Best Xiaomi action cameras for 2020

Everyone wants to capture memorable moments of their life and share them with friends. In our age of fast Internet and ubiquitous penetration of social networks, this has become an integral part of social communication, from which you cannot get away. You can shoot with a camera or a phone. However, there are situations where their functionality is insufficient. Extreme weather conditions, high speeds or shaking, immersion under water, do not allow even waterproof devices and gadgets with image stabilization to provide a high-quality picture. In addition, when doing extreme sports, you need free hands, so there is simply no way to hold a selfie stick or a phone, and the picture will always shake and blur during such shooting.

It is for obtaining images in such conditions that a separate type of cameras was invented.

The very name of the action camera implies its use for any kind of active pastime.

The device is a miniature camcorder with a wide-angle lens and an optical stabilization system that eliminates shaking while shooting, allowing the picture to remain clear and easily distinguishable even with significant vibration.

A distinctive feature of any device of this class is its compact size and low weight (on average, about 100 grams, excluding holders, boxes and other equipment).

Due to the operating conditions, manufacturers are trying to make the case as strong as possible and protected from aggressive influences during operation. Usually action cameras have a protection class of at least IP 67, that is, they allow you to record videos and take photos in dusty, heavy rain or high humidity conditions. The buttons in them are hidden under the rubberized case and exclude moisture from entering the contacts when pressed, and the connectors for connecting to the TV and charging are often covered with rubber pads.

The lenses of digital action cameras are wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle, giving a large coverage of the picture when shooting, but slightly distorting perspective, especially when shooting objects in the distance.

The focus is fixed. The refusal to use mechanisms for changing the focal length is dictated by the desire to simplify and lighten the design as much as possible, in addition, the absence of moving parts increases the reliability and service life of the camera. To compensate for the lack of variable focus, lenses are made with a large depth of field.

A large depth of field in practice means that the picture obtained with such a lens will be sharp both when shooting close subjects and when shooting objects that are at a distance. The image turns out to be somewhat flat, without blur, familiar to fans of artistic photography, but the specifics dictate their own conditions.

Maximum simplicity and reliability come out on top - no need to adjust the focus and be afraid to make a mistake, turned on the camera - it immediately started recording, while all objects in the frame will be shot with the same sharpness.

How to choose an action camera?

With any purchase, you should outline for yourself the area in which you will use the gadget, and answer the questions for what exactly you are buying the gadget. If you are using the camera for shooting at high speeds, say while riding a bicycle or motorcycle, pay attention to the quality of the optical stabilizer and the number of frames per second.

If the equipment is planned for shooting reports, when the lens is now and then directed at the operator, models with two displays are perfect, one of which is located on the front of the device.

Active cameras differ significantly in price. Depending on the resolution and characteristics, the price can start from 1,500 rubles. for a budget model and reach 15,000-16,000 rubles for top-end devices of well-known brands.

What additional accessories do you need?

Action cameras are good because they have almost unlimited scope. Manufacturers produce tens and hundreds of devices for them, designed to make life easier for users.

Holders and Mounts

Designed for fixing the video camera on a variety of surfaces: car windshield, motorcycle helmet or skydiver, bicycle handlebar, backpack, diving mask. Free your hands when shooting. This also includes floats, grips, selfie sticks, or tripods.

Boxes and covers

Designed to protect the case from scratches or dust. There are special sealed boxes designed for underwater photography.

Chargers and additional batteries

Batteries will never be redundant if you are shooting away from civilization. Missing good shots because the battery runs out - what could be more offensive? An additional battery is often supplied with camcorders, check this when purchasing. However, it is still recommended to have more than one spare battery, especially if you are shooting during the cold season when the capacity is reduced due to cold temperatures.

The standard chargers do not fix the batteries very securely. If the charger is stationary on the table, problems usually do not arise. But if you charge batteries from a power bank on the move, they can easily fall out of the slots. To prevent this from happening, chargers are produced with snap-on covers that securely fix the batteries and prevent them from falling out.

Lens filters and protective glasses

Protect the stock lens glass from splashes and scratches. There are special filters and glasses with UV protection, as well as polarization filters. The use of such filters is appropriate when shooting in bright sunlight or near water with a lot of glare.

Please check the lens diameter before buying, it may differ from model to model.

Remote controls

Allows you to start or stop shooting from a distance from the camera.

Microphones

Action cameras have built-in devices for recording sound, but sometimes, for example, when recording reports, their capabilities are not enough for high-quality sound. Connecting an external microphone will allow you to record speech or sounds clearly and legibly.

Memory cards

Of course, for work you need a place where you will save the captured frames. The most common card format today is microSD. The size of the map depends on your needs and the pace of shooting. Again, it is recommended to have not one, but at least a couple of cards, so as not to be faced with a lack of free space at the right time. You can, of course, sort the material and delete unnecessary ones, but you must admit that when viewing on a small standard screen it is not very convenient, and what if all the frames seem valuable to you? It is much easier to change the card to a new one and continue working.

Steadicam

Stabilization system when shooting on the move. Compensates for the shake of the video recorder when it is moved.

Spotlights and lamps

In standard boxes, mountings for external equipment are provided. The spotlight is mounted on top and allows you to improve the picture quality when shooting in low light conditions.

Waterproof underwater floodlights are also available.

Wardrobe cases and covers

It is included in the basic configuration of most models, but with an increase in the number of accessories, its volume may not be enough. In addition, standard cases cannot boast of being sealed or shockproof. If you require increased protection and tightness, for example, when rafting on the river, or water travel, the best solution would be to purchase such a case.

Action camera manufacturers

The pioneer in the industry was GoPro, which pioneered a device with this functionality on the market. The first models made a real sensation. The rest of the manufacturers, seeing such a wild commercial success, hastened to include action cameras in their product line. There are more than 20 companies on the market that produce devices for shooting in extreme conditions from corporations and little-known budget brands.

One of them is Xiaomi. It is a fast growing company founded in 2010 in China. In a short period of time, they have gone from "another Chinese phone" to the world famous brand, which ranks 4th in terms of sales in the world.

The corporation has its own production and research center, and produces a large number of consumer electronics products, including action cameras. In the article we will dwell on the Xiaomi models in detail.

The editors of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" have prepared for you a rating of the Best Xiaomi Action Cameras for 2020

The review includes:

YI Discovery Action Camera Kit	RUB 5 490
YI 360 VR CAMERA	RUB 19,990
YI Action Camera Travel Edition	RUB 7,990
Xiaomi XiaoMo AI Camera CG010	RUB 3,490
YI 4K Action Camera	RUB 12,990

Best Xiaomi action cameras for 2020

The entire line of Xiaomi action cameras has its own name YI, don't be confused by that, the manufacturer is still Xiaomi.

YI Discovery Action Camera Kit

The fifth line of the charts is occupied by a camera that allows you to shoot in high resolution UHD 4K, that is, 3840 × 2160. However, it should be noted that the optimal picture quality is still obtained with standard full HD, 1920 × 1080 resolution at 60 frames / s.

Photo mode and time lapse are supported.

A viewing angle of 150 ° will allow you to get a large informative picture, however, remember that the image can be distorted at the edges due to the physical properties of the lens.

Matrix technology: CMOS, resolution Mpix.

Note that there is no Image Stabilizer. The model is considered a budget model, and the manufacturer is thus trying to make its price more attractive for those who are limited in funds or buy the first device for review.

MicroSD cards are used for recording. The maximum volume recommended by the manufacturer is 64 MB; you use larger cards at your own risk.

A micro USB cable is used for communication with peripheral devices and for charging. Also a Wi-Fi model is installed, for wireless connection.

On the back of the device is a 2 ”touch screen.

Battery capacity 900 mAh, charger and spare battery included.

A nice addition was the presence in the complete set of aqua box.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

YI 360 VR CAMERA

In fourth place is an action camera that allows you to shoot spherical panoramas. Two lenses on the back and front of the body are responsible for creating the image, each with a viewing angle of 220 °.
The gluing of two pictures from cameras occurs programmatically inside the device.

4K resolution supported.

The model has an optical stabilizer for easy handheld shooting.

On the upper edge of the case there is an OLED display with a resolution of 96x96 Pix, which displays basic information about the device status, operating mode, battery status.

Battery capacity - 1400 mAh, the kit includes a cord, charger and spare battery.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

YI Action Camera Travel Edition

The third line of the rating is occupied by a budget model with the telling name Travel Edition.

Minimalistic and lightweight, at the same time containing the filling that allows you to get high quality frames and perfectly detailed photos. To simplify the design as much as possible, the engineers decided to abandon the screen, implying that all work and viewing of the footage will take place through the application installed on the smartphone.

There are only three buttons on the body: switching the shooting mode on the front side, turning on the recording on the top, and turning on the wireless module on the right side.

The device supports shooting in FullHD at up to 60 fps. and 120 frames / s. at a resolution of 1280 × 720. You can also take photos simply by pressing a button on the front panel. It is two-position. When you press the upper half, the device switches to photo mode, when you press the lower half, respectively, to video mode.

The weight of the device is 72 grams. In the name of reducing weight and increasing reliability, the manufacturer also abandoned the optical stabilizer, however, a high-quality matrix and software make it possible to neutralize minor errors from hand shake when using the gadget.

There is a threaded socket on the bottom edge. This allows you to mount the camera to a monopod or tripod without purchasing additional boxes and adapters.

Battery capacity 1010 mAh, included charger and charging cable. The additional battery must be purchased separately.

A nice addition is the standard monopod. Users highly appreciated the reliability and workmanship of the accessory.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Xiaomi XiaoMo AI Camera CG010

The next model differs from its predecessors both in form and content. The main emphasis is not on resistance to adverse influences and use during extreme sports, but on intelligent modules hidden by the device firmware. Built-in filters allow you to fit the resulting image or hide minor defects, for example, to even out the skin tone of the face or change the color temperature of the picture.

A sensor manufactured by Samsung with technology supporting phase detection autofocus is used as a matrix.

Maximum shooting resolution - HD (1280 × 720).

The camera can be used as a video peephole, surveillance camera, or for its intended purpose.

For mounting, manufacturers offer magnets that can easily hold the device on any metal surface, or a special bracket with a sticky layer on the back, which is reusable.

Recording is made to a microSD card (not included).

A cable or wireless module can be used to communicate with a PC.

Basic settings and remote control of the camera can be done from a smartphone using the official app.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

YI 4K Action Camera

Topping the list is one of the flagships - an action camera with full 4K (3840 × 2160) shooting at 30 frames / s. In 1080p, the model shoots at an impressive 120fps. Matrix with a resolution of 12 megapixels will provide high quality and detail.

The YI 4K lens is, as it should be, wide-angle, with a 155 ° field of view.

The built-in optical stabilizer helps to shoot a high-quality picture in motion.
For viewing pictures and videos on the back there is a 2.19-inch color screen protected from scratches by tempered glass.

For communication with peripheral devices, wi-fi and Bluetooth 4.0 modules are installed.
The camera has three modes of operation: video, photo, and photo while shooting video. The maximum photo size is 3000x4000 pixels.

Battery capacity 1400 mAh. The kit includes a battery, cord and charger.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Action camera control via smartphone

All presented models can be controlled remotely by means of a smartphone through the proprietary Xiaomi application. Connection is via wi-fi. The application allows you to remotely start or stop shooting, set parameters, view videos and photos.

If you have any experience with action cameras or useful tips, write about them in the comments.