It is value noting that a few of what you are going to learn right here will not be present in different critiques as a result of the 8K 30 fps video capabilities weren’t added till close to the top of 2025, when DJI delivered a firmware replace which enabled 8K video. So in case you see these preliminary, rushed critiques going for that Google juice, saying that the Motion 5 tops out at 4K—properly, they’re fallacious now.
The brand new sensor is a 1/1.1-inch chip and it is sq., which suggests you may shoot as soon as and crop to numerous codecs, together with the evil that’s vertical video. One caveat there’s that capturing in customized mode for the biggest potential use of the sensor after which cropping to 16:9 doesn’t produce pretty much as good of footage as capturing in 16:9 mode. I can not work out why this might be, however I’ve executed a number of assessments, and it’s. Probably the identical is true for vertical video, however nobody cares as a result of all vertical video is crap.
The opposite, higher good thing about the bigger sensor is that the stabilization function does not crop as a lot so that you get a wider subject of view with stabilization enabled than you do with the Motion 5. That is additionally true of horizon leveling, which may now be set to both 45 levels in both path, or 360 levels.
Variable Aperture
In all probability essentially the most thrilling function within the Motion 6 although will not be the brand new sensor, however the variable aperture lens. Sure, DJI put teeny tiny aperture blades in there to permit the lens to shoot at f/2 to f/4. The concept is to enhance the low gentle functionality of the digicam with out sacrificing an excessive amount of depth of subject. So you should utilize the f/2 to shoot whereas browsing at sundown after which cease right down to f/4 when vlogging again on the lodge, or one thing like that.
Low gentle efficiency is healthier, as you’d count on with a wider aperture lens. The video is cleaner and sharper than both the Motion 5 Professional or the Ace Professional 2. And that is true whether or not you utilize SuperNight mode or not. You possibly can actually see this capturing D-Log—the ungraded footage is way brighter and sharper. I’d say it is a full cease brighter.
Alas, there’s a good little bit of noise nonetheless and the codec does present its limitations at occasions. The one means I do know round that is to extend the bitrate, which sadly is not potential within the Motion 6 (the one digicam I am conscious of that permits you to shoot in excessive bitrates is the GoPro and that requires utilizing the GoPro Labs software program). Total although, for most individuals, the Osmo Motion 6 goes to provide the greatest low gentle efficiency of any motion digicam presently available on the market.
I believe it is also value noting that there’s a potential hazard right here. DJI has put a mechanical piece inside a digicam that always will get put by means of the ringer—will the aperture find yourself failing on folks two years down the street? DJI has most likely executed a very good little bit of testing, however the actual world is completely different than lab assessments. I’d be significantly fearful about excessive vibration environments like mounted on the handlebars of a motorcycle, which occurs to be my fundamental use for an motion digicam. I do know far to many individuals who’ve destroyed cameras simply from protecting them in a handlebar bag, not to mention mounted to the precise bike. Sadly, solely time will inform.
