I tested DJI's tiny 4K action camera for weeks - and now I'm ditching my GoPro for it

1 hour ago 5
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pros and cons

Pros

  • Compact and lightweight plan for adventures and regular use
  • 4K/120fps signaling and D-Log M illustration connection fantabulous video prime and editing flexibility
  • Built-in retention and fast-charging battery.

Cons

  • Harder to urge to newbies owed to the extent of signaling features
  • Limited durability compared to different rugged enactment cameras.

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It seems similar everyone and their canine is signaling their adventures these days. And wherefore not? Whether it's for posterity, to bore your friends and family, oregon for YouTube fame, it's ne'er been easier to seizure important moments. 

Unlike the cameras I utilized to usage "back successful the day" -- which required shouldering and holding up to your oculus (so the idiosyncratic signaling the infinitesimal got a weird filtered reality) -- cameras are present tiny capable to clip onto a shot chapeau oregon bent disconnected a pendant.

Cameras don't get overmuch smaller than the DJI Osmo Nano, and I've been investigating this setup rather extensively implicit the past fewer weeks.

Also: I retested Apple AirTags aft 5 years - however they comparison to Bluetooth tracker rivals

The Osmo Nano is marketed arsenic a 4K POV camera and vlogging camera. It's a measurement down successful show and robustness compared to full-on enactment cameras similar the Osmo Action 6 oregon GoPro HERO13 Black, but it's a measurement up successful compactness and usability.

A tiny camera that packs a punch

The Osmo Nano is tiny. The main camera measures 2.25 × 1.16 × 1.1 inches and weighs 1.8 ounces. It's not overmuch bigger than my thumb (though I bash person ample thumbs). Even erstwhile combined with the multifunction Vision Dock, which adds different 2.33 × 1.66 × 0.88 inches and weighs 2.5 ounces, it remains compact. 

Also: I bought an earwax camera for my toolkit and usage it for everything but my ears

Both units are built to grip the outdoors, with the camera capable to beryllium submerged down to 30 feet and the dock capable to motion disconnected rainfall and splashes.

Even my ma  doesn't deliberation  I look   cool...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

But don't fto the size fool you. That tiny camera features a 1/1.3-inch sensor with an unthinkable 13.5 stops of dynamic scope (putting it connected par with pro-grade cameras). This means it's cleanable whether you're retired successful agleam sunlight, snow, oregon low-light conditions. It tin seizure video successful cinematic 4K/60fps oregon 4K/120fps dilatory question utilizing the 143° ultra-wide lens. 

Output tin beryllium saved arsenic 10-bit video, susceptible of discerning a cardinal colors, oregon arsenic a pro-grade D-Log M illustration that preserves much item successful highlights and shadows, allowing for overmuch greater flexibility successful colour grading during editing.

There's besides a SuperNight mode for getting the best, least-grainy nighttime shots.

A enactment astir the D-Log M profile: Only usage this illustration if you're going to bash immoderate editing beyond the basics and cognize what you're doing (and what a LUT is). If you effort utilizing the earthy footage, it volition look flat, washed-out, desaturated, and debased successful contrast. While it does person much colour and opposition than a afloat D-Log profile, it inactive requires editing. 

Built-in retention goes a agelong way

Video tin beryllium stored connected the interior representation (the Osmo Nano comes successful 64GB and 128GB variants), and you tin grow it with microSD cards up to 1TB. I emotion that modern cameras person built-in representation due to the fact that it eliminates those heart-stopping moments erstwhile you recognize you've hiked retired to a chill determination and near each the microSD cards astatine home.

Also: Why I spot this 1TB microSD paper with each my nonrecreational footage - and that says a lot

While DJI is known for its drones, the institution truly knows however to get the champion retired of tiny cameras, and it applies this expertise to its ground-based cameras. 

Battery beingness is astonishing adequate

Since these cameras are designed for on-the-move use, they request their ain power, and batteries are different country DJI knows a batch about. The camera houses a 530 mAh battery, and the dock adds an further 1,300 mAh. 

The camera unsocial tin tally for astir 60 minutes, with the dock extending this to 200 minutes. I've tested this, and this is decidedly achievable. When the artillery is low, I recovered that a 20-minute complaint brings the camera up to astir 80%. The camera tin besides tally portion connected to the dock, which tin itself beryllium charging.

What astir audio?

Audio is often the Achilles' bottommost of this benignant of compact enactment camera, but the Osmo Nano erstwhile again delivers. It has 2 microphones built into the Osmo Nano, cleanable for capturing some talking and ambient sounds. If you privation more, you tin link the camera to up to two DJI Mic 3 transmitters, making it a cleanable setup for vlogging and adjacent interviews. 

Integration with the DJI Mic 3 microphones is simply a victor  for me.

Integration with the DJI Mic 3 microphones is simply a victor for me.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

This feature, for me, takes the Osmo Nano to a full caller level due to the fact that I've recovered that audio -- particularly dependable signaling -- is often a anemic constituent successful galore action-style cameras.

Strength successful numbers

OK, truthful what's the woody with the dock? In summation to the other battery, the multifunction Vision Dock adds a touchscreen. This gives you a quick, elemental mode to interact with each the camera's settings, arsenic good arsenic a surface for framing shots. 

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You'll prevention connected artillery if you larn to usage the fastener controls to navigate done each the antithetic shooting menus alternatively of pawing astatine the touchscreen. However, if you're similar maine and don't usage the camera regularly, that easy-to-use surface interface is simply a invited addition.

Even with the dock attached, it's not excessively  big.

Even with the dock attached, it's not excessively big.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The dock besides has different instrumentality up its sleeve: You tin usage it to transportation video files from the camera's interior retention to microSD cards. This offers a speedy and casual mode to escaped up the camera's interior retention portion connected the move.

The combo kit besides comes with immoderate neat accessories. There's a magnetic pendant for wearing the camera astir your cervix and clamping it to covering (you enactment the pendant nether your clothes), and a swivel clip that tin connect to the pendant oregon clip to a hat. 

The magnetic pendant makes attaching the camera to covering  easy.

The magnetic pendant makes attaching the camera to covering easy.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

There's besides a protective lawsuit for the camera that DJI recommends utilizing if you clasp it for extended periods (because it tin get somewhat toasty). I thin to support the camera successful the lawsuit astir of the clip for added extortion (I'm not utilizing it successful peculiarly blistery conditions present successful the UK).

Also: I utilized a azygous powerfulness presumption to support my off-grid compartment moving - however it each worked out

The combo kit besides comes with a suction cupful holder, which is large for occasional use, but I wouldn't connect it to a car oregon thing wherever I could suffer the camera. But if you unscrew the suction cup, you'll find a super-useful and ubiquitous 1/4"-20 threaded spread for a tripod oregon selfie stick.

There are immoderate further accessories that those wanting to instrumentality their videography to the adjacent level mightiness appreciate, specified arsenic a acceptable of ND (neutral density) filters, a indispensable for bright-lit scenes.

Why I Switched from my GoPro

OK, truthful wherefore has the Osmo Nano replaced my GoPro HERO13 Black? Bottom line: convenience. With the Osmo Nano, there's built-in retention for those "aww shhhhhhhhh….ucks!" moments, and a built-in fast-charge artillery means there's nary faffing with outer batteries.

It's besides smaller and lighter, and I tin dispense with the surface erstwhile I request a compact system.

Connection to my iPhone is rock-solid each time, and I similar the DJI Mimo app (iOS/Android) for speedy footage editing earlier uploading. And propulsion successful the quality to link to my DJI Mic 3 transmitters, and that's the cherry connected the already overflowing barroom for me.

It's this matrimony of hardware and bundle that feels similar a meaningful vantage for DJI implicit my existing GoPro setup, and wherefore I'm particularly excited to spot what's adjacent for GoPro arsenic it's releasing the Mission 1 soon

ZDNET's buying advice

The DJI Osmo Nano is impervious that bully things truly bash travel successful tiny packages. It's compact, feature-packed, and incredibly casual to use, making it cleanable for adventurers, vloggers, and anyone who wants to seizure life's moments without the hassle of bulky gear. 

At $409 for the 128GB mentation (I urge this over the 64GB version since this compromise lone saves you $30), it's not a inexpensive camera, but it's an exceptionally bully setup. It's cleanable for 

If you're looking for a camera that's some portable and dependable, the Osmo Nano mightiness conscionable beryllium your caller champion friend. It's decidedly go my bestie! 

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