DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Firmware Update Adds High Bitrate Option and More

Firmware Update

by Jakub HanToday

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro camera has recently received a new firmware update to version 01.01.05.20. This update adds a few new features regarding audio, webcam mode, live streaming mode, and more. Above all, it also brings a new “high bitrate” option. The free firmware update is now available via the DJI Mimo app.

The latest action camera, DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, was announced roughly only a month ago but has already received two firmware updates. The last update version 01.01.05.20 (published on October 18, 2024) brings a few important improvements. Let’s take a closer look at what is new.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro firmware update version 01.01.05.20

The new firmware v01.01.05.20 adds a few interesting improvements. Perhaps the most interesting one is the high bitrate option (more on that below), but there are other improvements regarding audio, webcam, live streaming, and more.

The full list of new features and improvements contains the following points:

• Added Timer Shooting function.
• Added support for audio transmission in webcam mode (UAC).
• Improved video quality in live streaming mode significantly and optimized stabilization performance in both webcam and live streaming modes.
• Added support for adjusting bitrate settings. High bitrate option is available.
• Added support for displaying specific style on the front screen when Single Screen Preview (Scrn Off When Locked) is enabled.
• Added support for using with the DJI Avinox Drive System, which can control the camera and transfer data.
• Added support for maintaining the previous zoom ratio after the camera is powered on again in video mode.
• Added support for setting audio gain during recording or live streaming when an external microphone is connected.
• Optimized stabilization performance when recording videos with slow shutter exposure.
• Optimized image quality when camera is in video or SuperNight mode
• Fixed some minor bugs.

High bitrate option

During his review of the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, my colleague Gunther found some compression artifacts in his footage. Upon further inspection, he found out the bitrate was significantly lower than what the DJI Osmo Action 4 offered. He wrote in his review:

Unfortunately, the bitrate has dropped massively compared to the OSMO Action 4, which is rather surprising.

• in 4K 4:3 30p mode the Action 5 Pro only shows ~60Mbit/s where the Action 4 shows 130Mbit/s
• in 4K 4:3 60p mode bitrate increases to 80Mbit /s (Action 4 stays at 130 Mbit/s)
• only in 4K 4:3 120p mode the bitrate reaches ~110 Mbit/s

This low bitrate is definitely not enough, as compression artifacts show up in darker sections of foliage and meadows or grassy areas. They become very muddy and lack any detail:

We reached out to DJI, and they were very responsive, but up until now, we haven’t gotten a factual reply on the bitrate other than their intention is to “optimize file sizes.” Hopefully, a future firmware update will resolve this, restoring the 130 Mbit/s bitrate of the previous generation Action 4!

Gunther Machu about the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro video bitrate

I could not yet test the new high bitrate option myself, and DJI did not publish the numbers, but from what DJI users post on the DJI Forum in the according thread, the camera now achieves the following bitrates in the high bitrate mode (user-named “peloncr”):

• 4K 30fps: up to 95 Mbps
• 4K 60fps: up to 115 Mbps
• 4K 120fps: up to 122 Mbps

I am happy that DJI added the high bitrate option with this firmware update. Hopefully, the footage will now show fewer compression artifacts and will offer more flexibility for color grading.

Do you use action cameras for your productions? What do you think about the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.