DJI Osmo Action 5 vs Insta360 X4: Which Action Camera is Right for You?
- gear4greatness
- Mar 11, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 17, 2025
DJI Osmo Action 5 vs Insta360 X4: Which Action Camera is Right for You?
I’ve filmed with enough action cameras over the years to know that choosing the right one isn’t really about specs — it’s about personality. It’s about how a camera feels in your hand when you’re out in the world, moving, breathing, reacting. That’s the thing that always hits me when I compare the DJI Osmo Action 5 and the Insta360 X4. They’re both incredible, but they’re built for completely different creators. One wants to stay grounded, predictable, focused — the other wants to rethink the whole idea of what a shot can be. 🎥💭✨ And every time I use them, I can feel those differences shaping the footage as much as the moment I’m filming.
The Action 5 has that classic action-cam soul — compact, rugged, the kind of camera you can throw in your pocket and forget about until the moment you need it. When I’m out walking, biking, or doing a simple vlog where I want clean 4K footage and no fuss, this is the camera that feels like home. I can hold it up, frame a shot instantly through either of its bright screens, and trust RockSteady to smooth out the bumps. Its wide-angle lens has that familiar action-cam look — immersive but grounded. It reminds me of all the little everyday films I make: car POVs, trails, morning walks, scenes that don’t need anything dramatic… just honest visual storytelling. I love that. It feels natural.
But then there’s the Insta360 X4 — a camera that never lets me think small. The moment I power it on, the whole world becomes the shot. Literally. Filming with the X4 always feels like stepping into a different creative headspace. The dual lenses capture everything — the sky, the ice, my handlebars, people behind me, reflections, shadows — so instead of aiming, I’m simply witnessing the moment and trusting I can carve my story out of it later. And that freedom is intoxicating. The first time I reframed an 8K clip in Studio, I remember dragging the view around and thinking, this isn’t just a camera — this is time I can reshape. That’s the magic of 360 filming: it gives you choices you didn’t even know you had when you pressed record.
The practical differences showed up the more I used both. With the Action 5, it’s all about immediacy. I can shoot something, send it to my phone, trim it, tweak the color, and have it ready to post in minutes. There’s something refreshing about that — especially when I’m on a walk or filming something I don’t want to overthink. It feels like a tool built for people who want to film what’s in front of them and move on with their day. The X4, though? It demands more time. More thought. More patience. Editing 360 takes mental space — choosing angles, following subjects, tightening camera movement after the fact. But the payoff? Unreal. Shots look like drones, cranes, cable cams — all from a camera that fits in my jacket. It’s wild how far the tech has come.
Even the audio experience changes the vibe of each camera. The Action 5 gives me clean, directional sound — reliable, simple, something that works well with the DJI Mic 2 when I want that rich voiceover feeling. The X4 captures the environment instead — full 360 audio, layers of wind, footstep crunch, voices behind me. Sometimes I love that; sometimes I swap it out entirely because the environment overpowers the story. And that’s the real difference: the Action 5 tries to keep things simple. The X4 gives you everything and asks you to sculpt it.
Battery life and design follow the same pattern. The Action 5 feels like a little tank — waterproof deeper, fast to swap batteries, quick to grip, easy to mount. The X4 is larger but deliberate in its shape, built around its lenses and its need to see the whole world at once. When I hold it up with an invisible selfie stick and walk through a scene, it almost feels like I’m floating. With the Action 5, it feels like I’m there — more grounded in the moment, more connected to what’s directly in front of me. Two cameras, two completely different versions of the same day.
And when it comes to price, you feel that creative divide too. The Action 5 costs less because it’s straightforward — one lens, one perspective, one story. The X4 costs more because it lets you invent new stories in post — stories you didn’t even know you captured.
By the time I’ve used both cameras long enough, the decision becomes less about specs and more about intention. What kind of storyteller am I in this moment? Do I want a camera that sees what I see? Or one that sees everything I can’t?
🌄 FINAL THOUGHTS
Every time I compare these two cameras, I find myself thinking about how different the creative mood feels when I pick one up over the other. The Action 5 feels like those days when I just want to film what’s right in front of me — simple, clean, immediate. It gives me a sense of control, grounding me in the scene instead of overwhelming me with possibilities. The X4, though, brings out a different version of me — the version chasing cinematic shots on bike rides, the version experimenting with reframing and angles that look impossible. It taps into that part of me that wants to push boundaries and create something bigger than the moment itself. 🎥💭✨
What this comparison taught me is that creativity isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some days, we’re drawn to simplicity. Other days, we want to reinvent the world. The Action 5 helps me tell the story exactly as I see it. The X4 helps me tell the story from every angle I didn’t see. And in that contrast, I realized something about myself as a creator — the tools we reach for reflect the mood we’re in, the story we feel inside, and the version of ourselves we want to express on that particular day.
Symbolically, these two cameras feel like two paths running side by side. One is straight and familiar — reliable, sturdy, always ready. The other twists and widens and branches out — unpredictable but thrilling. The Action 5 is the clear morning road. The X4 is the open sky above it. Both beautiful, both necessary, both capable of capturing life in ways that speak to different parts of who we are. 🌄🚲✨
And maybe that’s why I keep both in my kit — because some days I want the world exactly as I find it, and other days I want the freedom to reshape it.
DJI Osmo Action 5 vs Insta360 X4: Which Action Camera is Right for You?
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📝 Conclusion
Both the DJI Osmo Action 5 and the Insta360 X4 stand out as powerhouse cameras in 2025, but they’re built with very different creators in mind. The Action 5 is the better pick if you’re after classic action footage — sharp, stable, and straightforward. It thrives when you want to focus on the moment without worrying about editing complexity. The X4, on the other hand, is built for storytellers who want freedom in post-production. Its 360° capture and reframing tools let you decide later where the camera points, unlocking a whole new level of creative control.
At the end of the day, it’s not about which camera is “better,” but which one fits your style. If you want simplicity and rugged reliability, the Action 5 is your match. If you’re chasing unique, immersive perspectives, the X4 will take your content further than any traditional action cam can.
💬 Which one would you choose — the Action 5 or the X4? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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