The list of shame fake 4K cameras and CMOS size

Then go for the Pro Pack which is with wide lens and all mounts included.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
How about the thieye t5e, have anyone use this camera before?
 
Thanks for the advice Mtz, will take a look. Wonder how long shipping will take them to Australia at xmas time...
 
Was on stock in Australia here but maybe you can find another australian store, maybe @gitup knows. You can order fast from foxoffer, but is from China. Check also on ebay, maybe you can find an australian location.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Sorry, I didn't tested it.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
It seem no one in here have experience with that thieye camera model.
 
Hi Gents,

I read this forum all night just after I cancelled my H8R order from GearBest. I read from you many posts about all Chinese cams are fake and have only interpolated 4K.
However I started to think of the other side. I mean to the playing side. Do you, guys all really need real 4K? All of you has 4K FullHD telly. Two of my friends has GoPro and they usually records only 2K / 60 pfs. I've got an IPad Air 2 for Christmas and as I see it specs, the screen resolution is "9.7 inches (250 mm) 2,048 x 1,536 px (264 ppi) with a 4:3" what is If I am right not 4K.
I think most of us watch videos on laptops, PC-s or on basic HD TV-s, what is nowhere close to 4K.
As I don't have £400 for a GoPro, also I truly believe it is way overpriced (you buy the brand only), I was looking for a decent cheap GoPro-like cam what is able to record smooth videos on clear picture.
So the question is... when and where do you really need to record real 4K videos and do you really able to say on a laptop or HD telly that is not real 4K, or jsut 2K?
 
A lot of people that are using 4K cams are cropping the picture in post to smaller sizes, that has some advantages over just shooting in a lower resolution
 
I just saw yesterday when my friends replacement SJ4000 boot ( wifi edition ) there is a 4K thing on the LCD screen.
I cant recall that being there on the regular SJ4000 that sank in the lake, but then again it have mostely been my friend that have handled his own cameras.
 
I think there are definite advantages with 4k. More likely to pull a single shot image that is decent from a true 4k camera and crop it like suggested above. 4k is more future proof in general but maybe not if the video is only 15fps. In general, I think you are right. For most applications 2k is probably adequate. I am looking at a GitUp2 myself for this reason. My laptop and desktop screens are 2.5k (2,560 x 1,440) and I think right now that is the best resolution for everyday use. Can be used for reading text and video games without your video card blowing up. Many of the phones and tablets are settling on this resolution because of battery life and the fact that most people see minimal improvement on a phone / tablet going from 2.5k to 4k. It might be different if you are strapping a phone to your head in a VR type setup though...

Personally, I don't see the point of a 4k camera since most of the real 4k cameras are over $400 and I already spend too much on electronics. My use is just the occasional snowboarding/scuba trip so I would prefer something with a waterproof case and gyro stabilization. Gitup2 seems to be the one that is getting recommended most.

Tamas Szabo said:
Hi Gents,
So the question is... when and where do you really need to record real 4K videos and do you really able to say on a laptop or HD telly that is not real 4K, or jsut 2K?
Click to expand...
 
Hi guys!
I'm thinking of buying a (really) cheap action camera, in order to record some vacation or hiking videos (and aerial w/ quadcopter some day). Since there are now cameras around 40$, my budget is 50$ max. Price really is my criterion, and we might say that I'm kind of looking the least worst option ;-)

I am completely aware that I won't be able to obtain quality products, I just want to be able to shoot some 1080@60/30fps footages, with good averall sharpness and colors.
I have read many posts of this topic and it helped me to better understand what those cheap cams are made off, thank you guys!

Looking at the cams available at gearbest, I need advice about two sensors :
- IMX179 (which should be a real sony sensor, 8MP but 30fps max. It concerns F60B, Q6, Excelvan Q8... I'm not really convinced by most of the footages I've found on YT with thoses cams. If I understand right, with this sensor @60fps is fake by using double frame techniques?)

- OV4689 (most of you guys are familiar with its specs. Only 4MP but higher fps capabilities, seems to give decent results (e.g. Elephone ele explorer footages appears to be correct, maybe sharper than with other sensors?)
Does one of those two is really better ?
 
Thanks for your answer.
Are you suggesting GitUp cameras? If so, to be precise It's more an 60/70% increase of my budget for the Git1 and at least twice the budget for the Git2...
(I live in France so reduce choice on Amazon/eBay or long/costing shipping from China)
I'm sure these are really good camera for the price, but currently I can't afford.
 
If you're on a really tight budget and can wait for a sale price, the cheapest deals will be direct from China, and if all goes well the only drawback will be the slow 'standard' shipping :rolleyes: It is when things do not go well (such as needing the warranty, getting tech help, or having usable customer service) that can make you wish you'd just handed that money to the next stranger you pass instead :eek: And there's the real possibility of getting a 'fake' :mad: You don't get what you don't pay for and here the cost of the bargain is sometimes 100% of the price though it usually isn't.

Your money, your choice- just know what you're doing ;) I've bought my share of stuff direct from China and only one questionable purchase I made without first conforming the ad's specs turned out less than ideal (a fake G1W). I knew the risk and took it, so I'm not complaining- it still does the intended job well enough to suit me. I'll buy direct again, but I can't honestly recommend that- it's best to stay with reputable and recommended sellers :D

Phil
 
Ruben Rybnik said:
(e.g. Elephone ele explorer footages appears to be correct, maybe sharper than with other sensors?)
Does one of those two is really better ?
Click to expand...
I quite liked using the Ele Explorer, it is a long way from the image quality of the Git2, especially for photos, and it took a long time to turn on, but if that is your budget then it is probably good value and there wasn't anything seriously wrong with it. At that price level you might expect a cheap plastic lens or something but it was OK. There is a review to watch and another to read here: https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/elephone-ele-explorer-action-camera-review.17107/#post-223302 , although I don't know if they have kept the same quality, that was some time ago.
 
I also liked an Elephone camera, the Elephone Explorer Pro. Right now it's on "Flash Sale" at GearBest for US $69.99. It's frequently on sale at that price. It's another fake 4K but I still think it's a good value overall. Also the battery and waterproof housing are compatible with SJCam SJ4000 so spares are cheap and widely available. A note of caution: According to Elephone, with each batch they produce the firmware can change and you can't update the firmware on older models to the latest version because they're not compatible. Seems kinda weird. There is a later firmware version than the one I reviewed so I don't know if new cameras will perform better, worse or the same as the one I reviewed. :)
 
Hi @TeriTerryTarry, yesterday I bought Explorer PRO (from GearBest at ~60€) without searching much about it on google. Thing that I did today and I found something that made me think:"Did I just made a mistkae buying that camera?".
. firstly I read that Elephone created a sub-brand to handle all of their "non-smarthpone" products named MGCOOL. And on mgcool site there are the ele explorer and the elite but no explorer pro. So I guess I'll receive no further support.
. then (confireming what I just wrote) I read from you that ELE won't update PRO camera's firmware, anymore.
. Then i also read that the notorious IMX117 actually can't be installed in this cam (due to chipset that can't handle that CMOS(?)). I bought this cam also beacuse of this sensor :( .

So my question to you is...... Did I just made an enormous mistake buying this camera? The explorer elite on gearbest is now on sale at ~50€ and maybe there are other cam that cost less but are better :( Only sigh reaction here...
(I made this question to you because you semm well prepared on this topic and very "active")

Thank you
 
Hi Raffa.

I never heard of Mgcool until you just mentioned it. Looking at their website, their Mgcool Explorer Pro certainly looks identical to the Elephone Explorer Pro and the specs appear to be the same as well. I also no longer find the Explorer Pro on the Elephone website, though their other cameras are still shown. I don't know what the relationship is between Mgcool and Elephone beyond what Mgcool has published on their website.

Personally I've found Elephone customer service to be responsive, more so than other Chinese brands I'm familiar with. I've exchanged e-mails with them at support@elephone.hk

Regarding firmware, Elephone has what to me seems like a rather strange approach. When I recently e-mailed them to ask about a firmware update, here was their response: "We have no new firmware, different batch have different firmware. they are not compatible." So it seems like the firmware on your camera is the only firmware available, ever. In the case of the camera I reviewed on Pevly, that's no bad thing. I can't speak to other versions of firmware.

As far as the Sony IMX117 is concerned, I didn't open the camera body to determine the exact internal components. I'm going by the information I had from the Elephone website.

I've been quite pleased with my Elephone Explorer Pro. It doesn't break any new ground but I think it does a good job of making videos and photos. I found it to be a very easy camera to use and the Elephone customer support to be quite good. I truly hope your camera works out well for you.

Cheers! :)
 
Last edited:
Hello everyone,
Right now I plan to buy a 360 ° action camera but I intend to buy one who's almost 100 dollars, so I found 3 models on Alibaba, Here is their link:
1) X720
2) H720
3) S1
I would like to have your opinion on them, and whether it is fake or not.
Finally in chronological order of discovery and after the tutorial I see that the last model is the most acceptable, what do you think ?
Thanks
 
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