The DJI Osmo Motion 4 ($399) makes a superb argument for purchasing an motion digital camera that is not a GoPro. Just like the GoPro Hero11 Black ($399.99), it affords a tricky, waterproof construct and has a shade entrance display, but it surely does a notably higher job in dim mild and lasts longer per cost. The GoPro stays our total Editors’ Alternative winner due to its extra versatile sensor side ratios and a couple of.7K240 slow-mo, although you shouldn’t depend out the Osmo for those who choose on a regular basis vlogging to capturing motion sports activities.
DJI’s GoPro Clone
There isn’t any query as to the place DJI drew its inspiration for the Osmo Motion sequence. The Motion 4 is a close to clone of the unique mannequin, which itself is a duplicate of early entries from the GoPro Hero sequence. DJI did deliver innovation to the class, nonetheless; it put a shade display on the entrance of its digital camera first, a characteristic GoPro later copied. Imitation goes each methods.
The consistency in design is not shocking: Motion cams all attempt to be simply mountable in tight areas and embrace sufficient room for a contact display and outsized buttons. And it isn’t like DJI did not attempt one thing else: The Motion 2 featured a unusual modular magnetic design, as an illustration. It clearly wasn’t profitable although as a result of the corporate went proper again to the standard physique fashion for the Motion 3.
The Motion 4 is a small rectangular brick that has a lens and shade display on the entrance, in addition to one other shade display on the again. Like different small motion cams, its small type and ultra-wide lens make it splendid for mounting. The digital camera measures 1.7 by 2.8 by 1.3 inches (HWD) and weighs about 5.1 ounces, not far off from the GoPro Hero11 Black (2.0 by 2.8 by 1.3 inches, 4.5 ounces).
The Osmo depends on a detachable, magnetic mounting clip, whereas the GoPro integrates its mount factors into its physique. Each strategies have their deserves. With the GoPro, you do not have to hunt round for the mount while you want it. However with the Osmo, you may preserve a few mounting clips round and transfer the digital camera between them shortly. Simply take care to not overlook your Osmo mount at dwelling or lose it, as replacements value $15.
The Motion 4’s metallic body and waterproof design imply you do not have to fret an excessive amount of about hurting the digital camera for those who’re utilizing it for excessive sports activities or different dangerous actions. It will probably survive at depths of 59 toes (18m) with no case, which beats the 33-foot ranking of the Hero11.
The essential Osmo bundle consists of the digital camera, a battery, a USB-C cable, a few sticky mounting pads, a magnetic mounting base, and a cage with a aspect mount for vertical filming. If you happen to choose to have some spare batteries, it is price stepping as much as the $499 Journey Combo. That choice bundles three batteries as a substitute of 1, a charging and storage case to carry the additional batteries, and a helpful 5-foot (1.5m) extension rod.
DJI additionally sells a number of equipment for the Osmo, together with a set of ND filters for $59, the wi-fi DJI Mic for $320, a mini extension rod with a built-in mounting level and tripod toes for $49, and a handlebar mount for $39. GoPro mounting equipment work, too.
Osmo Motion 4 Interface and Controls
The Osmo’s controls are pretty bare-bones, however provide you with all of the choices you want. There are two bodily buttons: a File button on high and a Fast Shift mode button on the left aspect. Each the entrance and rear display assist contact enter and you need to use voice instructions to begin and cease recording—a plus for those who’re carrying gloves or cannot simply attain the digital camera.
A wrist-worn Bluetooth distant accent is offered for $79 in order for you extra management when you may’t attain the digital camera. It consists of GPS capabilities so you may geotag photos and video.
The two-inch contact display intuitively exhibits icons that double as contact buttons. You see a Film digital camera icon in video mode, for instance, and may swap to the photograph or time-lapse mode simply by tapping on it. Likewise, it takes only a fast faucet to alter the decision and body price settings that seem on the backside of the display.
I bumped into issues with the rear display when viewing it by means of a pair of polarized sun shades although. The show went darkish once I held the digital camera in panorama for 16:9 recording, although I might see it effective for vertical video. The entrance display does higher right here, because it’s viewable each methods by means of polarized lenses.
The interface is clear, however not fairly as highly effective as GoPro’s. For example, whereas the GoPro permits you to save just a few presets with body price, shade, and backbone choices, the Osmo merely remembers your most up-to-date settings. However, I really like that DJI allows you to prohibit what modes the digital camera cycles by means of while you press the Fast Shift button, an choice lacking from the GoPro. I nonetheless give desire to the GoPro total, nonetheless, because the presets are fairly helpful.
The entrance display is not only for monitoring; it additionally works for fast settings adjustments. That is handy for anybody who usually self-records as a result of it means you may modify settings with out getting behind the digital camera. The show is small, nonetheless, so it isn’t fairly as straightforward to navigate because the bigger rear display. One factor to notice—for those who’re utilizing the digital camera at 60fps or increased, solely one of many screens is energetic throughout recording. Simply faucet on the one you need to use if it is clean to change to it.
Osmo Motion 4 Energy and Connectivity
The Motion 4 does a greater job of managing warmth than the Hero11 and I obtained 78 minutes of steady 4K60 recording on a totally charged battery with none points. This check made the digital camera heat to the contact, however not sizzling. For comparability, the Hero11 Black overheats after round 25 minutes of 5.3K60 in comparable circumstances and will get simply an hour of energy from its Enduro battery. Simply take into account that each cameras can overheat for those who’re working in hotter environments; I obtained about 25 minutes of 4K60 from the Osmo earlier than it began throwing warmth warnings open air on a sunny, 80-degree day.
The Osmo is brief on bodily ports—the one one in every of word is a USB-C connection to plug in an exterior mic, switch knowledge, and cost the battery. A locking door protects that port to make sure waterproofing. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are additionally accessible, and the digital camera connects to the DJI Mimo smartphone app (accessible for Android and iOS) for distant management, cellular enhancing, and firmware updates. Stay streaming is offered by way of Wi-Fi or the USB-C port. The Osmo helps the UAC/UVC customary, so you do not want particular software program to stream with a pc or Android gadget.
Word that the smartphone app is not elective. It’s good to set up it and arrange a DJI account in Mimo to activate the digital camera. With out activation, the Osmo locks itself and offers solely 5 “skips” earlier than it’s very unusable. This isn’t splendid.
You additionally want a microSD card to save lots of video, in fact, and any name-brand card with a V30 ranking or higher ought to do the job. I attempted the digital camera with 32GB SanDisk and 128GB Thinkware playing cards and each labored effective.
A Precedence on Low-Gentle Efficiency Over Pixel Rely
So far as motion cams go, GoPro is the king of decision and body charges. Its Hero11 Black does 5.3K60, 4K120, and a couple of.7K240, which implies you will get video that appears good on large, high-resolution shows and file motion in tremendous sluggish movement. An 8:7 side sensor is a plus for social video stars, because it makes it easy to drag out sharp vertical video for social.
DJI did not attempt to beat the Hero11 on pixel depend. As an alternative, the Osmo Motion 4 makes use of a extra typical 4:3 side sensor that helps 4:3 and 16:9 recordings at as much as 4K120 or 2.7K120, in addition to as much as 1080p240 at 16:9. The 4:3 side footage is a bit taller than 16:9, so you may nonetheless pull out clips for social, however decision suffers in contrast with the Hero11.
The Motion 4 makes use of a Sort 1/1.3 sensor, one which’s bodily bigger than the Hero11’s Sort 1/1.9 chip and exhibits clearer ends in dim mild. I shot some side-by-side footage in reasonably dim and darkish circumstances and the DJI trounced the GoPro in image high quality in these exams. It is a good suggestion to make use of a slower body price in dim mild, so I set each cameras to 4K30 to place them on even footing for these eventualities.
There are two shade profiles accessible: Normal and D-Log M. Footage within the former shade mode appears pure, with punchy distinction and correctly saturated shade. It is the choice to make use of in order for you video that is straightforward to edit and share with none shade correction. If you happen to’re extra savvy with video enhancing software program, D-Log M ups the colour sampling from 8-bit to 10-bit and tunes the profile for low saturation and distinction. You may then apply a artistic look, and extra freely tune spotlight and shadow ranges to desire.
DJI’s RockSteady stabilization is efficient. It smooths out jitters and offers handheld video a floating, gimbal-like high quality. It is simply as efficient as GoPro’s comparable Hypersmooth stabilization in side-by-side testing. I used to be additionally completely satisfied to see how easy the hyperlapse footage I snagged with the Osmo regarded. Once more, it was simply nearly as good as that from the Hero11.
An ultra-wide lens captures a view just like an 11mm full-frame lens, an immersive angle. Minor barrel distortion offers the video a modest fish-eye look, however you may swap to a barely narrower angle with much less distortion (12mm), or a linear view (round 15mm) with correctly straight traces. DJI would not promote every other lenses for the Motion 4, nonetheless, so you may’t add a macro like you might with the Motion 2. There’s additionally no equal to the extraordinarily huge GoPro Max lens add-on.
The Osmo takes 10MP snapshots at a 4:3 side ratio in your alternative of JPG or DNG format. I regarded on the Uncooked recordsdata in Adobe Lightroom and famous sharp element with malleable publicity and shade. The Hero11 Black wins out in pixel depend, although; its sensor packs a formidable 27MP into its 8:7 images. Stills from both are usually akin to these from smartphones.
Audio high quality is respectable—my voice got here by means of clearly on recordings, together with a wholesome little bit of background audio. I am unable to hear a distinction between it and the Hero11 Black’s built-in mic. That mentioned, it is simpler so as to add an on-camera mic to the GoPro. Its Media Mod cage ($79.99) features a mic for higher sound and provides assist for 3.5mm inputs. It’s good to choose up a USB-C mic adapter for the Osmo if you wish to use a mic or put money into DJI’s dear wi-fi system.
An Motion Cam for Creators
DJI is the highest title on the subject of drones, but it surely has but to knock GoPro from its spot atop the motion cam class—although the Osmo Motion 4 is its strongest competitor but. The Osmo’s superior battery life and low-light recording efficiency ought to enchantment to creators and vloggers specifically, however the GoPro packs a a lot increased decision, has a greater person interface, and affords a novel 8:7 recording mode that is excellent for pulling out vertical frames for social. These benefits are finally sufficient for the GoPro to retain its Editors’ Alternative award, albeit by a slim margin.
