The Minefield of Adventure Camera's...

Not been too well this week, so trying to get equipment (photographic) to use for the New YouTube channel, I decided to do a bit of research into what is the best adventure camera for the money…

Well that was a minefield trying to get through.

I nearly just bought a GoPro Hero 7 black.

But then thought I would see what else there was available.

After watching hours of reviews on YouTube and by people that used adventure cameras for their YouTube Channels, I was totally confused…

And when I took a look at the products that seemed to be the best in there class, the more you looked the more you found little niggles wrong with them…

Besides picture quality and exaggerated claims to how they performed, one of the biggest thing that let most down, was the sound quality from the onboard microphone.

But worse still was the lack of external jacks to use a remote mic..

Some of the really cheap cameras had these and even remote microphone with the kit. But the picture quality was not up to the mark to use on a YouTube Channel.

Without even getting technical cameras need to video film in 1080P and at least 60 frames ps. I could explain what this means but we have not got all day...

The claims by most that the cameras will film in 4K are also exaggerated, in most cases.

The battery life is also a big issue and claims do not stack up in most cases.

Some of the batteries are removable so that you can pop in another charged battery, and some just run out and need the camera taking to a charging source.

Then we get to the stabilization of the picture while on the move…some of the later cameras have this facility and there is not as I can see a lot of difference… And no doubt in a couple of years they will all have this…

Wind noise suppression is also another glitch. And even the best seem to have got this wrong in that with it working the volume of audio is atrocious...

Most are in plastic cases that claim to be waterproof to this and that depth and some like the new GoPro have water proof bodies. But would you risk riding through a thunderstorm with any camera that you had spent good money on?

There are lots more points, that you could look into. But this is the jist of it…

So did I make a decision?

NO not yet.. Still just got my GoPro Hero 3+Black…

And this has a remote control button set up.

The ones I looked at, some had this, but again were not waterproof.. And most you needed to download an App to your “Late”(no older than four years old.) smart phone to use this facility.

So I will rattle through what I have written on this piece of A4 that is full of scribble.

Bottom end cameras, the “Eken H9”…and the “Akaso V50 Pro” are the two that I wrote down…

These seem to have the best reputation. Then at a higher price the SJCam SJ7 to 9 Star are well spoken about in most cases. A lot of the tour boys use, or did? The Drift Innovation Ghost S helmet cam. But the later ones seem to be nothing but trouble and have problems with the microphone leads not working and the cameras freezing if not warmed up first. The old Ghost S had a better reputation but the new batch since the company reshuffle in 2017 seem now not to be compatible with the new models.

So we get back to the GoPro situation. And if you have had the pleasure of watching the New or even older “Itchy Boots” Channel you will get a good idea into how good the GoPro Hero 7 Black are.. Noraly uses three of them…

The only thing that let these cameras down is the zoom for taking still shots and not being able to get close enough to wild life to take good shots of the birds and animals..

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But and this is a big but, a lot of the guys that have been using GoPro Cameras for a long time on their Vlogs and journeys, use the “GoPro Hero 4 Black” and swear by them being the best.

So you see the dilemma that I am in.. And I also need to use the camera for some of the workshop shots when not being able to use Lee’s Cannon EOS 7D..

By the way the best housing for these small rectangular adventure camera’s, is the Ulanzi cam V3…

So do I go for a four? Or one of the others?

The old Drift Innovation Ghost S well liked camera... Unlike the later ones...

One of the better liked reasonably priced action cameras...

Even better specified with two batteries...

I will use Lee's Canon  for workshop footage when I can...

More Later as always. Just a Start...

11/03/2021...

After all this time I thought it time for a bit of a update.

 Well to start with, I did buy a GoPro Hero 4 Black.

But with the Covid situation last year and then again this year "So far", I still have not been able to use it.

Lee has bought a DJI Osmo Pocket 360 camera has his B roll back up, so has not used the GoPro Hero 4 Black either.

We have bought quite a bit of eqiupment needed for use with these cameras for sound and lighting, in indoors videos.

After watching a canal walk video by Phil Ball, a long term live on boater, I was amazed at how good the quality of the footage was on this Campark V 30 camara.

 So I looked up a price for it, and found them for just under £60, the stabilisation was really good for a camera of this price. Take a look and see what you think.

Phil said the sound was rubbish though, and he puts in a lot of effort with getting the sound right on his videos.

What do you think? I thought for £60 and a sound recorder, and a bit of editing you get really good results...

We had the GoPro 9 land last year, and this is the go too camera... so I have been told, and there may be one in the camp later if the "thought of productions" actually happen when we get out of this Covid situation. I will do a bit more research to see how good they really are... The alternative is the Insta360 modular camera... So I am going to look into that too.

02/01/2025...

|Moving on a pace now 2025 so what is New and what has changed... Well has you would expect things have moved forward and most camera's now shoot at least 4K and even 5 but do we realy want anything higher for Youtube videos when most are still shot in 1080P for this channel because of the time to upload content etc...

 stabilisation is a lot better with even the cheapest of todays offerings... and even the cheaper end use better plastic in the construction of cases and other parts and are not has brittle as they used to be...

So what have we got. 

Well starting at the bottom end of the market... the Qinux PixGo 4K adventure camera is the most sort after, and they do run out of stock as they are so popular.. some say better than a GoPro and all for £59...

the Pro Capture is not far behind and sells for just £69...

Jumping up a bit the GoPro Hero 8 with 4K is rated as the best semi-Professional  bet, to take the most punishment and the most used camera for Youtube use...price now £279...

Staying with the latest generation of GoPro the Hero 13 Black this is said to be the only Adventure camera you will ever need... but they always say that until the year after. don't they... price for this little beauty is £330 Amazon £301...

The biggest  competitor to GoPro is and has been for a while the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro that competes with every thing the GoPro does and a lot say better...

We then have the Insta Ace Pro2 that does everything the two above do and then some, but I feel totally over built for making videos for

Youtube. price £399...

A lot of Youtube content makers a using the Insta 360 x 4 that does a lot that a drone does but without leaving your hand...

price for this is £400 if you shop around.

But and a big but for making Youtube video's more active is the New "follow me" DJI Neo drone now at an unbelivable price of just £169 I have found today... this will take off from your hand and circle or follow you with the set in programs...  if you want it to compete with its brother the DJI "Mini" 4 you will need a controller, and then it will do most of the same, but the DJI RC2 Controller  which I feel is the best option, is about £380... but you could make that once in a lifetime video with the above 2025 kit... 

More Later and Photos etc...

Updat2025...01...