Which feature matters most to you in an action cam? Dynamic range, build quality, or low-light performance? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll answer any questions you have!
Ace pro 2 newest firmware just dropped since the release, it might address some of the concerns here. And might tip the scores the other way. DJI has had 3 updates since it got released. So Insta360 might catch up or get ahead depending on what they do with their firmware updates. Also some quality of life features that got left out for me is the pause record feature, AI highlights, picture button while recording, long press record button to cancel recording, gestures to start a video and take a picture, free frame mode is also nice. Features DJI has that I want in the ace pro 2. Subject tracking, 10bit, 2 DJI mic connectivity, and the crazy long battery life. That's about it from DJI. Maybe insta360 should copy DJI support and listen to their community and not be stingy with updates. But I understand that DJI is the bigger company and may have more resources to do that. Great video btw! Loving the none bias review! I like both camera and I could've gone either way. I'm a big DJI fan! But I think Insta360 is the more fun brand. Their willing to forgo some video quality for a bit of fun. But I do believe that people will less likely care about the video quality as opposed to quality of content. You can give casey neistat a gopro hero 3 and he will still get a million views over me with a Sony FX3. Lol. The camera is just the tool. The content is king.
@@lemdemar6054 I agree 100% on everything you said! It is very much back and forth with these cameras. I'd add the quick, lossless zoom and the wind guard and voice isolation on the Ace Pro 2. I didn't have time to show it, but if you look at this video, my review of Maya Cay resort in Honduras almost got ruined by wind noise in my GoPro Hero 10. Davinci worked, but the voice is robotic. I also had to crop in because I couldn't see my hand was in the shot because of the way I had the selfie stick angled. Had I been using the Ace Pro 2, the wind noise wouldn't have been nearly that much of an issue, and I would have likely have seen my hand in the shot and adjusted, given the larger flip screen. ua-cam.com/video/nYJBxRrLNUc/v-deo.htmlsi=6PLXDWM4qe_Loy25&t=695
I'm a tattoo artist, so in my case it would be the image quality. I know that an action camera is not made to be in a tattoo studio, but it was the only type that I found that I could record lines on my own. Unfortunately, I bought the AP2 in a rush, and now I see that it's not for me, the image is kind of artificial, it seems to be terrible with faces, and it doesn't focus and gives a strange texture to the skin that I personally don't like. I got it because at first the DJI was bad, and now the AP2 is 🤡 But as the guy said above, the OA5 had 3 significant updates, so there's a chance it will be as good, I hope....
@@satwave Yes, I believe you are correct. The OA5 has more consistent image quality There are times when the AP2 looks better, but for consistent image quality overall the OA5 wins. If you're not taking it in water without a dive housing the OA5, I believe, is the better choice for what you're doing. The Pocket 3 would be even better because you could get those close focus shots with a lot of background blur and you could also use the subject tracking to lock on the person in the chair and walk/orbit around them for a cool effect. Have you considered the Pocket 3?
@@TimBrownTown yes, but here in Brazil the pocket 3 is very expensive, being about 7 times its original value, the AP2 and OA5 I can find cheaper but the pocket 3 is impossible. I also want to use it for POV and I think she's not that good at it
Thanks for the ton of work on this. Everything you said is agreeable from me with one additional component. I never buy an action camera that does not have an option for a remote. The AP2 not only has a remote to purchase but the remote has live view so I can frame my shooting while cycling, paddle boarding or other activities.
Thanks so much for your comment! It took a ton of work, especially on my old computer. I just passed 500 subs so I'm rewarding myself with a new computer! I'll have to look into the remote. I believe both cams have phone apps that you can use to live view and remote control as well.
I wouldn't go that far. I think it's a split decision. Lol. They say audio is the most important thing and in that case the ace Pro. 2 takes the win. However, you are right in thinking that the action 5 has overall more consistent and better image quality, but that's overall not in all scenarios. Honestly, I watched all the videos and couldn't decide for myself that I all purchased both cameras for myself and it was still a very tough decision. They are truly tit for tat neck and neck. Personal preference. I'm not going to say you can't go wrong because if you prioritize image quality it's going to be the action. 5 all day long. If you prioritize sound quality from the internal mic's, it's going to be action 5 all day long.
@@JayMarroquin These are points that are well covered by other reviewers, but aren't big factors to me personally. I did mention battery life twice in the video. My goal wasn't to make a video like everyone else. This was from my perspective, a perspective that focused on those 11 things specifically. To me, the DJI mic connectivity isn't a big deal because I have the Pocket 3, which I would use over either of these cams in dry, non rugged conditions. The DJI mics aren't built for wet or rugged environments. That's why I focused on the internal mics. I also wouldn't exceed the recording length of one battery in either cam, an extra battery is $20 or so, and can fast charge up to 80% in like 15 mins. I also didn't mention internal storage either, because I prefer removable storage. They're all points to point out, just didn't make the cut for this particular video.
@@TimBrownTown I appreciate the video, but it is titled "just facts". Those points might not be relevant to you but to other buyers they are. I also totally forgot about the internal storage. Yeah sure, batteries are about $30 but you're missing the point. It's not about the fast charging capability or cost of extra batteries, it goes into the use of the camera. I know with my GoPro's I'm constantly thinking of the batteries running down so constantly powering them off. If you have double the battery life, you really don't pay much attention to that and leave it on. And yeah, I also prefer removable storage. But answer this, has their been at least one time when you went out and you left your memory card behind? 47GB's of internal storage is not too shabby. I wish I could do a comparison myself as a professional photographer. But I can't because the AP2 I had on order for over a month still hadn't shipped so I cancelled my order a few days ago. For less money I picked up the OA5 adventure bundle with 3 batteries and it looks and feels pretty solid. I didn't see an option for RAW photos on the OA5 but I have seeen RAW photos from the AP2 and downloaded a few off Reddit. For an action camera, they were pretty nice. When the AP2 does come back in stock, I'll probably pick one up so see which one is better for my personal scenario. Like you did mention, you have a preference for yourself, and then for others. I'm sure I'll be the same. I just think the battery life, internal storage are not just small bullet points that don't need to be considered for others. 🙏🏼
@@JayMarroquin @JayMarroquin, thanks for your thoughtful input and for watching! I completely understand how internal storage and battery life can be key factors for many users, and I really appreciate you pointing these out. There’s no way to cover every single feature difference in one video, so I focused on what’s most important to me personally-things I hoped would resonate with viewers looking for an authentic perspective. My goal wasn’t to create a general review similar to the many existing videos out there, as those didn’t lead me to a decision when I was trying to choose between these two cameras. That’s why I ended up buying both and making this comparison video, to approach the features from my use case and provide a different angle. On internal storage, I’ve never left an SD card behind because I treat each one as “owned” by its camera, like a hard drive in a computer. I do have concerns about the longevity of internal memory, especially if it isn’t physically separate from the camera’s operating system, as that could potentially lead to premature failure with extensive use. Battery life is a great point too, and I see how doubling capacity could ease the worry of managing power. For my use, a single battery is typically sufficient, so it didn’t weigh as heavily in my decision, but I agree it could be a major advantage for longer sessions. It sounds like the OA5 Adventure Bundle is a solid fit for your needs. If you do pick up the AP2 later, I’d love to hear how it stacks up for you as a professional photographer. Thanks again for the feedback-it’s always great to hear how others prioritize features and use cases!
@@TimBrownTown For sure man, many good points. Enjoyed watching your entire video and made sure to do so since viewed hours are an important metric. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Just got back from a shoot on lake Superior This morning. It was 33° blowing 15-20 mph and I tried to do some videos down by the water and it said my lens was dirty and I checked it and it was all foggy.I got pictures to prove it, I can't have an action camera shooting lake Superior in the winter time and all that stuff,having it fog up!! This was the Ace Pro 2....I'll be going with the DJI And I love the insta360s I have the X2 and the X4
@@906Roofer let me know if the DJI does any better! Hey, get a video of it and post it so people in warmer climates can see it! I'll reference your video in one of my future ones if that's okay.
Hey there - I experienced the same with my AP2 here in hot and humid Malaysia - literally within minutes of first use on the same day it went out of the box. Likelier to fog up when the son is shining bright and hot. Raised it with Insta360.
@@TimBrownTown outside - in the lens cap. Additionally I noticed a semi translucent "stain" (for want of a better word) that doesn't seem to appear physically on the cap or the lens but is captured in all videos shot
Excellent test and comparison. Prefer the ace pro 2 as well, but it still needs some fine tuning. Not sure if yesterdays new firmware is really showing any noticeable improvement.
Good test Tim, I'm still waiting for my Ace Pro 2. But I think I'll cancel it. I have Ace Pro and can't see the upgrade except for 8K 30fps and I will never use that. The winner for me is the Action 5 Pro
Im actually confused of choosing a simple but cinematic with wide angle cam My contenders are: Insta360 x4 Ace pro 2 Dji action 5 pro Dji pocket 3 My usage are 1. Cinematic real estate indoor videos 2. Travel 3. eveyday use for architectures project What i need: - smooth stabilization, indoor some low light situation - great hdr sensor cuz low light room with bright window usually the case - super wide angle for indoor use What i think it can work for me - so EIS usually works bad in low light situation but i found using gyroflow with my avata 2 can work great cuz it uses motion data Thats why im thinking of dji action 5 or ace pro 2; they both can use gyroflow - im actually also interested in X4 360 camera cuz it has WIDE angle lens= better EIS But it dosent able to use gyroflow and bad lowlight sensor and not too great for making cinematic - it got me thinking! What if i use gyroflow with dji action 5 pro / ace pro 2 so i can get better stabilization, no jerky EIS in low light, wnd also wider angle Please help me on this 😁
@@MlleVB AP2 easy. Super stable in purevideo mode even without gyroflow. Class leading low light in action cam. Sure OA5 caught up in terms of brightness. But its super jittery. It has the widest fov with 157 degrees compared to DJIs 155. It has an active HDR that can be turned on or off. But if you’re gonna do heavy editing, then OA5P is your guy as it has 10 bit. It will give you more flexibility. Other than that, you cant go wrong with either of them. Both good cams. Both has its pros and cons.
@ not really if you’re not doing any heavy editing. But if you are, then yes, because 8 bit is approximately 16.7 Million colors, while 10 bit is over a billion colors. So the gap is pretty wide. It helps with editing because you have more colors to play with. But if you’re okay with what you get in camera, then it doesn’t really matter. If all you do is lift the shadows and highlights a bit and lessen the saturation (i toggle this a bit for ace pro 2). But if you’re planning to use a log profile and edit? Then definitely the one with a 10bit would be better.
@millevb I would get the Action 5 and a small gimbal. D-log M is more mature than I-Log at this time. My friend @travelingahn has the hohem i-steady 4 and he's done some vlogs with the action 4 And 5 using it and it looks really good and wide. The pocket 3 is very cinematic but doesn't have the HDR and dynamic range for the windows you referenced. I also don't think it's wide enough even with a wide-angle lens for what you're trying to do. Using an action cam on a gimbal is probably the only thing that's going to give you everything that you're looking for. You're also going to be behind the camera so the internal mics aren't going to do as good of a job so I'd pair it with a DJI mic2 receiver. Using a gimbal is going to take some getting used to, but I think this is exactly what you're looking for. Here's the links for the action 5 and mic 2. I haven't done any testing with gimbals on action cams myself but I believe this is the one @travelingahn uses below. amzn.to/3V5tYFc amzn.to/3CIMhd7 amzn.to/4eNp46T
What people don’t understand about the Dji action 5 pro is that in low light 100-12800 iso, 4K60, 1/200-1/8000 shutter speed range. The image is clean, crisp and jitter free. 🤌
Great video. I think in almost every aspect, the AP2 appears/sounds better. That said, very concerning they are 'out of stock' and have been quiet on the reasoning. Personally, i think the gopro has much better stabilization and video quality than either AP2 or Action 5. But it doesnt have usb interface for mics. I have a need for one next summer but am torn between getting one now and just waiting knowing next version wont be out in time. May just go to an earlier version of the cameras. Really need better connectivity to audio (i prefer Rode) and 1 in lenses. Seems like verybmodest upgrades vs prior yrs
That is very reasonable and I could see myself commenting to my own video in the same way. Honestly, you may even want to consider the action 4. I believe it is actually on sale for around 200 bucks. You could also wait another year for a 1-in sensor action cam. I really do believe we're in an in-between year to be honest.
Been going back and forth on the A5. I have the A4 so not sure I want or need another action cam. Pocket 3 does most of what I need. May hold out for the A6 and keep fingers crossed it will be a 1 inch sensor.
Honestly, I have never used the Action 4, but from what I've seen I wouldn't upgrade to either of these unless you needed a specific feature in one of them, or wanted it for content. In fact, you can find it for about $200 right now and that's probably the actual winner of this at that price for most people. I'd 100% hold out, unless you wanted it for content.
28:41 voice enhancement is now available for AP2 on PureVideo mode on the newest firmware. I thought I was going crazy when I realized voice enhancement was not available for purevideo in the old firmware. Lol.
@@lemdemar6054 wow! Thanks for letting me know. I didn't even see that in the release notes! Thank you insta360! Voice enhancement is really really good! Glad to have it in pure video!
Tested both for 30 days. AP2 is so over-processed w/ AI that it looks fake in almost every scenario. Not to mention, if you color grade at all, it’s terrible. Sure, low light is great and no trumpet flares but it fails in every other aspect.
I agree in image quality. My biggest concern with the OA5 is wind noise and waterproofing due to that usb-c door issue. I will be using at the beach and snorkeling during the summer, primarily.
Thanks Adam! It was a beast to edit. I have never used the Action 4, but from what I've seen I wouldn't upgrade to either of these unless you needed a specific feature in one of them, or wanted it for content. In fact, you can find it for about $200 right now and that's probably the actual winner of this at that price for most people.
I am Prasanta Bhattacharjee from India, I think your vlog about action camera is very helpful for me, I am not a vlogger, I am normal traveler , I have a sony alpha 6400 camera and sony HDR AX 43 A handycam, now I want to buy a action camera , dji action 5 pro or Insta 360 ace pro 2 kindly advise me which one best for me in all respect for travel shooting.
@@prasantabhattacharjee899 If you're going into the water, I am more confident recommending the Ace Pro 2 due to the potential issue with the Action 5's door. If not and there's nothing that really stands out to push you to the Ace Pro 2, then I would go with the Action 5 for consistency and DJI is better in terms of customer support and community for their products.
you can not hide from DJI's Lens Flare . and @41:40 about the USB door is a defect, get that replaced, its being played off by DJI that It is to slide open then press and slide, great vid great points. I'll keep my Action 5 Pro nothing different of the Ac to DJI for me
@@fishycomicsI honestly would haven't noticed the door without your video! I agree 100% Do you think the new door completely corrects the issue, or will it wear out in time? I'm skeptical that the issue will resurface over time with many openings and closings. They should address it officially and publicly so no one will end up with a dead camera in the middle of their bucket list trip snorkeling in the Maldives or something.
@@906Roofer true. I just haven't seen any video proof that the lens fogs any more than any other. After I did the video, I put both cameras in warm water and took them out and blew on them to try and get them to fog (just to test) and they both fogged equally.
@@TimBrownTown I have the replacement, its has been left on and its been on for say two week and I sue my camera always, so right no I feel no issues with it so far, I totally agree with your comment, DJI best address the issue at hand , they will not, they can pull the stock, and have a 3rd party test out and repack. they can do a lot, will they? happy you found the issue with the vid and best practice is a case to waterproof if in water I say
100% Yes. just retested to confirm after updating to the latest firmware released on Friday. It's because it crops in already for the horizon balance so it doesn't have enough of the sensor to zoom and keep 4k at full clarity.
Missed the most important point at the moment: The AP2 ist just not available as it had been pulled from the market. Which means it has some serious issues. It's still not clear when it will be available again, some online stores say mid december but they were wrong before. I just cancelled my order after my supposed delivery date had passed for almost 4 weeks without any notice from Insta360 at all. The tech specs of the AP2 might be good but the customer experience is rubbish. Going with DJI now, very happy with the OA5 so far.
@@queraussteiger While I don't disagree with you about DJI's customer service being good, it wasn't pulled from the market. It just sold out. It's now shipping within 30-days directly from the site, has been available at Best Buy throughout (they must have ordered a lot), and they just released a firmware update. Nonetheless, if you can't get it, the Action 5 is solid.
@@TimBrownTown "Sold out" is definitely a lie. If you sell an item and list it as "in stock and shipping within 3 days" it must be in inventory. Especially as the net is full of people with the same experience. No, they just stopped shipping it. Also when bringing out a new product you would make sure that it is available at main resellers like Amazon. But Amazon didn't went out of stock, the camera just never arrived there. If Insta had been honest and given a reason for the delay as well as a promise to ship before Xmas I might have been willing to wait a bit longer. However, the OA5 is now here. Thx for your comparison anyway.
@@queraussteiger Thanks for the comment. I don't think there's evidence for this, but because insta didn't give an official response, they set themselves up for rumors like this. So it's essentially the same. They have had other public relations issues in the past. I probably should have added that as a major category in the video, but I did allude to it in the final thoughts and conclusions. Like I said, for most people, I'd recommend the Action 5.
I spoke to a rep and they said they were "unavailable due to an undisclosed reason" . I have it in writing somewhere. I asked if it was because of the fogging issue and they had no idea. I asked for a refund
@@Brandall66 Sorry, I'm probably not the best creator for stab tests. I do notice the Ace Pro 2 has better stab in lowlight walking tests and I've seen videos where tests were done mountain biking in lowlight with Pure Video and it's awesome. Overall in daylight, they both seem adequate though. If you need lowlight stab, I'd say Ace Pro 2, hands down though.
Thank you again. I still would be disracted with the green trumpet flare on the Action 5, I wonder if it would still be there if the lens cover was removed?
Thanks again for the comment! Maybe, but I wouldn't recommend filming for too long with the lens cover removed. There is a better option I'm sure. Let me know what situation you intend to use the camera, primarily as well as what cameras you own and use already.
@@haydngreenow8407 If you're happy with the Ace Pro and the Go 3, I wouldn't upgrade this year. Wait until next year. Maybe they will release one with a 1" sensor. Or pick up the Pocket 3, which has the gimbal and 1" sensor.
This was a lot of work for you! Much appreciated. For what it's worth... I have both these cameras myself. For daylight hiking I prefer the image quality of the Ace Pro 2. The hi-res x2 zoom is very creative in this context, giving a detailed 30mmish full frame look. Opens up all kinds of composition options. Daylight image quality is all I really care about and for me the Ace Pro 2 has the edge over the Action 5 Pro. Thanks again for all your hard work here. Very useful.
@@QuicknStraight thanks for sharing your thoughts! I can see how the title might give the impression that I’m presenting my opinions as universal facts, but that wasn’t my intention. The title was more about framing the video as a detailed analysis based on real-world tests and my personal experiences with the cameras. I try to be clear throughout the video that these are my own opinions and that my goal was to focus on the features most important to me. I believe this approach is more authentic than trying to cover everything equally, which often results in generalizations that don’t help viewers make decisions.
Hi Tim, thanks for this video, very informative. The mic of the ace pro 2 is on another level in all scenes.. ok 4k120 i noticed on my tests that the dji becomes so muddy compared to 4k25 or 4k60 , while the acepro 2 is clearer, i think they use the 8k sensor to achieve that on the ap2 but not sure about it focus distance is the most hot topic now, i like the fact that dji can focus closer (they learnt alot since action 3) but i see lots of motorcycle riders or bike riders are annoyed with that because the sky is never clear on the other hand ace pro 2 has a longer focus distance (not by much as you said) but you have a well detailed sky so its a compromise that every user should consider on the colors, both are not good, they both need to do something (one is slightly to the cold spectrum, the other to the warm spectrum) Face priority is a huge feature on ap2, i like it personally i wont think much about iso on these cameras, as for if i want to record smthg for fun i dont care alot about the noise in low light...but if i want to get some nice low light footage, now i can go with my fuji xh2s hahahahah and the flog2c oh man this is an amazing one or any sony camera as well once again thanks for this video and for your time, because any content is TIME CONSUMING and the one you presented here i am sure you passed lots of time on it, especially on the editing part Great job my friend
@@rabihmaamary68 thanks for the detailed comment. I didn't mention the clouds/background in the video but I have a theory that the lens on the DJI is actually a close focusing lens and may have some mist effect to it. Some may prefer that look. This edit was very time consuming but I learned a trick in the process with doing compound clips that should help some in the future. I actually prefer slightly warm colors but that is easy to do in post. It would be helpful to set the AP2 to ISO 800 and whenever it is too dark, you would see it and immediately know when to engage pure video. That would mean you would achieve very little noise, ever.
In some ways, but not all! The door issue on the OA5 is a deal breaker for me because I'll primarily be using it in the water or after being in the water.
Which feature matters most to you in an action cam? Dynamic range, build quality, or low-light performance? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll answer any questions you have!
Ace pro 2 newest firmware just dropped since the release, it might address some of the concerns here. And might tip the scores the other way. DJI has had 3 updates since it got released. So Insta360 might catch up or get ahead depending on what they do with their firmware updates. Also some quality of life features that got left out for me is the pause record feature, AI highlights, picture button while recording, long press record button to cancel recording, gestures to start a video and take a picture, free frame mode is also nice.
Features DJI has that I want in the ace pro 2. Subject tracking, 10bit, 2 DJI mic connectivity, and the crazy long battery life. That's about it from DJI. Maybe insta360 should copy DJI support and listen to their community and not be stingy with updates. But I understand that DJI is the bigger company and may have more resources to do that.
Great video btw! Loving the none bias review! I like both camera and I could've gone either way. I'm a big DJI fan! But I think Insta360 is the more fun brand. Their willing to forgo some video quality for a bit of fun. But I do believe that people will less likely care about the video quality as opposed to quality of content. You can give casey neistat a gopro hero 3 and he will still get a million views over me with a Sony FX3. Lol. The camera is just the tool. The content is king.
@@lemdemar6054 I agree 100% on everything you said! It is very much back and forth with these cameras. I'd add the quick, lossless zoom and the wind guard and voice isolation on the Ace Pro 2. I didn't have time to show it, but if you look at this video, my review of Maya Cay resort in Honduras almost got ruined by wind noise in my GoPro Hero 10. Davinci worked, but the voice is robotic. I also had to crop in because I couldn't see my hand was in the shot because of the way I had the selfie stick angled. Had I been using the Ace Pro 2, the wind noise wouldn't have been nearly that much of an issue, and I would have likely have seen my hand in the shot and adjusted, given the larger flip screen. ua-cam.com/video/nYJBxRrLNUc/v-deo.htmlsi=6PLXDWM4qe_Loy25&t=695
I'm a tattoo artist, so in my case it would be the image quality. I know that an action camera is not made to be in a tattoo studio, but it was the only type that I found that I could record lines on my own. Unfortunately, I bought the AP2 in a rush, and now I see that it's not for me, the image is kind of artificial, it seems to be terrible with faces, and it doesn't focus and gives a strange texture to the skin that I personally don't like. I got it because at first the DJI was bad, and now the AP2 is 🤡
But as the guy said above, the OA5 had 3 significant updates, so there's a chance it will be as good, I hope....
@@satwave Yes, I believe you are correct. The OA5 has more consistent image quality There are times when the AP2 looks better, but for consistent image quality overall the OA5 wins. If you're not taking it in water without a dive housing the OA5, I believe, is the better choice for what you're doing. The Pocket 3 would be even better because you could get those close focus shots with a lot of background blur and you could also use the subject tracking to lock on the person in the chair and walk/orbit around them for a cool effect. Have you considered the Pocket 3?
@@TimBrownTown yes, but here in Brazil the pocket 3 is very expensive, being about 7 times its original value, the AP2 and OA5 I can find cheaper but the pocket 3 is impossible. I also want to use it for POV and I think she's not that good at it
Love my action 5 pro and my pocket 3. Both are great cameras.
Definitely!
Action 5 pro is my fav!
Thanks for the ton of work on this. Everything you said is agreeable from me with one additional component. I never buy an action camera that does not have an option for a remote. The AP2 not only has a remote to purchase but the remote has live view so I can frame my shooting while cycling, paddle boarding or other activities.
Thanks so much for your comment! It took a ton of work, especially on my old computer. I just passed 500 subs so I'm rewarding myself with a new computer! I'll have to look into the remote. I believe both cams have phone apps that you can use to live view and remote control as well.
DJI ACTION 5 PRO is the BEST Action camera of the Year!!!! No Doubt!!!
I wouldn't go that far. I think it's a split decision. Lol. They say audio is the most important thing and in that case the ace Pro. 2 takes the win. However, you are right in thinking that the action 5 has overall more consistent and better image quality, but that's overall not in all scenarios. Honestly, I watched all the videos and couldn't decide for myself that I all purchased both cameras for myself and it was still a very tough decision. They are truly tit for tat neck and neck. Personal preference. I'm not going to say you can't go wrong because if you prioritize image quality it's going to be the action. 5 all day long. If you prioritize sound quality from the internal mic's, it's going to be action 5 all day long.
Another great video Tim. Thanks for taking the time. 10:00 your son is awesome...
Thank you so much for this comment. I will definitely let him know. Much appreciated in many ways. Thank you so much!
No mention at all regarding the superior battery life on the OA5 or native support for 2 DJI mics?
@@JayMarroquin These are points that are well covered by other reviewers, but aren't big factors to me personally. I did mention battery life twice in the video. My goal wasn't to make a video like everyone else. This was from my perspective, a perspective that focused on those 11 things specifically. To me, the DJI mic connectivity isn't a big deal because I have the Pocket 3, which I would use over either of these cams in dry, non rugged conditions. The DJI mics aren't built for wet or rugged environments. That's why I focused on the internal mics. I also wouldn't exceed the recording length of one battery in either cam, an extra battery is $20 or so, and can fast charge up to 80% in like 15 mins. I also didn't mention internal storage either, because I prefer removable storage. They're all points to point out, just didn't make the cut for this particular video.
@@TimBrownTown I appreciate the video, but it is titled "just facts". Those points might not be relevant to you but to other buyers they are. I also totally forgot about the internal storage. Yeah sure, batteries are about $30 but you're missing the point. It's not about the fast charging capability or cost of extra batteries, it goes into the use of the camera. I know with my GoPro's I'm constantly thinking of the batteries running down so constantly powering them off. If you have double the battery life, you really don't pay much attention to that and leave it on.
And yeah, I also prefer removable storage. But answer this, has their been at least one time when you went out and you left your memory card behind? 47GB's of internal storage is not too shabby. I wish I could do a comparison myself as a professional photographer. But I can't because the AP2 I had on order for over a month still hadn't shipped so I cancelled my order a few days ago. For less money I picked up the OA5 adventure bundle with 3 batteries and it looks and feels pretty solid.
I didn't see an option for RAW photos on the OA5 but I have seeen RAW photos from the AP2 and downloaded a few off Reddit. For an action camera, they were pretty nice. When the AP2 does come back in stock, I'll probably pick one up so see which one is better for my personal scenario. Like you did mention, you have a preference for yourself, and then for others. I'm sure I'll be the same. I just think the battery life, internal storage are not just small bullet points that don't need to be considered for others. 🙏🏼
@@JayMarroquin @JayMarroquin, thanks for your thoughtful input and for watching! I completely understand how internal storage and battery life can be key factors for many users, and I really appreciate you pointing these out.
There’s no way to cover every single feature difference in one video, so I focused on what’s most important to me personally-things I hoped would resonate with viewers looking for an authentic perspective. My goal wasn’t to create a general review similar to the many existing videos out there, as those didn’t lead me to a decision when I was trying to choose between these two cameras. That’s why I ended up buying both and making this comparison video, to approach the features from my use case and provide a different angle.
On internal storage, I’ve never left an SD card behind because I treat each one as “owned” by its camera, like a hard drive in a computer. I do have concerns about the longevity of internal memory, especially if it isn’t physically separate from the camera’s operating system, as that could potentially lead to premature failure with extensive use.
Battery life is a great point too, and I see how doubling capacity could ease the worry of managing power. For my use, a single battery is typically sufficient, so it didn’t weigh as heavily in my decision, but I agree it could be a major advantage for longer sessions.
It sounds like the OA5 Adventure Bundle is a solid fit for your needs. If you do pick up the AP2 later, I’d love to hear how it stacks up for you as a professional photographer. Thanks again for the feedback-it’s always great to hear how others prioritize features and use cases!
@@TimBrownTown For sure man, many good points. Enjoyed watching your entire video and made sure to do so since viewed hours are an important metric. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Just got back from a shoot on lake Superior This morning. It was 33° blowing 15-20 mph and I tried to do some videos down by the water and it said my lens was dirty and I checked it and it was all foggy.I got pictures to prove it, I can't have an action camera shooting lake Superior in the winter time and all that stuff,having it fog up!! This was the Ace Pro 2....I'll be going with the DJI And I love the insta360s I have the X2 and the X4
@@906Roofer let me know if the DJI does any better! Hey, get a video of it and post it so people in warmer climates can see it! I'll reference your video in one of my future ones if that's okay.
Hey there - I experienced the same with my AP2 here in hot and humid Malaysia - literally within minutes of first use on the same day it went out of the box. Likelier to fog up when the son is shining bright and hot. Raised it with Insta360.
@@MalayanExplorer Was this inside the lens or out?
@@TimBrownTown outside - in the lens cap. Additionally I noticed a semi translucent "stain" (for want of a better word) that doesn't seem to appear physically on the cap or the lens but is captured in all videos shot
@@MalayanExplorer does the "stain" go away? That sounds like something inside the camera.
Excellent test and comparison. Prefer the ace pro 2 as well, but it still needs some fine tuning. Not sure if yesterdays new firmware is really showing any noticeable improvement.
I agree 100%. I'll probably do a follow up video testing the new firmware sometime in the near future.
Good test Tim, I'm still waiting for my Ace Pro 2. But I think I'll cancel it. I have Ace Pro and can't see the upgrade except for 8K 30fps and I will never use that. The winner for me is the Action 5 Pro
@@EspenJohan Thank you Espen! Glad I could help you see which one was best for you.
Im actually confused of choosing a simple but cinematic with wide angle cam
My contenders are:
Insta360 x4
Ace pro 2
Dji action 5 pro
Dji pocket 3
My usage are
1. Cinematic real estate indoor videos
2. Travel
3. eveyday use for architectures project
What i need:
- smooth stabilization, indoor some low light situation
- great hdr sensor cuz low light room with bright window usually the case
- super wide angle for indoor use
What i think it can work for me
- so EIS usually works bad in low light situation but i found using gyroflow with my avata 2 can work great cuz it uses motion data
Thats why im thinking of dji action 5 or ace pro 2; they both can use gyroflow
- im actually also interested in X4 360 camera cuz it has WIDE angle lens= better EIS
But it dosent able to use gyroflow and bad lowlight sensor and not too great for making cinematic
- it got me thinking! What if i use gyroflow with dji action 5 pro / ace pro 2 so i can get better stabilization, no jerky EIS in low light, wnd also wider angle
Please help me on this 😁
@@MlleVB AP2 easy. Super stable in purevideo mode even without gyroflow. Class leading low light in action cam. Sure OA5 caught up in terms of brightness. But its super jittery. It has the widest fov with 157 degrees compared to DJIs 155. It has an active HDR that can be turned on or off.
But if you’re gonna do heavy editing, then OA5P is your guy as it has 10 bit. It will give you more flexibility.
Other than that, you cant go wrong with either of them. Both good cams. Both has its pros and cons.
@lemdemar6054 is the 8 bit and 10 bit that different?
@ not really if you’re not doing any heavy editing. But if you are, then yes, because 8 bit is approximately 16.7 Million colors, while 10 bit is over a billion colors. So the gap is pretty wide. It helps with editing because you have more colors to play with. But if you’re okay with what you get in camera, then it doesn’t really matter. If all you do is lift the shadows and highlights a bit and lessen the saturation (i toggle this a bit for ace pro 2). But if you’re planning to use a log profile and edit? Then definitely the one with a 10bit would be better.
@@lemdemar6054 what do you think of d log m vs the i log?
@millevb I would get the Action 5 and a small gimbal. D-log M is more mature than I-Log at this time. My friend @travelingahn has the hohem i-steady 4 and he's done some vlogs with the action 4 And 5 using it and it looks really good and wide. The pocket 3 is very cinematic but doesn't have the HDR and dynamic range for the windows you referenced. I also don't think it's wide enough even with a wide-angle lens for what you're trying to do. Using an action cam on a gimbal is probably the only thing that's going to give you everything that you're looking for. You're also going to be behind the camera so the internal mics aren't going to do as good of a job so I'd pair it with a DJI mic2 receiver. Using a gimbal is going to take some getting used to, but I think this is exactly what you're looking for. Here's the links for the action 5 and mic 2. I haven't done any testing with gimbals on action cams myself but I believe this is the one @travelingahn uses below. amzn.to/3V5tYFc
amzn.to/3CIMhd7
amzn.to/4eNp46T
What people don’t understand about the Dji action 5 pro is that in low light 100-12800 iso, 4K60, 1/200-1/8000 shutter speed range. The image is clean, crisp and jitter free. 🤌
I will have to try that. Is that normal mode, D-Log M or both?
@ Normal 10 bit. I haven’t tried with d-log at night yet.
@@independentmind6345 12800 iso range on a small camera? Not even sony A7S3 users will venture that far into the iso without introducing noise.
Lens flare made it easy to spot the Action 5 Pro right away. My only real complaint the Action 5 (even the 4). Still a better cam than the Insta360.
It is definitely more consistent video quality wise, that is.
Ace Pro 2 works for me with the right settings.
Nice. What settings do you find are the best?
Great video. I think in almost every aspect, the AP2 appears/sounds better. That said, very concerning they are 'out of stock' and have been quiet on the reasoning.
Personally, i think the gopro has much better stabilization and video quality than either AP2 or Action 5. But it doesnt have usb interface for mics. I have a need for one next summer but am torn between getting one now and just waiting knowing next version wont be out in time. May just go to an earlier version of the cameras.
Really need better connectivity to audio (i prefer Rode) and 1 in lenses. Seems like verybmodest upgrades vs prior yrs
That is very reasonable and I could see myself commenting to my own video in the same way. Honestly, you may even want to consider the action 4. I believe it is actually on sale for around 200 bucks. You could also wait another year for a 1-in sensor action cam. I really do believe we're in an in-between year to be honest.
Been going back and forth on the A5. I have the A4 so not sure I want or need another action cam. Pocket 3 does most of what I need. May hold out for the A6 and keep fingers crossed it will be a 1 inch sensor.
Honestly, I have never used the Action 4, but from what I've seen I wouldn't upgrade to either of these unless you needed a specific feature in one of them, or wanted it for content. In fact, you can find it for about $200 right now and that's probably the actual winner of this at that price for most people. I'd 100% hold out, unless you wanted it for content.
28:41 voice enhancement is now available for AP2 on PureVideo mode on the newest firmware. I thought I was going crazy when I realized voice enhancement was not available for purevideo in the old firmware. Lol.
@@lemdemar6054 wow! Thanks for letting me know. I didn't even see that in the release notes! Thank you insta360! Voice enhancement is really really good! Glad to have it in pure video!
Tested both for 30 days. AP2 is so over-processed w/ AI that it looks fake in almost every scenario. Not to mention, if you color grade at all, it’s terrible. Sure, low light is great and no trumpet flares but it fails in every other aspect.
I agree in image quality. My biggest concern with the OA5 is wind noise and waterproofing due to that usb-c door issue. I will be using at the beach and snorkeling during the summer, primarily.
That hideous lens flare @1:28 on the DJI was a clear giveaway. DJI needs to redesign that lens. Terrible design.
The trumpets are a blaring. Honestly, that doesn't bother me that much, but it's definitely there!
Now THAT is a comparison...45 minutes should cover it ALL..I'm still on Action 4 though, I don't use action camera as much as I should
Thanks Adam! It was a beast to edit. I have never used the Action 4, but from what I've seen I wouldn't upgrade to either of these unless you needed a specific feature in one of them, or wanted it for content. In fact, you can find it for about $200 right now and that's probably the actual winner of this at that price for most people.
Action 4 is on sale for $209 right now.
@ WOW that’s a good deal
@@hasenmyer Yeah I think I need to put an affiliate link at this point for it.
@@HappyHealthHabit yep, that is one heck of a deal if it meets your needs! amzn.to/3OkdBRs
Haha, look at the skies to see which camera has a better dynamic range! And no, I'm not defending my purchase as I don't own either.
I am Prasanta Bhattacharjee from India, I think your vlog about action camera is very helpful for me, I am not a vlogger, I am normal traveler , I have a sony alpha 6400 camera and sony HDR AX 43 A handycam, now I want to buy a action camera , dji action 5 pro or Insta 360 ace pro 2 kindly advise me which one best for me in all respect for travel shooting.
@@prasantabhattacharjee899 If you're going into the water, I am more confident recommending the Ace Pro 2 due to the potential issue with the Action 5's door. If not and there's nothing that really stands out to push you to the Ace Pro 2, then I would go with the Action 5 for consistency and DJI is better in terms of customer support and community for their products.
you can not hide from DJI's Lens Flare . and @41:40 about the USB door is a defect, get that replaced, its being played off by DJI that It is to slide open then press and slide, great vid great points. I'll keep my Action 5 Pro nothing different of the Ac to DJI for me
@@fishycomicsI honestly would haven't noticed the door without your video! I agree 100% Do you think the new door completely corrects the issue, or will it wear out in time? I'm skeptical that the issue will resurface over time with many openings and closings. They should address it officially and publicly so no one will end up with a dead camera in the middle of their bucket list trip snorkeling in the Maldives or something.
Better than a lens fog enough when you're trying to shoot in the cold weather by Lake Superior
@@906Roofer true. I just haven't seen any video proof that the lens fogs any more than any other. After I did the video, I put both cameras in warm water and took them out and blew on them to try and get them to fog (just to test) and they both fogged equally.
@@906Roofer Agree, funny thing is I been up in Deluth and no Fogging on the camera but that was a Jazz Elite HD168 back then Lol
@@TimBrownTown I have the replacement, its has been left on and its been on for say two week and I sue my camera always, so right no I feel no issues with it so far, I totally agree with your comment, DJI best address the issue at hand , they will not, they can pull the stock, and have a 3rd party test out and repack. they can do a lot, will they?
happy you found the issue with the vid and best practice is a case to waterproof if in water I say
So are you sure clarity zoom doesn't work with horizon balance or level?
100% Yes. just retested to confirm after updating to the latest firmware released on Friday. It's because it crops in already for the horizon balance so it doesn't have enough of the sensor to zoom and keep 4k at full clarity.
Missed the most important point at the moment: The AP2 ist just not available as it had been pulled from the market. Which means it has some serious issues. It's still not clear when it will be available again, some online stores say mid december but they were wrong before. I just cancelled my order after my supposed delivery date had passed for almost 4 weeks without any notice from Insta360 at all. The tech specs of the AP2 might be good but the customer experience is rubbish. Going with DJI now, very happy with the OA5 so far.
@@queraussteiger While I don't disagree with you about DJI's customer service being good, it wasn't pulled from the market. It just sold out. It's now shipping within 30-days directly from the site, has been available at Best Buy throughout (they must have ordered a lot), and they just released a firmware update. Nonetheless, if you can't get it, the Action 5 is solid.
@@TimBrownTown "Sold out" is definitely a lie. If you sell an item and list it as "in stock and shipping within 3 days" it must be in inventory. Especially as the net is full of people with the same experience. No, they just stopped shipping it. Also when bringing out a new product you would make sure that it is available at main resellers like Amazon. But Amazon didn't went out of stock, the camera just never arrived there. If Insta had been honest and given a reason for the delay as well as a promise to ship before Xmas I might have been willing to wait a bit longer. However, the OA5 is now here. Thx for your comparison anyway.
@@queraussteiger Thanks for the comment. I don't think there's evidence for this, but because insta didn't give an official response, they set themselves up for rumors like this. So it's essentially the same. They have had other public relations issues in the past. I probably should have added that as a major category in the video, but I did allude to it in the final thoughts and conclusions. Like I said, for most people, I'd recommend the Action 5.
I got mine from Best buy a week ago
I spoke to a rep and they said they were "unavailable due to an undisclosed reason" . I have it in writing somewhere. I asked if it was because of the fogging issue and they had no idea.
I asked for a refund
Did I miss the motion stabilization test? To me the action 5 has more jitter to it.
@@Brandall66 Sorry, I'm probably not the best creator for stab tests. I do notice the Ace Pro 2 has better stab in lowlight walking tests and I've seen videos where tests were done mountain biking in lowlight with Pure Video and it's awesome. Overall in daylight, they both seem adequate though. If you need lowlight stab, I'd say Ace Pro 2, hands down though.
first part nice action 5
It definitely started out that way...
Acp2 has a fogging issue. Shipment stopped.
@@gone8640or it just sold out.
Action 5 pro and the clouds problems……
Yeah, it's almost like they're using a close focusing mist filter. Lol
Please correct your title. You have to put the entire brand name of insta360 ace pro 2
I couldn't do it and keep it less than 60 characters so it will all show up. Is there another ace pro 2 by another brand?
@ ic. Its just that even I dont remember ace pro but i know insta360 and i got confused if the was a new brand named ace pro
Thank you again. I still would be disracted with the green trumpet flare on the Action 5, I wonder if it would still be there if the lens cover was removed?
Thanks again for the comment! Maybe, but I wouldn't recommend filming for too long with the lens cover removed. There is a better option I'm sure. Let me know what situation you intend to use the camera, primarily as well as what cameras you own and use already.
@TimBrownTown I'm using Ace Pro and the Ace go3 which i am happy with for the video I do
I mainly do day time in my garden vlog and family events
@@haydngreenow8407 If you're happy with the Ace Pro and the Go 3, I wouldn't upgrade this year. Wait until next year. Maybe they will release one with a 1" sensor. Or pick up the Pocket 3, which has the gimbal and 1" sensor.
This was a lot of work for you! Much appreciated.
For what it's worth... I have both these cameras myself.
For daylight hiking I prefer the image quality of the Ace Pro 2. The hi-res x2 zoom is very creative in this context, giving a detailed 30mmish full frame look. Opens up all kinds of composition options.
Daylight image quality is all I really care about and for me the Ace Pro 2 has the edge over the Action 5 Pro.
Thanks again for all your hard work here. Very useful.
@@feetfirstspeks It was a ton of work, especially editing on a 5+ year old $500 computer! Thanks for the comment and glad you like the Ace Pro 2!
You seem to think your opinions are facts. Strange way of thinking.
@@QuicknStraight thanks for sharing your thoughts! I can see how the title might give the impression that I’m presenting my opinions as universal facts, but that wasn’t my intention. The title was more about framing the video as a detailed analysis based on real-world tests and my personal experiences with the cameras.
I try to be clear throughout the video that these are my own opinions and that my goal was to focus on the features most important to me. I believe this approach is more authentic than trying to cover everything equally, which often results in generalizations that don’t help viewers make decisions.
Hi Tim, thanks for this video, very informative.
The mic of the ace pro 2 is on another level in all scenes..
ok 4k120 i noticed on my tests that the dji becomes so muddy compared to 4k25 or 4k60 , while the acepro 2 is clearer, i think they use the 8k sensor to achieve that on the ap2 but not sure about it
focus distance is the most hot topic now, i like the fact that dji can focus closer (they learnt alot since action 3) but i see lots of motorcycle riders or bike riders are annoyed with that because the sky is never clear
on the other hand ace pro 2 has a longer focus distance (not by much as you said) but you have a well detailed sky so its a compromise that every user should consider
on the colors, both are not good, they both need to do something (one is slightly to the cold spectrum, the other to the warm spectrum)
Face priority is a huge feature on ap2, i like it
personally i wont think much about iso on these cameras, as for if i want to record smthg for fun i dont care alot about the noise in low light...but if i want to get some nice low light footage, now i can go with my fuji xh2s hahahahah and the flog2c oh man this is an amazing one or any sony camera as well
once again thanks for this video and for your time, because any content is TIME CONSUMING and the one you presented here i am sure you passed lots of time on it, especially on the editing part
Great job my friend
@@rabihmaamary68 thanks for the detailed comment. I didn't mention the clouds/background in the video but I have a theory that the lens on the DJI is actually a close focusing lens and may have some mist effect to it. Some may prefer that look. This edit was very time consuming but I learned a trick in the process with doing compound clips that should help some in the future. I actually prefer slightly warm colors but that is easy to do in post. It would be helpful to set the AP2 to ISO 800 and whenever it is too dark, you would see it and immediately know when to engage pure video. That would mean you would achieve very little noise, ever.
AP2 >> OA5, fact
Until your lens fogs up and ruins your whole shot
In some ways, but not all! The door issue on the OA5 is a deal breaker for me because I'll primarily be using it in the water or after being in the water.
Lol
@@TimBrownTown get the waterproof case