DJI Osmo Motion 6 Assessment: Compact Dimension, Outsized Innovation

Making a fairly sudden and surprising look within the waning days of 2025, the DJI Osmo Motion 6 has made fairly a big splash within the motion digicam area. Not solely has it upped the scale of its sensor, nevertheless it additionally options different key upgrades over its predecessor which stretch the standard definitions of an motion digicam, making it a doubtlessly extra versatile inventive software.

Whereas at its core the Osmo Motion 6 stays a strong, rugged, waterproof digicam, it is also clear that DJI has acknowledged the necessity to enhance the “pro-level” options which make the digicam extra compelling to superior customers. The standout characteristic on this regard is the inclusion of a variable aperture, however there’s much more underneath the hood to contemplate, in addition to on the surface, as DJI has adopted GoPro’s lead and launched interchangeable lenses to the Osmo Motion 6. At the very least on paper, there’s loads to be excited for, and I used to be actually keen to check out DJI’s newest digicam, which they despatched to me for the needs of this evaluate.

With a 1/1.1-inch dimension sensor, the DJI Osmo Motion 6 claims the throne because the motion digicam with the biggest picture sensor. It is so near being a full 1-inch sensor as to make no sensible distinction, although in that mild it isn’t really that a lot bigger than the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional with its 1/1.3-inch sensor. Nonetheless, I am not going to quibble about that, as a result of I am going to take each fraction of an inch I can get in a digicam sensor.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Maybe much more notable than the sensor dimension is the variable aperture of the Osmo Motion 6, starting from a vibrant f2.0 to a darker f4.0 aperture. This provides you much more management over publicity, depth of area, and sure visible results than has ever been current in motion cameras previous to this. The power to seize actually dramatic solar stars when capturing at darkish apertures helps to create pictures which seem extra like one thing captured with a DSLR or mirrorless digicam than an motion digicam. Even excluding solar stars, normally, the footage I captured with the Motion 6 felt far nearer to what I would anticipate from a digicam like my Nikon Z8 than what I usually anticipate from motion cameras.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Between wonderful dynamic vary with 10-bit video recording, correct colour rendering, some great benefits of a variable aperture, and what’s unsurprisingly (because of the bigger sensor) the most effective low mild efficiency in any motion digicam, the DJI Osmo Motion 6 is a giant step ahead when it comes to imaging functionality. That is not one thing that may be mentioned of many motion cameras, which are likely to take solely very small steps ahead every era.

One other main new characteristic of the Motion 6 is its colour temperature sensor, and the way a lot this contributes to delivering a greater, extra correct picture. The Motion 6 constantly delivered wonderful colour in all method of conditions, even when plunged underwater into an ice chilly river. Fairly frankly, I want my Nikon Z8 was this adaptable at routinely detecting and rendering the correct colour temperature of a scene.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Along with its bigger dimension, the sensor of the Motion 6 is now sq., enabling the brand new 4K customized mode during which, by capturing with the complete sensor, the digicam delivers video which can be utilized to output 4K content material in both vertical or horizontal format with out altering the bodily orientation of the digicam. That is similar to what GoPro has been doing with its most up-to-date generations of motion cameras, such because the Hero 13 Black. Because of the excessive decision of the sensor, the Motion 6 can also be able to a 2X lossless digital zoom, just like the Readability Zoom characteristic discovered within the Insta360 Ace Professional 2.

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I additionally respect the inclusion of movie tone simulation filters within the Motion 6. These have an effect on varied facets of the picture, reminiscent of making your footage seem hotter or cooler, or enhancing pores and skin tones in varied methods. This provides a pleasant bit of additional inventive management.

Initially, it is necessary for homeowners of earlier DJI Osmo Motion cameras to notice that the Motion 6 shouldn’t be backwards suitable with magnetic fast launch plates designed for earlier digicam fashions such because the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional. The brand new magnetic mount is maybe barely extra sturdy, which often is the cause for this alteration, nevertheless it’s nonetheless unlucky for anybody seeking to improve to this new digicam from the older mannequin. For newcomers to DJI’s motion cameras, it isn’t a problem in fact.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

The Motion 6 is waterproof down to twenty meters (or farther with a further underwater housing), and is immune to impacts and common abuse, as you’ll anticipate from an motion digicam. I used it extensively underwater, filming in a neighborhood river, the place it bumped in opposition to various submerged rocks accidentally, and got here by means of with no scratch.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

As with different motion cameras, the lens guard might be swapped out if broken. Nonetheless, the Motion 6 has upped the sport on this regard with the launch of macro and extremely huge lenses, just like what GoPro and Insta360 additionally supply of their flagship motion cameras. The macro lens is nice for all method of close-up topics and options adjustable focus. I used the macro lens to movie a timelapse video of the meeting of a LEGO set, and the digicam delivered higher outcomes utilizing this lens than it may have utilizing the usual huge angle lens. It might additionally assist you to get some out of focus backgrounds in the event you shoot on the digicam’s most aperture.

DJI’s onboard interface and software program is as effectively designed as ever, as is the Mimo companion app on cellular units. Nonetheless, but once more activation is required to make use of the digicam (although you have got the choice of skipping this 5 instances), and so far as I am involved, the query of whether or not or to not activate or register a tool ought to be as much as the purchaser of that gadget. Many individuals will not thoughts this, however there may be additionally a sure portion of the potential buyer base for a digicam such because the Motion 6 who will refuse to buy it on precept on account of the activation requirement.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

The battery lifetime of the Osmo Motion 6 is kind of spectacular, although in fact the claimed 4 hours of filming time per battery will differ enormously relying in your settings and the circumstances underneath which you might be recording. It simply beats the competitors on this regard, and might seize impressively prolonged long-exposure timelapses. On that rely, I’ve to notice that DJI has but to introduce a devoted starlapse mode to their motion cameras, so it’s important to determine the right settings for your self. Relating to the entrance and rear shows, each are responsive, and vibrant sufficient to make use of in direct daylight.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Beginning at $379, the Osmo Motion 6 is $30 greater than the Osmo Motion 5 Professional was at launch, although given the bigger sensor and important characteristic updates, in addition to making an allowance for varied financial components, it does not appear unreasonable. With that mentioned, the GoPro Hero 13 Black is at the moment $319 as of this writing, whereas the Insta360 Ace Professional 2 is at the moment listed for $334. That is not stunning, on condition that these opponents are greater than a 12 months outdated at this level, and I’ve seen the Osmo Motion 5 Professional go for lower than $300 not too long ago on Amazon.

Total, for what you are getting within the Motion 6, it is effectively value the price. Nonetheless, for these within the states, choosing one up is simpler mentioned than executed. At the moment, there’s not even a web page listed for it on DJI’s on-line retailer, and the web page at B&H Photograph Video solely tells us that it is “coming quickly”, however does assist you to order it.

As for its equipment, the “Journey Combo” with further batteries and different odds and ends will set you again $479, whereas the macro lens will set you again $169 by itself. An underwater housing is at the moment obtainable for $89, in addition to the FOV Enhance lens for $99, as well as varied selfie sticks, spare fast launch plates, and different equipment.

The DJI Osmo Motion 6 actually is a genuinely large step ahead for motion cameras as a style. Throughout my time testing it, I used it extensively for a variety of various tasks, a few of which I might not beforehand have trusted to an motion digicam. It stunned me by simply how effectively it capabilities as an all-in-one software for common functions content material creation. Whereas the sheer dimension of its sensor and the benefits inherent in a variable aperture actually are a giant deal, and are themselves a gorgeous cause to go for this digicam, the truth that there may be a lot else happening underneath the hood makes the Motion 6 a really compelling gadget certainly.

I am unable to excuse my nitpicks solely, nonetheless. It turns into more and more annoying to search out that cameras are delivery necessities to activate/register them through an app, and I additionally want DJI motion cameras have been much less reliant upon proprietary magnetic mounts. The DJI Osmo 360 supplied the choice of using its common ¼-20 screw mount, so why is not such a mounting choice obtainable on the Motion 6?

Regardless, these are fairly small gripes within the face of what’s total a extremely compelling and competent motion digicam. The DJI Osmo Motion 6 is in some ways precisely what I hoped to see within the subsequent era of motion cameras.

The DJI Osmo Motion 6 is out there beginning at $379 from B&H Photograph Video.