4x slow motion in 4K, and up to 8x slow-motion in full HD, as well as dedicated modes for hyperlapses and timelapses and a social-media-friendly video mode called Quick Clip mode that captures short videos of 15 seconds.
The camera also has DJI’s latest technology for electronic stabilisation. Its RockSteady 2.0 is available in any resolution, and videos taken at 2.7K or less can benefit from the ability to level the horizon with HorizonSteady.
Like all DJI’s new camera models the Action 2 can be paired with the DJI Mimo smartphone app to allow remote control of the camera and playback of videos and uploading and editing on the go.
DJI Action 2 review: Pricing and competition
DJI Action 2 DJI Action 2 is currently available in two bundles including the $349 Power Combo, which includes the camera and an extended battery module, or the Dual-Screen Combothat I’m examining here. It includes the camera unit as well as a touchscreen for the front. The bundles include an lanyard with magnetic clasp as well as a magnetic camera mount adapter and adhesive ball-joint holder and Power cable for USB-C.
When it comes to rivals in the market in the realm of competitors, it’s the GoPro Hero10 Black is an obvious contender. At present, it appears that the Hero10 has the distinction of being the one action camera that can match Action 2’s recording capability in 4K120 and takes things even further, allowing 5.3K video with up to 60 frames per second. Although the Hero10’s suggested price is a bit more expensive at $480, when buy it through GoPro directly, it’s offered with the one-year GoPro subscription, which offers you cloud storage and a reduction on GoPro accessories, and a full replacement of the camera in the event of damage, for $380.
Insta360 One R Insta360 One R uses a similar modular design and allows you to swap cameras. The basic 4K camera can be purchased for $285. The Twin Edition, which comes with both 360 and 4K camera units, can be purchased for $440.
Insta360’s Go 2 camera for $295 is also worth looking into. Although it’s not equipped with flagship frame rates, this compact camera is light enough to go where larger models aren’t and, due to its magnetic mounting system It offers a portion of Action 2’s features for a lower cost.
DJI Action 2 review: Design and features
The main camera of the Action 2 model weighs 56g, and is 39x39mm across its face, with the deep of 22.3mm. Despite its light weight appearance and its aluminum frame, it is still solid in the palm of your hand.
A glass enclosure takes up the majority of the front of the camera. Behind it is the ultra-wide lens that is 155 degrees wide, as well as an individual sensor for colour temperature, and is surrounded by tiny openings for the microphone as well as an lighting for the status LED. The rear to the camera’s back is led by the 1.7in OLED touchscreen display, with a single physical button that sits on top of the camera and an expansion port at the bottom. The camera’s bottom is a magnetized area that allows quick mounting to metal objects, and there are clips-on points for secure attachment of mounts and modules.
The camera comes with its own battery as well as 32GB (22GB of usable) of internal storage. This allows it to function as a stand-alone device. But, as the main camera does not have a charging port microSD card reader, charging port or speaker the front touchscreen is required to be kept in close proximity.
The front touchscreen module is attached with the camera’s main unit using a an easy click, by line up the clips, and letting the magnets take care of the rest. With 39 x 41.6mm on the sides and 24.6mm deep, it’s a little larger than the camera and adds an additional 128g in weight. In addition to adding another display that is front-facing This module also includes an Action 2’s MicroSD reader USB Type-C charger port and three other microphones (one on each side , and another on the rear) and a larger battery. Similar to the camera it’s touchscreen that’s magnetic on its base, which allows for rapid mounting. It also comes with clips-on points to connect with mounts that are more secure.
Although the front-facing touch screen module (and that Power Combo’s Power Module) enhance the capabilities of the Action 2 but at the cost of weather-proofing. The camera is waterproof to 10 meters right out of the box . However, the ports that are exposed of the expansion modules mean you’ll need an enclosure that is waterproof to achieve the same protection.
DJI Action 2 review: Performance
When used with when used, the Action 2 does a great job at judging exposures, conserving highlights while retaining sufficient dynamic range to retain lots of details in the shadows. Transitions between dark and bright scenes are smooth and nice and the auto white balance feature – likely due to the Action 2’s own colour temperature sensor – has proven extremely robust.
When the lighting is good, the footage is clear, detailed without distracting noise. Utilizing conventional colour profiles,, videos look natural, with just an extra pop and a D-Cinelike profile is also available should you need to grade the video yourself. Even though Action 2 comes with a Action 2 includes a large 1/1.7in sensor and a bright f/2.8 aperture, as with most action cameras, it has issues when it’s dark and grainy. could quickly become muddy the image when you’re not cautious.
Although I’m still waiting to test the new GoPro flagship model, I can confirm the RockSteady 2.0 is up there with the most stable stabilisation technology I’ve seen. Unsteady and chaotic motions are well stabilized and footage taken during running and walking is smooth and gimbal-smooth.
Moving things to the highest level The DJI HorizonSteady ensures that footage remains level. This feature is extremely efficient and lets you rotate the camera around 360-degree angle while maintaining an image that is perfectly level. HorizonSteady is only available to 2.7K resolutions and lower and since the stabilisation is done digitally, there’s a slight reduction however, considering the Action 2’s 155-degree ultra-wide area of vision, it’s not enough of a problem.
If you’re talking about ultra-wide views, the 155-degree view is ideal for fitting almost everything that’s on the screen into the frame. Like you’d think, there’s a lot of distortion. Users are likely to stick to wide or wide dewarp view for the majority of time, however it’s a great inventive tool to use.
This magnetic mount system can be practical, as it allows quick mounting to just about anything metallic and the magnetic lanyard lets you eliminate heavy chest mounts. Magnetics do have limitations – shake the lanyard enough to shake it vigorously and it will come off – but for everyday shooting, it’s a fantastic option and obviously the clip-on adapter is always on hand for more severe scenarios.
Although OLED screens are ideal for framing quickly however their tiny dimensions and their square proportions may make them difficult to playback. Fortunately DJI’s Mimo smartphone application (available to each Android or iOS) allows complete control of the camera including playback and mobile editing. Both the app and the camera itself are extremely easy to use, and I found it easy to get comfortable using the apps.
The point at which where the Action 2 starts to come out of its bind is the battery. DJI states that the can provide up 70 minutes of recording however this is only in power reserve mode , at 1080p and stabilisation disabled. When recording at 4K60, I was able to get 18 minutes and 40 seconds before the is drained. Adding the front-facing touchscreen increased the recording time to of 62 minutes. Because the batteries are built inside the modules, they are not able to change them at a moment’s notice as you would with GoPro. GoPro However, you can recharge them with the USB battery.
Overheating is another issue. In the indoor environment, I noticed that my camera would overheat to the point of shutting down seven minutes at 4K60 and about 15 minutes making recordings at 2.7K60. However, performance is highly dependent on airflow, because outside during running I could record in 4K , until I had the camera’s battery to its lowest.
There is a possibility to increase the threshold of overheating hidden within the menu settings, however because of regulations that prohibit this feature, it is turned off in UK and EU models. The issue of overheating is certainly not unique only to DJI Action 2 but, dependent on the way you intend to use the camera it may impose severe restrictions.
The audio recorded on the board is not particularly impressive and it can get a bit noisy and compressed when in busy situations. The front touchscreen module can help, however the audio quality is still mediocre.
DJI Action 2 review: Verdict
The DJI Action 2 is an exciting, flexible and enjoyable tiny action camera. It’s simple to operate, and the stabilisation is excellent and, whether it’s used on its own or in conjunction with DJI’s Mimo application It’s capable of delivering impressive results.
If it was targeted primarily for casual users and priced accordingly, it’s a strong case to be among the top options available currently. With a price of 455 dollars to purchase the Dual-Screen Combo, however, it’s definitely an enthusiast-oriented product and with a mediocre battery performance, non-weather sealed modules , and serious issues with overheating it’s not performing at this level.
The battery’s lifespan and overheating issues could be solved with future firmware updates, and the cost will fall over time, however at present the case, it seems that it’s falling a bit way short of what is needed.
Menu