This article will discuss the comparison between DBPower 4K vs GoPro Hero 5 to help you find a budget-friendly action camera that is capable of shooting good 4K videos. DBPower 4K is available for less than fifty bucks, and it may seem like a very good bargain compared to GoPro cameras. Well, is it?

Continue reading to learn more about

• The design, build quality, and durability of each action cam here
• Which model that is generally easier and more intuitive to use
• The features of DBPower 4K and GoPro Hero 5
• The image quality of DBPower 4K vs GoPro Hero 5
• Which action camera that will give the best value for the money

DBPower 4K: Overview

DBPower 4K is a compact action camera that, despite being very affordable, comes with great features. It has a 2.31-inch display that provides clear images and easy control. It is very lightweight at 2.75 oz, and the control scheme is very simple and intuitive with just two buttons to work with. It also has a bunch of other features and accessories.

Inside the box, you get the DBPower 4K action camera along with various accessories. This is a big plus, considering that GoPro accessories are much more expensive. The included accessories are:

• 1 waterproof housing
• 1 remote control
• 1 selfie stick
• 1 USB cable
• 2 swappable rechargeable batteries
• 12 attachments for different uses, such as for helmet and handlebar
• 1 user manual

Although the camera is not waterproof by itself, the additional waterproof housing can provide protection from various environmental conditions such as dirt, heavy rain, and extreme heat or cold. The additional waterproof housing will also allow the camera to be submerged 30m (approximately 98ft) under water.

DBPower 4K has an adjustable lens which has a maximum angle of 170 degrees. The image sensor is indeed very small, but it can already capture 4K footage. It will show some digital artifacts, and is prone to judders, but overall still a good action camera for the money. According to the specs, DBPower 4K has built-in Wi-Fi, but somehow it is very difficult to connect to mobile devices.

DBPower 4K: Features and Performance

Although both DBPower 4K vs GoPro Hero 5 can record 4K videos, it should be noted that they have different frame rates. In case of DBPower 4K, it can record in 4K at a maximum frame rate of 24 fps. This is pretty good, but it won’t be able to capture fast movements with sharpness and clarity.

This action camera also supports recording in 2.7K/30fps, 1080p/60fps, and 720p/120fps. If you want to create slow-motion videos, you can do so by using the 720p/120fps setting. Meanwhile, still images can be shot at a maximum resolution of 20MP.

The image quality is pretty good. DBPower 4K can capture images with good sharpness and brightness. However, colors don’t look very vivid, and the image stabilization is not very effective for reducing shakiness.

There are some nice features, such as the timer, photo burst mode, and image quality settings. You can adjust the white balance, brightness, and sharpness. There is also an option to add a time stamp on the footage. The lens can be set to 70, 110, 140, or 170 degrees. You can also switch between portrait and landscape, so you won’t need to twist the camera to get a different orientation.

There is the CamKing mobile app for controlling the action camera remotely and transferring files. In theory, this mobile app should make the action camera even more practical and flexible to use. However, in practice, getting the action camera to pair with a smartphone over Wi-Fi is extremely difficult.

It is a good thing that DBPower 4K comes with two batteries because the battery life is not long. It can only last for about 30 minutes per charge. So, you want to have the two batteries fully charged and bring both of them during a trip.

DBPower 4K: Pros and Cons

To sum things up, here are the pros and cons of DBPower 4K.

PROS

• Comes with a lot of accessories
• The waterproof housing allows submersion to 30m (98ft)
• Shoots 4K videos
• Adjustable lens angle and orientation
• Easy and simple to use

CONS

• 4K videos are limited to 24fps
• The Wi-Fi is very difficult to use
• The battery life is rather short

GoPro Hero 5: Overview

GoPro Hero 5 has been in the market for some time now. If you want to get the best action camera right out of the box, this is a highly recommended model. It has all the great features of its predecessors while coming with its own awesome new features. Some notable things about the camera are the 4K/30fps videos, touchscreen display, waterproof body, image stabilization, and voice commands.

It still has a rectangular shape, but it now has a grippy rubberized surface. As the effect, the camera is much easier to grip. It won’t slip off from your wet, sweaty hands. In addition, GoPro Hero 5 is waterproof without needing any additional housing. See also: GoPro Hero 5 vs 6

The camera is waterproof to 10m (approximately 32ft) by itself. In other words, you don’t need to equip a bulky external case just to protect the camera from rain or shallow water. However, an additional housing is still available for deeper dives, capable of providing waterproof protection up to 60ft.

On the rear, there is a 2-inch touchscreen display which is easy to use. On the front, there is a small display that will show the video duration, operation mode, and remaining battery. The MicroSD card slot, connection ports, and battery are hidden by tight covers to prevent water from leaking in. Opening the covers requires some effort, but they seem to protect these parts quite well.

GoPro Hero 5: Features and Performance

While previous GoPro cameras relied on touch-based controls, the menu system of GoPro Hero 5 has been improved. You may need some time to get a grasp on it, but it will be very efficient once you get used. Accessing different groups of features requires swiping from the top, left, right, or bottom.

You can change the shooting mode between video and photo, and you can also customize the settings for each mode separately, such as the resolution, frame rate, and brightness. However, you don’t need to access the touchscreen to control the camera; GoPro Hero 5’s voice commands work very well, and it is smart enough to understand seven different languages. It is able to hear and respond to your voice commands even when in a noisy environment.

GoPro Hero 5 has built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. When the battery level is low, the camera’s Bluetooth Low Energy mode can remain active for remote control. However, for more extensive control and file transfer, you need a Wi-Fi connection. The GoPro Quick mobile app will allow you to edit your videos and still images easily.

There is also a desktop version of GoPro Quick. It is great if you prefer to do post-production on your computer, and it has some additional features not available on the mobile app, such as the option to overlay GPS information on the footage.

The video quality is good. GoPro Hero 5 can capture 4K videos at 30fps, so most movements will look fairly smooth and detailed. Unfortunately, the image stabilization is only available for resolutions up to 1080p. By the way, the 1080p setting supports recording at 120fps, and the 720p setting supports recording at 240fps. These settings are excellent for slow-motion videos.

Images have plenty of detail, and colors look vivid. It doesn’t have any noise when shooting under enough daylight. In low-light conditions, the performance remains good with minimal noise. Exposure is always good and spot-on.

When shooting still images, you can choose to save the files in JPG or RAW. People who want to get high-quality still images out of their action cameras will find the RAW support very useful.

GoPro Hero 5 can last for about 90 minutes per charge when shooting in 1080p/30fps. That’s with the Wi-Fi, GPS, and image stabilization turned on. In 4K/30fps, the battery life only drops to 60 minutes per charge. You can extend it to be a bit longer by disabling the Wi-Fi or GPS.

GoPro Hero 5: Pros and Cons

To sum things up, here are the pros and cons of GoPro Hero 5.

PROS

• Waterproof body without an external case
• Very nice handling with the grippy rubberized surface
• Easy to use with the touchscreen and the voice commands
• Shoots 4K at 30fps
• Built-in image stabilization

CONS

• The accessories are quite expensive
• Image stabilization isn’t available in 4K

DBPower 4K vs GoPro Hero 5

Conclusion

In general, GoPro Hero 5 is better and more recommended. It can give you better quality videos and still images. It has a built-in image stabilization feature. It is also very easy and flexible to use, as it can be controlled remotely via the mobile app or voice commands. So, it is worth the money. On the other hand, DBPower 4K seems like a nice budget alternative, but the image quality is not that good and the Wi-Fi is difficult to use.