DJI Osmo Action 4 Review: A Compact Action Camera That Gets the Basics Right

Introduction

Action cameras have come a long way over the past decade, and the DJI Osmo Action 4 arrives at a point where footage quality, stabilisation and mounting convenience have converged into something genuinely easy to live with. After extended use, it stands as a real challenger to the GoPro Hero 12, a model that has long been treated as the benchmark in this category. The Osmo Action 4 does not win on headline specifications. It wins on how consistently it delivers usable footage and how little friction stands between you and a finished clip.

Who this product is for

The Osmo Action 4 suits riders and creators who want a small, rugged camera they can mount almost anywhere and start recording without a setup ritual. It is a natural fit for capturing point-of-view footage on a bike, for talking to camera while out on a ride, and for filming landscapes or the people you are riding with.

It also makes sense for anyone who has been put off action cameras by fiddly mounts and complicated menus. The magnetic clip system and the straightforward interface lower that barrier considerably, and the compact body means it disappears on a chest harness or handlebar mount until something worth filming happens.

Because the body is fully waterproof and built to take knocks, it works as a camera you can leave mounted and largely forget about. It has survived drops and crashes without issue, and the optional protective cage adds another layer for clumsy days.

Main strengths

Video Quality and Colour

The headline change on the Osmo Action 4 is a larger sensor, which now records up to 4K at 120 frames per second. That sits below the GoPro Hero 12’s 5.7K and the Insta360 Ace Pro’s 8K, but 4K remains more than enough for most publishing workflows, and the sensor is larger than the GoPro’s, which helps the camera in practice.

Footage straight from the camera is clean and detailed, with lush natural colours and good saturation, while highlight detail holds up even in challenging light. A colour temperature sensor helps the camera adapt as conditions change through a ride.

For anyone who wants manual control, the camera offers a 10-bit D-Log mode that its main rivals do not provide. It opens up the dynamic range of the footage considerably and gives colour grading far more to work with.

Low light performance is good, though it sits a step behind the Insta360 Ace Pro, which sets the benchmark in that area with a dedicated low light mode. For daylight and overcast riding, which is where most footage gets shot, results are excellent.

Stabilisation and Everyday Handling

Stabilisation is one of the main reasons action cameras have become so enjoyable to use, and the Osmo Action 4 delivers smooth footage even on rough trails. The default RockSteady setting handled everything off-road riding threw at it. A RockSteady+ option increases stabilisation further but crops the image, and Horizon Lock corrects tilt through bumps and rotations, though leaving it off preserves a more natural sense of flow through corners.

The interface is intuitive, with a responsive touchscreen and controls that make settings and playback easy to navigate. A quick switch button toggles rapidly between time lapse, photo and video, and voice control is available for hands-free operation.

Three field-of-view options cover most needs: a standard view, an ultra wide view that frames the handlebars and everything ahead on the bike, and a narrower option that keeps you and the background free of distortion when vlogging.

The magnetic clip mount is one of the standout features. It fixes securely to the base of the camera and allows quick swaps between mounts on the bike or on your body, and two magnetic mounts are included in the Adventure Combo. Moving the camera between a chest rig and a bar mount takes seconds rather than the threading and unthreading of small screws. The Insta360 Ace Pro uses a similar approach.

On the left side there is a small door for the USB-C port used for charging and file transfer, with the battery and memory card housed on the other side. A rear screen handles framing and playback, while a generous front-facing screen shows card space, battery runtime and shooting mode. There is no flip-out screen, which keeps the body small, noticeably smaller than the GoPro Hero 12 and the Insta360 Ace Pro.

Things to consider before buying

Photo Mode Limitations

The Osmo Action 4 can shoot stills, but photo mode is underwhelming. Ten megapixel images are modest by current standards, and even a mid-range smartphone will often produce a better photograph. This is a video camera at heart, and it is best judged that way.

Battery Life in Real Use

Battery life is reasonable rather than remarkable. The claimed figure is 160 minutes, but 4K at 60 frames per second returned closer to 90 minutes in practice, broadly in line with the GoPro Hero 12. The battery is small, which explains the runtime.

Shooting in short clips throughout a ride rather than recording continuously stretches a single battery across a full day out, and the spare batteries included with the Adventure Combo remove the concern entirely for longer sessions.

Wind Noise and Audio

The one significant weakness shared by action cameras is wind noise. Built-in microphones struggle at any real speed, and the Osmo Action 4 is no exception. Its answer is Bluetooth microphone support, which lets you pair a wireless microphone and capture clean audio while riding. The bundled microphone uses a clip and a magnet, and it simplifies the whole filming workflow for anyone who talks to camera.

Buying advice

The camera is available on its own or in bundles. The Adventure Combo, at £380, is the version worth considering: it includes three batteries in total, a selfie stick, an additional cage that allows vertical mounting for social formats, ND filters for bright sunlight, and extra mounts. The extra batteries and ND filters alone justify the bundle for most buyers.

Adding a chest mount is a sensible extra. A rotational clip makes it easy to remove the camera for different angles, and a reverse chest mount allows filming what is behind you. With two magnetic mounts included, switching between a chest rig and a bar mount takes seconds.

The main decision is whether you need the higher headline specifications of the GoPro Hero 12 or the low light strengths and 8K option of the Insta360 Ace Pro. If 4K is enough and you value simplicity, accessories and clean audio, the Osmo Action 4 is the easier camera to live with day to day.

Conclusion

The Osmo Action 4 does not carry as many modes or features as its rivals, and its headline video specifications are lower. What it offers instead is footage that looks good across a wide range of conditions and a camera simple enough to pick up and use immediately. The Bluetooth microphone support, the magnetic mount, the accessories in the Adventure Combo, the rugged waterproof body and the decent battery life all reduce the effort required to start filming. For riders and creators who want a camera that just works, that consistency is the winning argument.