DJI ‘Osmo Action 6’ camera has an adjustable aperture
DJI has introduced the "Osmo Action 6", a new approach to action camera design that could change the way creators film their adventures.
Last week, DJI, one of the world’s leaders in drones, filmmaking gear and action cameras, launches its new “Osmo Action 6” camera exclusively in China, and now it’s announcing a global release (excluding the U.S.). The camera’s physical design is largely unchanged from last year’s model, but DJI is introducing a few new innovative features.
What does this little thing offer us? Well, it has an adjustable aperture that moves between f/2.0 and f/4.0, and uses a mechanical iris (rather than software tricks) and a larger square-format sensor that gives you more flexibility when you want to crop your footage to various horizontal and vertical aspect ratios. The users have more control over how their shots look in different lighting conditions.
It also handles video recording at 4K/120fps in a 4:3 ratio, which opens up new possibilities for slow-motion footage and gives creators room to crop later without losing quality.
If that sounds interesting, you might also like the new 4K Custom Mode, which takes advantage of the square sensor. You can shoot once, then crop the footage for different platforms later, with no need to position the camera more than once to get horizontal and vertical versions of the same shot. This saves time for anyone posting to Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The Osmo Action 6 uses a new 1/1.1-inch CMOS sensor that’s larger than the 1/1.3-inch sensor found in the “Action 5 Pro”. Internal storage gets a small bump to 50GB that can be expanded using a microSD card up to 1TB in capacity.
DJI claims the Action 6 can record for up to four continuous hours using its 1,950mAh battery, but keep in mind that the company’s testing is done in ideal conditions while video is only captured at 1080P/24fps. Battery life will be reduced when capturing at 4K and higher frame rates, or while using it in temperatures that drop well below freezing.
DJI says the camera can function properly at temperatures as cold as -4 degrees Fahrenheit, and it remains waterproof to depths of over 65 feet.
The camera also works with the OsmoAudio ecosystem, connecting to as many as two “DJI Mic” transmitters without a receiver. That comes in handy for interviews or recording two audio sources at once. Even without external mics, the built-in three-mic array captures stereo sound and reduces wind noise.
It adds professional tools such as 2x lossless zoom, 10-bit D-Log M color for post-production flexibility and Portrait Mode that improves skin tones. Subject centering and tracking keep your subject in frame, and gesture control makes the setup more hands-free.
This is a big change that could shake up the world of action cameras, although we’ll see after we try everything.
The company hasn’t confirmed if or when the “Osmo Action 6” will be available in the US. Chinese pricing starts at 2,998 yuan, or around $422. In Europe it starts at €379, in the UK it’s £329, and in Japan it’s ¥61,270, or around $396.
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