DJI's Osmo Action 4 Has a Bigger Sensor That Bumps Up Image Quality

DJI is following up its Osmo Action 3 from last year with the new Osmo Action 4. It promises similar performance but uses a larger sensor to deliver improved image quality.

The Osmo Action 3 used a Type 1/1.7 sensor and that is getting an upgrade in the Osmo Action 4 this year, which uses a Type 1/1.3 sensor without changing the 155-degree field of view. That exact sensor measurement is unusual and the only other camera system that seems to use it is the new Air 3 drone (which has two of them), so given that both these systems are coming from DJI, it’ probably reasonable to assume they’re the same sensor. Outside of that, for reference, Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra used a Type 1/1.33 sensor, which is pretty darn close.

It is that sensor that forms the core of DJI’s sales pitch for the new Osmo Action 4, since it doesn’t step up the frame rate options compared to the previous camera and the company doesn’t even mention photos at all in the materials provided to PetaPixel. For what it’s worth, that is the same treatment the Osmo Action 3 got last year. Clearly, the focus is video.

In front of that sensor (which DJI says features a 2.4μm-equivalent pixel size) is a wide lens with an f/2.8 aperture that can shoot up to 4K at 120 frames per second in 10-bit D-Log M color. It also has what DJI calls an “advanced color temperature sensor” which allows it to produce true-to-life tones no matter the shooting situation, including underwater.

Battery life appears to be about the same if not a bit weaker on the Action 4 than on the Action 3, perhaps due to the different power draw of the new sensor. The Action 3 promised up to 160 minutes on a single charge while the Action 4 promises up to 150 minutes. Both of those marks are when recording at 1080p/24fps (16:9), with RockSteady on, Wi-Fi off, and the screen off, so shooting at higher resolution will result in less recording time for both cameras.

What remains unchanged is the support for fast charging, which lets the camera juice up from zero to 80% full in 18 minutes.

As is typical of DJI products, the Action 4 has multiple features to support image capture, from vertical shooting capability and a magnetic quick release to both a front and rear facing LCD and the ability to survive underwater shooting at a depth of up to 18 meters (59 feet) without a case.

It is also equipped with a number of shooting functions like voice control and the ability to switch between five custom modes, as well as an upgraded system that better eliminates a selfie stick from footage and strong audio performance thanks to three microphones and wind noise reduction software.

The Osmo Action 4 is available for $399 and includes the camera, one Osmo Action Extreme Battery, the Osmo Action Horizontal-Vertical Protective Frame, the Osmo Action Quick-Release Adapter Mount, the Osmo Action Curved Adhesive Base, an Osmo Locking Screw, a Type-C to Type-C PD Cable, an Osmo Action Lens Hood, and an Osmo Action Anti-Slip Pad.

Image credits: DJI