It’s officially action camera season: just a day after a major leak of the GoPro Hero 13 Black revealed most of its specs, a new leak of the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro has revealed full details about its likely rival.
The new packaging images shared by @JasperEllens on X (formerly Twitter) below seems to confirm previous rumors we saw back in July that DJI’s GoPro rival will, like the DJI Osmo Action 4, stick with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor with an f/2.8 aperture and a 155-degree field of view – although the sensor is apparently “all new” this time around.
Otherwise, it’s not yet clear why DJI has given this model a ‘Pro’ moniker. One promising spec on the packaging is the four-hour “extended battery life” – our DJI Osmo Action 4 review described its predecessor’s stamina as “mediocre”, so that would be a nice quality of life upgrade.
Another bonus could be “professional audio recording” with a DJI Mic connection, though it’s not clear how that differs from the Action 4. You could already plug the receiver for the original DJI Mic into the camera’s USB-C port, so it’s not yet clear whether this is an upgrade or a refinement of that feature.
(Part 2. The #DJIACTION5PRO box) The camera has a ‘brand new’ 1/1.3 CMOS sensor. Precise tracking. 4 hours of battery life. DJI MIC 2 connector and Horizonsteady. 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 you’ll be able to track subjects with “improved precision.” We don’t yet know if DJI has fixed another of our gripes with the Action 4 – the minimum focus distance is a rather long 0.4m – but that would certainly be good news for action scenes.
There’s no word yet on pricing or a release date for the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, but given that the upgrades appear to be minor, we’d expect it to land in the region of $399 / £379 / AU$629 (like the Action 4). Does that new ‘Pro’ branding suggest DJI is planning to release a cheaper non-Pro model? Possibly, and given the leaks, we may find out for sure very soon – once the DJI Neo launches on September 5.
Have we reached the pinnacle of the action camera?
The most notable thing about this DJI Action 5 Pro leak and the leak we recently saw for the GoPro Hero 13 Black is that both cameras appear to be conservative upgrades, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Many DJI and GoPro fans had hoped for a 1-inch sensor, but the fact that both 2024 flagships are apparently sticking with smaller sensors suggests this wasn’t practical – perhaps due to the impact on software features and the additional processing it would require.
The Insta360 One R 1-inch edition remains an option if you want that sensor for lower light, while we also rate the 8K-capable Insta360 Ace Pro as one of the best action cameras you can buy (even if it does cost a hefty $449 / £429 / AU$729). But the Action 5 Pro and Hero 13 Black should still prove to be solid options at a slightly lower price.
These days, the real innovators in the action cam space are arguably top-tier 360 cameras like the Insta360 X4 . We’re looking forward to hearing more about the long-awaited GoPro Max 2 – hopefully at the Hero 13 Black launch – and perhaps even DJI will be tempted into the space, if it’s not distracted by rumors of its mirrorless camera.