DJI Osmo Action 3 vs Insta360 Ace

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Overview of the DJI Osmo Action 3

DJI Osmo Action 3☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 3
DJI's 2022 premium action camera: 4K120fps video
The DJI Osmo Action 3 was released in 2022 and while it is a few years old, it offers incredible 4K120fps video at a very affordable price. It's successor, the DJI Osmo Action 4 is mostly an incremental improvement, making the Action 3 a great budget friendly action camera.
  • Pros
  • 4K120fps footage
  • Freeze-proof
  • Good image stabilization
  • 52ft / 16m waterproof without case
  • Cons
  • Older model

Overview of the Insta360 Ace

Insta360 Ace☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Ace
Insta360's budget action camera: 6K video and a flipscreen
The Ace is Insta360's entry level action camera but shares a lot of features with it's premium brother, the Insta360 Ace Pro. The main difference being the sensor technology, which although not as advanced, still offers very good performance, with video up to 6K.
  • Pros
  • Great image stabilization
  • Flip screen
  • Weather proof
  • Cons
  • Heavy
  • Average audio

Comparison of the Action 3 vs the Ace

Weight and size

The Action 3 is a slightly smaller camera. The Action 3 weighs a little less than the Ace.
DJI Osmo Action 3
70.5mm x 44.2mm x 32.8mm / 2.78in x 1.74in x 1.29in
5.11oz / 145g
Features
Dimensions
Weight
Insta360 Ace
71.9mm x 52.15mm x 38.5mm / 2.83in x 2.05in x 1.52in
6.24oz / 176.8g
Why size and weight matter: Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be dvifficult to use or uncomfortable. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

Battery life

The Action 3 offers a slightly better battery capacity. Both cameras have removable batteries.
DJI Osmo Action 3
1770mAh
Removable
160min at 1080p
Features
Battery capacity
Removable battery
Battery life
Insta360 Ace
1700mAh
Removable
100min at 4K30fps HDR
Why battery life matters: Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removeable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.

Storage

Neither camera features built-in storage. Both the Action 3 and the Ace support SD cards.
DJI Osmo Action 3
No built-in storage
microSD
Features
Built-in storage
Storage format
Insta360 Ace
No built-in storage
microSD
Why storage matters: High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.

Video performance

Both the Action 3 and the Ace offer HDR video.
DJI Osmo Action 3
4K video at 120fps
4K
Features
Max resolution
HDR video
Insta360 Ace
5.3K video at 30fps
4k 30fps

Camera and sensor technology

The Ace features a much higher resolution. The Action 3 and the Ace both have a similar field of view. The Ace features a much higher bit rate than the Action 3
DJI Osmo Action 3
12MP
155°
130Mbps
Features
Pixels
Field of view
Video bite rate
Insta360 Ace
48MP
157°
170Mbps

Camera settings

The Action 3's 100-12800 ISO range is far superior to Ace's. Both cameras have the same exposure compensation adjustments.
DJI Osmo Action 3
100-12800
+/-4
Features
ISO range
Exposure Compensation
Insta360 Ace
100-6400
+/-4

Action 3 vs Ace specifications

NameDJI Osmo Action 3Insta360 Ace
Year of release20222023
Width2.78in / 70.5mm2.83in / 71.9mm
Height1.74in / 44.2mm2.05in / 52.15mm
Depth1.29in / 32.8mm1.52in / 38.5mm
Weight5.11oz / 145g6.24oz / 176.8g
Waterproof52ft / 16m33ft / 10m
Waterproof with diving case197ft / 60m197ft / 60m
Min operating temperature-4°F / -20°C-4°F / -20°C
Max operating temperature113°F / 45°C104°F / 40°C
Battery capacity1770mAh1700mAh
Removable batteryYesYes
Battery life160min at 1080p100min at 4K30fps HDR
Charging time49min70min (5V/3A)
Storage formatmicroSDmicroSD
Storage rating requiredV30 or UHS-3V30 or UHS-3
Maximun storage supported256GB1Tb
Rear screen size-2.4in
Front screen size-Yes
Field of view155°157°
Sensor1/1.7"1/2"
Pixels12MP48MP
ApertureF2.8F2.4
Focal length-16mm
ISO range100-12800100-6400
Video zoom-4x
Color Depth10bit8bit
Video bite rate130Mbps170Mbps
Exposure Compensation+/-4+/-4
360-degree videoNoNo
5.3K video-30fps
4K video120fps120fps
2.7K video120fps120fps
1440p video-60fps
1080p video240fps240fps
Slow motion at 4K44x
Maximum slow motion8x at 1080p8x at 1080p
HDR video4K4k 30fps
StabilizationRockSteady 3.0Flowstate
Horizon lock-Yes
Video formatH.264 (MP4)H.265 (HEVC)
Live streamingNo-
Timelapse modeYesYes
Starlapse modeYesYes
Timeshift modeYesYes
Loop recording modeYesYes
Subject trackingNo-
Photo burst modeNoYes
RAW format supportedYesYes
Microphones33
Stereo audioYesYes
Noise reductionYesYes
Audio formataacaac
Audio bluetooth support-Bluetooth headsets
Wifi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
BluetoothBLE 5.0BLE 5.2
USBType-C USBUSB-C
GPS integratedNoNo
GPS pairing-iOS Application
Android Application
Voice commandsYesYes
Gesture commands-Yes