GoPro Hero 11 vs Hero 11 Mini vs DJI Action 3

Both GoPro and DJI announced their latest flagship action cameras on the same day. Directly competing with each other, we breakdown the differences between GoPro's Hero 11 and Hero 11 Mini and DJI's Action 3. Scroll down to see a side by side comparison of the specs.

GoPro Hero 11

A new year, a new GoPro. This year, GoPro's latest flagship camera comes with two distinct upgrades: 10-Bit video and 8:7 aspect ratio. Everything else remains fairly similar including the recording video resolutions, FPS, form-factor and weight which are the same as on the Hero 10.

With 10-Bit video as an upgrade to the previous generations with 8-Bit, the Hero 11 can capture 64x more color that it's predecessor. Most people probably can't discern the difference on a regular screen, but this is the only action camera to-date that has this feature.

The Hero 11 comes with a new larger sensor which allows video recording in 8:7 aspect ratio which is somewhat odd. But for FPV, this is actually pretty great. Since most of us run our footage through stabilization software like ReelSteady and Gyroflow, having 8:7 aspect ratio allows you to retain more of your image than on previous generations of GoPros which recorded best on 4:3. Also, by having this aspect ratio option, the Hero 11 allows you to crop the image in more ways to share on various formats whether its traditional video, social media stories, or reels giving you much more versatility in the image you capture.

Other upgrades in the Hero 11 compared to the Hero 10 is the newest iteration of Hypersmooth, 5.0, waterproofing up to 33 feet (10m), and better battery life in cold weather.

At the time of this writing, the GoPro Hero 11 still reigns supreme in the action camera category.  

GoPro Hero 11 Mini

FPV pilots rejoiced when leaks came out that a Session-style camera was going to be released alongside the Hero 11. As the news came out today, the Hero 11 Mini is certainly a square-sized camera, but it only weighs 20 grams less than the full-sized Hero 11.

The Mini doesn't come with back touchscreen or a removable battery, but it does have a small info screen and button to make it somewhat easier to use than the Hero 10 Bones. It also does 8:7 aspect ratio video, but still photos, which most pilots aren't using, max out at 24MP instead of 27MP like full-sized Hero 11.

The Hero 11 Mini weighs 130g, much more than the original Session 5 (74g) and the Hero 10 Bones (54g).

The Hero 11 Mini is $300. $100 cheaper than the full-sized Hero 11, making it a good choice for 5" freestyle quads who want to best from GoPro. For those who fly micro quads, the Hero 10 Bones is still a better option unless you really need 10-bit video and the 8:7 aspect ratio.

DJI Osmo Action 3

DJI brings back the Osmo moniker in their latest Action 3 camera. The first generation Osmo Action was succeeded by the Action 2 with an entirely new form factor. And this year, DJI goes back to the action-style camera to directly compete with GoPro.

Most FPV pilots used their Action 2 as a light-weight camera that could be mounted on micro quads. The Action 3 is meant more for freestyle quads as it weigh 145 grams, just 8 grams less than the GoPro Hero 11.

Coming in at $60 less than the GoPro Hero 11, the Osmo Action 3 comes with 2 touchscreens, a quick-release vertical mount, and DJI's latest native stabilization software, RockSteady 3.0. While it's not notable for FPV pilots, the Action 3 has waterproofing up to 52 feet (15m), a much bigger upgrade to the Hero 11.

The video and still resolutions are exactly the same as the Action 2, but you can expect slight image upgrades to color and field of view.

Most FPV pilots won't be using the Osmo Action 3 as an upgrade to their micro quad cameras, but it is certainly a viable option for freestyle quads who want an alternative to the GoPro Hero 11 or Hero 10.

Side-by-Side Comparison Against Previous Generation

Now let's take a look at the GoPro Hero 11 specs compared the Hero 10

	GoPro Hero 11	GoPro Hero 11 Mini	GoPro Hero 10
Price	$400	$300	$350
Weight	153g	133g	153g
Dimensions	71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm	52.4 x 51.2 x 38mm	71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm
Aspect Ratios	16:9, 4:3, 8:7	16:9, 4:3, 8:7	16:9, 4:3
Video Resolution / fps	5.3K @60fps; 2.7K @240fps	5.3K @60fps; 2.7K @240fps	5.3K @60fps; 2.7K @240fps
Camera	27MP	24MP	23MP
Native Stabilization	Hypersmooth 5.0	Hypersmooth 5.0	Hypersmooth 4.0
Stabilization Support	Reelsteady Go / Gyroflow	Reelsteady Go / Gyroflow	Reelsteady Go / Gyroflow

And here is the DJI Action 3 specs compared to the Action 2

	DJI Osmo Action 3	DJI Action 2
Price	$329	$279
Weight	145g	56g
Dimensions	70.5 x 44.2 x 32.8mm	39 x 39 x 22.3mm
Video Resolution / fps	4K @60fps; 2.7K @120fps	4K @60fps; 2.7K @120fps
Camera	12MP	12MP
Native Stabilization	RockSteady 3.0	RockSteady 2.0
Stabilization Support	Gyroflow	Gyroflow

What do you look for when considering an action camera? Are any of these new offerings from GoPro and DJI compelling enough over their predecessors for you to add to cart?