GoPro Hero 11 vs DJI Action 3: Don't Buy One of Them

The GoPro Hero 11 and the DJI Action 3 are two of the best action cameras on the market BUT they do have significant differences. This video compares the Action 3 and the GoPro 11 in all the important details and I also explain why I am not keeping one of them.

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Jake Sloan
PO BOX 212445
Anchorage, AK 99521

DISCLAIMER:

This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[NickMurray]

I have several of both, the bottom line is the that Action 3 can be relied on to work EVERYTIME, the GoPro still freezes up and overheats and runs out of battery. No video from the GoPro is useless.

[TheSmartWoodshop]

I purchased the Action 3 and sold my GP 9 &10. With over 1000 videos on YT, my history with GP is long and painful. I tired of the GP crashing requiring removal from the media mod and pulling the battery to reset. Overheating and shutting down were helped only slightly by putting the GPs in the freezer and then dealing with lens fog, plus the GP has no battery life. I just found the GP unusable in my workflow. On the other hand, the A3 mag clip is fantastic, plus the wireless mic receiver plugs right into the A3. DJI has made the POV infinitely more usable. I was at the point of giving up on POV before the A3. I would like to see the A3 shoot 5K DLog Prores so the footage would match up with my M3, but that is asking a bit much from a POV at this point. I am glad to have found your channel and looking forward to improving my drone video/photo skills. Thanks.😎🤙

[Living_Our_Best_Life]

I love my Action 3 and the focus issue is not an issue with me. I think between the two cameras, the Action 3 definitely has more quality of life improvements. Battery life, front touchscreen, quickly swappable magnetic mounts. I love my GoPro, but right now I'm really enjoying the Action 3.

[vatosgym]

Great video, as always - thank you! 👏🏻 I am not getting either one for 2 reasons:
1. None of the features are improved enough over the original Osmo Action I own.
2. If my DJI Air2s and my 3 year old Xiaomi Poco phone have better IQ & sensors than the latest and greatest hyped action cams, we've been taken for a ride.
Both manufacturers have the capacity and technology to give us better features, they just won't as we need to spend more money on the NEXT model, which is 1% improved and 350% hyped. Sadly, this is how the industry rolls and if the consumer does not boycott sales, things will remain the same.

Wish you all the best, please do not stop with the quality content! 👊🏼🔥

[FlyZoneFpv]

Outstanding Jake. Thanks for your honest review. I’ll always take your advice. 👊🏻👊🏻👍🏻

[WORTHITORNOT]

I can’t say I’m surprised about yours being out of focus too. I really think it’s a lens calibration issue. Hero 11 is a solid performer, but had high hopes for the Action 3

[LuiSZipp]

I bought the gopro hero 11 to use it as a dashcam and to record family videos, but the battery does not last at all, and it overheats after 20 minutes of continuous use, it does not help to have better video quality if the camera turns off, for my needs, I would have bought an Osmo Action 3 instead.

[brandedmonkey]

?? at 0:19 you said you spent the last couple of weeks testing out the action 3, but you commented on a twitter post a few days ago from worth it or not that you just got it in and you were looking forward to testing his findings about the focus issue. You Sir are a liar

[nomad]

Hi Jake,

Appreciate that you were straight up with DJI as other YT’ers did not mention this at launch and once the focus up issues surfaced, they did not go back to update their videos.

And seeing that GP has negative brand equity with unfinished products in the past, lots of viewers were quick to rush out to buy the A3.

As a consumer of both A2 and GP10 I saw it differently and mentioned in several posts on pricing:

- early buyers of A2 paid $519 full price for the dual screen combo and A3 is $329 and if upgraded to 10-bit and A2 doesn’t get it also, they will feel cheated.

I don’t get DJI pricing as there is no consistent drive price, meaning that A1 is low, A2 high, A3 low so following this trend, A4 will be high again. And accessories are not backward compatible with each gen being different. GP has been boring for G9/10/11 but you get to reuse all their accessories. Something no one has mentioned additional costs added for buying A3. The starting price looks attractive but there is the out of focus issue + additional cost not mentioned.

Furthermore, although the magnets are nice, you’re bound to lose the attachments and then need to buy more.

- $329 entry looks really good value for money but is it really. A2 came out in 2021 around the same time as GP10 and the A3 was repackaged in a different body with similar specs as GP10 but more like GP9 from 2020. So we should compare to GP9 or giving the benefit of doubt to GP10 which sells for $349 with subs that has 1yr replacements. Add DJI refresh makes the $329 about same or a little more than GP10.

And now GP finally don’t require subs to cancel and resub anymore. They give you the discounts as a new sub so the price should be $399 as you get extra accessories, free replacements, and unlimited storage.

- you’ve already mentioned the higher resolutions and frame rates, 360 horizon leveling in most modes (limited to linear lens mode) but more available than A3, and 10bit right away + better dynamic range. And auto exposure and 8:7 reframing after shooting without losing resolution will be useful for my use case, similar to what Insta360 has provided for awhile.

Anyhow good video and work to keeping it more real and honest.

FYI, for the A3 out of focus, there are videos by Rush Media and others showing it’s a hardware issue and using diopters to fix it. I did the same with my Insta360 One R 1” when I added a 3D print to screw on a +10 diopter for macros and found it fixed the close up out of focus. They recommend a +4 diopter so I hope DJI or others will offer a screw on lens to fix this issue.

Keep up the good content coming!

[DirtySideGetsDown]

For my use, I'll take a slight image quality reduction to stop dealing with GoPro junk. I do an automotive YouTube channel where I use an external or sometimes wireless lapel mic. The mediamod is basically a restaurant dumpster for that and the stupid GoPro audio adapter makes my camera setup cluttered and clunky. I have to do an audio test every single time I turn the camera on as it just randomly doesn't have audio from an external source. The DJI wireless mic setup looks much cleaner and will take up so much less space. I am 100% switching over. I hear at this point the focus issue seems to be solved from other videos I have watched.

[EchiLoki]

I'm on the fence about them at the moment, but for me, in Canada, the cost difference is huge. 650 CAD for the Hero 11. No extras. 630 for the Action 3 Adventure combo. That's two mounts, a stick, 3 batteries, a 3 bay charger that can double as a power bank, and a vertical mount case. Oh and the suction mount. All I would need is a card. Also, as a free-diver/spearfisher, those extra 6 meters of submersible depth is huge. And in my instance, I suppose sharper image quality isn't a huge deal as 90% of my filming will be under water in the Pacific Northwest, ahah. I guess I'm probably already decided but I just like collecting as much data as possible. I still appreciate the heck out of your video and attention to details!

[djsep]

You didn't mention the overheating issue with the GoPro when shooting at high resolution and high frame rate.

[explod]

Outstanding review but I would rather have the DJI that works in 4k with a little less features than the Go pro that will overheat in a few minutes and lose your footage. I have now had 2 Go pro 11's and they both overheat and freeze. I'm done with Go Pro. The DJI is rock solid, you take your pick.

[gopals]

Jake -- Great UNBIASED honest review. I also returned my Osmo Action 3 because of the focus issues. Hope they can fix the hardware (software CAN NOT fix it and will oversharpen the foreground but watch the background get destroyed) as the camera could have been a real go pro competitor !

[SunriseWaterMedia]

1:50 that looked like a huge rock. 👀
Great comparison, Jake. And thanks for running across the dangerous rocks to show us the stabilization! #SloanRanger

[juhaaavalaakso]

Focusing issue is hardware and cannot be fixed via software. Some models has the problem some does not. I have seen many OA3 cameras with crystal clear focus and 1 with the problem and it clearly is hardware problem. That's why warranty is. The warranty won't come waiting new software you need to send it to service.

[parker.alan.hawkins]

this is probably the best comparison i've seen yet. I love the quality of video and pictures of my gopro11. only issue is the endless glitches and issues with the quik app and transferring files. I was really hoping not to have to constantly remove the SD card to edit content but it looks like thats the direction im headed. thanks for this video Jake

[WheelieGoodTV]

Good vid and obvs depends on your use. I’ll be keeping my Action3 as I run a motovlogging channel and can’t cope any longer with the unreliability of GoPro after years of losing footage. For me it’s a no brainer to keep the Osmo especially with the 10bit upgrade due soon. I also have the DJI mic running with the cam and it’s simply a superb setup which works all of the time. 👍🎥🏍

[godkiller]

Osmo Action 3 will be the perfect action camera for me once the focus issue is fixed. Pretty confident DJI is going to sort it out. Looking forward!

[phucmapvlog]

Your opinion was the nail in the coffin for me. After your livestream, I ended up buying the GoPro, and I’m glad I did. Not only did I get it for $350, but Capital One had a 6% cash back promo as well!
Those focus issues on my DJI would definitely mess up my walking vlogs!