In this blog, I will be comparing the DJI Action 5 with the DJI Pocket 3 and helping you figure out which camera is right for you.

For context, I make YouTube videos about travel photography, and these two cameras have been the primary tools for recording when out and about. Even though this blog aims at helping you pick one, I actually use both for slightly different purposes; this is something I will also touch on. If you want to support the blog, please consider picking up the cameras using the affiliate links below.

There is no extra cost for you, and I get a small % that keeps this blog ad-free.

DJI Pocket 3 Intended Use Case

The DJI Pocket 3 is primarily designed for vlogging. It’s designed to be used while walking and provide a smooth gimbal-steady image. It has 4 mics on board, giving you great audio straight out of the device. The best mic is the one that’s facing you, further cementing this as a vlogging-first camera. There are some smart modes that allow you to place the camera in one spot and let it track your movements using the gimbal. While it’s a great camera for travel, it’s also pretty fragile. There is no weather sealing, and should you drop it, the gimbal can easily break.

DJI Action 5 Intended Use Case

The DJI Action 5 is primarily designed for action sports, underwater filming, and mounting in areas that require small and durable cameras, such as on cars or bikes. While the device is waterproof and can easily absorb some falls, it does suffer in the image quality department due to a smaller sensor. This device works best when there is ample daylight, with image quality and stabilisation suffering when the light levels drop. This makes sense given most scenarios where this camera is used will be during the day. Lastly, this camera has many more options for mounting and accessories.

Accessories & Mounting

The DJI Action 5 takes a clear win here due to the vast ecosystem of native and third-party mounting accessories. Whatever the task, there will be an accessory for that. The DJI Pocket 3 also has ample accessories, and while the magnetic mounts are not interchangeable, you can easily get an adapter that allows it to be used with all the Action 5 accessories. With that said, most accessories might prove cumbersome with the Pocket 3 due to the vastly different ergonomics, something I will cover later in this blog.

Weather Sealing

DJI Action 5 takes a clear win here as it’s waterproof without needing extra accessories. The DJI Pocket 3 has zero weather sealing and even an exposed SD card. With that said, I have used the Pocket 3 in light rain without issues before, although I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

Shock Resistance

Another easy win for the Action 5 as it has zero moving parts and can take a tumble. The Pocket 3’s gimbal is fragile, so any drop might impact it.

Reliability

I’ve never had any issues with the Action 5. With the Pocket 3, I had the gimbal overheat and refuse to work after holding it out of a car window for too long. I suspect the constant need to counteract the wind overheated the gimbal. It came back to life later that day. I also found the DJI Pocket 3 to sometimes glitch out, but this was in the early days with most issues ironed out with updates. With that said, my Pocket 3 was abused for over a year, never seen a protective case, and thrown around without much care, and it never broke down.

Repairability

The Action 5 has a replaceable lens cover, meaning if you damage it, you can easily get it fixed. The Pocket 3 doesn’t have that and would need to go back to DJI.

Ergonomics

If you plan on mostly handholding your camera or resting it on a flat surface, the Pocket 3 makes more sense as it’s more comfortable to hold. The Action 5 is very awkward to hold without using a handle accessory, which in most cases would make it bigger than the Pocket 3. If you want to mostly mount your camera in different places, the Action 5 makes the most sense.

Field of View

The Osmo Action 5 has a wider field of view at 12.7mm. The DJI Pocket 3 has a 20mm lens. The Action 5 gets more into the frame but can look a little too wide for some. The Pocket 3 has a more natural field of view but might be a little too tight for some who also want to have more of the location in the shot. It’s worth noting that you can get a magnetic lens adapter for the Pocket 3 to make it a little wider.

Image Quality - Photo

While the Action 5 has a higher resolution 40MP sensor, it does suffer more in low light. The DJI Pocket 3 has a more natural-looking image, and given the larger sensor, autofocus, and brighter aperture lens, you get nice background blur that’s missing from the Action 5. Unless you need 40MP for a specific purpose, the Pocket 3 produces much nicer photos which can easily be upscaled in Lightroom.

Image Quality - Video

Hands down, the Pocket 3 produces a much nicer image compared to the Action 5 for the same reasons as already mentioned. The larger sensor lets more light in, giving a cleaner low-light image. The fast f/2 lens gives a nice background blur, and the AF ensures that your subject is in focus. While the resolutions are the same, if you want the best quality image, the Pocket 3 is a clear winner.

Autofocus

The Pocket 3 wins this with ease because it has AF, and the Osmo Action 5 doesn’t. The Action 5 has a constant focus, which is a little further out. This makes sense for the use case but does not allow for subject separation. The Pocket 3 AF system is good and reliable.

Image Stabilisation

Both come with amazing image stabilisation but have their respective pros and cons. The Pocket 3 relies on a gimbal system which provides an extremely smooth image. The Action 5 uses internal digital stabilisation which also can provide an incredibly smooth shot. The biggest downside of the Action 5 is that the digital stabilisation relies on ample light. As soon as the light dips, the quality of the stabilisation reduces drastically. As for the Pocket 3, it’s susceptible to gimbal drift if filming in cars, planes, or anything with movement. This can make it hard to keep the subject centred if shooting in a car that’s going around a bend, for example. When it comes to stabilisation, I feel that each camera perfectly suits the intended usage.

Microphones

Both have a good main microphone; however, the Pocket 3 has a better quality mic. Also, the mic on the Action 5 is forward-facing, which is great for vlogging. However, if you’re filming behind the camera and need to talk, the sound is very muffled. The mics on the Pocket 3 can be independently controlled, meaning you can switch all the mics off apart from the one facing you, thus giving you clean audio of your voice with less ambient pick-up. The Pocket 3 easily wins this one.

Special Features & Performance

Both have various smart features; however, given the gimbal design of the Pocket 3, it can track and follow you infinitely. The Action 5 Pro has a quicker start up time, while the Pocket 3 takes a little longer to get the gimbal centred and booted up. the Action 5 also has some built in memory for when you forget your SD card. Pocket 3 only relies on external memory.

Battery Life

Both have good battery life and both can recharge via USB-C very quickly. The biggest difference is the Action 5 has replaceable batteries, which is great for longer takes if you don’t have time to charge. The Pocket 3 has a built-in battery that can’t be swapped out; however, it recharges incredibly fast via USB-C and has never given me any issues.

Why Get The DJI Pocket 3?

If you primarily make YouTube videos, vlogs, or document your life, then the Pocket 3 is perfect. It has all the features you’d need, and for me, it has been a game-changer when it comes to making my YouTube videos while travelling.

Why Get the DJI Action 5?

If you primarily want to document your sports, film underwater, or mount it to your chest, car, bike, and so on, then this is a better option.

Why Get Both?

I own both and find that between them, they complement each other and cover every scenario I might encounter when travelling. They also serve as backup devices for each other should the worst happen to one of them.