DJI is a leader in civilian drone and camera technology. Last year, they launched the DJI Action 2, a compact magnetic modular size camera system for action sports recording.
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US DJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo & Magnetic Protective Case – 4K Action Camera with Dual OLED Touchscreens, 155° FOV, Magnetic Attachments, Stabilization Technology, Underwater Camera Ideal https://amzn.to/3ObuDyE at USD 519
Weighing only 56 grams, the camera can be mounted to a helmet to film a FPV bike ride or other extreme sports even water as it is water proof. Vlogging hands free can be easily achieved by attaching the camera to the DJI Action 2 Magnetic Lanyard to the front of the chest to capture moments from an exciting first-person view.
DJI Action 2 comes with a 1/1.7-inch sensor and can record up to 4K/120fps video with incredible detail, and a super-wide 155° FOV lets you capture your entire surroundings for immersive footage. This is enhanced with it’s Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS) technology making it possible to shoot cinematic footages.
With the latest firmware update in Jan 2022, DJI Action 2 now included more modes to improve the recording period and reduce heat dissipation. The new modes are : Off, Steady, RockSteady, HorizontalBalancing and a HorizonSteady (for shooting up to 2.7K/16:9).
The DJI Action 2 Camera Unit has a battery with a run time of up to 70 minutes on its own, 160 minutes when connected with the Front Touchscreen Module, and 180 minutes with the power module. Using DJI Action 2 with the front touchscreen Module also incorporates DJI Matrix Stereo technology, first seen in DJI Pocket 2. The single microphone from the camera unit combines with the three microphones from the module to record audio from every direction, creating immersive sound during playback.
The DJI action 2 can record slow motion, hyperlapse, Time lapse, Quickclip. It can also do Livestrem or even be used as a USB webcam for your Skype calls.
The package contains the following :
- DJI Action 2 camera
- DJI Action 2 Front Touchscreen Module: A front-facing OLED touchscreen and three built-in microphones bring 4-mic Matrix Stereo technology, which allows you to compose videos or selfies and record crisp audio on the go. Connect to Action 2 for a maximum battery life of 160 minutes.
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Lanyard: Wear this stylish-yet-discrete lanyard to keep your hands free and capture moments from an exciting first-person view.
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Ball-Joint Adapter Mount: An adhesive base allows users to attach DJI Action 2 to any surface and enjoy 360° of freedom to fix the camera in any direction. A standard 1/4″ screw hole is compatible with most camera accessories.
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Adapter Mount: This mount securely holds DJI Action 2 in place during extreme sports or demanding scenarios. It includes folding fingers at the bottom to use Action 2 with most third-party action camera accessories.
Below are other accessories which can be bought seperately.
- Remote Control Extension Rod: A versatile 3-in-1 accessory serves as an extension rod, tripod, and detachable remote controller, to meet all your shooting needs.
- DJI Floating Handle: A hollow design helps keep DJI Action 2 floating so you can film in water without fear of losing the camera. An anti-slip grip makes it easy to hold, and the handle can be attached to a tripod or the DJI Action 2 Waterproof Case.
- DJI Action 2 Waterproof Case: The Waterproof Case houses DJI Action 2 Camera Unit and front touchscreen module or power module to depths of up to 60 meters.
- DJI Action 2 Magnetic Headband: Another hands-free alternative that allows users to shoot videos in unique FPV.
- DJI Action 2 Macro Lens: This optical glass with multi-layer coating attaches magnetically over the camera unit lens, making for ideal close-up shots in sharper, richer detail.
- DJI Mic: Wireless dual-channel recording system that adds clear and crisp audio to your vlog or showreel. DJI Mic has a recording range of up to 250 meters and is compatible with Action 2, smartphones, and any device that has a 3.5mm audio input. Enjoy up to 5.5 hours of battery life from the transmitters, 5 hours from the receiver, and 15 hours from the charging case.
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The Package
There are two modules in the package, the first is the DJI Action 2 which features a 56 grams, f/1.7 sensor with superwide 155 degree FOV with EIS that can record up to 4K/120fps.
The other module is a a front touch screen module which also serves as the add on battery plus microSD card slot for memory expansion.
You will also get a magnetic adapter mount, a magnetic ball joint adaptor mount, a USB power cable and a magnetic lanyard for wearing the DJI action 2 at the front of the chest.
You can mount the DJI action 2 on to a small tripod using the magnetic ball joint adaptor. This makes it easy for you to take vlogs. Of course, if you prefer to choose mount it near your chest, the chances are you end up with a shaky video even if you choose to record in horizon balance mode.
User Interface
After powering up the DJI Action 2, you will see the main interface, on the top right is the battery indicator, top left is the amount of record time left, on the left is the play back button of the clips. On the bottom left corner is where you set the different record modes. On the bottom right is the zoom factor. On the right, you can choose the exposure, white balance and colour mode.
Click the left bottom button to select the resolution and frame rate to record your video. On the top right, you can choose 4 modes – off, Steady, Rocksteady,Horizon Balancing and HorizonSteady (only for 2.7K/16:9).
You can also turn on Pro mode, change the brightness, check the storage etc.
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Tips and Tricks
Before you choose to start recording, there are a few settings that needs to be set. If you use it out of the box, you will probbaly face heat issues or the Action 2 shuts down.
Firstly, you need to go to settgsin and change the auto stop record temperature threshold to HIGH.
Secondly, run the Horizon Calibration It will take a while to calibrate.
Thirdly, to reduce heat, set the video compression mode to H.264. By default, it is set to HEVC which does more computing but conserve more space for recording longre videos. I choose the later to use H.264 as it is a more compatible codec on most video editing platforms.
If you like, you can turn on Voice control so that you can ask DJIA action 2 to start recording by giving voice command.
Other than video mode, you can take static photos, quick clip, slow motion and time lapse.
You can manually set the EV, exposure and ISO settings in Manual mode. D-Cine is available for taking videos in low light environment after which you can colour grade the video.
Anyway, all these settings are also accessible through the DJI MIMO App.
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Conclusion
In Conclusion, the DJI Action 2 is a very compact solution for action recording. One click of the button and there is no lag in boot up (in some other products).
The DJIA action 2 will need to improve on it’s battery. If we were to calculate, the recording time for the a 4K/16:9 25 fps video will only last 25 minutes on this unit. If you were to take it at 1080p, it will probably be able to reach 50 minutes.
Seriously, the lanyard is not very useful for taking walking videos as the video is very shaky due to body movement.
Videos shot in low light areas tends to be a bit grainy but that is expected unless you do active sports at night, then this DJI Action 2 may not be that suitable even if you lower the shutter speed and increasing the ISO through manual mode.
I like the DJI Action 2 and hope there will be a Action 3 that bundles with DJI microphone and a stick. Improvements should be made to have USB charging directly to the DJI action 2 then going through the front touch screen module.
The DJI Action 2 is available on Amazon
US DJI Action 2 Dual-Screen Combo & Magnetic Protective Case – 4K Action Camera with Dual OLED Touchscreens, 155° FOV, Magnetic Attachments, Stabilization Technology, Underwater Camera Ideal https://amzn.to/3ObuDyE at USD 519