Photo credit: DJI
Just when many of us were already mentally powering down for eggnog mode, DJI decided to slide a very shiny package under the tree. A new firmware update for the DJI Osmo Action 6 has landed, and yes, it unlocks 8K video recording at up to 30 frames per second. Two days before Christmas, and right before that infamous December 23 deadline everyone keeps whispering about like it is a campfire ghost story.
Photo credit: Reddit
So what is this exactly? A goodbye kiss? A cinematic farewell? Or a very deliberate “I’ll be back” delivered with a robotic Austrian accent? DJI is not saying, but the timing feels intentional enough to make even the most cynical tech nerd raise an eyebrow and smile.
A firmware update nobody saw coming
Out of nowhere, DJI dropped a firmware update that feels less like routine maintenance and more like a full stocking stuffed with batteries, lenses, and a little extra ambition. The headline feature is obvious. 8K video at up to 30 fps on the Osmo Action 6, a camera many people already thought was done evolving.
Photo credit: Reddit
Here is what the update brings to the table:
- Added support for recording 8K video
- Added Upload feature, enabling footage upload to Baidu Netdisk, Quark Netdisk, OneDrive, Google Drive, and NAS
- Added film style tone presets in Photo mode, allowing direct output of stylized photos
- Added QS button customization options, including Screen Off and Zoom
- Added support for Custom mode in Aspect Ratio when using a macro lens or FOV Boost lens
- Added Focus Peaking assistance feature when a macro lens is attached
- Added support for Gesture control in scenarios such as webcam usage, live streaming, and DP Output
That is not a “tiny bug fix” list. That is a confident, chest out, Santa just kicked the door open kind of update.
A quick love letter to the DJI Osmo Action 6
The DJI Osmo Action 6 is one of those cameras that quietly over-delivers. Solid stabilization, excellent dynamic range for its size, reliable color science, and a design that actually makes sense when you are freezing your fingers off on a mountain or sweating through a helmet cam session. Now, it adds a variable aperture (f/2.0–f/4.0) to the mix—a rarity for action cams that changes the game for lighting. It allows the sensor to breathe in low light at f/2.0 while giving you the physical control to stop down to f/4.0 for sharper details in harsh sun.
When you add 8K recording to that versatility, the camera suddenly feels like it’s worth hundreds of dollars more, almost rebellious. For action cam users, 8K is not just about resolution bragging rights; it means more flexibility for cropping, reframing, and pulling stills without the image turning into a blocky mess.
And the extra touches matter, too. Film-style photo presets for quick sharing. Focus peaking for macro nerds who love watching tiny things look enormous. Gesture control for streamers who are tired of poking buttons mid-sentence. This firmware feels thoughtful, not rushed.
Christmas cheer and a small wish list
Let’s be honest. This feels like a Christmas gift. A real one. The kind that makes current Osmo Action 6 owners grin and say, “Well, I did not expect that.”
It also makes some of us stare at our other DJI toys with hopeful eyes. Looking at you, Neo 2. A little firmware magic. Maybe RAW photo support. Just a small holiday miracle. No pressure, DJI.
Whether this update is a farewell bow or a signal that DJI still has plans for the Action line, one thing is clear. The Osmo Action 6 just became a lot more interesting right when many people thought the story was over.
DroneXL’s Take
This is one of those updates that reminds us why firmware matters. DJI did not have to give the Osmo Action 6 8K, but they did, and they did it at the most dramatic, festive, conversation starting moment possible.
For Osmo Action 6 owners, this might be the best Christmas gift they could have asked for, no wrapping paper required. What do you think? Is this a goodbye, or a promise? Let me know in the comments.
Photo credit: Reddit, DJI.