Anyone own a action camera that cost less than $100?

djc
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4/12/2017 1:58pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2017 12:05pm
I have not been paying attention to the camera scene at all. That last time I checked years ago it seemed like gopro was the only good one and maybe a few others.

Last night I was looking around and now I see a good amount of offerings from 45-100 bucks and was wanting to get one for my road bicycle if they are that cheap. Some have 4K which if I gather correct is pretty much useless because of the low frame rate?

Anyways I am cureious what people think of the cheap ones if they own any I am really just wanting some nice clear video for road cycling incase anyone almost runs me over or starts shit with me and maybe take it to the track here and there
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IWreckALot
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4/12/2017 2:01pm
I'd be curious to see if even a gopro could pick up a license plate of someone that almost hit you.

I've been buzzed a couple of times by assholes when I would ride on the street. I'd love to find out who it was. I no longer ride on the street for that one reason alone.
4/12/2017 3:37pm
I have had several cheap action cameras and recently got a Go Pro Hero 5 Black....just get a go pro. Even if you have to get a Go Pro Hero 3 they are far better in my experience than a cheap no name camera.

Once you get a GPH5 and you play with the gauges, high frame rate, quality, etc you will never go back.
4/12/2017 9:34pm Edited Date/Time 4/13/2017 4:33am
I bought a 23 buck action camera with accessories on ebay and it rocks as far as picture quality. If i mount it in the waterproof case though the sound has a lot of wind noise in it. Probably just wind leaking into the case.

imoto34
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4/13/2017 3:54am
I have caught a licenses number off a mounted go pro cam road biking before and it was a early Go Pro. If a good camera is on your head, it will see what you see. Just like buying a burger or a crank for your dirtbike. You get what you pay for. I suggest buying a older model of a quality cam from eBay instead of a low priced product that will not last very long.




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Maxjeff
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4/13/2017 6:38am
I bought a Sony az1, with the wrist remote for $160. Nice camera, and the editing software is easy to use. Last two go-pros I have had, both ended up having sensor issues. Sony is a good quality camera for the price
4/13/2017 8:25am
I recently got myself the AKASO EK7000 action camera. It's actually pretty good, comes with lots of accessories and even has some good reviews on Amazon. You should definitely check it out, it's also $88.
xplane
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4/13/2017 4:15pm
Holy fuck. This is the stupidest idea / question ever. With the quality to price ratio of cameras at an all time high, I have to say don't bother with anything less than a GOOD gopro if you think your shit is worth recording. Get a gopro hero 4 black / hero 5 black or session. Those are the only ones worth getting and only get the 4 if it's used and a deal. And yes if you use it in the daytime with 4k you can read license plates WAY farther than you'd think the quality is amazing.
4/13/2017 4:24pm
I thought I'd share the "skinny" on non-GoPro models. You can get GoPro quality for as little as $20. The problem is you really need to do some homework. What's the difference? Some of the cheaper models may drip a frame in the video. The problem is then your video can't download until you take that missed frame out. It can be painful if it's a lot of video.

The upside is they are so cheap. For $40, you can get one with all the bells and whistles. ALL of them! But in GoPro's defense, their systems are seamless. Good luck.

4/14/2017 6:36am Edited Date/Time 4/14/2017 6:37am
I recently got myself the [url=https://bestactioncamera.net/akaso-ek7000-4k-review/]AKASO EK7000[/url] action camera. It's actually pretty good, comes with lots of accessories and even has some good reviews on Amazon...
I recently got myself the AKASO EK7000 action camera. It's actually pretty good, comes with lots of accessories and even has some good reviews on Amazon. You should definitely check it out, it's also $88.
This is what I use. The battery life isn't great but they give you two. I usually keep both charged and switch it out between motos. I've never recorded in 4k, but the 1080p and 720p 60fps look really good. I've even used it underwater while snorkeling. Make sure to buy a good SD card if you don't already have one.
Dtat720
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4/14/2017 6:43am
Ive got one off of amazon. Comparable to the hero4. Had it for over a year now and you cannot tell the difference between the video shot with it versus the video shot with my sons hero4. I paid $63 for it and the sd card. Research the brands, i forget what i have but its off the same line as the gopro and when you turn it on it has the same intro etc as a gopro only it doesnt say gopro it says hd action camera... same everything as a gopro, kinda funny. Blue stripes and all
NVA57
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4/14/2017 7:14am
Don't bother, the image quality is just horrible. Even though it will say it's 1080p res or some even 4K, the actual chip in it is garbage. I have the GoPro Hero 3 which was around 250 bucks I believe and even that has useless horrible image quality. So bad you can't even see ruts or lines or big bumps.

Now I use it only to see how way too early I brake and how I need to lower a gear in a couple of turns, but if you wanna use it for legal stuff where you wanna see everything clear especially licence plates then I'd say invest in a Sony. Like the AS200VR. May be expensive but you at least get something worth your money.

(I work in the film industry and have used a lot of cameras over the years so I may be nitpicky about it, but this is just my opinion.)
4/14/2017 9:05am
NVA57 wrote:
Don't bother, the image quality is just horrible. Even though it will say it's 1080p res or some even 4K, the actual chip in it is...
Don't bother, the image quality is just horrible. Even though it will say it's 1080p res or some even 4K, the actual chip in it is garbage. I have the GoPro Hero 3 which was around 250 bucks I believe and even that has useless horrible image quality. So bad you can't even see ruts or lines or big bumps.

Now I use it only to see how way too early I brake and how I need to lower a gear in a couple of turns, but if you wanna use it for legal stuff where you wanna see everything clear especially licence plates then I'd say invest in a Sony. Like the AS200VR. May be expensive but you at least get something worth your money.

(I work in the film industry and have used a lot of cameras over the years so I may be nitpicky about it, but this is just my opinion.)
Can't see lines or ruts with a gp3? What setting are you using? Gp3 should be "decent enough" to see that kind of detail.
4/14/2017 9:43am
Check out the YI 4k camera. It's more than $100 but half of what a GoPro is and the quality is fantastic.
djc
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4/14/2017 9:57am
Thanks for all the advice. I was looking at used GoPro but even those are expensive. I been trying to research the cheap ones and yeah the one thinking I am finding out is the battery life sucks on most. A lot of videos I watch. Compare the cheap camera to a GoPro and the picture quality looks good inmost but really it's hard to tell.
NVA57
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4/14/2017 10:00am
Can't see lines or ruts with a gp3? What setting are you using? Gp3 should be "decent enough" to see that kind of detail.
1080p has no "superview" support so the fov makes me dizzy. I use the 960p setting because it's the only res that supports a wild field of view and it's slightly better than 720p...

Here's the setting I normally use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5XORHHlfug

And here's how it looks on the highest res: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuiM70FK9tw

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