The Evolution of Action Cameras: A Closer Look at DJI's Latest Model

As a video producer with 15+ years of experience, I've had the pleasure of working with various cameras over the years. One trend that has become increasingly popular on YouTube is the preference for lower-production-value videos, often shot with smartphones or action cameras. While high-end equipment like DSLRs and cinema cameras can provide excellent results, many people simply want to capture real-life moments without the need for elaborate setups.

DJI's latest action camera model has been a subject of interest among enthusiasts, and in this article, we'll take a closer look at its features and benefits.

Magnetic Quick-Release System

One of the standout features of DJI's action camera is its magnetic quick-release system. This system allows users to attach the camera to any accessory they want via a simple magnetic connection. The benefit of this design is that it has become pretty standardized over the years, making it easier for users to find compatible accessories.

This feature has also been beneficial for other companies, as DJI's action camera is now directly compatible with some of their other products, such as their latest microphones and cameras. This compatibility makes it easy to integrate multiple devices into a single system, which can be a game-changer for content creators.

Pressure Sensor

Another notable feature of the DJI action camera is its pressure sensor. This sensor allows users to measure the depth underwater or altitude in real-time, making it easier to capture accurate footage in various environments. This feature is particularly useful for underwater shooting or high-altitude cinematography.

Accessories and Mounts

One of the things that sets the DJI action camera apart from other models on the market is its wide range of accessories and mounts. From traditional camera rigs to more innovative solutions like the one used to attach a ball, this camera can be used in many creative ways.

The camera's magnetic quick-release system makes it easy to add or remove accessories as needed. This flexibility has made the DJI action camera a favorite among content creators who want to experiment with different shooting styles and techniques.

Compatibility with Other Devices

In addition to its compatibility with other DJI products, the action camera is also plug-and-play compatible with webcams. When connected via USB-C, the camera can be used as a webcam, providing users with an easy way to enhance their online video conferencing experiences.

Dynamic Range and Image Quality

One of the most impressive features of the DJI action camera is its ability to capture high-quality footage in various lighting conditions. The camera's 1/3 inch sensor, combined with its F/2.8 lens, allows it to gather plenty of light and produce images with excellent dynamic range.

The camera also features a 10-bit D-Log M mode, which provides even more flexibility when editing footage in post-production. This feature is particularly useful for content creators who want to add color grading or other visual effects to their videos.

Ultra-Wide Angle

The DJI action camera's ultra-wide angle of view (155 degrees) is another notable feature that sets it apart from other models on the market. While many action cameras can capture wide angles, this model takes it to a new level, making it ideal for capturing vast landscapes or recording first-person footage.

Distortion-Free Shooting

In addition to its ultra-wide angle lens, the DJI action camera also features less distortion in cropped modes compared to other models on the market. This makes it an excellent choice for content creators who want to capture high-quality footage without worrying about unwanted distortions.

Bang for the Buck

One of the most significant advantages of the DJI action camera is its price point. Starting at $349, this camera offers a level of quality and versatility that would be difficult to match with other options on the market. The internal storage included with the purchase also makes it an excellent value for content creators who need a reliable camera for their daily shooting needs.

In conclusion, DJI's latest action camera model has proven itself to be a powerful tool for content creators. Its magnetic quick-release system, pressure sensor, and compatibility with other devices make it an excellent choice for capturing high-quality footage in various environments. With its impressive image quality, ultra-wide angle lens, and bang-for-the-buck pricing, this camera is sure to become a favorite among enthusiasts and professionals alike.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(upbeat music)- Sponsored by DJI.All right, I think I'mallowed to say this.So, I've been making videosfor like 15 plus years now,and there's something actuallykind of counterintuitivethat happens on YouTube,where people are more drawnto almost, like, lowerproduction value videos.Like, obviously, big lights and camerasand everything are super fun,but people just wanna see real life,like, what's happening in front of youwith whatever camera you have with you.So while I'm a huge video nerdand I've graduated a fewtimes from, you know,my first camera to my firstDSLR to a cinema camera,and these cameras actually get,like, harder and harder to use,but I actually wanna get backmore into shooting just likemore places, just more spontaneouslyand more experiences and more locations,not just the talking head stuffthat we've gotten really good at.It's still fun, but like,wanted to just get out more, you know?So anyway, the sort ofapex for that gear is,and you might have thoughtI was gonna say smartphones,but it's like an action camera like this.Like, it's even smaller.It can go everywhere withyou. It's more rugged.It can shoot everything all the time.And that got me thinking,well, it's been almost 10 yearssince I got into these action cameras.How good are the best ones now?Like, you might rememberwhen we strapped one onto Macthat one day and got theperspective of being a dog in 4K.That was 2014.So similar to that, thisone also isn't a review,but this one is sponsored by DJI,and they've got their newest, latestand greatest highest endaction camera into my hands.So this is the Action 5 Pro.And I figured I'd use thisto take a deeper look atthe tech that's gonnahopefully enable more of this,more freestyle shooting that I do in 2025.So the first obviousadvantage of the action camerais just how tough it's built,because yes, we know smartphonescan do an incredible jobwith video too, but Idon't know about you,I'm just not trying to risk my phonein all these precarious scenarioswhere it would be cool to get an angle,or you put the camerasomeplace where it could fallor get smacked around or take a beating,because that's my phone.So, this has always beentrue since the beginning.I mean, this thing is airtight.It's built like a tank.It's waterproof to 20meters with no case needed,much better than most smartphones.And then it's also supertemperature resistant,so it can operate anywhere fromnegative 20 Celsius to 45 Celsius.I'll also put the Fahrenheiton the screen for y'all.But no freezing or overheatingin any of these temperatures,which is kind of nuts.So being more durable andsmaller than any smartphoneis a pretty obvious advantageto the action camerain a lot of situations,but the other thing aboutthese things is they've gotten a lot ofusability upgrades over the years.So I remember back in the day,these used to just be back screens,which was kind of like point and shootand cross your fingers ifyou were on the other side.But now, now they've allgot these dual screens,so you've got a screen onthe front and on the back,which is really convenientfor framing things up in either direction.And this one also happens to havethese high brightness OLED screens,so even if it's outside orsomething, super bright,I can use both screens.And since it's a touchscreenand it's actually usable,I can flip throughsettings and adjust thingsand get my framing right on either side.It's actually very useful.So this actually levelsup in one other way.It has a feature that Ithink should be more commonthan it is, which is internal storage.So this camera has 47gigs of internal storage.Hold on, Zuri.Which means it's savedme a couple times alreadywhere I forget to go get a memory card,but I still have enoughstorage built in to record.Petition for all cameras to have that.I think they should all do it.They should all have internal recordingso they can just record whenever,and if I have a card,then I can record more.So this will do...This is 47 gigs, it's twohours. I'm good for a while.All right, run free, go explore.Battery life is very solid,up to four hours nonstop recordingif you turn the screen off.And then DGI has a similar clever chargerthat they have with their drones,basically, where if youput all of the batteriesin this case and then charge the case,it just tops each of them up,and the camera itselfactually will quick chargeif you just plug it right in with USB-C.I don't have a wattage,but I plugged it in at zeroand it got to 20% in four minutes,and then it was full in 40.There's also a pressure sensor,so you can tell at any timehow deep underwater you areor how high of an altitude you're at,if that's what you'reinterested in shooting.And also then there's just abunch of accessories for itfor building out andshooting whatever angle,whatever subject you want.So, maybe somethingkind of weird like this.Give me a second.(balls clattering)(ball snaps)I would normally not at all be comfortableputting my phone out in front of me,hitting golf balls like this,but it's kind of a cool angle.(balls snapping)Oh, that was close.Probably one of the bestthings about this camerais that it attaches toany accessory you wantvia this magnetic quickrelease system at the bottom,which has been pretty standardizedwith this thing for the past few years.I think other companies arestarting to follow along, too.Matter of fact, the benefitsof this one specifically,since it's made by DJI,it's directly compatible withother things DJI also makes,like their newest mics, the Mic 2,so you can pair that easilystraight to the action camand get scratch audio fromthe built in microphones.On top of all of that, it actuallyplug and plays as a webcam.So when you plug it in,the options come up,select Webcam, and it actually levels upa lot of people's webcamexperiences, which is pretty sick.Just remember to brush the dust off of itbefore you actually do.But it's gotta look good.Like, the whole point of thisis that you have thiscamera everywhere with you,but that the footage actually looks good.So none of this matters ifthe footage doesn't look good.So this action cam in2024 has one of the best.It has a one over 1.3 inchsensor that can shoot up to 4Kat 120 FPS slow-mo if you want to.There are a couple other high-endsmartphones out right nowwith roughly the same size sensor.I actually think one over 1.3 inchesis the same as the Galaxy S23 Ultra,so that's a good example.So, big enough to gather plenty of light.It's an F/2.8 lens.And then on top of that,since it's a dedicated camera,yes, it can shoot LOG.It's got a 10 bit D-Log M, it's got HLG,so that you can geteven more dynamic rangeto mess with in editing after the fact.Of course, you can alwaysjust shoot normal modeif you want, but if youever want that extra range,it's just a quick flip awayon the touchscreen settings.And it has one of thewidest fields of view.This is the thing about action cameras,is they get super wide, butthis one is 155 degrees,so it gives you a ton of room to work withif you wanna shoot inthe most ultra wide mode.But there's also less distortionin the more cropped modesdepending on what you're shooting.It's actually plenty wide enoughto shoot first person stufflike driving, for example, in normal mode,or driving, for example.(ball snaps)No distortion needed.So that brings me to my last point,which is just bang for the buck.Like, a tiny camera like thisthat you can take everywhereis gonna be cheaper than a smartphonethat you put at risk all the timethat you actually use for your phone.So, this camera starts at 349 bucks.And also let's not forgetthe internal storage that it comes with.So you can pick one of theseup and however many accessoriesand mounts and things youwant, and run around outsideand beat it up and putit at risk all the time,and then at the end of theday, if it's still fine,So I think the main thingthat I've taken away fromall the fun that I've hadwith these little cameras is,you know, there's that famousquote, I dunno who said it,but, \"The best camera isthe one you have with you.\"You always hear that quoted everywhere.And I think I've beenleaning into that morebecause of how often I don'thave my camera with me,like, the cinema camera, thesuper high end, the Red camera.There are a ton ofinstances that I can recallof, like, say I'm doing a tech reviewand there's something reallycool that happens on a device,or maybe like a shooting scenariowith a smartphone camera,and I can kind of just tell youafter the fact about what happened,instead of actually having the camerato point at it and show you.I wanna just have thecamera with me more oftenand just be able to show you the thing.So what I'm definitely notsaying is that I'm, like,done with, you know, thesuper high end, fun cameras.I still love them.There's a reason whywe shoot so much stuffwith the Reds and in the studio,and that will always have its place.But what my goal is going forward,especially, is to have thecamera with me more often.Obviously I'll have mysmartphone in my pocket,but just having a cameraall the time, everywhere,whether it's in my pocketor in my bag or whatever,so that when that shootingscenario comes up,I can capture it, and thatcan actually go in the video.That's what I'm trying to do.Hopefully you're with me on thatand hopefully you're down to seethose videos when they come out.Also, if you wanna see that video,that'll be on the AutoFocus channel pretty soon.It's a pretty crazy one.Anyway, let me know whatyou think in the comments.Thanks for watching, and I'llcatch you in the next one.Peace.(upbeat music)\n"