((( U L T R A W I D E ))) DJI Action 2 FPV Freestyle

Welcome to my first edit with the DJI Action 2 camera. I think the ultrawide field of view looks great. Exposure...I'm still figuring out, as you can see from these clips. Scroll on down for my impression of the camera so far and some notes on the footage. I'll hit that dive clean someday... And how about that 'taking this way too seriously' title? Who tf do I think I am, the Criterion Collection? ### MUSIC ### ARTIST: Ratatat SONG: Neckbrace https://youtu.be/97KfDhJdOKI ### Camera Settings ### Resolution: 2.7K, exported at 4K for YouTube. Framerate: 30FPVS FoV: Ultrawide Stabilization: Off, except in one clip at 2:19 as noted. Color: D-Cinelike, except in the sunset clips at 1:29 as noted. ### Hello Action 2 ### I got my last Hero 7 back in July, and it's dying. I never liked the 7 that much, but being forced fatten up with a Hero 8/9/10 wasn't sitting well at all, so when DJI announced this camera I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a big fan of DJI, to say the least, but the size won me over and I pre-ordered the "power combo" on launch day. # First Impression # I knew during the first flight I could never go back to a chunky Hero for freestyle. Sub 650 grams feels so good I'm definitely willing to tolerate some quirkiness. It's not our beloved Session 5, but it's close... # Durability # Durability has been fine so far [knocks on wood]. I dinged a corner on the pavement, but it took the tree at 3:01 like a champ. A major consideration for me is Best Buy availability and their accidental damage warranty. It makes the intial purchase fairly risk free, and keeps me flying. We'll see how the new 'we have to try to fix it first' policy goes with this one. I've had mixed results with GoPros. It's one of several reasons heavy users will need two, just like the Session. # Overheating # I have had zero issues with overheating, but the cold weather and 2.7K/30 might have something to do with it. On one occasion, after leaving the camera in the shop overnight, it warned that it was too cold. # Storage # The internal storage is fine for 5-10 pack freestyle sessions at 2.7K/30. You might have to dump the footage once, especially with 4K, but that's pretty quick. For all-day use you're gonna need two, so you'll have plenty of time to offload files from one while flying the other. The need to more frequently remove the camera from the quad will definitely influence my choice of mount. I am concerned that the storage is only accessible using the connector. If the connector gets damaged the footage may not be recoverable. Transfer to SD frequently, I guess. # Image Quality # Autoexposure can be very bad. Transition between light and dark scenes remains one of GoPro's standout features. In short, this footage looks like dog shit compared to good light and settings on a Hero 7: https://youtu.be/s3HwaQceXTE It's not a fair comparison, but I still hope DJI makes it better with a firmware update. A few specific things I noticed: - Dynamic range is not great, as you can see around 2:41, shot with ISO 100-400. - The sunny parking lot session at 0:11 and 1:59 was mid day, with pretty harsh light. The settings I chose are a bit hot, but shadow detail is good. - The "normal" color mode is very punchy, as seen in the sunset clips at 1:29. The footage here is barely adjusted, with just a teeny reduction in contrast. - Having props in view is an issue [1:28], but easily mitigated with grey props, or eliminated with a slightly taller mount. # ND Filters # I haven't printed a good ND filter holding mount yet. The TBS style filters are ok, but I'd prefer Camera Butter's stick on filters. Not sure if they'd vignette. I really like that the camera displays the current ISO and white balance while in auto. That will definitely help select filters quickly. # Stabilization # Stabilization seems fine, if that's your thing. Some example footage at 2:19. It'll definitely remove some propwash, which makes me hopeful it'll pull clean footage in windy conditions. If they are going to call it "RockSteady" they really should name the unstabilized mode "Bebop". # Gripes # Forcing customers to create an account to activate the camera is complete horseshit. # Conclusion # If the Action 2 continues to work well I'll probably get another. Unless GoPro brings back a Session... ### GEAR ### FRAME: Impulse RC Apex 5" MOTORS: XING 2306 & NBD 2306.5 FC: BrainFPV Radix & Radix 2 ESC: Hobbywing 60A VTX: Team Blacksheep Unify Pro32 Nano VTX Antenna: TBS Triumph Pro LHCP and AXII 2 RX: Team Blacksheep Crossfire Nano Rx FPV CAM: Foxeer Toothless 2 PROPS OUT: HQ/Ethix S5 & P4 LEDs: tinysleds.com BATTERIES: Various 6S 1000mAh PEANUT BUTTER: Smooth DIFFs: https://github.com/percisely/Betaflight_Configuration ### More ### YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEmY4okwJzm5NS2JIdr26VQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/percisely More Links: https://linktr.ee/percisely