It is clear that the DJI Osmo Action 3 is facing a difficult fight to win. Its primary rival, GoPro, dominates the market so thoroughly that in order to be competitive, it must offer something more, and most importantly with a lower price.

In a way the new camera has both. It is stunningly beautiful and has stunning specifications , including a huge 1/1.7in sensor, as well as an intelligent Magnetic Mounting System that allows you to move the camera from one mount quickly to another and also shoot vertically, as well as the front-facing display is touch-sensitive.

It is significantly less expensive than its primary rival. Its main concern is whether it compete in the area that matters in terms of image quality?

DJI Osmo Action 3 review What do you get in return?

Before I tackle this question in greater detail but let’s look at the three main components of this camera’s action cost, features, and design. In all aspects it is a great camera. DJI Osmo Action 3 is quite a formidable competitor to the very best that GoPro can offer.

The basic bundle costs PS309, which is less than any other package GoPro is currently offering and each of GoPro Hero10 Black and the GoPro Hero10 Black along with the the new Hero11 Black significantly more expensive. The former is still priced at PS350 (when it is purchased with the 12-month GoPro subscription) while the latter comes at PS400. If you’re in search of an excellent action camera for budget and still have a decent camera, this DJI Osmo Action 3 is the genuine deal.

It certainly appears to be the real deal. It’s well-constructed, waterproof up to 16 meters without a case (that’s more than what GoPro can offer) and has an innovative quick-release mount system that provides a little more flexibility than the other camera I’ve seen. In lieu of prongs built into the bottom of the camera, like GoPro’s cameras have and the top part of the Osmo Action 3 is magnetised and the prongs are mounted in a separate plate that can be used for quick release.

This makes it easier to disconnect and reattach the camera, and switch between mounts, without the tedious procedure of having to screw your camera into a secure fix it to the wall – then unscrew it when you want relocate it. Attach the frame to the protective one that is included with the standard bundle, and you can also place the camera on its side, and shoot horizontally for your social media.

The camera also has two color screens, but it beats its predecessor GoPro Hero11 Black again by having a touchscreen on the front. The camera also comes with a dedicated colour temperature sensor, which controls the white point of video automatically. The DJI even has a direct competition with GoPro in terms of sensor size. Amazingly priced it comes with a bigger sensors (1/1.7in) that GoPro’s GoPro Hero11 Black (1/1.9in) as well as also records video with speeds that can reach 130Mbits/sec.

DJI Osmo Action 3 review How is the audio and image quality?

One crucial aspect, however that this DJI Osmo Action 3 can’t compete with the GoPro Hero11 Black is the options of shooting it has to offer. It can certainly record 4K video with up to 120fps and offers all-round horizon levelling in 360 degrees However, the rival takes further by offering video recording at 5.3K and 60fps, while shooting in 10 bit colour, and the same 360-degree horizontal levelling.

The DJI is also behind in stills photography, which is limited to 12MP while the GoPro can go all the way up to 27MP. this isn’t just the case.

Like many action cameras, you aren’t able to utilize all of the new top features simultaneously. For instance, the brand-new 360-degree horizon-levelling stabilisation mode that ensures that your footage remains even regardless of the direction the camera is facing It is available only with resolutions of up to 2.7K at 60 frames per second. There’s also a middle-of-the-road “HorizonBalanced” option that can correct the camera’s movement upwards of 45 degrees to the left to right and allows you to shoot in 4K at 60 frames per second. But, this mode is limited to the 16:9 aspect ratio but not the full 4:3 ratio.

However, despite these limitations I found the performances to be quite amazing. The camera’s image stabilisation system ensured that footage was smooth, even though the camera was moving very violently. The horizontal levelling function was efficient to ensure that video was at a level.

In bright light, the camera could be seen in great detail, too. Below is a video., I’ve placed it in a row against that of the GoPro Hero10 Black as I haven’t had a chance to test the Hero11 Black and, although the GoPro is definitely superior however, the DJI is fairly close. (You’ll be able to ignore the color balance of the GoPro and leave the camera in flat colour mode, and then required colour grading later in the post.)

The only area where this DJI Osmo Action 3 suffers is when it’s in low-light conditions. Despite having a (marginally) more powerful sensor video that was shot in very dim lighting was much louder and less crisp than the identical video shot simultaneously with GoPro Hero10 Black. GoPro Hero10 Black. In light of the GoPro Hero11 Black now available and likely to be more powerful than it is clear that the DJI Osmo Action 3 finds itself in a major disadvantage.

DJI Osmo Action 3 review What else do we like about this model?

But, image quality isn’t all that important. Audio quality, particularly for video editors, is essential also, and it’s on this front that DJI can draw level with GoPro. The audio recorded isn’t as rich as GoPro’s GoPro Hero10 Black but the Osmo Action 3’s three microphones can capture clear audio both from the front and rear of the camera.

Another thing to note is the battery’s lifespan is quite good also. DJI says that its Extreme battery will keep the camera running for about 160 hours total but that’s only at 1080p at 30fps, with the two screens off. In comparison with that the Hero11 Black can deliver up to 137 minutes with that resolution as well as frame speed however, it’s Hero10 Black only gives you the option of 120 minutes and you’ll have to purchase an Enduro battery to achieve this.

Of course, the battery life is drastically reduced when you increase the frame rate and resolution. allow stabilisation and horizon levels. When I set the resolution to 4K 60, with HorizonBalanced mode on it recorded for 19 mins and 32 secs before displaying an overheating message. It’s not hard to fix that, however. The reduction of the frame rate to 30fps cured the issues with overheating completely. the camera could continue recording continuous until battery went out. It took more than 2 hours more than previously the GoPro Hero10 Black managed (around 49 minutes) using similar settings. It supports fast charging also, and can change from 0% to 80 percent in only 18 minutes, while going from 0% up to 100 percent in approximately 50 minutes.

Additionally, it’s important to note that the lens has an even wider field of vision than other GoPro with a maximum of 150 degrees, but it’s not as beneficial as it seems for Vloggers as it will cause a decrease in resolution as the camera zooms into.

DJI Osmo Action 3 review: Verdict

The DJI Osmo Action 3 has lots of advantages in addition to. It’s considerably less expensive that GoPro Hero11 Black. GoPro Hero11 Black, it’s more resistant to water as well as the mount system a huge benefit. Excellent image quality, efficient stabilisation and horizon levelling high battery life, quick charging times, and a front-facing touchscreen in colour contribute to the overall quality of the device.

The quality of images or resolution doesn’t quite match the highest quality GoPro offers and especially since GoPro’s Hero11 Black has arrived with its 5.3K 360-degree horizontal levelling. If you’re unable to just justify spending the PS400 for the brand new GoPro Hero11 Black or the Mini (the Hero10 Black remains higher priced even after being decreased to a lesser price) The DJI Osmo Action 3 is an affordable, reliable alternative.