Bastich Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Looking for suggestions on chinese/clones of action cams and/or stuff like Dji Osmo Pocket that are decent yet affordable! I'm not going to try and compete with any tubers and such, I just want to record rides that I can show to friends and family! Any suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 Dji cameras are good, I have Osmo action and Action 2. Watch youtube videos and find the version that suits your needs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerbera Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 (edited) In my hobbies over the years I have had need of a lot of action cams, and have certainly been getting through 'em ! Initially I started with GoPros (2, 3, several 4's), but found they tended to break within a few years, and remained glitchy all the time they worked, so trust in them slowly eroded. After that I tried 3 or 4 of the ultra cheap Chinese alternatives, NONE of which produced footage I would call 'acceptable'. Currently, I have the Osmo Action 3, which, after some activation nightmares caused by non-compatibility of my Samsung A13 / Android 13 with the DJI Mimo app, I am actually very pleased with it now, and find it to be amazing quality, easier to use than GoPro, and certainly without any of the weird glitchy or overheat / under-temp behaviour that the former tend to exhibit, even in latest iterations. It is also much cheaper than GoPro, and doesn't require any sort of subscription, or the app to work properly. And despite being mid-priced it does come with some really top end functionality like dual touch screens, voice commands and immaculate stabilisation (another feature that is often utter trash on cheaper cams). The battery life is actually superior to GoPros and, unlike the former, works in all conditions without errors, be it extreme hot or cold. I would also recommend the 'Adventure pack' version of it, which comes with several superb magnetic mounts, a rather robust and decently long camera pole and most helpfully a beautifully designed battery case containing 3 batteries and with its own separate charging ability. That's another + point - these batteries charge to 80% in just 18 minutes and to full within half an hour or so, which is impressively fast for batteries that usually last over 2 hours of recording in the camera ! Whilst I was planning that purchase I had been reading a lot of reviews of action cams by 'lesser' Chinese manufacturers, and although some of them are pretty incredible in the price and included accessories department, it quickly became clear that not all 4-6K footage is equal, and that a lot of the cams in the £100-150 actually produce very disappointing footage in all aspects except resolution. I would advise especially being aware that some cheap cams that claim 5 or 6K resolution are using up-sampling to get it (and don't always admit to that unless you REALLY look into it), which is rather noticeable in the resulting footage. For that reason I would say the DJI Osmo Action is the perfect middle ground between the ultra cheapy cams and the GoPro / Insta360 class of top end models. Edited July 15, 2023 by Cerbera 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woke rider Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 @Bastich The old saying holds true, the best camera is the one you have with you and can use. My iphone Xs Max and ipod + DJI gimbles work really well. DJI makes great products and even used ones still work great if you can get them charged. Some models require a hefty charger. I am going to do a retro shoot with my S-VHS camcorder just for the look of the medium, and I have an HPX-170 which is still good even though it's old and has 4:2:2 which is a lot better than my iphone. I have lots of cameras. I have neurona sunglass camera, which is really great if I tape it to my wheel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastich Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 Thank you all for your thorough replies, you've given me quite a bit to consider! Maybe it's better to save some dosh and wait for a good deal on one of them DJIs to come around! Unfortunately my currency is hot garbage at the moment, so anything imported costs way more than it should. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poker Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 There's talk online about DJI releasing a osmo action 4 in August this year, maybe that means the action 3 will be cheaper in stores. Looking at buying cameras feels at bit like looking for a new wheel, if you just wait a bit more something better could be on the market. Meanwhile your whole life is passing by you while you're waiting if you don't just go for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastich Posted July 17, 2023 Author Share Posted July 17, 2023 I might have an used osmo pocket 1 in the works, I just gotta have a look at it before I buy it, that should suffice while I read about newer devices I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheelkoregro Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 I just ordered a $10 action camera off of wish so I will let you know how it goes and how the video looks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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