With a whole overhaul from the primary version, the DJI Action 2 drops the Osmo title and picks up a modular design and magnetically attachable equipment. Shooting 4K at 120 FPS, the Action 2 isn’t the very best decision motion digicam on the market; however DJI claims the Action 2 is essentially the most highly effective motion digicam to this point. With a design to seize your life on the go- we are going to see the way it stacks up!
Introduction:
Looking on the DJI Action 2 digicam clearly exhibits the very GoProfessional-like design of the unique Osmo Action is not any extra. With the brand new aluminum physique and clear strains, the Action 2 is aesthetically extra akin to an Apple product than GoProfessional. Like if Apple made the GoProfessional Session, this is able to be it.
The modular structure pulls extra inspiration from the Insta360 ONE line in its personal format- however sufficient comparability of the visible design, how does the DJI Action 2 carry out? Packing a 1/1.7-inch CMOS imaging sensor, the Action 2 shoots the high-quality 4K footage one would count on from a DJI product.
DJI flaunts the “magnetic versatility” in each promotional picture, together with the portability issue this motion digicam has. Specially designed for this digicam is quite a lot of magnetic, quick-change mounts that vary from a lanyard to a ¼-inch tripod mount.
Feature Overview of the DJI Action 2:
The DJI Action 2 ships in certainly one of two combo packs: the DJI Action 2 Power Combo and the DJI Dual-Screen Combo. Below you’ll be able to see the equipment in every to check.
The DJI Action 2 Power Combo ships with:
- 1x DJI Action 2
- 1x DJI Action 2 Power Module
- 1x DJI Action 2 Magnetic Lanyard
- 1x DJI Action 2 Magnetic Adapter Mount
- 1x Power Cable
The DJI Dual-Screen Combo (at $519 on DJI.com) ships with:
- 1x DJI Action 2
- 1x DJI Action 2 Front Touchscreen Module
- 1x DJI Action 2 Magnetic Lanyard
- 1x DJI Action 2 Magnetic Ball-Joint Adapter Mount
- 1x DJI Action 2 Magnetic Adapter Mount
- 1x Power Cable
If you’re torn between the flexibility of the Power Module vs the accessibility of the Front Touchscreen Module, don’t be. DJI sells all of the included equipment and extra individually. The Front Touchscreen Module prices $169 when purchased individually. The Power Module prices $75 when bought alone.
For anybody who will need each modules for the Action 2 digicam, it’ll prevent $13 to purchase the Action 2 Power Module individually along with the Action 2 Front Touchscreen Combo due to the Magnetic Ball-Joint Adapter Mount. The Magnetic Ball-Joint Adapter Mount is included with the Front Touchscreen Combo and is $39 bought individually. Not large financial savings, however about half the price of a DJI Refresh 1-Year Plan ($25) so you’ll be able to beat up the Action 2 as a lot as potential within the first yr you could have it.
DJI Action 2 Accessories:
The equipment out there for the DJI Action 2 present some ways to connect the digicam to something. Walls, tripods, automobiles, heads, garments, virtually all the pieces. Currently, the whole listing of equipment out there are listed right here:
- DJI Action 2 Remote Control Extension Rod ($75)
- DJI Action 2 Waterproof Case ($65)
- DJI Action 2 Macro Lens ($79)
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Headband ($35)
- DJI Action 2 Floating Handle ($39)
- DJI Mic ($329)
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Ball-Joint Adapter Mount ($39)
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Adapter Mount ($25)
- Osmo Action Extension Rod ($49)
- Osmo Action Mounting Kit ($19)
- DJI Mini Bag+ ($39)
- DJI Refresh Plan for DJI Action 2 (1-year: $25, 2-year: $36)
Unique to the DJI Action 2 is the flexibility to attach a macro lens adapter over the digicam. Traditionally, motion cameras have had a single wide-angle lens, so it was straightforward to seize the world round you. Then dual-lens cameras got here with 360-degree imagery. Insta360 launched a sensor module to the ONE R line, both including a lens or altering to a bigger picture sensor. A Macro Lens provides the flexibility to get nearer to your topic(s) with out dropping focus and usually with a smaller subject of view. I don’t see macro-photography or macro-videography on motion cameras changing into a standard factor. However, for anybody that solely makes use of an motion digicam for all their artistic wants, this could possibly be a superb addition.
The lanyard strap is one other artistic perception impressed by Insta360. The Insta360 GO line makes use of a magnetic clip to connect the just about 20 grams digicam to a shirt. The Insta360 Go is a a lot smaller digicam, so to see this function out there in a high-resolution motion digicam highlights an thrilling future of latest motion digicam talents.
Also new to the DJI lineup is the DJI MIC. A wi-fi microphone system that’s much less an Action 2 accent and extra a brand new standalone product. DJI seems to push the artistic boundaries of motion digicam (or any digicam) methods by permitting the audio to be as top quality as the video. The DJI MIC permits for wi-fi dual-channel recording at distances of as much as 250 meters. Portability and ease of use are the important thing elements within the MIC system design. The DJI MIC is suitable with telephones, computer systems, DSLR cameras, and mirrorless cameras too.
As of November 2021, the equipment bought individually are solely out there to order (aside from the Osmo branded equipment). With the DJI Action 2 Power Combo being solely out there for pre-order. The DJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo is accessible now at $519 and transport out this week.
Video Quality and Durability:
With any motion digicam, two elements matter greater than virtually any others: video high quality and sturdiness.
Is the Dji action 2’s video high quality ok?
The DJI motion 2 makes use of a 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor that shoots 4K footage at a most of 120 FPS. The Action 2 has a 12.7 mm equal lens has a 155° subject of view- marketed by DJI as Super-Wide Angle.
DJI asserts the custom-built aspheric lens reduces the distortion related to wide-angle lenses. ISO ranges from 100-6400 for each of the video and picture modes, which is normal for a motion digicam however has a big f/2.8 aperture.
Going up in opposition to the genre-defining GoProfessional is a troublesome feat and GoProfessional has had 5K footage since its final revision (the 9 Black, now on the ten Black), making the picture high quality nearer to a GoProfessional 8 Black.
The GoProfessional 8 Black is available in at $299 from GoProfessional.com, $100 much less. Is {that a} deal-breaker? Absolutely not.
The DJI Action 2 has their new RockSteady 2.0 software program for picture stabilization and HorizonSteady to maintain your footage oriented built-in and certain influenced by their experiences with drone imagery. Still, images mode takes 12 MP, 4000×3000 pixel photographs with a timer out there too.
Video mode has a big number of choices to select from giant recordsdata like 4K (4:3): 4096×3072 @ 24/25/30/48/50/60fps or 4K (16:9): 3840×2160 @ 100/120fps to smaller recordsdata like 1080p (16:9): 1920×1080 @ 100/120/200/240fps. More than sufficient decision for the weekend warrior eager to document adventures or the YouTuber seeking to get extra motion pictures.
With 120 fps out there at 4K, gradual movement could be minimize to 4 instances pace or at 1080p at 240 fps. AKA halved once more to eight instances slower than actual life.
The Action 2 is identical because the GoProfessional 10 Black with a max gradual movement of 1080p at 240 fps. Timelapse mode can also be out there in any respect resolutions, 4K, 2.7K, and 1080p with intervals from 0.5 seconds as much as 40 seconds and preset lengths from 5 to half-hours, 1 to five hours, or so long as you need.
With a max bitrate of 130 Mbps, the footage shall be saved to the 32 GB inner drive effectively.
Is the digicam sturdy sufficient?
The DJI Action 2 diverges from different motion cameras on this subject. The Action 2 has an aluminum alloy physique that not solely seems good, but, can also be more sturdy than plastic and acts as a heatsink to maintain the digicam working safely.
The built-in temperature sensor additionally ensures overheating doesn’t harm the digicam. Weighing in at 56 grams, it’s virtually 100 grams lighter than the GoProfessional 10 Black.
Of course, with the Power Module or the Front Touchscreen Module, the burden is greater than doubled. The Power Module provides 56.6 grams for a complete of 112.6 grams and the Front TouchScreen Module provides 64 grams for a complete of 120 grams.
Compare that to the GoProfessional 10 Black weight of 153 grams and also you see a powerful accomplishment for a modular design weighing virtually the identical because the Insta360 ONE R wide-angle (121 grams).
The lens and touchscreens use Gorilla Glass to make sure the digicam is much less prone to crack or break. As somebody who has damaged a plethora of telephones, Gorilla Glass isn’t going to avoid wasting a critical fall however is considerably higher than another glass on the market.
Adding to the sturdy design of the DJI Action 2 is the distinct lack of ports. No SD card slot in the primary digicam, no headphone port, no energy port; simply an array of 8 steel dots throughout the underside.
Both attachable modules include microSD card slots and micro-USB slots, for these involved about cupboard space and proprietary chargers. Size-wise, the Action 2 is available in at 39mm by 39mm by 22.3mm and has a 1.76-inch touchscreen on the again with a decision of 350 PPI. The digicam unit alone is drop-proof, dustproof, and waterproof as much as 10 meters with an IP68 score.
When within the Waterproof Case, the Power Module or the Front Touchscreen Module could be hooked up, and the unit is waterproof to 60 meters depth.
DJI recommends utilizing the Waterproof Case for actions that contain increased than regular water pressures or longer intervals of time of underwater publicity, particularly calling out cliff diving and diving.
Battery Life:
The DJI Action 2 has a 580 mAh, 1S LiPo battery built-in with a working time of 70 minutes when in Power Reserve Mode (capturing 1080p at 30 fps and no picture stabilization). Realistic working instances shall be lowered for another circumstance. Fortunately, the Power Module is hot-swappable to be used as you go.
The Power Module incorporates 1300 mAh 2S LiPo, rising the Power Reserve mode to 180 minutes of utilization.
Similarly, the Front Touchscreen module additionally incorporates the identical battery and has 160 minutes of Power Reserve utilization with the entrance touchscreen draining 20 minutes value of utilization.
I discover this to be loads of time for a tool designed to document highlights of motion occasions, however, if you wish to enhance battery life there’s the choice to purchase extra energy modules.
With the flexibility to hot-swap batteries, that is the function that units the DJI Action 2 up for fulfillment within the extremely aggressive motion digicam world.
Software Features:
As talked about earlier, the DJI Action 2 consists of some new software programs from DJI: the RockSteady 2.0 and the HorizonSteady.
Upgrading the earlier model of RockSteady, the brand new 2.0 version ought to present leads to an identical manner because of the competitors. I don’t consider a stabilization software program will ever be as efficient as a full-on gimbal, however, the outcomes look ample for many actions.
HorizonSteady is DJI’s new software program designed to do precisely what the title describes, hold the horizon degree and regular in your shot. No matter the orientation of Action 2, the digicam will discover the horizon and orient the video to match.
I might assume this makes use of an accelerometer to calculate orientation, perhaps along with a picture recognition algorithm, however particulars on how the software program works are skinny.
Promotional supplies make the software program look excellent, so a hands-on check can be one of the simplest ways to seek out out extra.
Front Touchscreen Module:
When first trying on the DJI Action 2 digicam, I assumed the Front Touchscreen Module would merely be a display screen attachment just like the early gen 1, 2, 3 GoProfessional’s had.
I used to be flawed and that is so a lot better. Containing a 1300 mAh battery, it’s a full battery pack constructed into the display screen. It additionally incorporates 3 microphones, a microSD card slot, and a micro-USB port. Due to those additions, the module isn’t waterproof. Hence the DJI Waterproof Case (offered individually).
The entrance touchscreen is identical in dimension because the digicam’s touchscreen; 1.76 inches and 350 PPI. Probably the very same display screen, which I discovered to be a pleasant contact.
To cost the Front Touchscreen Module and the digicam takes about 90 minutes.
Much like different timings, this quantity is from a lab check and real-world outcomes will fluctuate by battery and environmental circumstances.
Like the Power Modules, the Front Touchscreen Module is hot-swappable as effectively.
AI Editor:
Created for the DJI Action 2 is the AI Editor within the DJI Mimo App.
This synthetic intelligence software program scans your footage for the highlights mechanically selects clips and creates movies.
The app provides transitions and music to create spotlight reels with ease.
Just inform the AI Editor which movies you need to pull from, and it’ll do its factor.
Most smartphones have this potential constructed into their native picture apps (i.e. Apple and Google), so this know-how is nothing groundbreaking, however, it’s a useful function for individuals who don’t take pleasure in modifying movies or need the comfort of AI creation multi functional place.
DJI Action 2 Pricing:
With two combo packages out there, the value level of the DJI Action 2 Camera isn’t low-cost. $399 for the DJI Action 2 Power Combo and $519 for the DJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo units the digicam on the mid to excessive finish of the motion digicam market.
Above the entry-level Insta360 ONE R 4K ($299 on insta360.com), with the GoProfessional Hero 10 Black ($499 on gopro.com), and beneath the top-end Insta360 ONE R 1-Inch ($549 on insta360.com); the competitors is fierce.
The stunning modular design, aluminum physique, and hot-swappable modules make the worth of this digicam effectively value the associated fee.
Conclusion:
The gorgeous aluminum bodied DJI Action 2 throws out the rulebook on what an motion digicam is. It’s now not only a black plastic rectangle, it’s now an aesthetically pleasing housing for a wide-angle digicam lens. With the magnetically connectable, hot-swappable modules, the Action 2 pulls design cues from different producers in a manner that’s fully its personal. A dimension smaller than a GoProfessional and magnetically connect-ability to mounts, the portability of the Action 2 is in a league of its personal. Utilizing a 1/1.7-inch CMOS picture sensor to shoot 4K footage at 120 frames per second, it’s all the pieces you want in an motion digicam and with unprecedented sturdiness, it’s all the pieces you need in an motion digicam.
