Is it the DJI Osmo Action 5?

DJI will announce a new product on Sept. 19 — and if the teaser video is any indication, that gadget will be a “pro” version of the brand’s action camera. Earlier this week, DJI shared a teaser video showing a sequence of action and underwater footage followed by the outline of a camera similar to the brand’s Osmo line just a few days after the latest GoPro was announced. But what’s most exciting about the teaser isn’t a vague picture of what could be the DJI Osmo Action 5 — it’s the “Pro” text in dark lighting.

In a generic scenario, the word pro suggests professional-level features. But, the pro tagline is coming from DJI who notably already uses those three letters to differentiate between drone models. Could DJI’s upcoming action camera get the camera tech of the Mini 4 Pro drone? As a photographer and drone pilot, here’s why I’m hoping DJI’s next action camera will be the Osmo Action 5 Pro, along with the four features I want to see most from it.

1 A camera sensor like DJI’s Pro model drones

Pro dones have two resolution modes

Previous Osmo Action cameras didn’t have a “Pro” in their names, suggesting the upcoming model could see some significant improvements. The Osmo Action 4 set itself apart from GoPro with a larger sensor, but it faltered behind with a 10-megapixel resolution. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a higher resolution in the Osmo Action 5.

But, in order to keep its advantage in low light over competing GoPro models, I think the best way for DJI to approach this is the same way it does its small drone cameras. The DJI Mini 4 Pro has two photo modes; one is 48 megapixels and the other is 12 megapixels. The drone is able to do this through a Quad Bayer sensor, which divides each of the 12 megapixels into four in order to offer a 48-megapixel mode alongside the default 12.

What really makes the DJI Mini 4 Pro’s camera approach great is how you can choose between a higher resolution, less noise, and less grain in the images. Higher-resolution sensors have more detail, but a lower resolution creates larger pixel sites, which help to gather more light. That’s why lower-resolution cameras tend to have better image quality in low-light scenarios. If DJI switches to a sensor with a single higher resolution, it could lose its low-light edge. But, when you have both options in one camera, you can use the high resolution when the lighting is great, then switch to the lower resolution indoors or around sunset.

The DJI Osmo 4 was quite a bit behind GoPro in resolution, but significantly better at low light shots. If the company uses that same Quad Bayer technology that it already uses in its quadcopters, then DJI’s next action cam could offer a better resolution while still being the action cam king of low light. DJI already uses 1/1.3″ Quad Bayer sensors in the Mini 4 Pro drone, and it could theoretically use that same sensor in the Osmo Action 5 Pro, keeping the same size as the Osmo 4 but adding two resolution options.

Of course, on DJI’s Mavic series, the Pro designates the option with more than one camera, allowing pilots to choose from three different lenses. But, considering the Osmo Action’s small size and lower price point, I’m expecting the Pro to follow the Mini series instead.

2 A potential budget model

DJI’s Pro drones are often accompanied by a non-pro option

If the “Pro” in DJI’s teaser for the upcoming action camera is anything like the brand’s Pro drones, it implies the possibility of a non-pro model. DJI has both the Mini 3 and the Mini 3 Pro, for example, with the Pro offering better features and the other a better price.

That said, the DJI Mini 4 Pro was launched in September 2023, and the company still hasn’t launched a DJI Mini 4. Instead, it has quietly launched models like the DJI Mini for budget pilots. While I wouldn’t be surprised if DJI launched a non-Pro version down the road, I wouldn’t exactly hold my breath, either.

Still, besides the obvious pattern of the company’s drones, launching two different price options would put the company more in line with competitor GoPro, who also has the tiny $200 Hero.

3 Swappable lenses

It would keep the Osmo more competitive with GoPro

One of the key new features in the recently announced GoPro Hero 13 Black is the ability to swap lenses, though it works more like smartphone lenses rather than mirrorless optics. Instead of taking off the existing lens, you’re adding glass over the built-in lens that adjusts the view. This gives the newest GoPro the ability to shoot macro, wider perspectives, or anamorphic flare. One of the action camera genre’s biggest limitations is the inability to zoom, so the option to adjust the lens, even if it’s only a little, could prove to be a big feature.

The DJI Osmo 4 already has a hydrophobic lens protector that screws on and off the camera so, in theory, the physical design wouldn’t have to change much. Still, this is a feature that I’d like to see yet don’t really expect to. Optics are finicky, and getting good quality overlaying two lenses is tough to do.

4 Better battery life

The Action 4 didn’t have the best battery life

When DJI launched the Osmo Action 4, it upgraded the sensor but downgraded the battery life. With battery life being one of the complaints in many Osmo Action 4 reviews, an improved battery will be on many action fans’ wish lists. The 4 delivers around 160 minutes of 1080p video, and thankfully, the model uses swappable batteries. So, it’s possible to buy a few extras for all-day action.

I suspect the upcoming camera could also take after the brand’s drones here. Some of DJI’s smaller drones have optional Plus batteries that increase the quadcopter’s weight but prolong the flight time. The company could take a similar approach with its action cameras and offer two different batteries that fit inside the action cam, with one of them offering longer recording times and the other a lighter weight. But, with weight being less essential on action cameras than it is on a camera that needs to be aerodynamic, we could simply see an improved battery life instead.