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BTS \u2014 or \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d \u2014 footage has become an essential part of how I tell stories; not just for social media, but for documenting the reality of underwater work. When it comes to shooting underwater, there are a ton of factors to think about \u2014 from managing your buoyancy and checking the settings on your camera housing, to being aware of your surroundings and controlling your breathing. The last thing I want to spend time worrying about, then, is how I\u2019m going to capture behind-the-scenes content at the same time.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where a small, reliable action camera earns its place.<\/p>\n
Over the past year, I\u2019ve tested different ways of capturing underwater BTS and various ways of strapping an action camera to my underwater rig. Based on that experience, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro has become my go-to BTS camera for underwater shoots. <\/p>\n
The Value of a BTS Action Camera<\/h2>\n
Before getting into the camera itself, it\u2019s worth clarifying what I actually need from a BTS setup underwater. This isn\u2019t about cinematic footage or replacing my main camera. Since I\u2019m primarily focusing on photos with my main camera, I like to have a video camera running simultaneously to ensure I don\u2019t miss anything. <\/p>\n
For me, a BTS action cam needs to:<\/p>\n
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- Capture accurate color without the need for post-processing<\/li>\n
- Be easy to mount and reposition on an underwater housing (or offer multiple mounting options)<\/li>\n
- Be reliable across multiple dives<\/li>\n
- Require minimal thought or attention once I\u2019m underwater<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Most importantly, it shouldn\u2019t interfere with the primary goal of the dive: making the photos or video I\u2019m actually there to create. <\/p>\n
Color Rendering Straight Out of Camera (The Biggest Win)<\/h2>\n
Color is notoriously difficult underwater. Reds disappear quickly, contrast flattens, and many action cams produce footage that requires aggressive correction to get to the level of \u201cusable.\u201d<\/p>\n
What I love most about the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is how clean and crisp the color looks straight out of camera. The blues don\u2019t feel overpowering, and they don\u2019t run too far into the green or turquoise. The highlights retain detail, and the footage feels perfectly balanced immediately off the card. I don\u2019t record in log on my Osmo Action, so I don\u2019t have to take extra steps to color the footage (especially since it\u2019s usually just going on social media), but I bet it would retain colors equally well, especially since the Osmo Action 5 Pro offers 10-bit Log or 10-bit HLG color modes. DJI\u2019s color science specifically for underwater scenes is the best I\u2019ve seen from any of the action cams on the market. <\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nMagnetic Mounting: Perfect for Vertical Shooting<\/h2>\n
When I first saw the magnetic mounting system on the Osmo Action 5 Pro, I really didn\u2019t think much of it. But as I started to use it underwater, it felt like it made so much sense and offered so much more flexibility compared to traditional mounting systems.<\/p>\n
Most action cameras are mounted on the bottom, usually in a horizontal\/landscape format. This makes sense, of course, but remember how I mentioned that my BTS footage is mostly meant for social media? That means I usually want my framing vertically-focused. In the past, when I tried mounting other action cams vertically, I\u2019d have to build out a complicated rig with special rotating arms to do so. But since the Osmo Action 5 Pro has magnetic mounting points on both the bottom and the side of the camera, switching between horizontal and vertical recording is basically instantaneous. If I know that I\u2019m going to be shooting horizontal photos with my housing, but I\u2019d like to get a vertical clip of the same moment for social, I can easily switch the Osmo orientation and get back to shooting. <\/p>\n
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