GoPro vs Xacti...

tudorsailor said:
Which one do you have? SJ4000 or the Amkov? Where did you buy it?

TS
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SJCAM 4000 gets great reviews although I went with the Amkov...very pleased with it and the quality of the recordings. The Amkov is almost identical to GoPro and can use GoPro accessories. It also has the same WiFi operating procedure so is controlled from a Tablet or Smart phone. The SJCAM has a dedicated screen on the back. Both perform virtually as good as a GoPro but at a fraction of the cost. They are all (including GoPro) made in China.

http://www.geekbuying.com/Search/?keyword=amkov+sj5000+wifi
 
oh and if you do decide to buy one of these do not skimp on the memory card you will need to buy. Make sure you get a good quality one...ie sandisk or similar. cheap cards don't work so well apparently.
 
dylanwinter said:
The Xacti will record for two hours on a newish well managed batteryh so I just let it run and then compress afterwards in post production - although I believe there is a setting for time lapse

D
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I think the new Xacti (or equivalent) has a special mode for time lapse - you just select the time between frames and it shoots a frame once in each period. This helps to save battery power, so the time lapse can be longer than compressing afterwards (and also uses less space on the card).

I'd buy one of these and a tripod:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-H..._sbs_ph_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1DYXDMRHZN4E5KSJK1NV

Here is some time lapse I shot on Xacti:


Pete
 
Halcyon Yachts said:
I think the new Xacti (or equivalent) has a special mode for time lapse - you just select the time between frames and it shoots a frame once in each period. This helps to save battery power, so the time lapse can be longer than compressing afterwards (and also uses less space on the card).

I'd buy one of these and a tripod:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-H..._sbs_ph_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1DYXDMRHZN4E5KSJK1NV

Here is some time lapse I shot on Xacti:


Pete
Click to expand...

I would too

D
 
grumpy_o_g said:
There's a couple of comments in the reviews about the rubber seals needing replacing after a year and one about battery life Dylan. What's your experience been on those points before I spend my hard earned??
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the seals failed on one of mine after three seasons use

My kids used it underwater a couple of times and so did I but I hated doing it and knew that it needed some care after getting it really wet - sand is what kills seals - so don't go changing the batteries when your hands are wet and sandy

where it scores for me is that it is waterproof enough to be left on deck, get rained on, live in a wet pocket for a day or more

it is also a great shape and is comfortable in my pocket - this is important if you are going to carry it around

I always find that I take the best pictures on the camera I have with me rather than the one I left at home or on the boat

I never leave home without it - even to walk the dog

battery life - I keep a bag of about six of them with me plus an additional sd card

the batteries last about two seasons before their life starts to fall through the floor - the contacts also get a bit worn out - you can bring them back to life by scratching the contacts with a knife - but you can only do that once

replacement batteries are about £8 a pop

the 12 volt charger works great on the boat

for me though - the clincher is that it does sound, has a decent viewfinder that can be angled out of the sun and does good stills

D
 
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Dylan,
I think you said once that you had more than one Xacti because one broke?

I bought mine way back when you recommended it and it is still good.

Did any of yours ever show any condensation INSIDE the lens cover? If so, did you fix it?
Thanks
 
I dont have the flashgun now but still use my Pentax ME (with Metz Hammerhead Flash) camera every day and shoot my charming YouTubes on it.
Also I suspect yous dont remember Black and White 35mm film and the developing thereof.

oldcamzx.jpg
 
Sailingsaves said:
Dylan,
I think you said once that you had more than one Xacti because one broke?

I bought mine way back when you recommended it and it is still good.

Did any of yours ever show any condensation INSIDE the lens cover? If so, did you fix it?
Thanks
Click to expand...

I am really hard on cameras

as I said I never leave home without the pocket camera so they get a real hammering

it is when one of the big cameras gets it that I weep.

my current main camera

a panasonic palm corder with mike in is due for replacement this spring before the season starts

best part of £800

bumma





I did get some condensation in one once - I placed it under a 60 watt desklamp with every conceivable orifice open (the camera not me) and it went away but after that I regarded the camera as being merely splash proof
 
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dylanwinter said:
the batteries last about two seasons before their life starts to fall through the floor - the contacts also get a bit worn out - you can bring them back to life by scratching the contacts with a knife - but you can only do that once.

D
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Dylan, I find that a small dab of Contralube on the camera battery terminals helps maintain contact very well.

Contralube = wonderful stuff for all sorts of electrical uses where corrosion is a problem - as mentioned on the fora before. :encouragement:
 
Giblets said:
Dylan, I find that a small dab of Contralube on the camera battery terminals helps maintain contact very well.

Contralube = wonderful stuff for all sorts of electrical uses where corrosion is a problem - as mentioned on the fora before. :encouragement:
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great suggestion

but while I always have a knife nearby the lube is seldom to hand
 
I bought a HX-WA2 on Ebay for £100, same case as your proposed buy but a bit less capable. It has been fine but, like the others I will not be dunking it into the water. It I ever do some sailing stuff I would be quite happy to have it at water/splash level.

Using it is just a case of pointing and pressing the button. It will do 40, 1 sec bursts but not real time lapse - as Halcyon has said, the new model promises this, or you might adopt Dylan's fix.

I know nothing of GoPro but the Panasonic is considerably more bulky/heavy and the standard tripod mount is at the bottom in a position that makes it very difficult to obtain a secure fix. Due to it's shape it is tricky to brace it, I am talking of motorbikes here, so it is an extreme case. Like all of these cameras the viewfinder screen is unreadable in strong light, this is ignored by the manufacturers - a simple gunsight would help.

I am very pleased with the rest, it has stood up to a battering, takes good video and the sound is grand. Even the much maligned software will knock out an excellent, simple film with very little trouble.

A question for Dylan. How are the upload times for Vimeo? I have been uploading a video to YouTube for 12 hours and it is showing 600 minutes to go :-{

Thanks
 
doug748 said:
I bought a HX-WA2 on Ebay for £100, same case as your proposed buy but a bit less capable. It has been fine but, like the others I will not be dunking it into the water. It I ever do some sailing stuff I would be quite happy to have it at water/splash level.

Using it is just a case of pointing and pressing the button. It will do 40, 1 sec bursts but not real time lapse - as Halcyon has said, the new model promises this, or you might adopt Dylan's fix.

I know nothing of GoPro but the Panasonic is considerably more bulky/heavy and the standard tripod mount is at the bottom in a position that makes it very difficult to obtain a secure fix. Due to it's shape it is tricky to brace it, I am talking of motorbikes here, so it is an extreme case. Like all of these cameras the viewfinder screen is unreadable in strong light, this is ignored by the manufacturers - a simple gunsight would help.

I am very pleased with the rest, it has stood up to a battering, takes good video and the sound is grand. Even the much maligned software will knock out an excellent, simple film with very little trouble.

A question for Dylan. How are the upload times for Vimeo? I have been uploading a video to YouTube for 12 hours and it is showing 600 minutes to go :-{

Thanks
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filming tips here

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/blogs/cameras-and-steady-shots/

including a few ideas for avoiding the light bouncing off the viewfinder

the tripod screw works fine on a maplins tripod £15)

as for uploading

that depends on your bandwidth and size of the file

it takes about a day to upload a gig from here

if youtube is reporting 600 minutes I would turn everything off and turn everything on again and see what it sdays

youtube will hold half a film for a few hours to see if you try to re-start uploading

best of luck

D
 
Thanks Dylan,

Yes, I consider my Xacti rainproof now (if that) and keep it in a bag of desiccant when not in use.

Still a great little camera though.
cheers
 
dylanwinter said:
the seals failed on one of mine after three seasons use

My kids used it underwater a couple of times and so did I but I hated doing it and knew that it needed some care after getting it really wet - sand is what kills seals - so don't go changing the batteries when your hands are wet and sandy

where it scores for me is that it is waterproof enough to be left on deck, get rained on, live in a wet pocket for a day or more

it is also a great shape and is comfortable in my pocket - this is important if you are going to carry it around

I always find that I take the best pictures on the camera I have with me rather than the one I left at home or on the boat

I never leave home without it - even to walk the dog

battery life - I keep a bag of about six of them with me plus an additional sd card

the batteries last about two seasons before their life starts to fall through the floor - the contacts also get a bit worn out - you can bring them back to life by scratching the contacts with a knife - but you can only do that once

replacement batteries are about £8 a pop

the 12 volt charger works great on the boat

for me though - the clincher is that it does sound, has a decent viewfinder that can be angled out of the sun and does good stills

D
Click to expand...

Thank you Dylan and others. based on the comments here I've just splashed £199 on a Panasonic HX-WA3EB-W Full HD 1920 X 1080 Tough Vertical Camcorder - White/Blue (16MP, 5m Waterproof, -10 C Freezeproof, Dustproof, Still Images, 18x Intelligent Zoom) 2.6 inch LCD (discontinued by manufacturer). And then £20 for an SD Card and then £20 for a travel charger and then £13 for two spare batteries apparently now I need to spend £20 on a tripod from Maplins to use as a handle.

In a few days time I will prove yet again that I am useless with a video camera. Oh well..
 
You will be fine.

I forgot to say.

I looked at a number of affordable waterproof cameras a couple of years ago and without exception there were moans about the seals failing. Treat them carefully, the Panasonic is probably no better or worse then any other.
 
grumpy_o_g said:
Thank you Dylan and others. based on the comments here I've just splashed £199 on a Panasonic HX-WA3EB-W Full HD 1920 X 1080 Tough Vertical Camcorder - White/Blue (16MP, 5m Waterproof, -10 C Freezeproof, Dustproof, Still Images, 18x Intelligent Zoom) 2.6 inch LCD (discontinued by manufacturer). And then £20 for an SD Card and then £20 for a travel charger and then £13 for two spare batteries apparently now I need to spend £20 on a tripod from Maplins to use as a handle.

In a few days time I will prove yet again that I am useless with a video camera. Oh well..
Click to expand...

My advice for what it is worth, is treat it to the new camera to the full waterproof test (swimming pools, showers, bath, (all include water and temperature differentials) salt water etc, whilst it is still under warranty and stop the test 2 months before end of warranty.

If it fails the test, you get a new camera (that you treat as water resistant) or a refund. If it passes the test, after the warranty lapses you look after the camera and still treat it as water resistant only.

That is why my old sony xacti is still working I think.
 
doug748 said:
You will be fine.
.... without exception there were moans about the seals failing. Treat them carefully, the Panasonic is probably no better or worse then any other.
Click to expand...

Lots of the complaints (on waterproof cameras generally) seem to come from people who open the camera to change battery or memory in a warm/humid atmosphere - say Thailand - and wonder why there is moisture on the lens when they plunge it into cold seawater.....

I cannot really see why they still have opening ports anymore. Why not built-in memory (enough Gb are available now) built-in battery (larger capacity than changeable as more efficient use of space) with WiFi/Bluetooth access to content and Induction or a couple of surface contacts for charging. Otherwise completely sealed and nitrogen filled at the factory. Maybe cheaper to make as well, as no hinges, seals etc


MD
 
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