Sony - AS30 HD Action Cam - Black

I originally owned a GoPro (not sure of the exact model but it was the 5 megapixel one back in 2008/9). I had used it multiple times on mountain bike rides and for what it's worth, it was good for that time period and had very little if any products in that space that could compete. I hadn't used the GoPro in awhile and was taking a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands and I wanted to capture some of my activities and action while I was there. I dusted off the GoPro and hooked it up to my Mac and updated it to the latest software. I took it out on a ride and was having issues with it shutting off (it used 2 AAA rechargeable batteries) and looking at the tiny display and figuring out what icon corresponded to what function. This happened during a night ride in the rainforest and after looking at the footage, I decided it was time to upgrade. The price of the GoPro I liked was a little more than what I wanted to pay and there were a lot of new action cameras that had come on the market so I decided to try Sony's Action Cam based on past experience with their products and their brand. The bundle I purchased came with two mounts, one that attaches to bike handlebars and another that attaches to the rails of a bike seat, and an 8GB microSD card (this is not a bundle offered by Best Buy). I got the camera and the instructions were pretty straightforward. I took it out for a run mountain biking on a daytime ride and a night ride and was impressed by the video and image quality. I even took it to the beach for a dip and it worked really well. Here are couple of things I really liked about the camera: 1. The image stabilization is excellent. This is really helpful when mountain biking. 2. The shape of the camera and the case is more aero dynamic than the GoPro's case. 3. The AS30 has GPS built in and using Sony's software, you can edit videos that have your speed and tracked location over-layed on the video. I think that cyclists, motorcyclists and individuals that use action cameras in their cars or on the track will like this feature a lot. 4. You can use the WiFi function with a free Sony app on your phone to see what the camera sees live or purchase the LVR1 or LVR2 remotes that mount on your wrist to control multiple cameras and view what each one is recording (the LVR1 controls up to 3 cameras and the LVR2 controls up to 5 cameras). 5. Long lasting battery. With GPS on and recording in HD mode, I was able to get about 2 1/2 hours of continuous recording on a fully charged battery. Your results will vary with your settings. What could be improved: 1. Sony doesn't have the variety of mounts that GoPro does. There are adapters that allow you to use GoPro mounts with the Sony and there is also a standard tripod mount on the bottom so you can use it with other third party mounts and attachments. 2. The screen that shows the different modes and functions is located on the side. GoPro has a version that has the LCD screen on the back. Having the screen on the rear does make life easier when trying to input functions or to take a quick glance at the battery indicator. This could be a deal breaker for some but I'm a set it and forget it kind of guy so this doesn't affect me. 3. If you are going to use this camera for extended underwater dives, you will need to invest in Sony's Dive Housing for this camera which is rated for depths down to 197 feet. The standard case it comes with is only rated for depths up to 16 feet. The standard case has slight distortion toward the edges of the frame. The Dive Housing corrects this distortion. GoPro case is rated at 131 feet and it comes standard with the camera. Buying an extra case may be a turn off for some due to the added cost. Since I bought this primarily for biking, it's a non-issue for me. To be fair I haven't used any of the newer GoPro products so this is not a review bashing their products. This is just to let others know about alternatives available to GoPro. This is an excellent choice and serious contender. The price on the entry level models are competitive and the quality and support for the product is top notch. I found the editing software to be easier to use than GoPro's. I liked this camera so much, I purchased a second one for a rear view perspective on my rides. I will be adding a third to mount on my helmet and the LVR2 remote as well in the very near future.

I use this for recording cycling, roller-skating (helmet), and as a dashboard camera in my car. It does all three things very well. I have been using a Contour GPS+ to do this, but the firm went out of business in August, and I was on my fourth RMA'd camera at the time. It was time to switch to a camera that was made by a firm that wasn't going under, and Sony is a safe bet. I picked this camera mostly on the strength of Sony HD cameras' reputations, and the fact that I was adament about having a GPS in the camera. When recording video in the 'wild', having GPS tagging can make a huge difference in reviewing it years later and seeing where it was shot. The camera is pretty easy to use, and it relies on the same battery technology that the RX-100 camera does, so I have already got extra batteries. It records 2h of HD video on a 16 Gb microSDHC card, and has a small LCD (not backlit) display to tell you what is going on. Pretty simple design; it uses your smartphone and bluetooth to provide an external monitor. The optics are incredibly tiny. It's hard to believe how good the image is in daylight recording, but I have not been able to get a good recording in low light conditions, the video is very grainy. You have the option of a 120º or 170º view. It records in H.264 so it's compatible with Mac OS X editors like iMovie. The camera allows for WiFi-based data transfer to either smart phones or laptop computers, reducing the need for cables. It has a full HDMI output. The biggest disappointment with the camera is that it has no SAE (tripod) mount built in. To mount it on my dash, I have to put the camera into the waterproof case which has an SAE mount point. This diminishes the audio and adds reflection glare to the video, along with requiring me to record the video upside-down (most video editors can flip the image). On the whole it's a nice little camera, but it has to go in the shell to be used in the wild.

This camera is very good for its price. In my opinion its worth it to get this over a go pro. I love this one because it can connect to your phone which can only be done with a very expensive go pro. The battery life on these are not the best so I own multiple batteries which are fairly cheap online.