This is my first (non test) full video realized with Action 5 in low light.

The video is shot in 4K Horizon Balancing, 50 FPS, 100/8000 shutter speed, 5500K WB, ISO max 12800.

After this experience, I have mixed feelings on this camera:

• Good color and low noise also on high iso (the infamous embedded temporal noise reduction)
• Bad tearing/bending/warping in low light (still the infamous embedded temporal noise reduction, which is good in some cases and not good in other, please allow for user deactivating it)
• Fuzzy edges in some scenes, guess it's still caused by (read previous point). Action 4 generally gives smoother edges and higher ISO noise (fixable up to a certain level in post) while Action 5 tends to render fuzzy/noisy edges not fixable in post.
• Floating exposure still present: in some clips i needed to use a Davinci Resolve plugin to stabilize brightness but it's not always possible, the plugin relies on a uniform color area that must persist over the whole clip and it's possible only in scenes with clear sky in my case). This is something that needs to be addressed asap.
• Still some uncertainity on horizon leveling in first seconds of the clip.
  

Too bad in a couple clips the tearing/smearing made the clip unfixable in post. I already said that i prefer to address noise manually when i want to (nearly always).

You managed to make it look good 'enough' in the end.

Montfrooij Posted at 11-20 01:08
You managed to make it look good 'enough' in the end.

Well when you don't have better options, you go with "creative editing"

Nice. SuperNight Mode with new firmware?

Maxime Bermond Posted at 11-20 13:29
Nice. SuperNight Mode with new firmware?

This video has been shot with previous fw release. I didn't use super night in this case. If you want to see latest fw and super night you can find a more recent video in my YT channel titled "Action 5 Vs Darkness".

Speaking of super night mode, I feel it an hit and miss. I think that in fw 01.02.03.30 this mode has surely improved but I have the feeling that DLogM still allows for a better margin of recovery, at least on shadows. Or maybe it's me I'm using this mode the wrong way.

Umberto Uderzo Posted at 11-20 15:19
This video has been shot with previous fw release. I didn't use super night in this case. If you want to see latest fw and super night you can find a more recent video in my YT channel titled "Action 5 Vs Darkness".

Speaking of super night mode, I feel it an hit and miss. I think that in fw 01.02.03.30 this mode has surely improved but I have the feeling that DLogM still allows for a better margin of recovery, at least on shadows. Or maybe it's me I'm using this mode the wrong way.

No, super night is for people who either don't know their way around editing programs or don't want to bother in post.
D-log M with manual settings will always lead to better results which is why it's so annoying that DJI still hasn't fixed the massive digital processing that can't be turned off for sharpening and noise reduction, even at -2 the camera adds too much digital processing

Hi there,

Thank you for sharing your experience. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our support team. Thank You!

Umberto Uderzo Posted at 11-20 10:49
Well when you don't have better options, you go with "creative editing"

Limitations breed creativity.
When I make music, I often prefer the limited instruments to my computer with all the options.

Montfrooij Posted at 11-20 23:06
Limitations breed creativity.
When I make music, I often prefer the limited instruments to my computer with all the options.

I agree, and the Action 5 is so easy to operate that you can simply vlog without the hassle of setting 10 thousand parameters before shot, leading to more natural reactions in front of the camera. I own also a Sony A7IV which i used for some low light videos (with excellent results) but it's still a brick to carry in the backpack and i frequently opt for the action camera for my trips.
If only DJI allows for completely deactivate the denoising algorithm, i could try using things like Topaz Video Denoise which works very well on raw Action 4 footage but looks pretty ininfluent on Action 5 footage just because it's not the raw video, given that it has already been in-camera processed, limiting the post production software results.

Umberto Uderzo Posted at 11-20 23:47
I agree, and the Action 5 is so easy to operate that you can simply vlog without the hassle of setting 10 thousand parameters before shot, leading to more natural reactions in front of the camera. I own also a Sony A7IV which i used for some low light videos (with excellent results) but it's still a brick to carry in the backpack and i frequently opt for the action camera for my trips.
If only DJI allows for completely deactivate the denoising algorithm, i could try using things like Topaz Video Denoise which works very well on raw Action 4 footage but looks pretty ininfluent on Action 5 footage just because it's not the raw video, given that it has already been in-camera processed, limiting the post production software results.

+1 I also opt for zero noise redution in camera to use Davinci's own and Topaz algorithms on it

Umberto Uderzo Posted at 11-20 23:47
I agree, and the Action 5 is so easy to operate that you can simply vlog without the hassle of setting 10 thousand parameters before shot, leading to more natural reactions in front of the camera. I own also a Sony A7IV which i used for some low light videos (with excellent results) but it's still a brick to carry in the backpack and i frequently opt for the action camera for my trips.
If only DJI allows for completely deactivate the denoising algorithm, i could try using things like Topaz Video Denoise which works very well on raw Action 4 footage but looks pretty ininfluent on Action 5 footage just because it's not the raw video, given that it has already been in-camera processed, limiting the post production software results.

Yeah, I have the Nikon D750, which I love for video (not the best option for sure, but it's what I have), but my Pocket 2 is so much more easy to take with me, that I often prefer that. Even though the image quality will be a bit less (more noise, no DOF etc. etc.)