DJI Action 2 - Learning from Others

The #DJI Action 2 was recently announced and is available to purchase from DJI's website and authorised retailers.

The Action 2 comprises a complete redesign compared to the GoPro shaped first edition. DJI has taken inspiration from other competitors, and merged modular design elements from the Insta360 One R with mounting options from the Insta360 Go, and a cube-shaped lens component which closely resembles the GoPro Hero Session.

The DJI Action 2 can be purchased in a Power Combo ($609 AUD) which includes an extended battery module, or a Dual Screen Combo ($799 AUD) which includes a front touch screen module.

The new design will appeal to FPV pilots, with the standalone lens module weighing in at only 56g, and is capable of 4K 120fps at 16:9 ratio, and 4K 60fps at 4:3 ratio. Though, worth noting that this module alone is somewhat limited with no SDCard slot, and an in-built battery of up to 3 hours.

The release of the DJI Action 2 follows soon after GoPro announced their much anticipated GoPro Hero 10, and we can't help but feel that GoPro missed an opportunity with the Hero 10, particularly with the growing FPV community.

It's been no secret that GoPro has been the preferred camera for FPV pilots, particularly with its durability, outstanding video quality, and video stabilisation (especially when using ReelSteady). Though, in recent years, serious FPV tinkerers have been stripping their GoPro's hardware to the bare essentials in order to reduce weight when flying, while still managing to maintain high quality video performance.

Why would GoPro not take notice of this, and release an official 'Naked GoPro' of their own to appeal to the growing FPV market? Instead, the GoPro Hero 10 was a conservative release and still resembles the shape and design since the release of the GoPro Hero 5.

There is no arguing that GoPro was the original action camera, and up until recent years has held the pole position in durability and video quality. However, the success of GoPro has inspired a wave of competitors such as Insta360 and DJI who are continuing to innovate and challenge the definition of what an action camera should be, while GoPro sits safe in the stone age.

In summary, we are very excited by the new release of the DJI Action 2, and are eager to see how Insta360 responds with future iterations of the Insta360 One R, One X, and Go cameras.