Action cams are still all about GoPro, but DJI is becoming a stronger competitor. The company that makes drones has been making its own tough cameras for years. How does its latest model, the DJI Osmo Action 3, compare to the new GoPro Hero 11 Black? And what should you try to buy on Black Friday this year? The Hero 11 Black from GoPro is exciting. It changes things with its larger sensor that has an 8:7 aspect ratio that is almost square.
It also brings an update to GoPro’s camera software that makes it easier for beginners to use, and it still works with a lot of mods and accessories that owners of older GoPros can use if they buy the newest Hero. How does DJI plan to compete with the action camera leader? It starts its attack by being cheaper than both the GoPro Hero 10 Black from last year and the new Hero 11 Black. The DJI Osmo Action 3 has a more durable body that can handle depths of up to 16m.
It also has a lower price, but that doesn’t mean it has worse features all around. This year, GoPro has released more than just the Hero 11 Black. The company also announced the cheaper Hero 11 Black Mini, which has simpler controls and no screen for those who want the same specs but want to save a bit of money. But the 11 Black is still the standard model, and it looks the same as the Hero 10 Black, which it replaced.
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 3 Price and Packages
Comparing the prices of a GoPro Hero 11 Black and a DJI Osmo Action 3 is not easy, because what you pay depends on a number of things, like which package you choose, what kind of subscription you have, and where in the world you are. The GoPro Hero 11 Black costs $399.98 / £399.98 / AU$649.95 if it comes with a GoPro Subscription. If it doesn’t come with a GoPro Subscription, it costs $499.99 / £499.99 / AU$799.95. The DJI Osmo Action 3, on the other hand, is a lot cheaper. Its cheapest package costs $329/£309/AU$519, and DJI has also released the Adventure Combo for $439/£399/AU$719.
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 3 Comparison Table
| Feature | GoPro Hero 11 Black | DJI Osmo Action 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Max Video Resolution | 5.3K at 60fps | 4K at 60fps |
| Image Stabilization | HyperSmooth 4.0 | RockSteady 2.0 |
| Waterproof | Up to 10 meters (33 feet) | Up to 11 meters (36 feet) |
| Display | 2.4-inch touchscreen | 2.25-inch touchscreen |
| Battery Life | Up to 120 minutes (4K/60fps) | Up to 135 minutes (4K/60fps) |
| Slow Motion | Up to 240fps | Up to 240fps |
| Live Streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Control | Yes | Yes |
| External Mic Support | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Check official website for pricing details | Check official website for pricing details |
| Official Link | Visit Website | Visit Website |
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 3 Design
Both the Hero 11 and the Action 3 have the shape of a typical action camera. DJI gave up its modular approach in favor of a more traditional design. This means that both cameras can be mounted on pretty much any action camera mount you can find, and they are both pretty easy to use. Both have lens covers that can be changed, and both have coatings that help keep water droplets away. Both are waterproof without needing extra housings, but the Hero 11 can only go to a depth of 10 meters while the DJI can go to 16 meters.
The Osmo Action 3 is a little bit lighter and a little bit smaller than the GoPro. To use it with accessories, you need one of its magnetic clamping mounts or a frame, which makes the weight difference almost irrelevant. The weight of the foldable mounting tabs is already taken into account in the Hero 11. The Osmo Action 3 has a magnetic mounting system that makes it easy to switch between mounting locations. On the GoPro, you have to undo the thumb screw every time you want to switch mounts.
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 3 Video and photo quality
The Hero 11 is different from the Hero 10 from the year before because it has a new sensor. It is a 1/1.9″ 8:9 sensor that is almost square. Why does this matter? Because it’s easy to crop the same video to either landscape or portrait. And that means you can use the same footage for your TikToks and other portrait-oriented social media sites, or you can crop it into landscape for more traditional video formats. On the other hand, the Osmo has a more traditional 4:3 sensor that is 1/1.7″ in size.
GoPro’s camera has a higher resolution than the Osmo’s: 27MP vs. 12MP. This means that images and video files are sharper and larger, but it also means that the GoPro can record 5.3K video in both 16:9 and 8:7 aspect ratios. The Osmo can only do “only” 4K, which is still a beautiful resolution. The GoPro can take 10-bit color photos, just like the new iPhone 14 Pro. This means that the colors will blend more smoothly and there will be less “banding” in the sky.
In my tests, we found that the colors on the GoPro were a little flat, but they were more true. The Osmo was brighter and had more contrast, but it lost detail and blew out the highlights. In the video linked here, you can see this. On the left is the GoPro, and on the right is the Osmo.
Even the Osmo’s ability to record in HDR didn’t make much of a difference. The Osmo footage always had more punch and contrast, as if the Vibrant filter had been added to all of it. When we held the Osmo 3 at arm’s length, it wasn’t quite able to focus on my face. This was a big red flag. The background is clear, but my face isn’t as clear. The Hero 11, on the other hand, showed how old we was in high resolution.
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 3 Performance and features
The camera comes with a new 8:7 sensor that can record 5.3K video at 60fps or 4K video at 120fps. It can record up to 8x slow motion at 2.7K and capture more than 1 billion colors with 10-bit color support. The GoPro can also take photos with a resolution of 24.7 megapixels. Since the sensor has a wider aspect ratio, videos can be sent as 16:9 and cropped for content creation. HyperSmooth 5.0 is one of the best things about the GoPro.
The tech for stabilizing videos now has an AutoBoost mode and a Horizon Lock feature built in. There are also things like Hindsight, which records the 30 seconds before you press record, and different night modes that let you get creative with light. Basil Kronfli wrote in our review of the Hero 11 Pro, “The GoPro Hero 11 Black has great video quality, great features, the best stabilization in its class, and a new 8:7 sensor, making it an excellent creator tool.”
Like the GoPro, the DJI has a super-wide field of view, reaching up to 155 degrees for immersive footage. The camera can record 4K at up to 120fps and up to 8X slo-mo at 1080p. The resolution is slightly lower than the GoPro, but the 120fps speed is the same. Stills are limited to 12 megapixels, which is half the size of stills taken with the GoPro, and 10-bit support is not available yet.
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs DJI Osmo Action 3 Battery life
It’s hard to compare the battery life of different action cameras. The obvious place to start is with each challenger’s battery capacity, which is the number of milliamp-hours in a single battery. With this method, DJI would win because its 1770mAh battery is just a little bit bigger than the 1720mAh battery in the GoPro Hero 11 Black.
Also, if you buy the DJI Osmo Action 3 in the Adventurer Combo, it comes with three batteries and a portable USB-C charger, so you can easily swap out one battery for another when it runs out. All of these things point to a win for DJI.
When it comes to action cameras, however, things aren’t quite so clear cut when it comes to battery life. The GoPro Hero 11 Black comes with an Enduro battery, and it can charge in temperatures as low as -10oC. Since it makes heat when recording, the temperature around it can be much lower before the battery dies. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
The Enduro battery is strong, but DJI’s battery is better because it breaks down the performance of the battery into how it charges and how it records. The Osmo Action 3 battery can run the camera at temperatures as low as -20oC and charge at temperatures as low as 5oC.
Gopro hero 11 black: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent video quality and image stabilization.
- Intuitive user interface and easy-to-use controls.
- Good battery life for extended recording sessions.
Cons
- Expensive compared to other action cameras in the market.
- Lack of built-in front-facing screen for vlogging or self-recording.
- Relatively larger and heavier compared to some other action cameras.
Dji osmo action 3: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good battery life for extended recording sessions.
- User-friendly interface and intuitive controls.
- Competitive pricing compared to other action cameras.
Cons
- Limited range of compatible accessories and mounts compared to GoPro.
- No support for livestreaming directly from the camera.
- Limited built-in storage capacity, requiring frequent transfers or additional memory cards.
Which one should you consider?
The DJI Osmo Action 3 and the GoPro Hero 11 Black are two of the best action cameras on the market, and you probably wouldn’t be unhappy with either one. Most of the time, we think that the Hero 11 is the better camera, but it’s also a lot more expensive. The DJI Osmo Action 3 offers a lot of the same features for a much lower price and has a lot of benefits of its own.
If you’re going to be shooting a lot indoors and in low light, you’ll be better off with the Action 3. You should get the Hero 11 Black if you shoot in good lighting and want to change the colors and tweak your footage.
FAQs
The DJI option gives you an extra 50 mAh, but the battery life of the two cameras isn’t that different. But when it comes to weather resistance, DJI is better than GoPro because it can work in temperatures as low as -20°C, while GoPro can only work in temperatures as low as -10°C.
Because of this, the DJI Action 2 gives you a more cropped view of the action than the GoPro 10. When it comes to things like slow motion, both cameras do well, but the GoPro 10 is better because it can record at 2x speed in its full 5.3K resolution, while the other camera can only do it at 1x speed.
