VIIVIIIXIII
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SJCAM SJ5000X Elite Action Cam Review (Novatek 96600, Sony IMX078, 2K30fps/1080p60fps, Gyro Stabilization)
Thanks to Lightinthebox.com for supplying this unit for review
Product Link: Official website: http://sjcamhd.com/sjcam-sj5000x-elite/
Price: $99.99USD
Coupon code: OZB104754377
Review:
From the manufacturers of the original and well-reviewed SJ4000, I have the SJCAM SJ5000X Elite for testing. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, SJCAM was amongst the first companies to offer a viable alternative the famous GoPro Hero cameras, but at a much more affordable price point. To boot, they also included a ton of mounts and accessories making the SJ series cameras an incredible value. The SJ5000 series is the successor to the SJ4000 series, offering improvements and camera upgrades while maintaining their competitive price points.
The SJ5000X Elite is the flagship (and most expensive) of the SJ5000 series of cameras. It boasts a Novatek 96660 chipset with a Sony IMX078 sensor. It records in native video resolutions of 2K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fs or 720p @ 120fps. It has a bunch of useful features, such as an adjustable 70-170 degree wide angle lens and gyro stabilization which is a huge upgrade for any action camera. The removable 900mAh battery is rated for 60 mins of HD recording time. For action cam purposes, SJCAM could have included an extra battery and external charger for convenience.
Setting up the SJ500X was simple, as there are several preset modes you can select depending on how you’re looking to record. For example, there is a video lapse mode, photo lapse mode, slow recording mode, burst mode, long exposure mode, underwater mode, and motion detection mode. I won’t get into all the details for these modes, as I was testing the SJCAM SJ5000X Elite mostly for automotive use (as a dashcam). I used the “Car Mode”, which activates settings such as auto start/stop upon receiving power, and loop recording.
The SJ5000X also offers WiFi functionality when paired the SJCAM app (via Android or iOS device). The App allows for basic tasks such as: live view, start/stop recording, shutter timer, video playback, file management and download, and change settings.
With regards to video quality, I found the SJ5000X to be quite average in both day and low light conditions. The recordings were not all that sharp and there was some blurriness for objects at a distance. At night, I found the image to be grainy and the colors were over saturated. The Gyro works reasonably well. Internal microphone quality is decent outside of the waterproof case, however, it is quiet.
SJCAM has a come a long way from being a generic action cam manufacturer based in china. They have completely revamped their branding and now cater to the international market. Watch out for fake SJxxxx units. Authentic SJCAM cameras now all come with unique serial numbers, as well as an authenticity scratch code which can be verified through their app or website.
Overall, I found the SJ5000X Elite package to be a good buy for those on a budget, but there are better units on the market if you’re willing to spend a few more dollars. The biggest let down with the SJ5000X Elite was the video quality. Features, price and value were great.
Note: SJCAM recently launched the SJ6 and SJ7 series of cameras, which should offer even better action camera performance. Other viable GoPro alternatives include the GitUp and Xiaoyi branded cameras, which have been well reviewed and highly recommended as well.
Sample Clips:
2K30FPS
1080p60FPS
Stock Photos:
Specifications and feature list:
· Chipset: Novatek 96660
· Sensor: Sony IMX078
· Sensor Resolution: 12.4 MegaPixels
· Lens: Adjustable 170°, 140°, 110°, 70° A+HD wide angle
· Screen size: 2” LCD
· Touchscreen: No
· Video Resolutions: 4K @ 24fps (interpolated); 2K @ 30fps; 1080P @ 60fps; 1080P @ 30fps; 720P @ 120fps; 720P @ 60fps; 720P @ 30fps
· Video Format: .MOV, .MP4
· Compressed Video Format: H.264
· Photo Resolutions: 12 MP 4032*3024; 10MP 3648*2736; 8MP 3264*2448; 5MP 2592*1944; 3MP 2048*1536; 2MP HD 1920*1080; VGA 640*480; 1.3MP 1280*960
· Image Format: .JPG
· Slow Motion: Yes
· Storage: microSD up to 32GB, selected up to 64GB and 128GB
· Connections: microUSB2.0, microHDMI
· Battery: 900mAh (removable)
· Battery life: HD recording at 60 mins
· Charging time: 3 hours
· WiFi: Yes
· Gyro Anti-Shake: Yes
· Measurements: 25 x 16 x 42.4mm
Box contents:
For more SJCAM branded mounts and accessories:
www.sjcamhd.com/accessories/
Thanks to Lightinthebox.com for supplying this unit for review
Product Link: Official website: http://sjcamhd.com/sjcam-sj5000x-elite/
Price: $99.99USD
Coupon code: OZB104754377
Review:
From the manufacturers of the original and well-reviewed SJ4000, I have the SJCAM SJ5000X Elite for testing. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, SJCAM was amongst the first companies to offer a viable alternative the famous GoPro Hero cameras, but at a much more affordable price point. To boot, they also included a ton of mounts and accessories making the SJ series cameras an incredible value. The SJ5000 series is the successor to the SJ4000 series, offering improvements and camera upgrades while maintaining their competitive price points.
The SJ5000X Elite is the flagship (and most expensive) of the SJ5000 series of cameras. It boasts a Novatek 96660 chipset with a Sony IMX078 sensor. It records in native video resolutions of 2K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fs or 720p @ 120fps. It has a bunch of useful features, such as an adjustable 70-170 degree wide angle lens and gyro stabilization which is a huge upgrade for any action camera. The removable 900mAh battery is rated for 60 mins of HD recording time. For action cam purposes, SJCAM could have included an extra battery and external charger for convenience.
Setting up the SJ500X was simple, as there are several preset modes you can select depending on how you’re looking to record. For example, there is a video lapse mode, photo lapse mode, slow recording mode, burst mode, long exposure mode, underwater mode, and motion detection mode. I won’t get into all the details for these modes, as I was testing the SJCAM SJ5000X Elite mostly for automotive use (as a dashcam). I used the “Car Mode”, which activates settings such as auto start/stop upon receiving power, and loop recording.
The SJ5000X also offers WiFi functionality when paired the SJCAM app (via Android or iOS device). The App allows for basic tasks such as: live view, start/stop recording, shutter timer, video playback, file management and download, and change settings.
With regards to video quality, I found the SJ5000X to be quite average in both day and low light conditions. The recordings were not all that sharp and there was some blurriness for objects at a distance. At night, I found the image to be grainy and the colors were over saturated. The Gyro works reasonably well. Internal microphone quality is decent outside of the waterproof case, however, it is quiet.
SJCAM has a come a long way from being a generic action cam manufacturer based in china. They have completely revamped their branding and now cater to the international market. Watch out for fake SJxxxx units. Authentic SJCAM cameras now all come with unique serial numbers, as well as an authenticity scratch code which can be verified through their app or website.
Overall, I found the SJ5000X Elite package to be a good buy for those on a budget, but there are better units on the market if you’re willing to spend a few more dollars. The biggest let down with the SJ5000X Elite was the video quality. Features, price and value were great.
Note: SJCAM recently launched the SJ6 and SJ7 series of cameras, which should offer even better action camera performance. Other viable GoPro alternatives include the GitUp and Xiaoyi branded cameras, which have been well reviewed and highly recommended as well.
Sample Clips:
2K30FPS
1080p60FPS
Stock Photos:
Specifications and feature list:
· Chipset: Novatek 96660
· Sensor: Sony IMX078
· Sensor Resolution: 12.4 MegaPixels
· Lens: Adjustable 170°, 140°, 110°, 70° A+HD wide angle
· Screen size: 2” LCD
· Touchscreen: No
· Video Resolutions: 4K @ 24fps (interpolated); 2K @ 30fps; 1080P @ 60fps; 1080P @ 30fps; 720P @ 120fps; 720P @ 60fps; 720P @ 30fps
· Video Format: .MOV, .MP4
· Compressed Video Format: H.264
· Photo Resolutions: 12 MP 4032*3024; 10MP 3648*2736; 8MP 3264*2448; 5MP 2592*1944; 3MP 2048*1536; 2MP HD 1920*1080; VGA 640*480; 1.3MP 1280*960
· Image Format: .JPG
· Slow Motion: Yes
· Storage: microSD up to 32GB, selected up to 64GB and 128GB
· Connections: microUSB2.0, microHDMI
· Battery: 900mAh (removable)
· Battery life: HD recording at 60 mins
· Charging time: 3 hours
· WiFi: Yes
· Gyro Anti-Shake: Yes
· Measurements: 25 x 16 x 42.4mm
Box contents:
For more SJCAM branded mounts and accessories:
www.sjcamhd.com/accessories/
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