Meet DJI Osmo Action 6 — What’s New and Why it Matters

The Osmo Action 6 is DJI’s latest-generation action camera, designed to bring greater flexibility, improved image quality, and more creative control — all while retaining the rugged, pocket-sized package that makes action cameras ideal for travel, adventures and casual filmmaking. 

Major upgrades vs earlier models

• 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensor — The Action 6 uses a significantly larger sensor than earlier models (e.g., Action 5 Pro’s 1/1.3"). That means more light gathering, better dynamic range (DJI claims up to ~13.5 stops), and improved detail in both highlights and shadows — especially useful in changing or low-light environments. 

• Variable aperture (f/2.0–f/4.0) — For the first time in the Action line, you can adjust the aperture. Shoot with f/2.0 when you want maximum light and shallow depth of field (ideal for low light), or close down to f/4.0 when shooting in bright conditions to avoid over-exposure and maintain sharper landscapes.

• Square sensor & “crop-later” workflow — Because the sensor is square, you can record in a “free-crop / square” mode (e.g., 3840 × 3840) and then reframe in post-production for horizontal (16:9), vertical (9:16) or square content. This flexibility is especially useful for creators who publish across platforms — YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — without having to re-shoot. 

• Improved stabilisation & in-camera horizon levelling — The Action 6 upgrades stabilisation (RockSteady 3.0+ / HorizonSteady), now capable of keeping the horizon level even when rotating the camera, which helps produce smooth, cinematic action footage even when moving aggressively. 

• More storage, modern connectivity, rugged build — Built-in storage is now 50 GB (enough for several hours of footage), and you still have a microSD slot if you need more capacity. The camera remains compact (≈ 149 g) and waterproof to 20 m without housing (60 m with dive case). It also supports USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and improved audio/mic connectivity. 

What it can do — real-world capabilities

Versatile video formats & slow motion

• 4K video at up to 120 fps, whether in 16:9 or 4:3, giving flexibility between cinematic and vertical formats. 

• “Free-crop / square” 4K (≈3840×3840) up to 60 fps: shoot once and crop later — a boon for creators posting on multiple platforms. 

• 2.7K video up to 120 fps; 1080p up to 240 fps for slow-motion / action-replay effects. 

Low-light performance & dynamic range

Thanks to the larger sensor, wider aperture and improved noise handling, Action 6 delivers cleaner, better-exposed footage in darker conditions than previous generation models. The sensor’s dynamic range preserves detail in both highlights and shadows — helpful for shooting sunrise/sunset, forest treelines, night cityscapes or underwater scenes. 

Flexible workflow for content creators

The “shoot-first, crop-later” workflow makes it easy to film once and reuse footage across different platforms / formats — ideal if you’re a musician on tour, a vlogger, a traveller or running a brand channel where you need to output both horizontal videos and vertical clips for stories or reels.

Combined with modern stabilisation and rugged build (waterproofing, compact size), the Action 6 is equally at home on a surfboard, a hiking trail, a gig, or a travel vlog.

Stills, photos and other creative features

On top of video, the Action 6 captures still photos up to 38 MP (≈ 7168 × 5376). Added features include slow-motion, creative “Starburst” effects for city lights (when appropriate aperture & exposure are used), and compatibility with optional lenses — such as macro or FOV-boost — to expand creative potential. 

What it offers to videographers, adventurers and content-creators

For creators who value flexibility — whether multiple aspect ratios, quick handheld shooting on the go, or capturing both video and stills wherever they are — Action 6 is a strong all-rounder that sits between simple phone video and heavier mirrorless rigs.

Where the Action 6 stands compared with previous models

• Compared with earlier models with fixed aperture, the variable aperture is a major shift — giving creative control over exposure & depth of field depending on light. 

• The square 1/1.1-inch sensor offers much greater flexibility for creators working across platforms. Previous Action cameras lacked this — you needed to choose orientation when shooting.

• Improvements in stability, internal storage, connectivity and workflow broaden the contexts where the camera can be used — from underwater diving to street vlogging to holiday adventures.

At the same time, the Action 6 remains compact, affordable (relative to mirrorless/video cameras), and simple — exactly what you need when you don’t want bulky gear or complicated setups.

Editors Keys and LUTs for DJI Action cameras — bringing flexibility to your footage

Here at Editors Keys, we recognise that many video creators shooting on action cameras (like Action 6) want to streamline editing while preserving creative control. That’s why our catalogue includes LUT (Look-Up Table) packs designed for DJI Action cameras.

Using LUTs with Action 6 footage offers several advantages:

• Faster colour grading workflow — Instead of applying lengthy manual corrections, a LUT gives your footage a defined “look” (whether cinematic, vintage, bold or clean) in one click.

• Better highlight/shadow recovery — Because Action 6 supports 10-bit recording and wide dynamic range, LUTs help exploit that full range and avoid “flat” or “washed-out” results.

• Cross-platform consistency — If you’re outputting to multiple aspect ratios (landscape for YouTube, portrait for Reels), a LUT helps keep a visual identity consistent across those outputs.

• Creative flexibility — You can apply different LUTs for different moods: travel, night-time, underwater, live-performance — all using the same source footage.

Given Action 6’s strengths (variable aperture, square sensor, wide dynamic range, internal storage), pairing it with Editors Keys LUTs makes it a very effective tool for creators who want to shoot once, then quickly edit and repurpose for multiple uses without sacrificing quality.

Is Action 6 right for you?

If you:

• film travel, adventure, gigs, live sessions, or vlogs on the go;

• want flexibility to output horizontal, vertical and square videos;

• sometimes find yourself shooting in tricky light (sunset, low-light interiors, underwater, nighttime cities);

• desire a compact, easy-to-use camera rather than heavier mirrorless gear —

then Osmo Action 6 is a compelling option.

For creators (like those using Editors Keys gear) who value efficient editing workflow and cross-platform content creation, it represents a balanced “middle ground” — much more powerful and flexible than phone video or basic action cams, yet far simpler and cheaper than full cinema / mirrorless rigs. Be sure to check out our full Youtube review below!