DJI Action 5 First Impressions: Goodbye, Ace Pro 2?

[@TimBrownTown]

Which action camera feature matters most to you? 🔥 Is it low-light performance, battery life, stabilization, or something else? Let me know below - I’m curious to see what you all think!

[@EspenJohan]

Low light is important to me. I like to run in the late afternoon. I don't expect crazy good image quality. Good battery life is also important

[@TimBrownTown]

@@EspenJohan That's part of what makes it so difficult to choose between these. The battery life on the Action 5 is far better, but can you just carry an extra battery? That's hard to do if you're doing something like motovlogging (not me). Lowlight on the other hand--I'd have to give it to the Ace Pro2. Pure Video is not a gimmick--it works! Additionally, for me, build quality for filming in the water is also a factor and I'd give that to the Ace Pro 2 as well. I actually filmed my comparison already and I briefly looked at the footage and I'll really have to look harder. The Action 5 looks better in good lighting, overall, but is it enough for me to look past the build quality (particularly the USB-C door)?

[@nashuplays5319]

​@@EspenJohan just wait for dji action 6 pro

[@baballe]

Vivement Noël 2025 !!!😂🎉

[@dwrose77062]

The infamous action 5 “trumpet flares”appeared somewhere around 21:32.

[@TimBrownTown]

Yeah I'm not a fan but it's not the worst thing in the world.

[@chasinglifeat50]

I have never seen anyone grab a goose before and carry it out the lake. What a rare moment to catch on camera!

[@TimBrownTown]

@@chasinglifeat50 especially when you're filming a camera comparison and the differences in zoom are a hot topic! So ironic in so many different ways!

[@ChuckNute-i4b]

I just found your channel and you caught me off guard when you went to Hope Mills Lake because I was stationed at Ft. Bragg from '79-'83 and it got me to thinking about old times. That being said, I have bought the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, and so far, I'm extremely happy with it, but I have yet to use it in a situation where I thought I've needed night mode. The DJI seemed to have a pretty difficult time when you were between street lights in front of your home, but I don't know how much I would ever try to use a lot of cameras in that situation. I have used mine inside a tent with only the lighting from a headlamp in a couple of very short clips. You've made me want to go back and take a closer look at them. Thanks for the video!

[@TimBrownTown]

@@ChuckNute-i4b glad I could bring back some memories! The area has definitely grown a lot in the past decade or so! That said, the action 5 is a great cam. I would not second guess yourself if you're satisfied. I would only pause if you were planning on taking it in the water as your primary use like me because of the usb-c door.

[@lemdemar6054]

Waiting for the AP2 and OA5 comparison! Great job on the video!

[@TimBrownTown]

@@lemdemar6054 Thanks! I worked on it all weekend but just didn't quite get it done. It is very detailed and I have a ton of footage. The edit was a beast! It's looking like it's going to be over 45 minutes but there will be chapters....

[@EvanLindy]

These are the type of videos potential buyers need and are looking for! GREAT work Tim, love this!!

[@EvanLindy]

PS your great at talking to camera, keep it up!

[@TimBrownTown]

@@EvanLindy Thanks Evan! Appreciate the comment, especially coming from you!

[@906Roofer]

One thing that gets overlooked is the sound... I just recorded me playing drums in stereo mode and my drums sound full and huge with no distortion... unbelievable!! I could use this at concerts as well, especially with the low light capabilities!!

[@TimBrownTown]

Sound is huge! I think they both sound pretty good, one or the other may be better for different situations. I'm editing my comparison video with the ace pro 2 and I go back and forth through the entire video between the two mics. I'll also be thoroughly comparing the lowlight capabilities as well. Stay tuned!

[@TravelingAhn]

Loved it Tim! Great work on showing us different examples of the Action 5 and pushing it to the limits! I think the goose thing was probably illegal to do 😂 Anyways, looking forward to your comparison!

[@TimBrownTown]

Thanks Adam! I am currently working on the side-by-side comparison and there's a LOT to talk about so I'm excited to get through the edit on that one this weekend. The side by side edit along with the text and images throughout to indicate which cam is which and what speaker is being used is choking my pc a bit so I'm hoping I'm able to work through that in time. I agree about the goose. LOL. I think it's technically illegal to feed them, let alone wrestle them!

[@TravelingAhn]

@@TimBrownTown Nice, I'm excited to see the comparison! Yeah, don't think the local officials would be happy to hear about that family 😂

[@rjfotovideo]

Congrats on getting a great camera. I do like Insta360 cameras and have had 2 of them before, but my favorite is DJI cameras and Action 5 is just amazing.

[@TimBrownTown]

@@rjfotovideo Thanks. I just started editing my comparison video between the two and I've got a lot to say! There is so much that people are not talking about. Stay tuned for that one. I agree with almost every one of the comments both for and against these cameras! But seeing the footage side by side from a fully non-sponsored Creator I think is going to be revealing!

[@josephbrooks932]

Hey Tim, great work! I just went with the OA5 myself, and I hope you decide on your favorite camera soon. I think DJI really shines in quality and durability, plus there's room to scale up with the Mic 2, Pocket 3, and even their drones. The image quality is stunning, and I'm planning to stick with Osmo until some major upgrade in action cameras, which probably won't be for another 2-3 years. The firmware updates come pretty often (just got one today), so some of your questions might get sorted as you get more familiar with the interface. Quick tip: there's a wind reduction setting, just swipe right to the video settings and you'll see a mic icon. I haven't had any issues with settings re-setting when switching modes, so it might just be a bug in your camera. Hopefully, the software update helps!

[@TimBrownTown]

I'm still undecided. The OA5 is more consistent, but the DJI has moments where it really shines. I'm thinking we may have a 1" sensor next year for action cams. I'm not sure how much more they can get out of these smaller sensors. I did eventually find the wind reduction, which was on standard/normal in the scene where there was still a lot of wind noise. That's another area where the AP2 shines--audio. The OA5 sounds good, but I like the wind guard and the option of noise reduction it is a really good implementation where it doesn't sound too processed on the AP2. I don't know if consistency of video quality will win me over. I hope I'll be able to make a decision once I start putting together the footage I just shot with the OA5 and AP2 side by side. I'm probably more excited than my viewers. LOL.

[@haydngreenow8407]

I have to say I do find the green trumpet like flare to be a nuisance.

[@TimBrownTown]

@@haydngreenow8407 I agree it is a nuisance but I wouldn't consider it a deal-breaker. It is something though that is impossible to fix through firmware. I'm editing my comparison video now and I'm seeing some things on both cameras, some of these issues might be able to be addressed with a firmware update, but for this one it's going to have to be a physical change in the lens hardware.

[@haydngreenow8407]

@TimBrownTown will look forward to the comparison video. I use 360Acepro and the 360gos which I am very pleased with, but wondered about the DJI Action 5. I have had the Action 2 since it came out but not very impressed with the quality

[@TimBrownTown]

@@haydngreenow8407 Every person's use case is a little different, but I'm going to try and show the footage differences and discuss some of the more common use cases and make some general recommendations with the opportunity to discuss down in the comments if I miss anything! I will probably need at least Friday evening and Saturday to finish the edit though since I'm not even close to being a full time KZbinr. But I prefer it that way for now!

[@_goseeit]

I am stuck between both of these cameras. Mainly using for motovlogging and travels. I cannot decide for the life of me. I don't film often at night so low light isn't a massive deal breaker. Any opinion? I love your HONEST videos.

[@TimBrownTown]

@@_goseeit it's a very tough choice which is why I myself had to purchase both cameras and do my own testing. After doing a lot of testing and comparison, it's still a tough choice. I was hoping to have my comparison video done this weekend but it took much longer to edit than I anticipated. I also tried to rush shooting the conclusion last night and ended up missing some important points so I literally just got done shooting it and I hope to have it all edited soon. Honestly it might take me this next weekend, but I think it will be worth it for you to wait on that particular video. I put so much work and I've been obsessing over this for the past couple of weeks. I think that waiting for that video to drop would be better for you than me just answering here.

[@_goseeit]

@ I look forward to it man! Thank you for taking the time to do this!

[@TwoTimesRmedia]

Great video sir. The auto exposure definitely struggles from time to time . I will say it is very sharp . Almost like it could use a mist filter on it. Also, the stabilization is really good . Well done. Would love to see side by side with the other action cameras you have .

[@TimBrownTown]

Thanks Ricky! I've already shot that video and am working on the edit! It's going to take me a while but I haven't even seen enough of the footage to determine for myself. I think I'm just as excited as my viewers. Maybe more. LOL. I agree with you on the sharpness but I'd live with it with an action cam. I only use them when I'm in and around the water so...

[@markcarloestabillo5461]

Only keeping me from buying this is the low light performance and the issue with the USB door getting loose.

[@TimBrownTown]

@@markcarloestabillo5461 yep! Those are hard to look past. I'm editing my comparison video right now and those are really making my decision very difficult on which one to recommend.

[@rabihmaamary68]

watch out the knife man, hehehe amazing video loved the unboxing with the music i agree that the sony menu is BAAAAAAAAD in low light the dji seems jerky compared to the ace pro 2 what do you think? the most important is to find which camera is best for your use as you said in the beginning...both are good cameras

[@TimBrownTown]

LOL. Thanks for the comment! The SONY menu is just cluttered! I agree with you about the Lowlight on the DJI. It's still not usable in my opinion in low light. Yes, you can increase the shutter speed to 4X the frame rate IF your lighting situation allows for it to expose without increasing ISO so much you get noise. But that is not something I want to do with an action cam. The Ace Pro 2's Pure Video is actually usable. The problem there is I have a hard time telling when to use it because I can't see the noise in the screen. Maybe if I set the max ISO in regular video on it to 1600 I will see the video too dim and then I can engage Pure Video. I'm definitely looking forward to examining the footage I just shot for my comparison video between the two in the same parking lot for lowlight.

[@rabihmaamary68]

@@TimBrownTown looking forward to that, btw try the NIGHT MODE in normal video mode on ace pro2, not in pitch black scenes, but you know what i mean.... i LIKED IT ALOT

[@TimBrownTown]

@@rabihmaamary68 Yes, the head to head is in the same parking lot with the street lights. I went from normal to the night modes on each. The only thing I question the AP2 is consistency. Sometimes it seems it overexposes for faces. I may try turning face exposure off as well and/or turning exposure comp down to -0.7 or even -1.

[@rabihmaamary68]

@@TimBrownTown wow

[@kellmarktv]

Good review dji has came a far way. about 4 years ago i bought the asmo 2 for my Disney trip and honestly it didn't satisfy my quality satisfaction. However I still have it with my gopro hero 8 🤷🏾

[@TimBrownTown]

Most definitely. I hadn't even heard of them until about 2 years ago!

[@TwoTimesRmedia]

Oh yeah that thing with the goose was crazy . What in the world were they doing with that ?

[@TimBrownTown]

No idea. I guess they must live on a farm where the kids play with the animals? Not sure, but I think most parents would have stopped their kid from wrestling with the Goose! I honestly hope he didn't hurt the thing. I think their bones are hollow so they can fly, right?

[@TheSaint226]

Your videos are great. I have watched tons of videos on both cameras and both seem to be great. The OA5 has so many pros, but I just don't like the HDR - it's too aggressive. I am leaning towards the AP2 but the focus distance concerns me. And what is up with that kid and the goose... wow!

[@TimBrownTown]

@@TheSaint226 Thanks so much! Definitely glad you enjoy them! I personally don't mind the HDR, and I think you can use D-Log M to disable it. I don't think the focus distance is an issue on the AP2, but faces tend to look softer than the Action5. I haven't figured it out why, yet. I actually finished filming for the comparison video but I haven't had a chance to look at the video myself closely enough to make a full decision. I'm hoping I'll have that video out later in the week but at the latest this weekend. I'm sort of a perfectionist, even down to the audio levels of the music in my videos so it just takes me longer to get content out than some other creators. Plus, I have a full time job and I'm a single parent every other weekend...

[@TimBrownTown]

@@TheSaint226 oh, yeah the kid with the goose? That was crazy, but almost like the universe was telling me zoom was important. I was hoping he didn't hurt the thing. I think their bones are hollow, but I don't know much about them. He was fearless though. I'll give him that.

[@TheSaint226]

@@TimBrownTownlooking forward to the comparison video…

[@CarlosRomero-db4mx]

WHICH FIRMWARE DO I USE? GREETINGS

[@TimBrownTown]

In this video, I was using the 01.01.05.20 which was the one prior to the current one released on 11/7. I updated the firmware to the latest for my next video and did the same scene over with both the Action 5 and the Ace Pro 2 so stay tuned for that one!

[@CarlosRomero-db4mx]

@@TimBrownTown IN THE LAST UPDATE. THEY LOWER THE QUALITY OF THE VIDEO AGAIN IN NORMAL MODE. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I REALIZED WHEN I RECORDED.IF YOU REALIZE. PLEASE NOTIFY ME

[@TimBrownTown]

@@CarlosRomero-db4mx Hmmm...I will be on the lookout. So far, all I have filmed is in normal, 8-bit, high bitrate. I would only use 10-bit in D-Log M. I've used D-Log M on the Pocket 3 with mixed results. It does not seem to expose well for faces.

[@lemuelesteban_]

did that kid just casually grabbed the bird or what? 😭

[@TimBrownTown]

As far as I know, yes! Kids do random things from time to time, but it seems the parents didn't really do anything about it. Not judging, but if my son had done that when he was at a young age, I would have definitely been very loud telling him to put the bird down. On another note, it was kindof impressive that the kid was fearless enough to do it and actually caught the thing. 🤷‍♂

[@sergiusvysokochtimiy]

In low light conditions it doesn't look so good. DJI Pocket 3 has no competitors. Try using a simple gimbal with "... action 5" in this case.

[@TimBrownTown]

I agree with you on the Pocket 3 as well as the use of a gimbal. The problem with those are that they are not weatherproof, let alone waterproof, so I'm testing for use without a gimbal, for example if someone wants to film, for example, at dusk in the ocean or near water, or on a night swim in a hotel pool while on vacation.

[@NoliPugay]

Does it have pause and continue recording from previous video? No.... then no thank you DJI.

[@TimBrownTown]

@@NoliPugay No. Only the Ace Pro can do that. 😎

[@michal_nova]

Ace 2 not better?

[@TimBrownTown]

@@michal_nova in some ways, yes. I just filmed some footage for my next video but haven't examined the results of the head to head, so I haven't even decided which one I think is best for my needs. I think the DJI has better image quality in good lighting, but just how much I'm not entirely sure. Lowlight is Ace Pro 2. Ace Pro 2 has more innovation, but no clear winner for everyone. Stay tuned for my next video. It should shed some more light on the situation. I hope at least.

[@Sirinealameddine]

All my videos on KZbin shot by iPhone

[@PierPeterVinylSound]

Oh, you are an important person.

[@dean_to2878]

The lens design is terrible on the DJI. The lens flare in particular is horrible. They need to fix that in the next model. Straight out of the box I think the AP2 is really good, but for advanced users I think the GoPro is still king. IMHO.

[@TimBrownTown]

@@dean_to2878 Are you talking about the horn flares with the DJI? I would agree, but that doesn't bother me that much. Casual shooting is so much different than pro shooting. Sponsored and non-sponsored KZbinrs are trashing their footage if it's bad due to weird or harsh lighting scenarios. You can't trust their footage. The Ace Pro does some odd things sometimes. The Action 5's focal point seems to actually blur the background slightly but faces are in focus. I'm starting to get curious about the GoPro myself. I've got a lot of footage for my next video. I've looked at it a little bit but I'm creating the proxies right now because my computer can't handle editing the footage without them. Pretty much couldn't take all night LOL and tomorrow I can start chipping away at the edit when I get home from work. I'll hopefully be done sometime this weekend or at the latest next monday-- if I don't have to reshoot anything. I love this stuff but it takes a lot of time. I am getting more efficient though....

[@dean_to2878]

The horn flares are really bad, but the overall lens design is not great. The GoPro and AP2 have a better design. GoPro definitely needs to catch up with the software and low light features but the GoPro does what it is supposed to do really well for an action cam.