DJI Action 2: The Point of View Camera to Beat ?
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)
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!
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:
- 1Studio environments
- 2B-roll in hard to reach places
- 3Web/spy camera locations
- 4Selfies and point of view capture (photos and video)
- 5Sticking on your arm if you've had "the jab" (C19 joke)
What Bothers Me
"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
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
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 ; )