Whether you want the DJI Osmo Nano, the DJI Action 6, or the DJI Osmo 360 really comes down to how you plan to use it. So let’s break down the differences between these three cameras and figure out which one is right for you. I want to say thank you to DJI for sponsoring this video, and if you’re interested in picking any of these cameras up, there are affiliate links down in the description. They don’t cost you anything extra, but they do help my channel out. Let’s start with the DJI Osmo Nano.
DJI Osmo Nano Specs
This camera is the smallest by far, especially when you separate the two units. The camera module is waterproof up to 10 meters, but once you attach the screen unit, you’re only splash resistant, so you don’t want to submerge the whole thing. The module by itself is capable of 4K at 60 frames per second, or 4K at 120 frames per second in slow motion mode, and you can film horizontal or vertical video depending on how you orient the camera.
With the Nano, you can take up to 35 megapixel photos. A big difference here is that you can opt for a 64 GB or 128 GB version, which will change your pricing. To preview what you’re filming, you’ll need to use the Vision Dock or connect it to the Mimo app on your phone. Because this is a fixed internal battery, to charge it you’ll need to attach the screen unit as well, which will automatically start charging the battery. You can also put a microSD card into the module itself, and depending on which internal storage version you get, that’ll affect how much footage you can record before you need to offload it to the SD card, a computer, or your phone.
For battery life, because this is a fixed internal battery that charges every time you attach the screen, you’ll get about 90 minutes of run time on the module by itself, depending on frame rate and how you’re using it. But if you attach the screen, or you keep reattaching it, you should get up to about 200 minutes of run time, which is a fair amount.
Why Choose the DJI Osmo Nano?
There are a few different ways I love using a camera like this. One, it’s easy to attach to magnetic mounts like a lanyard, so you can magnetically attach it to yourself, or really to any ferrous metal surface, even a car or a shelf. That’s great for behind-the-scenes angles and for POV shots, which is my favorite way to use this camera. Getting POV shots when I’m out adventuring, or wherever I might be, is fantastic.
Another way I like to use it is to stick it on top of my mirrorless camera to get POV shots when I’m out photographing wildlife or just exploring Alaska. The Nano is an excellent POV camera. I also like sticking it in weird, random places because it’s so small and mounts to so many different surfaces, so you can get some really odd and creative shots from unique perspectives. Maybe not quite as unique as the Osmo 360, but still very fun.
Another way to use it is for FPV, because the camera is so small and lightweight that you can get some really nice FPV shots if you’re trying to save weight on a smaller FPV drone. But one thing to be aware of with the Nano is that there are a lot of electronics packed into an incredibly small package, which is part of what makes it so great for POV shots, but it can also lead to overheating issues.
Overheating Issues With the Osmo Nano
I don’t generally deal with overheating issues because I live and work in Alaska, and it’s just not that hot up here. But if you live in a warmer climate, you’ll want to keep your recording times shorter rather than long-running, which will help eliminate overheating. That’s typically how I use this camera anyway: shorter clips, one to two, maybe three minutes at a time, just to capture POV shots of what I’m doing in that moment.
If you’re worried about the Nano and overheating, that’s where the Action 6 comes into play. The Action 6 is much more than just a bigger brother of the Nano. It has a lot of different features that really take it beyond.
DJI Osmo Action 6 Specs
Yes, it’s a little more expensive, but that comes with a lot of extras. One, you now have an interchangeable battery, so you can pop the door off and swap the battery if you need to, giving you a lot more run time. You have 50 GB of internal storage, and you can add a microSD card to get a bunch more. But the big thing that makes this camera different is the footage. It’ll record up to 8K at 30 frames per second, of course you can do 4K 60, and 4K 120 if you want. You also have a 1x1 mode that lets you get both vertical and horizontal framing out of the same shot.
This camera gives you a lot more options for how you want to film, including subject tracking at up to 2.7K, so if you want a bit of movement and motion in your shot, you can get it. The Action 6 also lets you go up to 20 meters underwater without a dive case, and there’s a dive case available if you want to go even deeper. Because it’s an all-in-one camera, you have a front touchscreen you can control features from, plus the rear screen. It’ll give you up to 240 minutes of run time on a single battery.
Why Choose the DJI Action 6?
So what do you use an Action 6 for? In my experience, if you want much longer record times, or a higher quality of footage because it gives you more dynamic range and up to 8K resolution, plus better low light performance, the Action 6 will do better for you. If you’re really going into low light, walking around streets at night for example, the Action 6 is the better choice.
You can use this on FPV drones too, and I have, and it does a great job giving you great FPV footage that you can then stabilize in post with Gyroflow if you want. But the Action 6 also has a trick up its sleeve.
Using the Macro Lens With the Action 6
The cool thing about the Action 6 is that you can put on a wide or a macro lens, which makes the camera a lot more useful depending on what you’re trying to shoot. I have the macro lens, and it can give you some very cool shots. This glacier ice is so clear when you use it. So while the Action 6 might seem like just a bigger brother to the Osmo Nano, and it definitely is that, it brings a lot more features to the table, and a lot more durability as far as what it can handle, both heat and cold-wise, since I’ve used this in some ridiculously cold weather.
So how do I like to use an Action 6? More like a vlogging camera, where I can just walk and talk to the camera. It gives you fantastic results, regardless of whether it’s day or night, and regardless of the conditions you’re in. In very, very cold temperatures here in Alaska, the Action 6 has been amazing at not freezing and dying on me. And if you use it in very warm temperatures, the Action 6 is going to be a big step up from the Osmo Nano. But then we come to the Osmo 360, and this camera is completely different from the Nano or the Action 6 because it’s a 360 camera.
Why Choose the DJI Osmo 360?
Really quickly, if you don’t know what 360 cameras are, they capture everything around the camera in a complete 360-degree sphere and allow you to reframe in post. The Osmo 360 will film in 8K up to 50 frames per second in that 360-degree sphere, and then let you reframe that into 4K or whatever format you need and export the footage out. So you need to understand that there’s a bit of a different workflow with a 360 camera.
It gives you options like selfie mode, which will automatically help frame the camera for you so you don’t have to reframe it in post, and you can use single-lens mode for either the front or rear lens to use it much more like a traditional action camera. The Osmo 360 does take photos up to 120 megapixels, but again, because it’s a 360-degree sphere photo, unless you’re posting VR content, you’re going to reframe it and end up with a much smaller photo than 120 megapixels.
DJI Osmo 360 Specs
It has removable batteries, 107 GB of internal storage, and of course, you can also add an SD card if you want. But one thing to be aware of is that footage from a 360 camera is never going to look exactly like footage from a standard action camera, because you’re recording that complete 360-degree sphere. So it begs the question: why would you want to get the Osmo 360 over something like the Action 6?
The Biggest Reasons to Choose a 360 Camera
The biggest reason to get a 360 camera over something like an Action 6 or an Osmo Nano is that you can capture shots while you’re doing things without thinking about where the camera is pointed, and then simply capture the action, capture the moment, and come in and reframe it in post exactly like you want.
Another reason you might want to use a 360 camera is to get angles and camera views that are impossible with any other camera, because you can put it just about anywhere and know you’re capturing everything in a 360-degree field of view, and the selfie stick is going to disappear. So if you want to capture shots that almost look like drone shots, or look like a follow camera, or even set the camera up somewhere on a selfie stick and have it track you later in post, you can do that with a 360 camera.
360 cameras are really great for behind-the-scenes shots, and for really different, unusual, hard-to-get shots you can’t get with any other type of camera. Another reason you might consider a 360 camera is if you film for horizontal and vertical video at the same time. You film horizontal long-form video for YouTube, and you also want vertical content for Shorts or Reels, and you can frame both out of the same shot. You can frame multiple shots out of the same shot, one going forward, one going backward, and change it through the shot to get all of that.
Specs That All Three Cameras Share
There are a few things you need to know about these cameras that go across the board. One, they can all shoot in a great 10-bit normal color profile, which is excellent and probably what most people are going to use, and a lot of what you’ve seen in this video. But they also all have the ability to film in 10-bit D-Log M, which lets you color grade and match up to other cameras later in post. D-Log M gives you the most dynamic range you can get out of these cameras.
DJI’s Osmo Audio System
Another great thing about these cameras is that they all work with the Osmo audio system. If you want to direct-connect a pair of Mic 2s, Mic Minis, Mic 3s, or pretty much any of the DJI mics that have come out in the last couple of years, you can, and get really good clean audio between you and one other person. It’s super useful if you’re in noisy or windy environments and want to clean your audio up a bit.
Batteries and the Magnetic Mount System
While the Nano doesn’t have an interchangeable battery, both the Action 6 and the Osmo 360 use the same batteries. So if you have a 360 or an Action 6 and want to add the other camera to your kit, you can use the same batteries, which is fantastic. All three cameras also work with the same quick-connect magnetic mount system, so you can quick-connect any of these cameras to the magnetic mount without worrying about cross-compatibility.
So, whether you’re going to get the Nano, the Action 6, or the Osmo 360 really comes down to how you’re going to use the camera and what kind of footage you want to get out of it in the end. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
This article was written based on Jake Sloan’s DJI action camera buyer’s guide video, published on his YouTube channel. You can find more of Jake’s coverage on his DroneXL author page.
