Maybe it's just me, but with the (small) issues that I feel are apparent on the Action 5, I keep wanting to return to my Action 4. I never got the same feeling going from the 2 to 3, or the 3 to 4.

With the luminescent greens, HDR, shadowing on the edges, ISO adjustment, the weird 'normal' colour profile/skin colour in sun, over sharpened and what sometimes looks like too much noise removal,  I just feel like having a rest from it until DJI perhaps find some fixes.

Maybe it's just me, but that Action 4 is a cracking camera imo. The 5 seems 'overcooked'. It's time for DJI to stop promising to pass the info on and actually do something....

If an Action 6 emerges in February, it looks like they've copped out on the 5, unless the 6 is actually a proper 'pro' model. It also begs the question ..... Why are DJI putting out an Action 6 so soon if February is the actual projection. It has been registered and February is being touted as the approx release time. That's a pity for the Action 5.

Absolutely not.

Really like the 5, my 4 went on ebay and sold within week or 2 of getting the 5

That’s good. Maybe it’s just me then.

I really like the 4 as well, had it and sold it.
During the day was awesome, but as I said earlier, I need a tiny camera that works well indoors and in low light, and the 4 is not there, not event close to the 5 with all its flaws.
Whats making me eerie about the 5 is the bugs like shadowing on the edges, and the early release of the action 6.
From a product launch scheduling perspective, its weird to be launching the 6 so early, unless its a much better model. Wouldnt be reasonable to expect the 6 to be a cheaper model, as the naming would be just action 5, not pro.

hgamelas Posted at 12-13 03:46
I really like the 4 as well, had it and sold it.
During the day was awesome, but as I said earlier, I need a tiny camera that works well indoors and in low light, and the 4 is not there, not event close to the 5 with all its flaws.
Whats making me eerie about the 5 is the bugs like shadowing on the edges, and the early release of the action 6.

It was the news of the Action 6 that got me thinking about the 5 actually and your post on that vignetting really got me going! I get that vignette thing on mine and felt that there was some kind of exposure problem, with the exposure suddenly shifting, but I think it might have been vignetting that I saw. I've been on the cusp of returning to the 4 from the start of the 5 tbh.

I've only been staying with the 5 because it's the newest one and logic kind of tells you that it must be better. I'm not so sure really.

The Action 6 has an FCC ‘filing’ placed so it is on the cards, which made me think that the 5 is going to be old news way before even a year is up.

I am on Hold of purchasing a new product from DJI:  I am holding on to my  cameras.  I can not again purchase the a new model, and  have improved issues, to repeat all over again.  the   demands are  all over the place. the defects are clearly shown. and DJI   is repeating the Action 3 to action 4 all over again.  Time to  wait and see what they are going to do,, do I go here and keep looking for an update or maybe some one under the First officers clu, the R& D team can leave the room to come and clear up our state of confusion ,   that will be  holding our breath to the moon turns Blue
I am contented with using my Action 5 pro.  I was thinkingabout going back to my Action 4 pro, problem is the POOR Bluetooth connection and drop outs, that were resolved, the action 5 pro.    big thank you DJI thank you

Fishycomics Posted at 12-13 04:56
I am on Hold of purchasing a new product from DJI:  I am holding on to my  cameras.  I can not again purchase the a new model, and  have improved issues, to repeat all over again.  the   demands are  all over the place. the defects are clearly shown. and DJI   is repeating the Action 3 to action 4 all over again.  Time to  wait and see what they are going to do,, do I go here and keep looking for an update or maybe some one under the First officers clu, the R& D team can leave the room to come and clear up our state of confusion ,   that will be  holding our breath to the moon turns Blue
I am contented with using my Action 5 pro.  I was thinkingabout going back to my Action 4 pro, problem is the POOR Bluetooth connection and drop outs, that were resolved, the action 5 pro.    big thank you DJI thank you

Oh yes, the audio aspect is way better. A lot faster to connect and doesn’t play up.

Sticking with the 4 here. Very solid camera and I rarely use action cams in low light (I use a mirrorless or the Pocket 3 for that). Did get a '5' to try but honestly, not impressed. It went back.  I think unless we get a real improvement, such as larger sensor, it is all quite marginal stuff. Not had any BT connection issues with it either. Will await the '6', maybe the '7', LOL.

Natural Sounds and Sights Posted at 12-13 06:02
Sticking with the 4 here. Very solid camera and I rarely use action cams in low light (I use a mirrorless or the Pocket 3 for that). Did get a '5' to try but honestly, not impressed. It went back.  I think unless we get a real improvement, such as larger sensor, it is all quite marginal stuff. Not had any BT connection issues with it either. Will await the '6', maybe the '7', LOL.

You don’t miss the 5? I’m really quite torn between them and have been since it came out. Even with the updates, I still feel that picture verges on plastic looking due to the HDR and seeing that I live in the British countryside, I see a lot of green. To me it looks garish. Skin in sunlight can be awful looking.

Even though the 4 might blow out on top highlight stuff, it just looks more natural to me. Clouds especially look more defined on the 4 as well. The 5 seems to ‘beautify’ them! The footage from both don't match that well if you combine it.

Someone local wants to buy either my 4 or 5 and I am tempted ......

Hi Fish, I loved the OA4 which I was a real wonder back then, but the higher resolution and higher sensitivity sensor of the OA5 just won this over, including the brighter LED screens which make viewing so much easier under sun, and the larger capacity batteries.

In the end, I decided to rid my OA4 to partially fund the OA5 and it's a decision  I do not regret.

It's unfortunate that we have so many  issues with the door seal and locking mechanism  on the OA5 and the lack of settings control, but  I did have the door problem on the OA4 as well which I managed to fix.



Hope the sensor's better performance will change your mind.

It is close between them FfoSoy, but I keep coming back to that HDR look. On its own, it’s ok, but if you take the same shot with the 4 and compare, the 4 just looks like there’s more punch; even if the highlights get pushed out on skies.

FfoSuy Posted at 12-13 06:24
Hi Fish, I loved the OA4 which I was a real wonder back then, but the higher resolution and higher sensitivity sensor of the OA5 just won this over, including the brighter LED screens which make viewing so much easier under sun, and the larger capacity batteries.

In the end, I decided to rid my OA4 to partially fund the OA5 and it's a decision  I do not regret.

thanks FFoSuy

Agree, I love the OA5    do not get me wrong, I'lll say it out loud and people may not love that its a great camera. just love to see a better one too

Fishycomics Posted at 12-13 06:45
thanks FFoSuy

Agree, I love the OA5    do not get me wrong, I'lll say it out loud and people may not love that its a great camera. just love to see a better one too

Haha....well, the OA6 is on it's way....I'm guessing they'll go with a larger aperture of 2.6 max to compete with the Ace Pro 2 and loose the internal storage......and hopefully improve the lens quality as well (closer to Carl Zeiss standards)  

FfoSuy Posted at 12-13 07:04
Haha....well, the OA6 is on it's way....I'm guessing they'll go with a larger aperture of 2.6 max to compete with the Ace Pro 2 and loose the internal storage......and hopefully improve the lens quality as well (closer to Carl Zeiss standards)

we can only wish for but the tooth fairy is not around

It would be really upsetting that after all our complaints about OA5 "features" DJI answers not fixing it but releasing the 6. At least allow us for cheap replacement.

Me too. I am considering returning Action 5 and getting Action 4. I still use my GoPro because of all the problems with the picture ( HDR, bad colors, Ghosting ), that you've mentioned.

Thinking about returning to GoPro once they finally introduce a new sensor. I'm not a fan of the oversharpened look of the Action 5 "Pro". Makes it look cheaper than it is.

Sunship Posted at 12-13 08:22
Thinking about returning to GoPro once they finally introduce a new sensor. I'm not a fan of the oversharpened look of the Action 5 "Pro". Makes it look cheaper than it is.

I find it a bit too sharpened as well so I use a mist filter on it now. I think the Ace Pro original is pretty good and in spite of just 8 bit, smoother looking picture.

As soon as GoPr, agree releases the  new Sensor, they are due for a longtime a new Chip I'll jump ship to them as well. since DJI only cares about profit at this moment

I think realistically if users genuinely believed that for the small increase in price that this would somehow be a professional tool with professional footage and professional features, then they made a big mistake. The word Pro on such products has little or no relation to professional , it doesn’t mean professionals can’t or won’t use it but they know you will be limited by it capabilities. I think the improved features up to date tech and AI is what we paid the extra cost for, and although all the blurb will convince all of us this A5 will be so much better than what went before it as regards finished results, the truth is improvements will be small minute even and some will see no improvements but upgrades from 4 to 5 also cost very little extra. I think whether the camera returns better or worse results is very much subjective as it is for most cameras in this category. For me the 5 is better than the 3 I never had the 4 but it’s only marginally better than the original action apart from the tech which has moved on for the noticeable improvements. I don’t think we will see much bigger sensors or better lenses unless we have to fork out much higher prices so improvements will always be small and come in small refinements and improved tech.
It's funny you think if 6 comes out in February , dji will have forgotten the 5, but its only days ago ther were updates for the 4 which has not been forgotten.

Hallmark007 Posted at 12-13 09:53
I think realistically if users genuinely believed that for the small increase in price that this would somehow be a professional tool with professional footage and professional features, then they made a big mistake. The word Pro on such products has little or no relation to professional , it doesn’t mean professionals can’t or won’t use it but they know you will be limited by it capabilities. I think the improved features up to date tech and AI is what we paid the extra cost for, and although all the blurb will convince all of us this A5 will be so much better than what went before it as regards finished results, the truth is improvements will be small minute even and some will see no improvements but upgrades from 4 to 5 also cost very little extra. I think whether the camera returns better or worse results is very much subjective as it is for most cameras in this category. For me the 5 is better than the 3 I never had the 4 but it’s only marginally better than the original action apart from the tech which has moved on for the noticeable improvements. I don’t think we will see much bigger sensors or better lenses unless we have to fork out much higher prices so improvements will always be small and come in small refinements and improved tech.
It's funny you think if 6 comes out in February , dji will have forgotten the 5, but its only days ago ther were updates for the 4 which has not been forgotten.

I agree, the pro label doesnt in any way denote that it’s actually a professional tool. It might have been more to do with the Action 4 being a really good camera; especially following the 3 and the label ‘Pro’ made us all believe that the 5 was going to be a big upgrade from the 4. I don’t really feel that it is. And maybe that’s where the disappointment lies.

I think that you would have definitely seen an improvement from the 3 to the 5 but it's not as apparent from the 4.

Leading up to its release, we were all going on about1 inch sensors etc, and this was touted as a camera with a new sensor and that ‘pro’ label may have set our expectations  too high above the 4?

Expectations and the reality has made what is essentially a perfectly good camera a disappointment to some of us?

I do feel that the 4 is the ‘sweet spot’.

So the sales market was  to name it a Pro, and Insta called theirs the ace pro, a double edge sword. DJI should simply kept to the Action camera name.    a new chip a new product its an Action camera or is it a Vloggers. I simply grab and go     that said off I go

Fishycomics Posted at 12-13 10:24
So the sales market was  to name it a Pro, and Insta called theirs the ace pro, a double edge sword. DJI should simply kept to the Action camera name.    a new chip a new product its an Action camera or is it a Vloggers. I simply grab and go     that said off I go

I agree, the Ace Pro shouldn’t really be labelled ‘pro’; especially being stuck in 8 bit. I think the way that they used the pixels to give that two times zoom was new and ‘clouded’ the naming! Having said that, it also has a slightly red cast quite often which seems to get overlooked.

Ideally for me …. The Action 4 look with Action 5 audio would be nice. (Although the 5 only seems to get that ‘plastic’ look in certain lighting conditions)

Fishycomics Posted at 12-13 10:24
So the sales market was  to name it a Pro, and Insta called theirs the ace pro, a double edge sword. DJI should simply kept to the Action camera name.    a new chip a new product its an Action camera or is it a Vloggers. I simply grab and go     that said off I go

They call their hassleblad cameras “ not pro”  but professional, so the use of pro is just marketing blurb just as prosumer is . But I think secretly we all know that the action cameras are not professional but can be used by professionals and enthusiasts Amateurs etc but they all have their own quirks and problems but I still think that the footage will stand the test of time.

Hallmark007 Posted at 12-13 10:56
They call their hassleblad cameras “ not pro”  but professional, so the use of pro is just marketing blurb just as prosumer is . But I think secretly we all know that the action cameras are not professional but can be used by professionals and enthusiasts Amateurs etc but they all have their own quirks and problems but I still think that the footage will stand the test of time.

  thank you.   
guess we can name it what we want, we'll seewhat DJI can do in taking vs offering what people want in firmware

I never sell my stuff and I still have 2 OA 3’s one 4 and one 5 my go to for some reason is the 4. I still actually like the 3 also. I have not fallen in love with my 5 for some reason. I am very interested in the DJI 360 camera

Bigplumbs Posted at 12-13 23:06
I never sell my stuff and I still have 2 OA 3’s one 4 and one 5 my go to for some reason is the 4. I still actually like the 3 also. I have not fallen in love with my 5 for some reason. I am very interested in the DJI 360 camera

I still have a burned out Hero 5. Sitting in a draw. I don’t normally sell them on, but a friend was interested in either, and I thought that it might be a chance to out the 5 if I’m not going to use it. I don’t like storing old unused stuff in the house really though, tbh.

I really liked the change from the Action 3 to the 4 but not so keen on the 5 really.

Is it the picture quality of the 5 you’re not keen on? The funny thing is how similar the 4 and 5 look on YouTube comparisons but I’m finding them quite different; especially in the way they show contrast which I ‘think’ might also be affecting how colour looks on the 5 with grass colour and skin tone, particularly in bright sun. (High contrast)

I like the way it works and the audio…. It’s the picture that I sometimes feel that it skews colour.

I hope DJI gets a firmware before December is over, Maybe more core users will come forward for these changes

Fishycomics Posted at 12-14 03:57
I hope DJI gets a firmware before December is over, Maybe more core users will come forward for these changes

If they simply allowed us to turn off hdr, Fish, I wouldn’t feel the need to go back to the Action 4, I think. I really don’t like the effect and it often looks very unnatural to me. I do wonder if the hdr tone mapping is pulling the colours around. Green and red seem odd to me so grass and skin colour can look strange in high contrast situations when HDR is at its full glory.

Iancraig10 Posted at 12-14 04:33
If they simply allowed us to turn off hdr, Fish, I wouldn’t feel the need to go back to the Action 4, I think. I really don’t like the effect and it often looks very unnatural to me. I do wonder if the hdr tone mapping is pulling the colours around. Green and red seem odd to me so grass and skin colour can look strange in high contrast situations when HDR is at its full glory.

Is not the action  HDR Automatic as well when the FPS are dropped  to 30F and lower?  I thought we have H-Log  that turns on HDR on the Action 5, then why are we having it on?  DJI then needs to separate then join profiles, that is not how things are done, but we are with a camera that is running our lives, , and what People are told to do,  from some John doe as a CEO,

guess they ruined the Action camera industry doing what some big shot thought was right , let Artificial intelligence run the show. time to put a black out sheet over everything

Fishycomics Posted at 12-14 04:48
Is not the action  HDR Automatic as well when the FPS are dropped  to 30F and lower?  I thought we have H-Log  that turns on HDR on the Action 5, then why are we having it on?  DJI then needs to separate then join profiles, that is not how things are done, but we are with a camera that is running our lives, , and what People are told to do,  from some John doe as a CEO,

guess they ruined the Action camera industry doing what some big shot thought was right , let Artificial intelligence run the show. time to put a black out sheet over everything

Actually, it’s not ‘true’ hdr until you switch to hdr mode which triggers the hdr in my tv. It goes to full brightness and contrast and so you see hdr.

But in non-hdr mode, it’s more like ‘tonal re-mapping’ of some sort. Whatever it is, I’d like less of it!

Iancraig10 Posted at 12-14 04:54
Actually, it’s not ‘true’ hdr until you switch to hdr mode which triggers the hdr in my tv. It goes to full brightness and contrast and so you see hdr.

But in non-hdr mode, it’s more like ‘tonal re-mapping’ of some sort. Whatever it is, I’d like less of it!

I hear ya.     not good if you use a HDR monitor I do, and things do look good on my end but we al lsee different colors I guess  but DJI do listen t your core people, you're only hearing

Having had the OA4 for some time now, I have been thinking about getting a second camera for a while.
About once a week I come back to the forum, look at the trending posts and think; it's not for me yet... Now I hear there's another one due soon?
I want to stick with DJI stuff as I have mics etc - but I'm not even tempted to buy the OA5 in the hope it may improve.

I bought the OA5 but have kept my OA4 as well. I like the OA5 but can understand why some don’t like the ‘HDR’ look, the darkness of shadows is noticeably reduced, which I guess is exactly because it does have a higher dynamic range. As others have said, a little post increase in contrast can help reduce this effect.

Actually I post my YouTube content in the HDR format so I really like the new HLG, native HDR option. What I can’t decide is wether I’m better off recording in HLG or recording in DLOG M and then ‘stretching’ it post and then converting to HLG in Davinci before I upload (some sources say the DLOG M profile actually has a higher dynamic range than the, made for HDR, HLG profile.

Anyway I really enjoy having both cameras and if I’m vlogging with a friend along I will usually give the the OA4 so that I have 2 angles to choose from. Being able to connect 2 Mic 2 transmitters to the OA5 is a big advantage when I want to take advantage of it.

Iancraig10 Posted at 12-14 01:19
I still have a burned out Hero 5. Sitting in a draw. I don’t normally sell them on, but a friend was interested in either, and I thought that it might be a chance to out the 5 if I’m not going to use it. I don’t like storing old unused stuff in the house really though, tbh.

I really liked the change from the Action 3 to the 4 but not so keen on the 5 really.

I have no compelling reason not to use the 5 to be honest I just think I prefer the image that the 4 produces. Knowing me when they bring out the 6 I will most likely start using the 5 lol

Iancraig10 Posted at 12-13 06:07
You don’t miss the 5? I’m really quite torn between them and have been since it came out. Even with the updates, I still feel that picture verges on plastic looking due to the HDR and seeing that I live in the British countryside, I see a lot of green. To me it looks garish. Skin in sunlight can be awful looking.

Even though the 4 might blow out on top highlight stuff, it just looks more natural to me. Clouds especially look more defined on the 4 as well. The 5 seems to ‘beautify’ them! The footage from both don't match that well if you combine it.

Yeah. That's what I noticed. A lot of things have an 'artificial' look... I felt the 4 was more organic. The 4 works great in D-Log-M anyway, so easy to tweak to taste. Certainly the 'normal' colour profile on the 4 looks better to me than that 'boosted' look on the 5.

Hello,

Can someone who owns DJI Action 4 let me know if there is a BUILT-IN Mic Audio Backup option in the settings?

I am planning to return my Action 5 and get Action 4 and this is really important to me since i need to have a sound from the camera too on a separate audio track.

Thank you!

Kanaye Shogun Posted at 12-14 23:55
Hello,

Can someone who owns DJI Action 4 let me know if there is a BUILT-IN Mic Audio Backup option in the settings?

No, I don't believe there is, it's something I was really pleased was added ass an option in the OA5

Iancraig10 Posted at 12-14 04:33
If they simply allowed us to turn off hdr, Fish, I wouldn’t feel the need to go back to the Action 4, I think. I really don’t like the effect and it often looks very unnatural to me. I do wonder if the hdr tone mapping is pulling the colours around. Green and red seem odd to me so grass and skin colour can look strange in high contrast situations when HDR is at its full glory.

Hi there. Our engineers have noticed the issue with HDR effects and are continuously optimizing it. It will be applied to future firmware. Please wait patiently for the color performance of the new firmware.

Bigplumbs Posted at 12-14 22:32
I have no compelling reason not to use the 5 to be honest I just think I prefer the image that the 4 produces. Knowing me when they bring out the 6 I will most likely start using the 5 lol

Sounds like me!