October 27, 2021

DJI Action 2 Camera

DJI Action 2: The Point of View Camera to Beat ?

DJI Action 2 With Power Module

DJI Action 2 With Power Module

Neat, compact and powerful but is it worth it?

Let's get one thing straight, I am a huge DJI fan. In fact I am about to drop the best part of £5k on the new Mavic 3 Cine drone so I feel I can be honest here.

DJI Action 2 isn't just ultra-versatile, it's also our most powerful action camera yet.

Ok, let me get this off my chest. Please, all manufacturers of cameras, Smartphones, computers etc, stop saying this! You're hardly going to release a new product that is sub-par with your existing products (like this)... 

DJI Action 2 isn't just ultra-versatile, it's almost as good as our last camera from 2 years ago!

Right, I feel better now. Before I go on, let's look at the specs:

DJI Action 2 Specs

DJI Action 2

Product Details

8.0/10 (IMO)

DJI Action 2 Magnetic Lanyard for Point of View Filming

Dimensions

39x39x22.3mm

Waterproof

10m (60m with case)

Microphone

1

Weight

56g

Touchscreen (haptic)

1.76" 350ppi

Camera Sensor

1/1.7" CMOS

Lens FOV

155° f/2.8

ISO (Photo and Video)

100-6400

Shutter Speed

30s-1/8000

Photo Resolution 12mp (JPEG/RAW)

4000x3000

Video Resolution (MP4 H.264/HEVC)

4k/60, 2.7k/120, 1080/240

Stabilisation

EIS: RockSteady 2.0+HorizonSteady

Max Video Bitrate

130Mbps

Memory Card

microSD (256gb Max)

Operating Temp

0° to 40°c (32° To 104°F)

Battery (LiPo2S)

1300mAh

Battery Run Time

70 Minutes

What I Like

I think the DJI Action 2 will work REALLY well on smaller FPV drones. In fact, once all the reviews are in, it may be on my radar for this very purpose. Let's just wait until the reports are in!

Tandem Skydive Point of View Camera

Being a big actions sports fan, the small, square, point of view format attracts me. After all, this is perfect for skydiving/wingsuit shenanigans, skiing, surfing, flying, scuba diving and so on. 

Because of the wide, 150° field of view, an additional screen isn't necessary for most things. Even the most techy-challenged of us can attach this and point it forward. The superb horizon levelling stabilisation will take care of the rest.

Image quality is pretty much a given but we've yet to see any low light footage. 4K 120 seems to be the norm these days so no surprises there...although very welcome.

Magnetic Appeal?

The magnetic attachment is a double edged sword in my opinion as you'll see below. However, where I can see it being useful is for:

  1. 1
    Studio environments
  2. 2
    B-roll in hard to reach places
  3. 3
    Web/spy camera locations
  4. 4
    Selfies and point of view capture (photos and video)
  5. 5
    Sticking on your arm if you've had "the jab" (C19 joke)
For many, this smaller form factor, similar to the Go Pro Session (now discontinued...ahem) will suit. I personally can see the appeal for some situations.  However...

What Bothers Me

Man Thinking About Something

"If only I'd locked it down..."

It's the cautious, overthinking me speaking here but the magnetic thing.

Yes, I can see this being a superb method of attachment for some filming/photography but...

I know of a skydiver losing a Go Pro camera, from his helmet, and from a locked housing whilst leaving the plane. Somehow the catch of the casing got snagged and the camera fell 12,500ft to it's...survival!

And it happened again, from 10,000 feet this time (beware, this one will make you feel dizzy).

Yes, the camera survived those massive falls but that's not the point. If a Go Pro can be forced out of it's housing or knocked off its mounting, what awaits a magnetically attached camera for sports people.

The "the bleedin' obvious" in me wouldn't use that method for extreme sports. However, I can foresee a ton of skiers, surfers, skydivers, mountain bikers etc all spending hours looking for their camera.

What about putting it on a drone? How many people will use the magneto power to attach it? What happens when you fly through some trees and the camera gets knocked off and you are 4 miles 500m away?

I'll Nick It!

Finally, what if someone grabs the camera from you as you speed past on your bike, skis, skateboard or even from your chest or extension pole as you zoom past? If an honest chap like me can think of this, others will too.

Pros and Cons of the DJI Action 2

DJI Action 2 Second Screen Module

Second Screen Module for DJI Action 2

Ok, I'm going to wrap this up as I haven't even got my hands on one yet. However, if I was to make a purchasing decision based purely on what I have seen online, I am in two minds. 


I didn't even upgrade from the Go Pro 9 to the new Hero 10 recently because the upgrades weren't enough to sway me. The Hero 9 is an amazing camera but I was nearly swayed by the 4k 120fps.


I think the DJI Action 2 will appeal to a lot of people and make a lot of sales. And rightly so. After all, the tech is superb, this small form factor, point of view camera will suit many filmmakers and hopefully the image quality is spot on.


For me, the owner of a Go Pro 9, it's sadly not on my radar. Gone are the days of buying something for the hell of it based purely on the fact I love gadgets. I just can't justify the cost over putting it towards the Mavic 3 Cine.


See DJI, you still get my money one way or another.

The Good, the Bad and the Conclusion

Pros
  • 4k 120 and 1080 240 fps video
  • Small form, point of view factor great for many applications 
  • Power Combo cheaper than the Go Pro Hero 10
  • Much improved stabilisation
  • 3 additional mics on second screen module
  • Additional macro lens attachment
  • Kudos for your continued innovation DJI
Cons
  • Dual Screen Combo more expensive than the Go Pro 10 Accessories bundle
  • Only 32GB of internal memory. Additional memory has to be added with the battery module
  • Magnetic mount may cause issues such as loss, damage or theft
  • Low run time (70mins) without power module
  • Limited ways to attach it "non-magnetically" (although the Go Pro style attachment looks promising)
  • Only waterproof WITHOUT either module
  • Possible overheating issues recording in 4k 120

Conclusion

Superb tech, great company, good price but it's not for everyone. It's almost a step backwards and maybe DJI should have paid attention to the Go Pro Session. There's a reason why Go Pro halted development in that direction.


DJI, I still love you but why create a camera that you have to attach a) another module to for a second screen and b) another module for more power?


Why not improve on the design and battery power of the original Osmo Action Camera whilst keeping two screens? After all, it looks like the DJI Action 2 with second screen module is bigger (longer) than the original Osmo Action camera.


Maybe give us both and hit both markets. The DJI Action 2 (like the Osmo Action but better) and the DJI Action Modular?


Of course, this is just my opinion folks. DJI are one of my favourite companies and this camera looks pretty good other than the "foibles". Send me one if you like ; )

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