DJI Action 2 Preview – First look at mini action cam

The Action 2 from DJI is the smallest action cam yet, but despite its compact size, the camera can record video in 4k at up to 120 frames per second and advanced image stabilization. Because the small size naturally entails limitations, the camera can be combined with click-on accessories that increase the battery life, add an extra screen or offer various mounting options. Depending on the bundle version you choose, the camera costs 399 or 519 euros. We have been using the DJI Action 2 for a little over a week now and in this preview you can read our first findings.

Modular

The Action 2 is the successor to the Osmo Action, the first action cam that DJI brought to the market at the beginning of 2019. The Action 2, however, looks nothing like its predecessor or the action cams of market leader GoPro. The camera module measures 3.9×3.9×2.3cm and weighs just 59g. Built into that module is a 12-megapixel 1/1.7″ CMOS sensor, which is hidden behind an f/2.8 wide-angle lens with a 115-degree viewing angle. The DJI Action 2 features 32GB of internal storage, of which 24.1GB is actually available to the user.The internal 2.23Wh battery provides “approximately 70 minutes” of recording time in the most favorable mode, but that is very optimistic, in our experience.

To extend the battery life, you can click additional modules on the Action 2. This is done magnetically and with two physical clamps that grip the side of the camera. If you buy the Action 2 as a Dual Screen Combo, you will find a second, also square Front Touchscreen Module in the package, with an extra screen, a microSD card reader and a 5Wh battery, which increases the battery life by a factor of three. . The extra screen is intended as a selfie screen. When you click the modules together, the screen is always on the front next to the lens; turning is not possible. That dual-screen combo isn’t cheap; the suggested retail price is 519 euros. If you opt for the Power Combo, then for 399 euros you get a Power Module in addition to the camera, consisting of a battery and a microSD card reader, but without a screen.

It is not possible to purchase the camera separately, because the camera itself does not have a USB-C charging port. You always need an extra module as a charging interface. You also always need accessories to mount the camera anywhere. In the package you will find three different mounts, of which the Magnetic Adapter Mount will be the most used for many. This adapter with two GoPro fingers on the bottom snaps magnetically and with clamps to the camera module, or to the combination of the camera module and the touchscreen/power module. He then ensures that the camera can be used with all GoPro mounts. DJI also includes a rotatable Magnetic Ball-Joint Adapter Mount, which provides the camera with standard camera threads for mounting on a tripod. Finally, there is the Magnetic Lanyard, a magnetic plate on a cord that you hang like a chain around your neck and wear under your shirt. You then click a magnetic attachment on that plate above your shirt, after which the camera module is again magnetically connected to the attachment. The idea is that you can use the Action 2 as a hands-free bodycam.

extra options

In addition to the supplied accessories, DJI also sells a Waterproof Case for the Action 2. The camera module itself would be waterproof up to 10 m as standard; the click-on touchscreen and battery module are not. If you want to use the camera in combination with one of the two modules under or near water, then the waterproof housing is necessary. While the camera module itself is waterproof, DJI recommends using that waterproof housing for water sports activities and ‘ other situations involving high-impact with water ‘. We have not yet tested the water resistance of the camera and will come back to this in our next review.

In addition to the waterproof housing, DJI also sells a magnetic headband, an extendable selfie stick with built-in tripod, a tripod with wireless remote control and a clip-on macro lens for the Action 2.

First impression

As mentioned, we have been using the DJI Action 2 for a little over a week now, but partly because we received new firmware yesterday that solves a number of bugs and adds new functionality, we are taking more time to complete our full review. We are already sharing our first findings with you.

The very first impression when you hold the Action 2 in your hands is how incredibly small and light the camera is. It literally disappears in your pocket, which is ideal if, for example, you occasionally want to shoot some photos or video while exercising, but don’t want to continuously mount a camera somewhere on your body or helmet. In a direct comparison with the HERO10 from GoPro, the latter stands out like a clunky heavy brick against the camera module of the DJI Action 2. If you use the DJI Action 2 in combination with the Power or touchscreen module and a mount, the differences become a lot. smaller.

The touchscreen at the back works nicely; the interface is simple but clear and works very smoothly. A short press of the only button the camera has gets it started; a second press then starts recording. You can also record directly from standby by pressing the button for a long time. You can stop a recording with a short press on the button, a long press on the button switches the camera off. It’s a short learning curve, but it works fine in practice.

Different modes

The camera can record in different modes. In addition to normal video recording, where you can choose from different resolutions and frame rates ranging from 1080p24 to 4k120, you can take photos, timelapses, slow motion recordings and ‘quick clips’. In the latter mode, the camera shoots short clips of ten, fifteen or thirty seconds, which can be easily mounted in the DJI Mimo app via the AI ​​Editor.

During our first tests, we mainly focused on the ‘regular’ video modes, where you can record in resolutions up to 4k, with the choice of the regular 16:9 format and 3840×2160 pixels, or the 4:3 format with a (slightly) higher resolution of 4096×3072 pixels. In 4k 4:3 mode, the maximum frame rate is 60fps, in 16:9 format, 4k can be recorded at a maximum of 120fps.

Image Stabilization

DJI has equipped the Action 2 with RockSteady electronic image stabilization, where the sensor is cropped to use the surrounding pixels to absorb shocks from the camera. We encountered RockSteady earlier at the Osmo Action. For the new camera, DJI has further improved its algorithms. In addition, HorizonSteady has been added, an option that literally keeps the horizon horizontal, whatever you do with the camera. Where GoPro’s HERO10 can do that without the special Max Lens Mod up to 45-degree tilt angles, you can rotate the DJI Action 2 all the way around its axis; the horizon always remains straight. To make that possible, the sensor is zoomed in extra, so that the image quality is slightly lower in this mode. HorizonSteady is also available in a maximum of 2.7k resolution.

Image quality

We tested the DJI Action 2 directly against the GoPro HERO10 Black in the past week and were positively surprised about the image quality and image stabilization of the DJI Action 2. Images are sharp, (very) colorful and, in sufficient light, surprisingly stable. However, DJI does turn on the contrast in the standard color mode a bit hard, so that details in dark parts and highlights are quickly lost. In D-Cinelike mode, the dynamic range is wider and colors are recorded very undersaturated. This produces images that you can do more with during editing, but that don’t look good without editing. Where we mentioned a few weeks ago in our review of the GoPro HERO10wrote that that camera is not a low-light wonder, that also applies to the DJI Action 2. In fact, a direct comparison shows that the Action 2 shows visibly more image noise in dark conditions than GoPro’s new top model.

The maximum bit rate at which the camera records is 120Mbit/s and depends on the chosen resolution and frame rate; you can’t choose it yourself. You do have the choice of H.264 compression or the more efficient H.265 codec, the latter being mandatory if you want to record in 4k at more than 60fps. If you use the camera module separately, the internally available 24GB memory space will be full quickly. Depending on the chosen resolution and frame rate, when using H.265 compression, you can save between 20 and 55 minutes of video before the memory is full. If you want to record for longer, you will have to connect an external module containing a microSD card to the camera.

The video below gives a first impression of the image quality of the DJI Action 2 at different image settings, in direct comparison with the GoPro HERO10. Both cameras are set to their ‘Normal’ (DJI) and ‘Natural’ (GoPro) color profiles for all tests.

Battery life and heat issues

DJI claims that the battery life of the camera module itself is up to 70 minutes and in combination with the clickable touchscreen and power modules, this should increase to 160 and 180 minutes respectively. In all cases, this concerns 1080p30 recordings in the special ‘power reserve’ mode, where the image quality is slightly lower and, moreover, no image stabilization is used. When used in a more realistic scenario, 4k60 with image stabilization, those 70 minutes are not feasible. In fact, in several sessions where we shot several clips outside of several minutes each, we got a total recording time of about 20 to 25 minutes and that is with limited standby periods in between those shots.

In our review of the GoPro HERO10, we wrote about problems with the heat development of that camera, with the HERO10 turning off under certain conditions to prevent overheating. Our conclusion was that these problems only occurred under specific circumstances: indoors, with no airflow around the camera, and when shooting in high resolution. With the DJI Action 2, heat build-up is also a problem and even a much bigger problem. DJI seems to recognize this, because in the menu you will find two options for Auto-Stop Record Temperature. This can be set to ‘normal’ and ‘high’, which corresponds to 48 and 53°C.

When shooting outdoors, at temperatures up to 15° and airflow past the camera, we haven’t encountered any problems in our tests so far. Indoors at a room temperature of 20°, however, it is a completely different story. When shooting in 4k60 with image stabilization, the DJI Action 2 lasts between 5 and 7 minutes before turning itself off to prevent overheating at the normal setting and a shutdown temperature of 48°. If we choose the high setting, this increases to just over 12 minutes. The small size of the DJI Action 2, where all electronics are close together, clearly means that the camera has trouble dissipating heat properly.

Finally

The DJI Action 2 seems to be an interesting action cam, which stands out mainly due to its super compact and light housing. Our first impression is that the camera delivers good image quality in sufficient light, but struggles in the dark. DJI’s image stabilization is good and comparable to that of competitor GoPro. The compact size of the Action 2 does not only have advantages. For example, we notice that the battery life is limited and the camera quickly overheats indoors if you record in high resolution and with high frame rates. The battery life can be increased by clicking the supplied touchscreen or the power module on the camera, but this makes the camera more than twice as large and heavy in one go, and it is also no longer waterproof without using the optionally available waterproof housing.

As mentioned, this is a first impression, next week we will publish an extensive review. Are there things you would like to see in that review? Let us know in the comments below this article, and we will try to accommodate as many of your requests as possible.