DJI Osmo Action 4 vs DJI Osmo Action 3: What’s the difference?

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DJI Osmo Motion 4

Our high choose

With a a lot bigger sensor onboard, the DJI Osmo Motion 4 improves low-light efficiency, picture constancy and dynamic vary. It additionally will increase water resistance to 18m, nevertheless it comes at a considerably greater value.

Professionals Bigger 1/1.3-inch sensor D-log M and wider dynamic vary Elevated waterproofing as much as 18m

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DJI Osmo Motion 3

Greatest worth

The Osmo Motion 3 presents the identical resolutions and body charges because the Motion 4, and it has the very same dimension and weight because the newer mannequin, too. If you happen to primarily shoot within the daylight, it can save you cash with the older mannequin.

Professionals Nice worth Identical resolutions and body charges Barely longer battery life

Cons Worse low-light efficiency

DJI’s newest motion digital camera has arrived, nevertheless it seems similar to its predecessor, and the specs do not appear to have modified a lot, both. So, what precisely has modified?

We have examined each cameras and totally analysed the spec sheets to reply that very query. If you happen to’re in search of an in-depth evaluation of those cameras, you are in the best place, learn on.

Specs, value and availability

The Osmo Motion 3 was launched on September 14 2022 at a value of $329 and has been obtainable at retail ever since.

The Osmo Motion 4 was launched on August 2 2023 and retails for $399, a big value bump over its predecessor. DJI says that its newest motion digital camera is a real flagship choice with best-in-class picture high quality, whereas the Osmo Motion 3 was designed to supply unmatched worth and sturdiness.

Design

The DJI Osmo Motion 4 seems all however similar to the Osmo Motion 3, the dimensions and weight are the identical, as is the general aesthetic. The chassis is barely darker in color this time round, and, clearly, there is a quantity 4 on the emblem moderately than a quantity 3.

We have been happy to see that the rubber sheath that encircled the lens protector is gone on this mannequin, as a substitute changed by an injection-moulded plastic bumper. The rubber ring on the Motion 3’s lens protector all the time felt like an afterthought, and it was manner too straightforward to lose, so it is a particular enchancment.

One other change is that the waterproofing depth has been elevated to 18m, up from 16m. Not an enormous deal to landlubbers, however for diving lovers, that is the utmost leisure diving restrict for open-water divers, which is a pleasant contact.

Each cameras use the identical glorious quick-release mounting system, and each have a front-facing touchscreen. Each of those options are, at current, unmatched by the market-leading GoPro, and so they make the Osmo Motion cameras rather more handy in quite a lot of situations.

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Video and photograph seize

The Osmo Motion 4 boasts a 1/1.3-inch sensor, which is considerably greater than the 1/1.7-inch sensor on the Motion 3. If you happen to’re not too clued up about sensor sizes, principally, a bigger sensor may have higher low-light efficiency and elevated element. A 1/1.3-inch sensor could be very massive by motion digital camera requirements, manner bigger than the GoPro Hero 11 Black sensor with its uncommon 8:7 ratio.

In follow, DJI claims that the dynamic vary and low-light signal-to-noise ratio are successfully improved by 1 cease on the Motion 4. So, if you happen to shoot at night time lots, this might show to be a worthy improve, though we really feel the daylight photographs are fairly akin to the Motion 3.

One other change is that there is not any longer a devoted HDR mode, and DJI says that every one modes will report high-dynamic-range movies due to the brand new sensor. Nevertheless, if you would like probably the most dynamic vary, you will wish to follow 4K30 and under, the place the digital camera permits sensor-level HDR know-how. You may additionally wish to choose D-Log M, which replaces D-Cinelike because the defacto 10-bit color mode, providing a barely flatter picture for higher modifying flexibility.

The DJI Osmo Motion 4 also can embed metrics like your pace, acceleration and route map to your footage, however solely if you buy the GPS Bluetooth distant accent. We’re actually blissful to see this included, because it was one thing that was missing in DJI’s motion cameras in comparison with the competitors. It is a disgrace that it requires an adjunct, although. GoPros can do that internally, and most of Insta360’s cameras will allow you to do it as long as you are paired to the smartphone app.

A minor tweak, however one that may make an enormous distinction to the best way that your footage seems, is that the Motion 4 lets you regulate the sharpness of your movies. We have lengthy moaned about motion cameras not permitting you to cut back the sharpening, and we’re actually blissful to see the choice turn into extra frequent.

In any other case, the recording resolutions, body charges and codecs are similar throughout each cameras.

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Stabilisation, options and battery

For probably the most half, the stabilisation stays unchanged between the 2 cameras. Nevertheless, you may export gyro information from recordings taken on the Motion 4, and it is a large win for FPV pilots that wish to stabilise their footage in put up with software program like GyroFlow. Most individuals won’t ever want this, however for those who do, it is a actually large deal.

InvisiStick is a function that was launched with the Motion 3, and it makes use of software program trickery to make your selfie stick invisible, similar to you’d see with footage from a 360 digital camera. This impact was solely really helpful for snowboarding, presumably as a result of it is simpler to masks snow than different terrain, however now it is obtainable for extra situations. The impact is respectable, however you do not have to be an imaging professional to note the masking. With the advances in AI picture technology, it is simple to think about this impact turning into extremely life like over the subsequent few years.

The battery is identical on each fashions at 1770 mAh. What’s shocking, although, is the battery would not final fairly as lengthy on the Osmo Motion 4. DJI says it’s because the efficiency has elevated, resulting in greater energy consumption. You may obtain as much as 160 minutes at 1080p with each cameras, nonetheless, that quantity is achievable at 30fps on the Motion 3, and solely 24fps on the Motion 4.

Conclusion

The variations between the Osmo Motion 4 and Osmo Motion 3 are fairly refined. The most important distinction is the bigger sensor, which vastly improves low-light efficiency, and if you happen to shoot at night time lots, then you definitely’ll positively wish to go for the newer mannequin.

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It is positively the superior digital camera, however the distinction in daylight is not as large as we had hoped, and whenever you issue within the value hike, it begins to look much less interesting. Nonetheless, there are different benefits, the elevated waterproofing might show helpful to divers, and the power so as to add GPS information to your footage and export gyro information for post-stabilisation are extraordinarily helpful for a distinct segment subset of customers.

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The Motion 3 was already a greater deal at launch, and now that it has been changed, we might begin to see some actual bargains. So for these in search of most worth, we would steer you in that course. Nevertheless, if the brand new options enchantment, the Motion 4 is a small improve to probably the greatest motion cameras round, so it is nonetheless straightforward to advocate.