Dec 2, 2019 12:33 PM

DJI's Osmo Action Cam Is $130 Off Right Now

This action camera is a compelling GoPro alternative, and its Cyber Monday price makes it one of the best deals we've seen this holiday season.

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GoPro defined the action camera genre, and it continues to dominate the market, but I prefer DJI's first action camera, the Osmo, and its full-color front screen.

The Osmo Action's front screen makes it much easier to reliably get yourself in the shot, something that can be tricky otherwise, even with the super-wide-angle view of action cameras.

There are some other tricks in the Osmo Action that make it a compelling GoPro alternative, including shooting 4K video at the same frame rates as DJI's quadcopters, making it easy to combine footage. I also find the menu system more intuitive than the Hero 7 (the Hero 8 vastly improved its menu system, but it's $100 more than this deal). This is why it's currently my second favorite action camera.

Right now, you can buy the DJI Osmo Action for $254 ($125 off its normal $379 price) at Amazon.

It's also $279 ($100 off) at Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Adorama.

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Is the Osmo Action Right for You?

We liked the Osmo overall and gave it an 8/10, WIRED Recommends award in our review. But no product is perfect. Here's what you should know.

WIRED: It's a great action cam, especially for selfies. The front screen offers more flexibility when you want to put yourself in the shot. It can be difficult to see any details when you're holding it at the end of a selfie stick, but it's clear enough to make sure you frame the shot correctly. It also has excellent image stabilization that's on par with the GoPro Hero 7. (I have not had a chance to directly compare it to the Hero 8.) The HDR video option opens up shadows in difficult, backlit shots and does so even when panning into a scene. The Osmo Action is compatible with most mounts and accessories designed for the GoPro; the exception is lens filters, which are screw-mount filters on the Osmo Action.

TIRED: The Osmo Action has an Achilles' heel: It lacks GPS support. Unlike the GoPro Hero 8, you won't be able to pair your photos with the GPS track. There's also no integrated support for sharing your shots and videos on social media. To me, both of those features pale next to the real downside: the use of blue text in menus, which is very hard to read in bright sunlight. None of these are dealbreakers for me.

WIRED's Cyber Monday Coverage

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