You’ve found yourself on a field of adventure, somewhere you’d normally never set foot in. In a few minutes, you’ll take to the skies with a new GoPro on your head or in your hand and soon you’ll be doing acrobatic flips or landing someone on the deck of a racing yacht.
That’s all great, but the next time you are looking for a more serious shot of the action from behind, this one might be a lot harder to capture. With the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera you can now capture moving 4k videos and pictures for the full GoPro experience.
The OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera features what many other 4k cameras don’t: a built-in 1080p sensor so that you don’t have to be connected to a device to take full 4k video.
The camera also features Wi-Fi and is capable of sending your footage to any smartphone or computer, so it’s possible to shoot with a device other than your GoPro. Let’s get deep into the features of both cameras:
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How Does the GoPro Hero4 Black Compare?
The GoPro Hero4 Black offers nearly all the features of the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera and more, making it almost a single-camera solution.
When it comes to the things that matter most to videographers though, the Hero4 Black captures video in 4k. It does so in a much smaller package, so even when you mount it on a body of water or put it on a GoPro, it can be virtually anywhere.
Which One is Easy to Use?
The image quality and resolution are the same for the two cameras and they both produce impressive results, but the difference in price and size is enough for us to feel confident in choosing one over the other.
Of course, in most people’s minds, the most important factor in choosing a video camera is that it is easy to use. And for this, the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera has that title in spades. Just click and shoot, it’s that easy.
The OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera brings to the table something that many users will find irresistible – flexibility. While the GoPro Hero4 Black is built to withstand a few bumps and bruises, you probably won’t want to use it for your next skiing trip, so you’ll be forced to buy the separate mount.
With the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera, though, you can use the camera as a regular action camera, take it with you wherever you go and enjoy the flexibility of going wherever you want to go.
Which Camera has Best Video Quality?
There is no question, the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera is an impressive product that offers something the other camera can’t – a lot of options. However, the GoPro Hero4 Black is pretty amazing too.
It has the same 4k recording capabilities, amazing footage quality, and a slim design that will work with nearly any action camera (albeit a bit heavier).
The only potential downside is the price, but a GoPro is a GoPro, and the difference in video quality isn’t enough to make this worthy of a price difference.
Fortunately, when it comes to video, it’s really hard to go wrong with either product. This is especially true when you factor in that one can be used for capturing 4k video, the other for recording 1080p footage. In the end, this is a very competitive price range.
Which One is More Flexible in terms of Shutter Speed and Exposure?
You do lose some more flexibility with Osmo’s 4K recording, however. While you can adjust your exposure, shutter speed, and ISO with the GoPro, the Osmo only lets you adjust the shutter speed.
You can set it to high, medium, or low, but these settings are displayed on the screen, and you can’t actually adjust it on the camera itself.
You also can’t change the aperture—the amount of light the camera lets in. And it’s true that the GoPro is better with video in general because of its zoom, but that doesn’t automatically mean the Osmo Action 4k is better for video.
In our tests, the footage from the Osmo Action 4k is also a little over saturated, more so than with the GoPro. Compared to the camera on the GoPro, there’s no noticeable difference in picture quality at a 4K resolution.
As far as recording quality goes, the camera on the Osmo Action 4k is good—though it does have a less impressive sensor than GoPro, so it might be overkill to use with the standard Hero 4.
Which is More Convenient to Use?
Osmo’s convenience is mostly a blessing; it’s well-designed to where the experience is seamless and easy to learn. To get started, press the power button to start recording.
The first few times, it’ll take some practice; you’ll need to hold the camera and twirl it around to get it to understand your movements, but soon you’ll be flying. That said, Osmo’s biggest advantage is the convenience.
With the camera on your body, it’s so simple to pick up and move. Not only is it easy to wield the camera with one hand, but there’s a nice action that makes it seem like you’re actually using it—when in reality you’re just spinning it around.
This convenience is the biggest con for the Osmo Action. A phone case for the Osmo Action is sold separately because since it adds a plastic shell to a good-looking device that should look great bare.
It also increases the battery drain significantly—the battery life is rated at 2 hours, but our testing resulted in the device dying after about 15 minutes. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it does present a barrier for the purchase.
Which One is the Cheaper Option?
You can get a Osmo Action on Amazon with reasonable price. If you want something a little more budget friendly, you can get the same camera and strap on Amazon within your pricing range.
Both models are being sold under both the 5X and the 9XE names, but the 4X battery and the 4X camera are sold as the 5X and 4X respectively.
At a reasonable price point, it’s the most affordable action camera on the market—and that’s not even factoring in the size or the convenience of not having to take the camera off of your body. It’s also the only camera that can be used with the Moto Z2 Force and the LG V30, so it has that going for it.
Osmo does have to justify its camera price point, and with the Osmo Action it’s looking to do that with the help of action camera enthusiasts—those who want a camera that can be used just about anywhere.
With the Osmo Action, the team at GoPro is making a smart bet. While it is more expensive than a GoPro Hero camera, it’s less expensive than a camera that’s even cheaper, and its portability is almost a premium given its price.
As a first entry into the action camera market, the Osmo Action could very well find a place on shelves, and for those who want a camera that can do almost anything, that’s a good place to start.
Which Video Camera is Right for You?
Our recommendation is clear: if you are looking to record footage in 4k (and the other does not), then buy the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera. If we talk about quality, it is an incredible value for the quality it provides.
However, if you are shooting 1080p video, then the GoPro Hero4 Black is an easy choice – the video it produces is impressive and will likely continue to improve.
The only downside to the Hero4 Black is that it’s a bit heavier and a bit larger than the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera. And of course, it’s a bit more expensive.
However, you will likely be spending the majority of your time editing your footage. Unless you really need all that processing power for your editing suite (or for playing back footage, you are just buying the camera for the video itself), then a GoPro will almost certainly provide the better video footage.
All that said, both are excellent products and both have strong benefits. If money is not an issue, then we highly recommend you buy the OJI Osmo Action 4k Camera. But if you want to learn more about the capabilities of each camera, you should check out our Amazon product comparison.
We’ve done the hard work for you, comparing the two cameras side-by-side on Amazon, with additional information and reviews of each. We hope this has helped you make the decision that is right for you.