Basic "Go-pro" type small camera with wifi questions?

[Darrell KSR]

I asked this question on Amazon with one of the cameras, but thought one of you guys may know it off the top of your head.

Looking at some inexpensive, but pretty highly rated go-pro type clones. Really some fantastic deals at around $60. I've seen video, and they look and sound great (at least, for the purposes served).

Here's what I'm looking for. There are times when I'd like to be less conspicuous when recording my daughter performing in plays and such. Not trying to get away with anything, but trying not to be "that guy" who obnoxiously records and blocks people's vision, or has a 3" LCD screen brightly shining in faces next to me and behind me in the facility.

First I was going to go the "spy pen" type route. But that just looked cheesy and not really what I'm trying to do. But if the quality was good, and the battery life was good, and the storage capability good, I guess I'd try it.

But I think instead I've settled on a plain Jane type "sports camera" box like device.

Here's one. Comes with a lot of accessories as well, including two batteries, which I find nice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01464D2W8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1F2TAK879CWLS&coliid=I2MZGHH96YX9OC

The question I have with it is this--

I don't think you can "turn the display off," which is what I'd prefer to do. But I think it goes off automatically after a period of time to conserve battery time. I don't know how long that is (I'm hoping it's a short time).

2nd question, and probably the more relevant.

I can control my phone better than a box I leave on a table recording continuously. So this one is wifi-enabled, allowing connection to your smartphone, with controls from your smartphone, and displaying on your smartphone. I'm wondering if the display goes off on the camera when it is wifi-connected with the smartphone. I'm thinking it does, but didn't know. Do you?

What I will probably do (my first chance to use this will be in a couple of weeks) is take my basic Canon Vixia camcorder, place my LCD hood over it, and then cover it with a handkerchief or something like that as well. But I am exploring these "sports camera" options (and yeah, it would be cool to have one, too, I won't lie.)

[dan_bgblue]

The field of view of go pro and go pro clone cameras is very wide. To capture images you would want of a play or a dance recital, the camera would have to be pretty close to the stage otherwise the images/video will capture the entire stage and part of the walls that surround the stage as well as lots of back of the head shots of the audience.

[Darrell KSR]

Yes, this is going to be very close. Facility only seats 72. Very likely within 20 feet or so. I know it wouldn't work in regular auditoriums and such, but this cabaret style black box may work out with it.

[dan_bgblue]

One question you had is about powering off the LCD screen. This is a copy and past from one of the reviews on Amazon

The LCD screen does not display the best image quality. It is useful to see where you are shooting and it does drain the battery faster. I set mine to shut off after a few minutes to conserve the batter.

An issue about the remote control app for the phone one buyer had that you might want to know

Camera is good and works well. The problem is, the app that the maker "recommends" using is an absolute rip off. Over 20 1 star reviews on the app, all for the same issues, and apparently DBPOWER could care less. When you sync the camera with the app, the app deletes everything off of the SD card and camera, loads them into the app, and then the videos are lost forever because there is no way to get the videos off the app. We had so much good video footage we cannot remake, and because of this app, it is all lost. Disappointment is an understatement, and even though the camera records great footage and does everything we hoped, the fact that they are so careless and unapologetic for the application that comes with it is more than enough for the low review. It is an easy problem for them to fix, they are just choosing not to.

Lastly I spent some time trying to find specifications on the lens aperture, and alas found absolutely nothing. The only thing Google turned up for me about it's low light performance is this video. I know it is not the same model, but it is likely similar in capabilities


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWE1AcZNb5c

[Darrell KSR]

Thanks, Dan. Very good information there. I know I want a little toy, and my better options are my normal camcorder, or even my Panasonic Lumix camera which takes nice HD video, has a long battery life, I've used it before for performances and such, has terrific zoom if needed and excellent audio, and it's free.

Funny - I used an adjustable LCD screen hood for the flip out camcorder screen for an 11am soccer match the other day, and it worked great in allowing me to see the screen (which is normally obliterated by the sun). But in this case, it would focus the screen where it wouldn't light up the room.

Or the camera I could simply aim it with the flip out screen, then turn it in and it would go dark.

But I really want a small sports camera!

By the way, I thought the video you found was pretty solid for a $60 item. I haven't eliminated it, but I think I would copy any micro SD files from anything I recorded before using any app. That made me sick to think about it.

[Darrell KSR]

Well, my wife tells me that she doesn't believe they will allow me to inconspicuously record. So I may be moving to Option C, a spy camera type thing. I'm not recording for profit, dissemination, or anything other than wanting a few clips of my daughter. May not be the greatest, but at least I will hear her singing.

Option A - use something I have

Option B - sports camera type device

Option C - Candid Camera, Get Smart, the old camera in a pen or pinhole camera trick.

[PedroDaGr8]

Maybe something like this:
http://www.dx.com/p/sq8-aluminum-mini-1080p-full-hd-12-0mp-cmos-video-camera-dvr-w-motion-detection-night-vision-415367

[Darrell KSR]

Interesting, Pedro! They have several tiny cameras there with 1920x1080 video. Amazing, and great prices. At that price, you don't feel awful if it doesn't work out so well.

Great find. Have you used that site before?

[Darrell KSR]

One other question--

Which one would get it to me quicker

Direct:

CHINA
DXSOUL

I assume DXSOUL?

EDIT--I hope so, because I went ahead and ordered it. I'm thinking it may not be sent in time for me to receive it for when I first need it, but for the price, I'll find a use for it even if I can't use it this time.

[PedroDaGr8]

One other question--

Which one would get it to me quicker

Direct:

CHINA
DXSOUL

I assume DXSOUL?

EDIT--I hope so, because I went ahead and ordered it. I'm thinking it may not be sent in time for me to receive it for when I first need it, but for the price, I'll find a use for it even if I can't use it this time.

Yep, have used DealExtreme many times! THey are like BangGood and GearBest, though DX was the first one to really break in to the USA market; BG and GB basically followed DX's lead. They all sell similar stuff from similar suppliers.

Yes I would definitely choose DXSOUL, that is their USA warehouse and shipping is basically just like any other USA shop.

[Darrell KSR]

Thanks--they looked very legitimate after I spent some time on the site. You may have posted something from them before here, too; it started to sound very familiar.

$17 for that camera you posted. I watched two Youtube videos of it. It may not stand up to the test of time, but if it does anything like the video, it's amazing for the price.

[Darrell KSR]

Should be coming in today. The immediate need for it fell through, but I will have other opportunities.

[Darrell KSR]

Funny story.

I received the camera a week or so ago, and haven't had a chance to play with it yet. There's a running joke on the internet surrounding the camera, that of all the bad Chinese-to-English translations of manuals, this one is the worst of all time. It's horrendously bad.

But there are some youtube videos and such that tell what to do. Didn't seem that bad, but there's a certain amount of "trust" inherent in it. I mean, when the light is off, it's either off, or it is recording. You don't know which one, except for what you did prior to that to cause it to get into that condition.

I thought I had it down pat.

So tonight we go to high school open house. I bring my regular camcorder, because my daughter is singing in the foyer and I'm going to video. But I bring the small clip on one, too, just to play around with.

Turns out, they had the show choir singers performing in the front foyer, but most parents were visiting with teachers in classrooms. There were so few people there, except for a handful that were passing through, that I knew my daughter would be irritated if I pulled out the old camcorder to video her. I get it. but I think, "a ha! Great opportunity for the stealth camera clipped on my shirt.

turns out, the video quality is exceptionally good. I used the 720p setting instead of 1080p. I thought I'd use that first and see how it looked and sounded, and somebody said the 1080p was only 15fps (the 720p was 30fps), and I thought with movement, it would be better to have 30fps.

Anyway, great sound, great picture, even when moving.

How do I know?

Because I got great video of the girl who sang AFTER my daughter. And great video of me walking down the hall to the next class. And great video of me whispering to my wife, while the camera focused on her. And great video of me meeting the teachers and exchanging small talk.

Because, of course, I turned it off when I thought I had it recording, and then when I turned it "off," I was really turning the video recording on.

Sigh.

Next time.

[PedroDaGr8]

Well, I am glad the performance of the camera is good! Better luck next time. I am lucky, working in science, I have quite a few Chinese colleagues and friends. So if I have a really hard time, I'll ask them to clarify. Sometimes though, even the Chinese instructions are bad. I have had a few times where even my Chinese colleague said "Yeah, this makes no sense even in Chinese".

[Darrell KSR]

Yeah, it's not a replacement for any real video cameras, but it fills the niche nicely. Thanks for the suggestion. I may get another one and use one as a cheap dash cam.

[Darrell KSR]

Well, I ordered another one.

I can't find the one I originally bought. It's too small, apparently lol. I must have it in some pocket of some bag somewhere and I have forgotten where I put it.

I have another one of those semi-surreptitious recordings to do--daughter is in a play for the next three weeks. They are providing a cast DVD of the play, so I'm ok with that, but for her excerpts, I'd like to have my own raw material. Needless to say, it's another one of those where recordings will be prohibited (the idea is to prevent commercial profits, and to prevent obnoxious spectator behavior interfering with others' enjoyment of the play. So I never feel bad about doing something like this, even if it is technically outside the lines).

Anyway, it worked well enough in the brief time I played with it--user error excepted from the very complicated set of instructions. Push this button once, and you'll see a blue light, and that means "X." Then press it another time and it means "Y." But does it mean standby "Y," or live "Z?" I honestly wish they made one that had one setting--say, 720p, 30fps, no still shots, just on/off. No standby. I'd pay triple for that one. Well, maybe double, at least. Less features would be more to me.