Not a GoPro!
7 reasons this affordable action cam could be your best bet
Here’s why I went for an action cam and circled on the SJCAM C200. I got more than what I expected and better than even the GoPro in certain ways.
1. Surprisingly good quality videos!
It started with me wanting to capture videos while I cycle, not the best but decent enough to create memories. I tried with my phone, mounting it to my cycle’s handlebar and it served the purpose but only during the daytime. Night videos had a lot of flickering.
So I checked action cams to see what they had to offer and came across the SJCAMs in the affordable segment. I found some of its videos on youtube and to my surprise, even its most basic cam offered good enough quality.
Here’s a night grab from my SJCAM C200 with me talking to get a sense of its audio quality as well.
2. Affordable to not give you a heart attack if it breaks!
Even if mounting my phone to my cycle’s handlebar would have worked, I was never comfortable using my phone for adventures.
So when it came to action cameras, being affordable in itself was a big advantage to me. It gave me the required peace of mind to take it to places where it could be at risk of getting damaged.
The C200 although not the most economical SJCAM was still much more reasonable than the GoPros and also than my phone, or rather any smartphone nowadays.
3. More fun than phones!
Even if your phone does the job for you while you’re outdoors, you won’t still regret buying an action cam. You would enjoy its benefits when out hiking, at amusements parks, or even at the beach considering these are waterproof to a good extent.
And if you go for some bigger adventures, you could capture those experiences too using any of the numerous universal mounts.
4. The back clip!
The C200 being compact, you get an added advantage of a back clip that comes along with it. It is not one of the universal mounts but specially designed for C200. With it, you can clip the cam to your backpack, clothing, and to wherever it can be clipped.
This I thought would come in handy as I may not be carrying mounts every time at least for lighter adventures.
Here’s a photo I took after recording the above video. The C200 clipped to my bag with its back clip.
Other places where I usually clip it.
5. Selfie friendly!
While checking the SJCAM’s range I had come across the SJ8 which had a dual-screen. This had got me thinking more as I thought that if I go on adventures without having my phone handy, would I not wish to take selfies with the sceneries!
However, on further analysing I reasoned that with these compact cameras especially the C200, the front screen doesn’t seem to be that of a need. Its design is such that I can easily point it right for selfies.
Also, it captures images in wide-angle covering a large area. So it shouldn’t be a big deal if the angle goes slightly here and there.
6. Records for 3+ hours!
This was one of the main reasons why I chose the C200. It offers a recording time of more than 3 hours on a single charge which was much more than the other cameras I came across.
I also gave a thought to the C100 which offers a similar recording time and is much more affordable and compact too, but it doesn’t have any screens. So you would need to depend on your phone most of the time, which was something I didn’t want to do.
7. Reliable service!
I still had one concern regarding the warranty as the company didn’t have a standalone service centre in Mumbai. I called the SJCAM India service number available on their website and the person who answered was very assuring and knowledgeable. He also shared one authorised store’s details which I visited and felt confident enough to buy the product.
Happy adventures!
If you liked this review, you may also enjoy my other article that I wrote in appreciation to Kindle.
