DJI turns the world of action cams on its side with the Osmo Action 3

DJI is best known for its quadcopter drones, but over the past few years, the company has been picking a few interesting fights with established players in adjacent markets. Today, DJI is releasing the third iteration of its Osmo series of action cameras, the Osmo 3. The new camera ramps up the battery capacity significantly, and makes the camera more creator-friendly than ever.

A lot of content is consumed vertically these day — think TikTok and the Stories features on various platforms, and one of the (in retrospect obvious) updates to the camera is that Osmo 3 is designed to be used both in landscape and portrait orientation. The designers built the camera around a 1770mAh battery, which lets the camera record for two and a half hours. They’ve also added rapid-charge functionality that’ll charge from dead to 80% in just 18 minutes. In less than an hour, it’ll be fully charged.

“Ever since we released the original Osmo Action in 2019, we have been continuously inspired by the stunning footage captured with it,” said Paul Pan, senior product line manager at DJI. “As our users keep pushing further, moving faster and diving deeper, our mission is to provide a device built to keep up with them. Every new feature made Osmo Action 3 the most reliable, tough and easy-to-use action camera. We can’t wait to see what our users create when they push their limits with Osmo Action 3.”

The camera shoots in 4K at 120 fps, and has a super-wide field of view, with advanced image stabilization. The camera also manages its temperature better than before; the company claims the camera doesn’t need a little break to cool down. If you have battery, you can record.

DJI Osmo Action 3 has a ‘delete selfie stick’ feature, that makes the pole invisible as you’re cruising down the mountain. Image Credits: DJI

The camera loves extreme conditions, both in terms of temperature and waterproofing. Surfing, skiing and some snorkeling is all done with great panache: You can take it down to 16 meters depth without additional waterproof housing, and the camera can keep functioning at temperatures down to -20ºC (-6ºF). It’s also drop-resistant to about 1.5 meters (five feet).

Osmo Action 3 is available today, and comes in two packages: The Osmo Action 3 Standard Combo retails for $329 and includes Osmo Action 3, one Osmo Action 3 Extreme Battery, the Osmo Action 3 Horizontal-Vertical Protective Frame, the Osmo Action 3 Quick-Release Adapter Mount and the Osmo Flat Adhesive Base. The Osmo Action 3 Adventure Combo retails for $439 and includes the same package, but with three batteries, two quick-release mounts and a battery case. A slew of accessories are available, including strap mounts, handlebar mounts, helmet and suction cup mounts, lens covers, etc. You can learn more about the camera on the DJI website.

DJI turns the world of action cams on its side with the Osmo Action 3 by Haje Jan Kamps originally published on TechCrunch