DJI Action 4 Vs GoPro 12 - Real World Footage Comparison 

The scene in your kitchen at 2:47 was very interesting. The DJI looked like the blue light was more pronounced, whereas the GoPro looked more dominated by the orange light. It would be interesting to know which one was truer to real life.

DJI seems better in every aspect

Thanks Francis, great review. I moved over to the Action 4 from GoPro when it came out and I’m loving it.

I was thinking on a new action camera for Christmas. I think you just made me decide on the DJI. Will keep an eye out for black friday!

The side-by-side was brilliant. The DJI definitely showed the subject better in low light, but did wash out the background to get there.

The action 4 has a MUCH better image. It's brighter as well. Low light is better as well, more natural looking colors. Any reports of focusing issues? I passed on the action 3 due to all the focus problems.

Between the better low loght and WAY better audio on the DJI, to me, the DJI is the clear winner. Gopro is better on some niche usage, but for the majority of people, I recon the DJI would be more useful.

DJI colors is better

The dji4 is pretty good. I used it walking around in Japan a month ago. In 32 deg C and 95% humidity, the battery was lasting 2hrs with no overheating issues. This blew me away considering there was no cooling. Have had it back in Australia on the gravel bike and it’s been excellent in cooler weather, secure with the connectors and it looks good in mixed light. I went back and forth for a couple of weeks on the choice, but the dji has been flawless.

Thanks Francis, I actually thought the DJI was better image quality and brighter in the lower light. Great job of going through the features and the comparison!

The audio on the Action 4 is amazing

"Includes paid promotion" from who? I feel it's important to state in a VS review, just so we know it's not from one of the competing parties...

Somehow in this video I find the DJI to be much more vibrant and better in image quality. In tons of other reviews though it was the gopro that looked looked better. It almost feels like the labels for the footage of the cameras are switched? Am I the only one noticing this?

Interesting comparison ! Gotta say, the DJI audio sounds crisper and clearer imo, and the Video was brighter ! Since they seem pretty competative in price ( an you could maybe find a coupon on one of them) I'd definitely try to find a decent deal on the DJI if I was in the market for one of these !

After expending considerable money on 3 GoPro´s I had it with the brand. No real Windows support with capable software and the battery is a Sh!T3 show. My last experience during a MotoGP event I threw a gopro11 into the sofa when realised that the last 2 videos during a paddock party weren´t recorded because the battery when from 20% to dead without any reason. Mind that i set the quality to extend the battery with lcd turned off, no sound, basic led activity and tweaked 2K quality just for about 20 short videos... new battery with over 90% charge. FU gopro, only good for accessories and promo thats it.

The Gopro had much better dynamic range and exposure when you have a bright cloudy sky behind a darker foreground. You can't undo the overexposure on the DJI but you can certainly fix the underexposure on the gopro. With that said, GoPro has issues with their firmware and they still can't get it right. I have so many overheating issues and "not enough power" warnings since the Hero 4 that the Hero 11 is going to be the last GoPro I ever buy.

The dji also doesn’t have the “brain freeze” problems of GoPros. In my experience it also deals with temperature extremes better. Importent if in hot summer of skiing etc

The highlights on osmo look terrible the shadows on the GoPro look terrible haha

Thanks for the detailed review mate. It seems DJI has many advantages hence, is the clear winner!

Go Pro owner here. From the comparison made in this video, definitely DJI 4 beats Gopro 12. If it would be a matter of buying one of this 2 cameras today, I would go for DJI all the way. Thanks for the video.

dji is the winner for me

Well done! Yesterday i ordered my Action 4 :D Because since years i use DJI drones and i am very happy with it!

My only issue with the action 4 is that FOV is too wide. Linear mode on GoPro 12 gets you 4k but only 2.7k on the Action 4. This makes standard recording on the 4 look way worse.

I think I prefer GoPro's image quality. It seems to have more dynamic range. DJI kinda washes out the bring areas. Skies seem all white. Go pro retains details and differentiates clouds and sky better. Small difference but it's there. Audio DJI is laughably better. Mounting I prefer DJI by a large margin. All else is a wash for me.If I bought one right now I'd probably go DJI just cause quick and easy mounting comes first for me in action cameras. As long as you capture what you're doing in pretty good quality, the small differences are not that significant to me anymore.

excellent video guys. Action4 image seems better, nicer skintones, bit more pop and vibrance, GoPro looks a bit murky. Also Action4 on-board condenser mics is MUCH nicer than the GoPro. That's the most obvious difference. Plus....larger sensor than Action3 and larger sensor always nicer for lowlight and inherently shallower depth-of-field.

which is better in hot weather? which dies quicker?

I was tempted with OA4 but went with the GoPro12. Concerns with jitter on DJI in dappled light put me off. Otherwise both great

The DJI might seem like it looks nicer, but when editing and colouring, the flatter the image is, the easier it is to work with. The highlight rolloff on the DJI was harsh and blown out, whilst on the GoPro they were smooth and had plenty of room to work with. Plus the saturation was through the roof on the DJI. BUT... A Big But. If you want to film and not mess around with any shots afterwards, use them straight out the box. DJI is ready to go.

What about overheating test?

I have two of the original Osmo action and have loved it, DJI makes some truly high end filming products and I think the image on the new ones and audio is better than the current GoPro. Now, Gopro generally comes out with a new model a lot more frequently, but usually only minor improvements and I still don't think they have fixed the overheating issues they have had. Gopro really set the standard for small, all in one, cameras but they have just gotten too expensive for their use even if they offer more features now. I just wish the DJI had a way of getting an HDMI signal out for livestreams and things, then it would be amazing. Great video!

Thanks for the thorough feature comparison Francis, but I would have loved if you also mentioned the software part. I was quite excited about getting the DJI, but was very quickly put off by the fact that I got locked out and couldn't use my camera without sideloading some dubious software on my phone, that is not available from Play Store. As an engineer working in the security field this is a massive red flag 🚩(pun intended) and absolute no-go...

Really cool Francis .. Yeah I also think the DJI was better and provided a better overall reflection on the surroundings 👍

Got 2 dji action 4 .. the only thing that matters is which one locks up the answer is go pro

I would like to buy Dji osmo action 4. Before that video I was thinking buy go pro. But dji better

Yay! Can't wait for mine. Just bought a DJIA4

GoPro has well documented reliability issues such as overheating/freezing.

Foe me, It's DJI for the win 🏆. Top in-depth review Francis, nice one 👍

I've been a professional commercial photographer for 40+ years and imo it's the DJI everytime.

The GoPro is awesome for cycling especially off road but it sucks for surfing in the North Sea down Whitley bay,,, mine always freezes and the lack of hydrophobic coating on the lens ruins a lot of footage with water drops

@Cade_Media .. some people making video saying in 4k 60fps and 4k120 fps front screen not working is it true ??

dji no Gopro yes❤

Wow the DJI looks super impressive

At the moment as of 08/01/2024 DJI have a sale on and the Action 4 standard combo is £289

One big advantage is the 8:7 aspect ratio on the GoPro, which allows for better cropping of horizontal and vertical video from the same file.

My Go Pro journey, Hero 4 Silver, Hero 7 Black, Hero 10 DJI Action 3.

I’ve watched at least 5 video comparisons of these two and it’s clear dji is better. Even though you all say they doth are great 😂

Moved from GoPro Hero 6 to DJI Action 4 and the difference is like night and day and is really helping my videos look a lot more professional. Francis, you should look up the HoverAir X1 drone as well, its making big waves especially in cycling vlogs. I've been using it in the Peak District recently whilst out wildc-amping and the results have been amazing - a drone that fits in your jersey pocket!

Which one transfers files faster to the computer?

Excellent side-by-side concerning these 2 action cameras' practical functions. Due to my GoPro Hero 7 Black's wonkiness, and how flawlessly my original DJI Osmo Action has performed, I've permanently switched to DJI and have never looked back. Looking forward to acquiring an Osmo Action 4 if/when I upgrade.

The default dynamic range results on the DJI is much better & probably more usable with less initial editing.

For the nominal cost in the big scheme of things, these cameras are amazing and blow my mind when I think back to what was available just 10 yrs ago.

DJI nailed it! Goodbye GoPro :(

Can i use my gopro volta on action 4? With full control😊s?

Seems DJI made a rival that even takes the cake in most, if not all, cases. But it is close.

Seeing that side by side mount makes me wonder if we can get Cade in 3D 😂

DJI is the NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Thank you, decided to buy the DJI!

Can I use GoPro accessories with the dji action 4?

Go pro need to adjust their products in many aspects 😂

Yeah DJI looks impressive to me I still use a Hero 7 black but if I went for one now be DJI

Looks and sounds like the DJI won every comparison. I was trying to listen carefully to make sure even though the GoPro audio was quieter that it sounded the same, but it actually sounded pretty muffled, overall like a high-end rolloff was enabled. From what I saw in your review, the DJI looks to win, hands-down.

Action4 better anyway

DJI video is better for my eyes and ears wins.

As an audio engineer that DJI sounds MUCH better than the GoPro to me.

DJI audio sounds so much better

Die Osmo Action 4 ist genau so Bullshit wie die GoPro da macht mein iPhone ja deutlich bessere Bilder/Videos

DJI takes the win

Oh look, another hero 5 killer :)

Dji all the way

I've been a producing sports video work for approximately 15 years with my now old Panasonic AG-AC160A, and now my son has shown an interest in producing action camera videography while doing activities like: airsoft, skiing, bike riding, fishing etc... With that being said, for his birthday I'm in the market for a new video camera, I have watched countless videos comparing the DJI Action 4 & GoPro Hero 12. IMO Gopro has put together the best overall system. Gopro's Bluetooth audio adds many real benefits and options to filming action camera footage. I've heard many people praise the quick change ability of the DJI, although that system looks a little flimsy to me, especially when considering the hash environments (E.g., high vibration, high impact, etc.) action cameras are designed for. I would think that the solid secure design of the GoPro mount would be much more rigid, vs the quick change convenience of DJI's magnetic mount. Regardless the quick change is a moot point, Gopro 12 has that 1/4-20 thread, and quick change camera shoe setups are abundantly available if needed. Overall, right out of the box, I do prefer the quick and easy high qualty imagery that the GoPro Hero 12 produces, again that new Bluetooth audio option, with audio voice commands too. What a benfit that will be when filming action scenes. Plus all the benefits of having that GoPro Subscription. No-questions-asked camera replacement, "Unlimited cloud backup👍, automatic uploading to the cloud when charging, Up to 50% off of product offered at GoPro .com, $100 off your next GoPro upon renewal of subscription; as a whole, Gopro has a much better system. And I pesonally, if at all possible prefer not to financially support nor reward the Chinese Communist Party's global technology theft network. DJI is directly associated with the CCP's military machine, and as such the CCP is using DJI products to destabilize the freeworld. DJI equipment is funneled via the CCP into the hands terrorists networks such as Iran's: Hesbola & Hamas... as well as the Russian military too. DJI's equipment is sanctioned vis the CCP to slaughter both the Ukrainian and Israeli people! The Department of Defense (DOD) position is that systems produced by Da Jiang Innovations (DJI) pose potential threats to national security. I know my comments here won't sit well with the DJI action camera community, although when considering the all the facts, GoPro is my pick☝️

What about underwater test?

How are you??~good dji. Cade,

Put a one inch sensor in the Action 5.

gopro sounds awfull, as always

Very nice comparison dude to be honest. I have been using GoPro since the 9th version and yesterday I purchased the DJI Osmo action 4 to see the real difference between these 2 competitors. Unfortunately, I experience the problem with charging the batteries via DJI charging case included in the adventure combo. After charging one battery is full second one is on 84 % and the last one has 13%. This really annoys me so much :(.

I thought DJI looked better.

Thanks Francis

Well, from what you said yesterday, I think I'm sold on the DJI, especially as it'll stay waterproof with a wireless mic - something that lets the GoPro down massively due to the need to have a media mod.

Go Pro 12 is $105 cheaper than the Action 4. Is the $105 difference worth it for the action 4. Going to be for Ski/Snowboard, Sports, Fitness and travel

As a mountain biker, GoPro. Road bikers not even close to mountain bikes as far as needing stabilization. About the magnet, you can buy a $15 dólar and it works just like DIJ.

Dji action 4 absolutely and definitely the winner. Sound better image quality much better. Much more premium built. Thats why i bought 1 standard kit

Gopro sucks 🐓

I'm expecting my DJI Action 4 this afternoon, but already thinking about sending it back because it does not have HDMI out.

Looks like i need to.mov3 away from go pro. Dji looks great.

I've been watching quite a few reviews on these action cams now, and every single influencer said the same. Unfortunately, the GoPro Hero 12 loses against the DJI by a landslide, to make it short. If GoPro wants to sell its action cams, they need to be much cheaper at around ~200 bucks or sit on top of their cams.

DJI all the way

top review video...I've got a DJI P4P best drone for my purposes...I've had a gut full of GoPro issues...Hero 8...it works but after two fried batteries and other nuisance issues...it's a Osmo Action 4 for my next investment.

GoPro just looks underexposed in your shots -- I wonder if that's what is affecting the perception of how the low-light performance is like

A concise comparison to the point

DJI WINNER

I've noticed about the wide angle of go pro12 and it is super distorted like you were filtered it with fish eye. I think DJI OSMO ACTION 4 got the 5 points for the wide angle

Great comparison and the DJI looked and sounded better in your videos. I would have to go for the Gopro though as you can get waterproof housing for both....the Gopro is rated to 60m the DJI only to 45m and some of the wrecks in Scapa Flow are down at 45m. I don't just ride bikes.....

I love my Hero10... when it works. Currently on my third one, hoping this one lasts but I doubt it will.

I have been bouncing between GoPro/ Dji /insta for my cycling for a while. I’ve gone with the dji today after watching this among a few other videos. I just think for the bike the video and stability looked better but the magnetic clip would allow to swap between the bars, chest, shoulder and helmet mounts to give better panoramics while riding.

@Francis, do the DJI have the same problem as the GoPro Hero 8 black when the camera stops recording automatically because the battery is empty the files can become corrupt, does DJI have those problems?

The DGI looks better, better picture , better low light. Battery life? You were out shooting with Jimmy? How long? What i would want to know is how often I need to change batteries when I'm out for a ride.

Dji

I am wonder when someone will make youtube video titles with "fake world tests" not " real world " . I am even more enthusiastic on how that would be like! :)

DJI has this new gimbal-stabilized Osmo Pocket 3. It would be interesting if you could make a riding video using this and compare it with electronic-stabilized action cameras. As well as practicality of bringing Pocket 3 vs action cams on the bike.

Tbh I don’t have easy access to a DJI where I live, and the Hero 12 was on sale for $350 after taxes. Maybe I’d pick the DJI over the GoPro if they were both on the shelf in front of me, but I have no regrets grabbing the Hero.