Dji Osmo Action Gopro 7 Black

GoPro has enjoyed a stronghold on the bustling activeness camera market for years cheers to its powerful, reliable and rugged cams for every outdoors pursuit and sport imaginable. The GoPro HERO 7 Black launched in 2018, and at that time no other activity cam brand had even come close to toppling GoPro off its perch... that is, until DJI introduced its first ever activeness camera, the DJI Osmo Action.

Both cameras have now been succeeded past newer versions – the H7 past the GoPro HERO 8 Blackness (nevertheless a stiff recommendation, come across our GoPro Hero 8 Blackness vs DJI Osmo Action head to head for that comparison), the HERO 9 Blackness and HERO x Black, and the Osmo past the DJI Action 2.

While neither now sits highly in our electric current all-time action photographic camera ranking, when they launched, the GoPro Hero 7 Blackness and DJI Osmo Action were both awarded five-star reviews past T3, and there's little separating them when it comes to spec.

Both shoot incredibly smooth video upward to 4K60, thank you to gimbal-like stabilisation technology. Both boast slick rear touchscreens and vocalism control. Both can be thrown down mountains and exist used to shoot underwater without faltering. As you're probably gathering, this is going to exist ane heck of a fight!

The best budget activity cameras, if cost is paramount

In truth there are only a few defining features where these globe-beating activeness cameras outperform each other. For example, the DJI Osmo Activity's smashing, vlogger-friendly front screen, and the Hero vii Blackness's ability to live stream footage via the GoPro app.

So, when information technology comes to overall performance, usability and action-capturing ability, which one is best? In this feature, nosotros pit both 4K activity cams against ane some other in 5 cardinal areas to determine which one actually is the king of the action. And, ultimately, which one is correct for yous. Offset up, spec...

GoPro Hero 7 Blackness vs DJI Osmo Action: spec

GoPro Hero seven Black:

Shoots video up to 4K60 video resolution
12MP stills
i/ii.3-inch CMOS sensor
Waterproof to 10m (without case)
Weighs 116g
Measures 62.3x44.9x33mm
Two-inch rear touchscreen

DJI Osmo Action:

Capable of shooting video up to 4K60fps
12MP stills
1/two.three-inch CMOS sensor
Waterproof to 11m (without case)
Measures 65x42x35mm
Weighs 124g
2.25-inch rear touchscreen plus one.four-inch front display

Specs winner: GoPro Hero seven Black

GoPro Hero 7 Black action camera used to film a turtle swimming in the ocean

GoPro Hero 7 Black vs DJI Osmo Activeness: design

In terms of weight and size, the DJI and GoPro are pretty evenly matched, only the Osmo Action has the upper manus with its front-facing ane.four-inch colour screen in addition to a 2.25-inch rear touchscreen. If you're filming a vlog, or you're doing an activity with the photographic camera pointing towards y'all, this is a real winner.

Both cameras are waterproof without the need for a case, but the DJI merely inches it past offering 11 metres of waterproofing out of the box, compared to the GoPro's 10. This should simply be an issue if you lot're a regular deep diver, only GoPro does offer an underwater housing and then that y'all can accept your camera downward to 30 metres.

If nosotros're judging purely on looks, the Osmo Action is less stylish than the GoPro. The hard grayness plastic casing looks a tad inexpensive compared to the sleek, satin-y feel of the GoPro. The DJI might exist just as tough, merely to the states it feels less premium.

Design winner: GoPro Hero seven Black

DJI Osmo Action camera photographed next to some scuba diving gear

GoPro Hero 7 Black vs DJI Osmo Activity: usability

The GoPro Hero seven Black'due south user interface has been completely redesigned, making menus and modes even simpler to use than its Hero half dozen predecessor, and speeding upwards the fourth dimension it takes to tweak settings earlier starting to shoot.

Both cameras also take voice control, which is particularly handy when the camera is out of reach on summit of a crash helmet, or your thick snowboarding gloves mean you can't operate the touchscreen.

Navigating the Osmo Action's touchscreen card system is even easier than the GoPro; swiping up, down, left and right reveals four different menus, which cover off all the chief settings and modes. On the side of the camera is a QuickSwitch button for chop-chop toggling between regular video, HDR video, stills, TimeLapse and other customised modes.

Add together that front end-facing photographic camera into the mix and framing and capturing your shots just got a whole lot easier. As such, the Osmo Activeness is our favourite of the two for ease of use. But just by a whisker.

Usability winner: DJI Osmo Activity

The all-time GoPro deals

GoPro Hero 7 Black action camera with a back screen that shows a woman recording herself skateboarding

GoPro Hero 7 Black vs DJI Osmo Action: video and stills

In the past, each new GoPro model has delivered higher resolutions and frame rates. For the Hero7 Black, GoPro chose to elevation out at 4K60 like the Hero6 and instead focus its efforts on making footage look slicker thanks to a new tech called HyperSmooth. HyperSmooth also works cracking with GoPro'southward TimeWarp function, which enables you to capture super stable fourth dimension lapse videos – a great improver to any activeness edit.

Crucially, the image quality is first-class, with consistently vibrant colours and great dynamic range. The photographic camera'south higher bit-rate and advanced colour profile option are also welcome news for more avant-garde shooters who want to practise their ain post-production.

The DJI Osmo Action has its own version of HyperSmooth, which is called RockSteady. Information technology contributes to shots being vibrant, crystal clear and effortlessly smooth in a range of outdoors scenarios, from surfing to a bumpy off-road cycle. The Osmo tin can also shoot HDR video at 4K30, which produces stunning, dynamic and consistent results across low-cal and dark scenes, but sadly RockSteady won't engage with this setting.

In terms of video, the Osmo Activeness is on a par with the GoPro Hero 7 Black, while shooting stills with the DJI produces impressive results as well. However, it doesn't take the flexibility of the GoPro'due south SuperView broad field of view mode for capturing dramatic landscapes and SuperPhoto mode, which introduces HDR to brand shots looks neat in any low-cal.

Video and stills winner: GoPro Hero 7 Black

DJI Osmo Action camera with a front screen showing a man being filmed snowboarding

GoPro Hero 7 Black vs DJI Osmo Action: stabilisation

Electronic epitome stabilisation is becoming an increasingly mutual feature of peak-finish activeness cameras, but at that place's zilch out there quite similar GoPro'due south HyperSmooth or DJI's RockSteady. The built-in stabilisation enables you to ditch the gimbal and capture smooth, professional-looking footage all the fourth dimension.

GoPro's HyperSmooth is remarkable. Where footage shot with older GoPro models suffered from warping and baloney when the action got too rough, at that place are no such problems here.

DJI'south RockSteady digital stabilisation is very like and as well produces excellent results. Our footage looked almost consequent at 4K30, whereas HyperSmooth performed brilliantly correct up to 4K60, making information technology – just virtually – the best auto-smoothing on the marketplace.

Stabilisation winner: DJI Osmo Action and GoPro Hero vii Black (in other words, it's a describe here!)

Which is the all-time GoPro for you? We await at each camera in depth

GoPro Hero 7 Black is used to film surfer Shane Dorian at Kelly Slater's surf ranch

GoPro Hero 7 Blackness vs DJI Osmo Action: verdict

This is a seriously close telephone call. The GoPro'south HyperSmooth stabilisation is splendid and the camera is so easy to use. Then you have that cool TimeWarp feature, premium build quality, fantastic video and an ace range of modes.

That said, we too love the full colour front screen, brilliant RockSteady image stabilisation and superb video quality of the DJI, not to mention the slightly cheaper price (£329 vs. £379.99 official RRPs).

The differences between the GoPro and the DJI are pretty minimal, merely the GoPro's marginally better software, live streaming functionality and nicer stop means the GoPro Hero 7 Black is our overall winner for this head-to-head.

It's a doddle to capture pristine, precipitous footage with it, and it's then tough, you tin can trust that it will survive pretty much anything you can put information technology through outdoors.

Overall winner: GoPro Hero 7 Blackness

The Hero 7 Blackness has consistently proven itself in various key areas, and boasts live streaming, adept app support, and is perfect for capturing any type of outdoors video and stills imagery you could want.