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Guide · DJI Osmo Action 6

Action 6: above & below water

The complete settings for the Osmo Action 6 — with the variable aperture, Dive mode and underwater white balance. Below water I work filterless: the camera restores the colour itself.

To the course The Action Filmer → Underwater article Cheat sheet (PDF) ↓
Cheat sheet

Every setting at a glance

The same values as in the course and on the gear page — with the why behind each setting.

Action & underwater · Pro mode

DJI Osmo Action 6

Resolution
4K

Uses the large 1/1.1-inch sensor; 4K/120 (4:3) for crisp slow-motion.

Frame rate
24–30 fps

24/25 fps = cinematic look; 50/60 fps for fast action and slow-motion.

FOV
Wide

Reduces distortion and keeps the edges sharp — especially underwater.

Shutter
1/50 s

180° rule. In bright daylight add an ND to stay at 1/50 s.

ISO
100

Keep it low for a clean image; cap the auto-ISO at depth to ~800–1600.

Aperture
variable f/2.0–4.0

Unique for an action cam: open (f/2.0) at depth/low light, closed (f/4.0) in bright light.

White balance
5500 K — fixed

Fixed manually above water; underwater use the underwater white balance (Dive mode).

Colour profile
Normal or D-Log M

Normal = ready to use. 10-bit D-Log M if you grade — handy underwater to recover colour.

Stabilisation
RockSteady 3.0

Smooth footage. HorizonSteady on above water, off underwater (no horizon).

Underwater
no colour filter

The underwater white balance + Dive mode restore colour — no red/magenta filter needed. Beyond ~15 m use a light or a D-Log M grade.

All settings

Which setting, when?

Set the basics right once; then choose by occasion. All modes and pro functions follow in brief.

The basics — set once
  • Bitrate on High + Video Quality Priority on — the biggest jump in quality (costs battery and heat).
  • 4K, frame rate 25 fps (EU look) or 50 fps if you want to slow things down — don't mix the two families.
  • Video is always 10-bit; no separate switch needed.
  • Pro mode: EV −0.3, ISO auto, white balance fixed at ~5600 K, Color on Normal (or D-Log M to grade).
  • Image adjustment: sharpness ("Texture") −1, noise reduction −1 (−2 in the dark).
  • FOV Wide or Natural Wide. Stabilisation: HorizonBalancing as the default (level horizon), RockSteady for 4K/120 slow-mo and deliberate action.

Best settings by occasion

OccasionModeRes · fpsFOVStabilisationApertureExtra
General / vlogVideo4K/25Wide or Natural WideHorizonBalancingAuto (f/2.0–4.0)WB fixed at 5600 K
Action & sportVideo4K/50–60Wide / UltraWideRockSteady 3.0+AutoInvisiStick for skiing
Slow-motionSlow-mo4K 4× (120) · 1080p 8× (240)WideRockSteadyf/2.0–2.8plenty of light · >60 fps: no horizon modes
Low light / eveningSuperNight4K/25–30Standard / Natural WideHorizonBalancingLarge f/2.0keep ISO low
City lights at nightVideo/Photo———Starburst f/4.0creates starbursts
Underwater (filterless)Video4K/25–30WideHorizonBalancing / lowf/2.0 or AutoDive/underwater WB · Dive Case >20 m
Timelapse (tripod)Timelapse4K/25–30Standard/Wide—Autointerval 2–5 s for clouds, longer for stars
Hyperlapse (walking/riding)Hyperlapse4K/25–30WideHorizonBalancing / HorizonSteadyAuto×5–×10
Landscape photoPhotoRAW+JPEG · 4:3Standard (Dewarp)—Fixed f/2.8WB 5600 K
Night photoPhototripodStandard—f/2.0long shutter, keep ISO low
Vertical / socialsPortrait Mode or 9:162.7K/1080pNatural WideHorizonBalancingAutoexposure tuned to skin tone
Subject trackingSubject Tracking2.7K 16:9 or 9:16 /30–60WideHorizonBalancingAutokeeps the subject centred

Shooting modes

PhotoStill image. Choose RAW+JPEG for editing headroom; 4:3 uses the full sensor.
VideoYour main mode — always 10-bit.
SuperNightNight mode that combines the f/2.0 aperture with noise suppression; 4K up to 60 fps.
Portrait ModeRecognises the person and optimises the exposure for natural skin tones.
Subject TrackingAutomatically keeps a moving subject centred (skiing, cycling); 2.7K/1080p.
Slow-motion4K 4× (120 fps), 1080p 8× (240 fps), up to 32× super-slow via interpolation. Needs plenty of light.
TimelapseFrom a tripod; speeds up movement (clouds, stars). Interval and duration adjustable.
HyperlapseTimelapse while you move, with RockSteady and ×2–×30 speed.

Field of view (FOV)

Standard (Dewarp)All distortion removed, straight lines — best for architecture and landscape photos.
Natural WideWide image, but corrects vertical distortion (buildings, trees). Ideal for vlogging.
WideThe all-rounder: wide with limited bulging.
UltraWideThe widest, with the most fisheye distortion; for action up close.

Aspect ratio

16:9Standard landscape — your default for cinematic/landscape work; best quality for horizontal playback.
9:16 (Portrait)Vertical for socials, whatever the camera orientation.
Landscape lockStays horizontal, even as the camera tilts.
Custom (square)A safety net: film 1:1 with crop lines when one shot must work both landscape and vertical. Crop afterwards — costs width/resolution per orientation. Know your final output? Pick 16:9 or 9:16 up front.

Stabilisation

HorizonBalancingYour everyday default: keeps the horizon level within ±45° of tilt (exactly the lean you introduce handheld), with only a modest crop, up to 4K/60. Not available above 60 fps.
RockSteady 3.0 / 3.0+Maximum field of view and natural motion. Use it for 4K/120 slow-mo (horizon modes cannot run there) and for deliberate tilt (berms, motorbike). 3.0+ for heavy vibration.
HorizonSteadyLocks the horizon through a full 360° rotation (up to 4K/60), but crops heavily. For rolling or spinning action.

Pro functions

Exposure (EV)−0.3 as a rule of thumb; action cams tend to overexpose slightly.
ISOLeave on auto; only cap it in the dark.
White balanceFixed at ~5600 K to prevent colour shifts; 5000–5100 K for snow, warmer at sunset.
ColorNormal (ready to go) or D-Log M (flat, more dynamic range; with live colour-recovery preview and colour restoration in the Mimo app).
Variable apertureAuto (f/2.0–4.0), Fixed (f/2.8, focuses down to 35 cm), Starburst (f/4.0, starbursts, down to 20 cm), Large (f/2.0, night/macro).
Stabilization scenarioThe stabilisation choice ties to your FOV and resolution; underwater or on a tripod, set it lower or off.
Image adjustmentSharpness ("Texture") and noise reduction — better a touch softer (−1/−2). You can add sharpness later; you cannot take it away.
Below water

Colour back — without a colour filter

Water swallows red first, then orange and yellow. The Action 6 corrects this itself with a dedicated white balance sensor: switch on the underwater white balance (Dive mode) and the colours return — no red or magenta filter needed, and you lose no light.

The limit of white balance. In the shallows (swimming pool, snorkelling, up to ~10–15 m) the underwater white balance does an excellent job. Deeper down there is too little red light left to balance back: reach for a video light (white balance set to the light's colour), or film in D-Log M and pull the last of the colour back in the grade.
Recipes

By situation

Swimming pool Underwater WB or ~5500 K · no filter · 4K/60 for slow-mo · HorizonBalancing on.
Sea & snorkelling (0–5 m) Underwater white balance · get in close · sun behind you · no filter needed.
Diving (up to ~15 m) Underwater WB + Dive mode · ISO low · aperture open (f/2.0) · D-Log M for colour headroom.
Deeper / caves / night White balance stops working → video light (WB set to the light's colour), or D-Log M and correct in the grade.

Rules of thumb throughout: get in close, lock everything manually, sun behind you, move slowly, and rinse with fresh water afterwards + check the O-ring.