DJI throws down the gauntlet in the 360° camera arena, unveiling the Osmo 360 – a direct challenge to Insta360’s dominance. Forget incremental upgrades; DJI unleashes its engineering prowess, packing this pocket powerhouse with innovations. Prepare for breathtaking 8K footage at 50fps, captured in stunning 10-bit Log color depth, all within a design that’s both smaller and lighter than you’d expect. Is this the 360° camera that rewrites the rules?
Beyond matching the competition in battery life, the Osmo 360 pulls ahead with stunning low-light performance, transforming twilight landscapes into vibrant memories. After putting it through its paces – think exhilarating e-bike adventures and capturing impromptu street performances – the results blew me away. But, like its 360 brethren, the Osmo 360 demands a trade-off: all-encompassing perspectives come at the cost of ultimate video fidelity. And, while the camera excels, DJI’s companion app still feels like a work in progress.
DJI/Engadget
DJI Osmo 360
DJI’s Osmo 360 throws down the gauntlet to Insta360’s X5, boasting a groundbreaking sensor and breathtaking 8K video at 50fps. The only snag? The editing app needs a serious level-up to fully unleash its potential.
Pros
- Sharp 8K 10-bit log video
- Seamless 360 stitching
- Works with DJI’s mics and accessories
- Good design and handling
Cons
- DJI Studio app needs work
- Stabilization breaks down in low light
$530 at DJI
Design and features
Insta360: Action cams that redefine perspective. Ditch the tunnel vision of traditional cameras. Insta360’s groundbreaking 360° capture lets you cherry-pick the perfect shotafteryou film. Imagine: never missing a moment because you weren’t pointing the right way. The catch? Wrangling that all-encompassing view into a standard frame means some resolution gets lost in translation. Think of it as trading raw power for unparalleled flexibility.
DJI leaps into the 360 arena with the Osmo 360, finally answering the call of immersive capture. Mirroring its competitors, the Osmo 360 boasts dual lenses and sensors, fronted by a rear display and intuitive record/camera view button layout – a familiar setup for Insta360 converts. A solitary power button flanks the side, while the true magic unfolds via touchscreen controls or the feature-rich DJI Mimo app on your smartphone.
Imagine capturing breathtaking panoramas with unparalleled clarity. That’s the power of DJI’s innovative 1-inch square sensor. By maximizing surface area utilization by 25% compared to rectangular sensors, this game-changing design unlocks stunning image quality, superior low-light performance, and remarkable power efficiency. It’s not just a sensor, it’s a panoramic revolution.
The Osmo 360 might pack a slightly thicker waistline than the Insta360 X5, but it’s a more compact powerhouse. Shaving off significant height – a full 41.5mm shorter than the X5 – the Osmo 360 nestles more comfortably in your palm and tips the scales at a featherweight 183 grams (about 9% lighter). Translation: ditch the brick, embrace the streamlined. Mounting this camera becomes less of a wrestling match and more of a seamless integration, whether you’re strapping it to your chest for a POV adventure or clamping it to your handlebars for a thrilling ride. While not quite pocket-sized, the Osmo 360 prioritizes portability without sacrificing performance.
Ditch the memory card scramble! The Osmo 360 boasts a massive 105GB of built-in storage, leaving competitors in the dust. Need more? There’s a microSD slot for that. Battery woes? Solved. It shares the same power source as the Osmo Action 4 Pro and 5 Pro. Expect up to 2 hours of stunning 8K 30fps footage in endurance mode, or roughly 1 hour 40 minutes in standard mode, rivaling even the X5. Craving even longer runtimes? Snap on the optional battery extension rod and push recording time to a whopping 3 hours!
Video and audio
DJI
Osmo 360 isn’t just raising the bar; it’s obliterating it. Its groundbreaking sensor unlocks breathtaking 8K 50fps 360° video – a quantum leap over the Insta360 X5’s 8K 30fps and the One RS’s 6K 30fps. Prepare for unparalleled clarity and detail, even when extracting stunning 4K 50fps flat videos.
But the innovation doesn’t stop there. Dive into a world of vibrant colors and lifelike dynamic range with 10-bit D-LogM recording, eclipsing the X5’s 8-bit I-Log. Want traditional, flat video? Unleash the power of “Boost Video” mode: Capture buttery-smooth 4K at 120fps with an ultra-wide 170° field of view. Osmo 360 is not just a camera; it’s a portal to a new dimension of visual storytelling.
Imagine capturing breathtakingly crisp images, even when the sun dips below the horizon. The Osmo 3 boasts twice the light-gathering prowess of its predecessor, thanks to its larger 2.4 micrometer pixel size. This unlocks stunning detail in every shot, especially in dimly lit environments. Craving expansive vistas? Prepare to be amazed by panoramic photos soaring up to a staggering 120MP – a far cry from the X5’s mere 72MP. And for those ultra-low-light scenarios, its intelligent pixel-binning technology melds four pixels into one, creating vibrant 30MP images with minimal noise.
Forget everything you thought you knew about action camera footage. This isn’t your average review. I pushed this camera to its limits, from blazing sunshine to the dead of night, and the results? Stunning. In perfect light, it’s a dead heat with the Insta360 X5, trading blows in sharpness and color. But here’s where it utterly dominates: contrast. Think harsh sunlight, deep shadows – the kind of conditions that usually turn footage into a muddy mess. The D-LogM profile is a game-changer, unlocking a dynamic range I simply didn’t think possible. Skies shimmer with detail, roads gleam realistically, and shadows actuallyhavedetail, unlike the flat, washed-out look I’m used to seeing from the X5’s 8-bit I-log video. This isn’t just good; it’s a revelation.
DJI’s RockSteady stabilization transforms jarring cobblestone chaos into buttery-smooth footage. Like magic, bumps vanish. Retain the horizon locked with HorizonSteady for cinematic perfection, albeit at a slight resolution trade-off. Stitching? Flawless. Dive into any perspective, distortion-free, provided you keep your distance from nearby objects.
Of course, the Osmo 360 isn’t without its quirks. Once flattened to a standard 4K video, it reveals a softer image compared to the razor-sharp clarity of DJI’s Action 5 Pro. Nighttime shooting, while impressive in low light, unveils a struggle with digital stabilization. Expect to see pixelation and frustrating video tearing when movement blurs the scene. But let’s be real – this is a common dark-side issue for all action cams battling the night, a limitation of relying on digital trickery when optical stabilization is absent.
The Osmo 360, like its DJI Action siblings, plays well with the brand’s Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones. Fancy dual-mic recording? The OsmoAudio system has you covered. Prefer your own audio gear? No problem. I paired it effortlessly with my Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 – though be warned, it’s a one-earbud-set-at-a-time kind of party.
DJI’s microphones deliver pristine audio with unparalleled ease. Their ability to record directly to the camera as a backup provides peace of mind. Insta360’s $50 Mic Air steps into the ring, offering direct connectivity to the Insta360 X5 and Ace Pro 2. A single mic solution though, unlike the Osmo 360’s dual-mic capability.
DJI Studio editing
Panoramic cameras aren’t just about lenses; software is the secret sauce. It’s the creator’s digital darkroom, where you sculpt perspectives, orchestrate dizzying 360 spins, and polish your vision. But its most vital role? Embedding the magic: metadata. This invisible code whispers to platforms like Facebook and YouTube, ensuring your panorama unfurls flawlessly, immersing viewers in every breathtaking degree.
Insta360’s rise owes much to its stellar Studio app, a creative playground for users. DJI answers with its own “Studio” – yet this initial foray into 360 editing feels like bringing a butter knife to a lightsaber fight.
DJI Studio? Basic editing, yes, but prepare for a trek. I wrestled with its clumsy controls just to trim a simple shot. Picture this: finally figuring it out, only to be greeted by a buggy mess. The source display’s got a mind of its own, flashing shots I didn’t even choose. And the camera angles? They’re on a chaotic joyride. Forget about Insta360 Studio’s slick features like text overlays and smooth transitions – DJI Studio leaves you wanting.
DJI Studio nails the basics. Keyframe-driven view transitions are a breeze, smoothing animations for professional polish. Export in flat or panoramic formats and jump straight into Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve for that final color grade, visual punch, and killer titles. Promising for a debut, DJI Studio needs some extra muscle to truly rival the big players.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
DJI’s Osmo 360: Finally here, and it doesn’t disappoint. Forget waiting – this panoramic action cam blasts past the Insta360 X5 with superior video, especially when the lighting gets tricky. Say goodbye to grainy low-light shots and blown-out highlights. Plus, it’s a breeze to use, keeps rolling longer, and boasts enough onboard storage to leave the competition green with envy.
While the Osmo 360 doesn’t quite match the crystal-clear image quality of traditional action cams, and its stabilization falters slightly when the lights dim, these are minor stumbles for a first-generation device. The real catch? DJI’s brand-new Studio app could use a polish. But, despite these rookie drawbacks, the Osmo 360 arrives as a surprisingly strong contender, nipping at the heels of Insta360’s X5.
DJI’s Osmo 360 has landed, captivating adventurers worldwide – except for those in the US. For €480 (roughly $554), the Standard Combo equips you with a battery, pouch, and lens protector. Crave more? The Adventure Combo, at €630 ($728), triples your battery life, adds a charger, a quick-release mount, and an “Invisible Selfie Stick” for those epic shots.
US fans, brace yourselves: DJI confirms no immediate official release. A spokesperson told Engadget that a timeline remains elusive, but promises updates. The burning question: when will the Osmo 360 finally arrive stateside?
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