For its third-gen release DJI reverts to the traditional action cam style for its GoPro competitor, but it makes a questionable app choice.
DJI is back with another attempt to knock GoPro off its perch as the class leader in action cams. The latest effort, the DJI Osmo Action 3, debuts less than a year after the Action 2. But instead of last year’s quirky, magnetic form factor, the Action 3 takes things back to basics. It looks like, well, a normal action cam. You’d be hard-pressed to tell it apart from the original Osmo Action (from 2019) at a glance.Back to Basics DesignThe Record/shutter button is prominent on the top, and voice commands are also available
The Action 3 is palm-sized and includes mounting clips on its bottom so you can put it in tight spaces to get interesting angles. An ultra-wide lens captures the world in 4K, and you get both front and rear screens to monitor video. The Osmo has a set of mounting points at its base to secure the camera for 16:9 recording, and ships with an accessory frame that adds a second set of mounts for 9:16 vertical recording.
Both screens are touch-sensitive, and DJI promises that they’ll work with wet hands. We just got the camera in for evaluation, but I was able to operate it with just-washed hands; the screen didn’t do well if it was dripping with water, too. Voice commands are an option, and the camera has physical buttons to swap between shooting modes and a shutter release/Record button for pictures and video.The lens cover can be removed if it’s scratched or damaged; be careful not to lose the orange o-ring inside when swapping the cover, it’s integral to the waterproofing.
As for imaging, Osmo Action 3’s specs are in line with the Action 2.
