Have the cheapy knockoff caught up yet?
After our last holiday I've been considering getting a cheap compact camera for beach/pool photos so the mobiles can stay in the room safe...
But then I've noticed the number of gopro-alike cameras on fleabay has grown since I last looked, they can't all be awful and it might kill two birds with one stone, my current old drift is functional but not perfect and tends to corrupt every tenth file just for fun an weighs more than most now...
£20 seems to get something with a wideish angle lens a waterproof case that claims to do 4K (720p would do)...
Seems ideal for sticking on a floating monopod and throwing in the pool with kids but also adequate for recording the Dad-gnarr on my rides...
Or must I spend a fortune on a pukka gopro?
Check Amazon for the reviews to narrow down the choice (more comprehensive customer reviews than eBay), then search Youtube for the sample footage - often there will be side by side comparison footage with Gopros.. although obviously ignore the official manufacturer's video, look for real life footage.. probably also worth ignoring any models that are more than a couple of years old..
We got an SJ4000 and it's fine for filming pottering and radness. OH does trackdays and is partial to the odd off-track excusion so it's been crash tested too 😆
I've been looking around lately at the non GoPro action cams, and wondered what people thought of the Apeman ones?
In my experience the manufacturing quality is often not as precise as pukka GoPro, especially any supplied brackets, cases and suchlike - often don't fit together very well, and likely to break more easily (brittle plastics that aren't tough enough to survive the abuse they often attract).
Mil gave me a muson mc1 1080 camera she ordered by mistake cost 30-35 in sale in amazon, came In a case with loads of mounts and two batteries great bit if kit connects with WiFi to my phone too to control camera and edit) download videos. Very impressed run time seems to be about 1hr20 per battery also fits perfectly to the gopro mount on my giro lid
If you keep an eye out in Sainsburys they often seem to have decent markdowns on Kitvision devices; I've been tempted but have no idea how good they are.
You're probably right, I should go through amazon just to give me a better chance of returns if necessary...
There seem to be plenty under £30, with 170* view angles all scoring 4 stars or better in the reviews...
In my experience the manufacturing quality is often not as precise as pukka GoPro, especially any supplied brackets, cases and suchlike – often don’t fit together very well, and likely to break more easily (brittle plastics that aren’t tough enough to survive the abuse they often attract).
Yeah but the price difference for a pukka gopro would be enough for me to sleazy jet somewhere sunny and try it out in the sea, Plus I'm not going to cry over a busted £25 toy, I'd be very upset if I bust a gopro...
I got a £9 delivered one from Aliexpress.com for a school trip where there was a bit of snorkelling and the like.
It was a bit slow on the reload after taking a picture, but to take a reasonable photo/video and come with a full waterproof case, for the money is just silly really.
Saying that I wouldn't recommend. I'd go for something well reviewed in the £50 - £100 range and do it properly.
Mate was trying his today. About 30 quid.
Battery didn't seem to last very long. About 3 descents probably less than 300m.
As the availability and quality of cheapo brands improve it will be interesting to see if the cost of genuine Gopros goes down. A gap in the market for a similar form factor (so it fits and works on third party gimbals and mounts) camera somewhere between the genuine and the really cheap.
Campark £25 for good or £40 for better.
I have the £25 one and find it very good tbh, good battery, good attachments, good software.
Same problem as all these cams though, lifes too short to spend looking at film let alone turning it into something intresting.
The really cheap ones can be awful - I had one from a place I used to work that skipped a frame every second, which was really disconcerting to watch. That said I have an old SJ4000 which (for the money) is ace. The Apeman 4k seems to be pretty well liked and as an inbetweener there's a Xiaomi Yi 4k one for about £160 that seems pretty highly rated. Not sure on the viewing angle though.
Gopro have released a "budget" cam. It's £200! I got my hero 5 session using my companies cycle to work scheme.
... I got my hero 5 session using my companies cycle to work scheme
Pretty sure that’s not what the tax saving cycle to work gives is designed for.
I got my hero 5 session using my companies cycle to work scheme.
Shuffles away from thread kicking cans grumbling about people taking the piss using tax payers money. Mainly because I'm peeved I've never been able to use the scheme legitimately myself.
www.evanscycles.com/b2b/ride-to-work-employee
Scroll down to the "what cycling equipment can I get" bit.
GoPro used to do a budget camera - £99 hero - but looks like they decided that was too cheap and discontinued it!
I got a lightdow ld6000, comes with 2 batteries, works great
Hmmmm, seems a bit cheeky
As a guide any items which help make you safer, keep your bike safe, or help with your commute can be included, as follows:
Helmet
Lights
Locks
Cycle clothing
(must include some hi-vis or reflective detail)
Any high-viz items
Shoes
Bags and bag covers
Cycle cameras
I suppose you could be buying it to film your commute for insurance related purposes.....maybe.
But as say I'm bitter and twisted because I've never worked for an employer prepared to offer the scheme
be aware that the amazon sellers bribe reviewers: "give us a 5-star review and we'll send you a free battery"
I got a Gitpro a while ago. Whilst the camera itself is great, I got so tired of trying to use the app's to download footage that I just don't bother anymore. I've not looked for a while if there's something available now that's actually reliable
Surely there must be loads of cheap GoPro's on eBay? They've been 'good enough' for many years now and I see far fewer out and about than i used to. Once the reality of the effort needed to edit footage into anything watchable becomes apparent most rarely get taken out.
Anyone tried Xiaomi action cameras? They are one of the better/prolific Chinese electronics manufacturers.
Yi 4K+
[i]chestercopperpot wrote:[/i]
Anyone tried Xiaomi action cameras? They are one of the better/prolific Chinese electronics manufacturers.
Yes, I have one, it works fine, video quality is great, not convinced I'd notice the difference from a GoPro with what I film. It's an older HD1080 rather than a 4k one though.
Yes, I have one, it works fine, video quality is great, not convinced I’d notice the difference from a GoPro with what I film. It’s an older HD1080 rather than a 4k one though.
Their phones are decent quality, so it wouldn't surprise me if the cameras are of a similar standard.
