GoPro should be looking over its shoulder because DJI has been closing the gap fast in the action camera market over the past few years. The Osmo Action 5 Pro goes head-to-head with GoPro’s latest Hero13 Black, and in several areas, it actually pulls ahead. This Black Friday deal on Amazon drops the Essential combo to a record low of $259, down from the usual $339, which undercuts GoPro’s flagship by a decent margin.
Action cameras capture moments your phone can’t handle like mountain biking through trails, surfing big waves, or documenting motorcycle rides where stabilization and durability matter more than megapixels. DJI packed this camera with a massive sensor, advanced stabilization, and dual touchscreens that make it easier to use than the competition.
A Sensor That Handles Low Light
The Osmo Action 5 Pro features a 1/1.3-inch sensor, considerably larger than you’d find in most action cameras. It features 2.4-micrometer pixels that pull in more light per pixel to give you usable footage in conditions where other action cameras produce grainy messes. The 13.5-stop dynamic range means you can shoot into bright skies without losing detail in shadows or capture sunset scenes without blowing out the highlights. DJI’s processing handles 4K video at 120fps which gives you buttery slow-motion playback to analyze your technique or create dramatic highlight reels. In quick-changing lighting conditions such as moving between shaded forest trails and sunny clearings, this sensor does an excellent job of maintaining consistent exposure.
Subject tracking that actually works in the real world is powered by an advanced 4nm chip. You can set the camera to track yourself, friends, or even pets while shooting in either 16:9 or vertical 9:16 aspect ratios. Its tracking stays locked on moving subjects with remarkable accuracy, removing that perpetual anxiety of whether I am staying in frame or not. This feature transforms solo content creation because you simply don’t need someone behind the camera following you around.
Voice control remains on and ready for response within about a meter radius so you can start recording, shoot photos, or stop recording from a distance without touching the camera. This makes sense when you’re skiing, climbing, or doing anything where reaching for buttons breaks your flow. Recognition accuracy handles commands reliably even in moderately noisy environments, though strong winds or loud motors can sometimes throw it off.
The dual OLED touchscreens on front and back eradicate that usual action camera frustration: composing shots blind. The front screen means you can frame yourself perfectly for vlogs or selfie shots without having to guess where you’re positioned. Both screens stay bright and readable in direct sunlight, which matters enormously when you try to adjust settings on a sunny beach or snowy mountain. The touchscreen interface responds quickly and logically, and makes adjustments of parameters feel natural rather than something you have to commit to memory, along with button combinations.
DJI’s 360° HorizonSteady stabilization keeps your horizon straight, no matter how much the camera rotates on the roll axis. You can mount this on your chest, helmet, or handlebars and get footage that’s like it was coming from a gimbal. The stabilization algorithm compensates for sudden jolts, vibrations, and continuous movement while maintaining natural-looking motion.
The 1950mAh battery provides up to four hours of continuous recording in normal conditions and impressively keeps 3.6 hours even at negative 20 degrees Celsius. That kind of cold-weather performance puts it ahead of most action cameras, which start dying quickly in freezing temperatures. The IP68 rating certifies the camera for depths up to 20 meters without any additional housing, so you can take it snorkeling, surfing, or kayaking without worry.
This Black Friday price of $259 makes the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro substantially cheaper than GoPro’s Hero13 Black with comparable or superior features in several key areas. The larger sensor alone justifies the purchase for anyone who shoots in challenging lighting conditions and the dual OLED screens eliminate the composition guesswork that plagues single-screen action cameras.
