DJI Action 4?

[gstrek]

For the footage I've used thus far, I simply used the natural color profile, which is pretty true to life above water in my opinion. Haven't tried filming in DLogM yet.

I've used both profiles above water and agree that the natural color profile works very well. I've also shot in DLogM and color graded using the DJI LUT in DaVinci Resolve to get similar results with a little more effort. Pulled the DLogM clips into iMovie and was able to adjust contrast, saturation and white balance with ok results - easiest to just use Natural Color profile in this case.

Because DLogM is a 'flat profile' I would expect the neon greens to at least be toned way down but would take some effort to remove in post processing. Also good to know that reducing noise reduction to -2 was helpful for the ghosting issues you had.

 

[Pearlman]

I was reading a review today and it said that the Action 4 will brick itself after 5 continuous power cycles if you don’t activate it from the App. Now since Google Playstore does not have the DJI App it means side-loading the app leading to all kinds of security paranoia. Did any of you folks face the same issue.

I happen to have an iPad and curiously the Apple playstore does not block Chinese Apps and I had the DJI App installed. So I did not face this issue with my Action3 cam. I even have the Huawei Health App on my iPad for my health band.

PS : I thought the Chinese App ban was universal for all American companies so I am curious why Apple does not ban them from their playstore.

 

[Nico-ITA]

Intrigued by the larger sensor on the Action 4, I got one recently and hit the water. Initial results were decidedly mixed on my end.

I dive a lot in the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes - no well-lit tropical waters here. With the noise reduction feature on any setting above -2 (the lowest available setting), I found the camera struggles mightily in medium-low light settings, with low-contrast textures. Results in frequent, pronounced "ghosting" that makes the footage unusuable in my opinion. I'm using Rocksteady stabilization, so maybe it's a combo of the stabilization and the noise reduction. But I won't film without stabilization, so the noise reduction had to go. The increase in grain was far preferable to the ghosting / shimmering effect.,

Once I turned the noise reduction all the way down, the the ghosting issue disappeared. So that's good.

The remaining beef I have with the camera is that footage will sometimes come out waaaaayyy greener than it appeared in the water. Like neon highligher green. I've had this issue with both a fixed value for WB and AWB. Sometimes the color temperature will noticably hop / oscillate between neon green and not neon green.

Above water footage is fantastic, and I prefer the natural color profile to the Hero 12's natural profile (which is virtually indiscernible from vibrant). If I can get the footage to stop coming out so green, I'll be happy with it. Otherwise I'll be forced to use the GoPro and return the DJI.

Have you done any other tests?
Could you please lik some videos?

On paper the Action 4 could/ should have been better underwater, but you are not the first one saying that the cam has objective issue in this element.
Probably fixable via software(who knows), but are we sure they will be fixed and if so, how long will it take?

POV: Major brands release an action cam every year. I don't think there is any point in a buy "hoping" sooner or later the manufacturer will fix any problems. It could be tomorrow as never

If this is the case, I think I will still choose GoPro

 

[DiveDiversions]

I was reading a review today and it said that the Action 4 will brick itself after 5 continuous power cycles if you don’t activate it from the App. Now since Google Playstore does not have the DJI App it means side-loading the app leading to all kinds of security paranoia. Did any of you folks face the same issue.

I happen to have an iPad and curiously the Apple playstore does not block Chinese Apps and I had the DJI App installed. So I did not face this issue with my Action3 cam. I even have the Huawei Health App on my iPad for my health band.

PS : I thought the Chinese App ban was universal for all American companies so I am curious why Apple does not ban them from their playstore.

I thought the bricking only happened if you didn't activate it from purchase, once you activate it initially it should be good from then.

I've certainly powered mine up more then five times without out connecting it.

Apparently DJI had some issue with Google and pulled their apps from the play store, the apps were available through the Samsung Galaxy store, but recently got pulled from there as well, so now the only way to install any DJI app is to sideload the APK, it's a right annoyance and to me has a security risk.
With Apple there is no way to sideload and as Apple sell/push DJI products (at least in Australia) they have to support it through their App store.

I don't believe it's an American thing as it the same here in Australia.

 

[Pearlman]

I thought the bricking only happened if you didn't activate it from purchase, once you activate it initially it should be good from then.

I've certainly powered mine up more then five times without out connecting it.

Apparently DJI had some issue with Google and pulled their apps from the play store, the apps were available through the Samsung Galaxy store, but recently got pulled from there as well, so now the only way to install any DJI app is to sideload the APK, it's a right annoyance and to me has a security risk.
With Apple there is no way to sideload and as Apple sell/push DJI products (at least in Australia) they have to support it through their App store.

I don't believe it's an American thing as it the same here in Australia.

Ok I was it was a government diktat for national security kinda thing for all American companies, didn’t know there was variations in policy by corporation.

 

[mimifel]

I visited this forum before I made a purchase of DJI action 4. I wanted to know if I needed color filter for it when I dive but unfortunately that time I did not get the answer I need. I bought the camera anyways and went on a dive trip with the DJI action 4 last Nov 9 2023. I went up to 19m depth. TLDR: no need for color filter for my usage.
Sample footages:
set up: underwater housing, no color filter.
I used a dive light for a few mins in the 2nd video but turned it off most of the time.There is no significant difference with the footage on that 19m and shallower depth whether lights are on or off. I was mind-blown by the quality of the image. The colors are true to real life even if I don't post process it. I only applied the free LUT from DJI for post.

Below are the settings I used.

Camera: DJI Osmo Action 4
Exposure: Auto
WB: AWB
Color: Normal
FOV: Wide
Image Adjustment: Default
Low-light Image Enhancement: Off
Resolution: 4K/16:9
FPS: 120
Rocksteady +

Post: DJI OSMO Action 4 D-Log M to Rec.709 vivid LUT(free at DJI website)

 

[mimifel]

I visited this forum before I made a purchase of DJI action 4. I wanted to know if I needed color filter for it when I dive but unfortunately that time I did not get the answer I need. I bought the camera anyways and went on a dive trip with the DJI action 4 last Nov 9 2023. I went up to 19m depth. TLDR: no need for color filter for my usage.
Sample footages:
set up: underwater housing, no color filter.
I used a dive light for a few mins in the 2nd video but turned it off most of the time.There is no significant difference with the footage on that 19m and shallower depth whether lights are on or off. I was mind-blown by the quality of the image. The colors are true to real life even if I don't post process it. I only applied the free LUT from DJI for post.

Below are the settings I used.

Camera: DJI Osmo Action 4
Exposure: Auto
WB: AWB
Color: Normal
FOV: Wide
Image Adjustment: Default
Low-light Image Enhancement: Off
Resolution: 4K/16:9
FPS: 120
Rocksteady +

Post: DJI OSMO Action 4 D-Log M to Rec.709 vivid LUT(free at DJI website)

Also if you don't really post process your videos, the image quality using the above settings is still great. Here is a sample raw footage without post processing:
Also the battery life is incredible. With the front and back screen turned off, the camera did not overheat and after 35mins+ of usage underwater, I was still left with 40% battery.

 

[Mr. Dooley]

Here's a link to a couple dives - one shot with the Action 4 and one with the Hero 12.

The intro, and first dive are with the DJI. The surface interval and second dive are with the GoPro. Shot on the same day, in roughly similar light (the second dive had poorer vis, but was a bit shallower).


Both are shot in 4K, 24 FPS and in the natural color profile. No color grading. Personally I think the noise on the DJI sensor is more filmic vs. the noise on the GoPro sensor.

 

[afieldofblue]

Any filter mounting options for the Dji Action 4 then?
55mm / 52mm would work - I prefer working with a filter for ambient light, nicer to grade.

@Pearlman - saw you were in Bali - if you're interested I do have a Backscatter MacroMate Mini +15 closeup lens to sell here if you're interested. But it's a 55mm thread, so you will need a filter mount for whatever camera you're using.

 

[Pearlman]

Any filter mounting options for the Dji Action 4 then?
55mm / 52mm would work - I prefer working with a filter for ambient light, nicer to grade.

@Pearlman - saw you were in Bali - if you're interested I do have a Backscatter MacroMate Mini +15 closeup lens to sell here if you're interested. But it's a 55mm thread, so you will need a filter mount for whatever camera you're using.

I skipped Bali at the last moment and then went to Maldives instead. But I plan to go next year for sure. I think you would have sold it by then but Thanks anyways…