For the last week, I've been playing with the new DJI's completely reimagined modular action camera system, the Action 2. Aspects of this new system are ingenious, but it is far from perfect.
What Is It?
The Action 2 camera module is a small metal cube without any ports. It has 32 GB of usable internal memory, a single button on top, and a touchscreen on the back. By itself, this camera doesn't have any ports for expanding memory or even a USB jack for charging. On the bottom, it does have contacts that attach magnetically to either a battery module or a front touchscreen module that has its battery, a micro SD card slot, and a USB-C port.
You might think that you'll just leave the camera attached to one of these additional modules all the time, but you can't because the camera module is waterproof, but the others aren't. If you want to use both modules together in the water, you'll have to use a separate waterproof case that is sold separately.
The benefit to this system is you can now have an incredibly small, waterproof camera that can quickly attach to other components and mounts to make it more powerful.
Are Action Cameras Still Necessary?
Action cameras were a necessity a few years ago because they were the only wide angle, waterproof, high frame rate cameras on the market. But of course, this isn't the case anymore. Almost every smartphone sold today is waterproof and has an ultra-wide angle camera and a couple more built right in. For this reason, in my review, I decided not to compare the Action 2 with the GoPro Hero 10, but instead with my iPhone 13 Pro.
My video review ended up being quite controversial, with some viewers saying that the comparison with a phone wasn't fair and I failed to mention the benefits of a smaller, more rugged action camera. For this reason, I made an additional response video to the controversy.
My Findings
The DJI Action 2 camera module is the smallest high-quality action camera currently on the market. The image quality is surprisingly much worse than the iPhone 13 Pros ultra-wide angle camera in almost every shooting environment other than when you are filming in 4K at 120 fps (the 13 Pro can only do this in 1080p).
The magnetic mounting system is fantastic for normal use on land, but I do not trust it for water sports. If only one of the locking arms is depressed, the camera can easily become detached and lost forever. For this reason, I only feel comfortable filming in the water with the optional waterproof case that started to leak after only a few minutes of use in my first test. I also accidentally discovered another flaw with the magnetic mount when I set the camera down in the dirt with metal shavings. The metal particles wedged their way into the clamp mounts, and it was incredibly difficult to clean them out.
The camera also has a problem with overheating. I was filming in 4K 48 fps for around 10 minutes when it shut off. That being said, it did turn on again after a few seconds.
For vlogging, the iPhone 13 Pro is the clear winner. It has better image quality, better ISO performance, better battery life, and two additional cameras, as well as the power of an internet-connected computer. Most importantly, you've always got it with you. Third-party cases, cages, and waterproof housings can make the iPhone an even better action camera.
That being said, for extreme sports outside of the water, the Action 2 could be a great option. Its incredibly small size and magnetic mounting system make it one of the easiest cameras to quickly mount and film with.
If you're mostly shooting in the water, I think the GoPro Hero 10 is still your best bet. The entire camera is waterproof without the need for additional housing, and although the mounting system isn't as quick, it's far more reliable when it's being pounded with high-pressure water.
