I did a review of this for another board, figured you guy might want to read it... just my opinion...
I ordered the new Sony Action Cam with the built-in wifi which arrived a few days ago... I'll be comparing it to my Hero2 and in the end, I'll either keep the Sony and sell the Hero2, or return the Sony and keep the Hero2...
If you want to know something, just ask and I'll see what I can do...
So Part 1...
Comparison with the Hero2...
- When you buy a GoPro, you get a shit ton of mounts and attachments... Sony... you get 2 sticky mounts and a waterproof housing (waterproof down to 200 feet), and that's pretty much it... on the plus side, the housing comes with a tripod screw attachment... so that makes it easy... I have a diy project I'm going to attempt with that... see below
- GoPro, you still have full control and are able to scroll through the menus while it's in it's housing... Sony, you can press the record button... any thing more than that and you need to either use the wifi control or take it out of the housing...
- Build quality - they both use shit plastic... not sure if either would survive a fall if dropped without the housing...
- Waterproof Housing - Looks like the shell is of the same build quality, but looking at the locking mechanism, the GoPro housing looks like it'll survive a bigger hit without opening... the Sony lock seems secure, just a little iffy...
- Size/Weight - One is a sqaure, one is an oversized match box, both are about the same weight... with and without the housing...
- Wifi - GoPro can suck it... Bought their wifipac months ago only to find out it was a glorified bluetooth remote... none of the network features worked, no app, killed my battery life, horrible syncing, have to charge each piece separately (camera + wifipac + remote), multiple firmwares updates and setup steps... 4.5 months later they finally released their app (last week actually)... I won't try that setup again... if I end up with the Hero2, I'd consider investing in the lcd pac, but never the wifipac... eff that...
Sony on the other hand... go into the sharing menu, it'll turn on the wifi automatically, look for the network the camera created on your smart phone, connect to it, launch the Sony Mobile app (free from whatever app store) and boom, there are your videos and photos... As far as I can tell you can transfer the pictures, but not the videos to the phone over the adhoc network... still need to confirm that...
OR
if you want to change the settings or have live view, it's pretty much the same process, except instead of sharing menu, turn on the wifi, go to the camera menu, connect to the network on your smartphone, launch Sony Mobile app and it'll automatically switch to live view... it's maybe a half second, to 1 second video delay... so it's pretty spot on...
Spec Differences
A couple thing they don't really tell you in their general marketing:
Still Images - GoPro: 11mp, Sony: 2mp
Video - GoPro: 1080p/30 fps, 720p/30 or 60fps, Sony: 1080p/30fps, 720p/30fps (with audio), 60 or 120fps (no audio)
FOV - GoPro: 170º, 127º or 90º (depending video setting), Sony: 170º or 120º (if Steadyshot is enabled, it'll automatically switch to 120º)
Steadyshot - GoPro: nope, Sony: yeap
Memory Card - GoPro: SD card, Sony: MicroSD
Can't comment on battery life yet, but record time using the same video settings with a 16gig card is pretty close to the same give or take a couple minutes, so nothing worth mentioning... same with photo lapse mode and other features I really don't use... just in it for the video...
So here are some quick photos...
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iPhone "Live View" screens
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DIY Time
So the extra bits I ordered came in the mail yesterday and today...
- $10 - 1/4"-20 threaded 3/4" bolt with hex key on one side (ordered 2 just in case, price includes shipping fyi, they're like $0.80 cents each + overnight shipping + tax)
- $6 - GoPro Tripod mount
- $3 - Cheap ass "mini tripod" just so I can get the adjustment ring...
Since I like all the GoPro mounting options, and Sony's are pretty crappy and limited so far, I've decided to adapt the Sony mount to fit the GoPro mounts I already have... a little lock-tite plus a broken gopro adjustment arm I had sitting around and now, I can attach the Sony to any gopro base... so all the mounts I have on my helmet/bike/Seb's toy's/etc I can continue to use... not only that, but I actually can tilt it left and right, up and down... so I have a little more range of motion... Now I need to do some vibration testing on the bike to make sure this will actually work... also of note... depending the mount and how I use it, it can either be mounted lower than a gopro, or higher... depends which "adjustment" arm I use...
I already had lock-tite'd one of the bolts to the gopro tripod mount before taking the picture... it actually doesn't come with that...
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Ride Test... and why I'm returning the Sony...
So I took the Sony and the GoPro literally for a side by side ride test... one of the local back roads which I know is bumpy... I wanted to test the steadyshot and how well that would worked compared to it switched off and against the GoPro... and well... after the test... I know I'm returning the Sony without even needing to see the footage... but I'll post it anyways...
So the good and the bad... and the deal breaker...
Good: I love the live view on my ifail... still seated on the bike, I turned the camera on, connected to it using the Sony app on my phone, changed the settings I wanted to, hit record, put phone in pocket and rode off... awesome...
Bad: Unless you're looking at the LCD on the side you don't know you're actually recording... the startup beep is too quiet to hear... on the GoPro, when you start recording there is a red led light that flashes on 4 sides of the camera, so pretty much from any angle you can tell the camera is recording... also the startup beep is pretty loud...
Deal breaker:.. the housing is a piece of shit... condensation within minutes... footage is completely worthless... it was 70º and clear sky... the camera gets really hot and i guess the housing has weird breathing issues... if it starts condensation like this on a nice clear day, I wouldn't trust this thing near any water, or cloudy/balmy day...
I was this close to saying I was going to sell the GoPro, but after the housing issues I'm sticking with the GoPro... I've used the GoPro in a pool and had zero concerns... trust the housing completely... the Sony though, I was iffy with the housing from the beginning (see above), and after seeing the condensation issues, there is no way I'd take this in the water... and I don't know what's triggering it... I would never know if the footage would work or even if the housing would let water/condensation in...
Test Setup
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Sony Condensation - Notice the white on the right inside the housing
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GoPro Footage - Marker 1
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Sony Footage - Marker 1
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GoPro Footage - Marker 2
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Sony Footage - Marker 2
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Video time...
Started recording at a gas station about 1.5 miles/2 minutes down the road... notice how fast the Sony starts fogging over..
GoPro Hero2
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aedZovIdrrg"]GoPro Hero2 - Base Line - YouTube[/nomedia]
Sony - Steadyshot Disabled (1080p30, 170º)
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9WMaxQ_FF4"]Sony HDR-AS15 - Steadyshot Disabled - YouTube[/nomedia]
Sony - Steadyshot Enabled (1080p30, 120º)
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY2wmndimCU"]Sony HDR-AS15 - Steadyshot Enabled - YouTube[/nomedia]
My conclusion...
Keeping the GoPro... I enjoyed everything about the Sony, but that condensation and the iffy housing are a deal breaker for me... if it wasn't for that detail... I'd sell the GoPro...
I ordered the new Sony Action Cam with the built-in wifi which arrived a few days ago... I'll be comparing it to my Hero2 and in the end, I'll either keep the Sony and sell the Hero2, or return the Sony and keep the Hero2...
If you want to know something, just ask and I'll see what I can do...
So Part 1...
Comparison with the Hero2...
- When you buy a GoPro, you get a shit ton of mounts and attachments... Sony... you get 2 sticky mounts and a waterproof housing (waterproof down to 200 feet), and that's pretty much it... on the plus side, the housing comes with a tripod screw attachment... so that makes it easy... I have a diy project I'm going to attempt with that... see below
- GoPro, you still have full control and are able to scroll through the menus while it's in it's housing... Sony, you can press the record button... any thing more than that and you need to either use the wifi control or take it out of the housing...
- Build quality - they both use shit plastic... not sure if either would survive a fall if dropped without the housing...
- Waterproof Housing - Looks like the shell is of the same build quality, but looking at the locking mechanism, the GoPro housing looks like it'll survive a bigger hit without opening... the Sony lock seems secure, just a little iffy...
- Size/Weight - One is a sqaure, one is an oversized match box, both are about the same weight... with and without the housing...
- Wifi - GoPro can suck it... Bought their wifipac months ago only to find out it was a glorified bluetooth remote... none of the network features worked, no app, killed my battery life, horrible syncing, have to charge each piece separately (camera + wifipac + remote), multiple firmwares updates and setup steps... 4.5 months later they finally released their app (last week actually)... I won't try that setup again... if I end up with the Hero2, I'd consider investing in the lcd pac, but never the wifipac... eff that...
Sony on the other hand... go into the sharing menu, it'll turn on the wifi automatically, look for the network the camera created on your smart phone, connect to it, launch the Sony Mobile app (free from whatever app store) and boom, there are your videos and photos... As far as I can tell you can transfer the pictures, but not the videos to the phone over the adhoc network... still need to confirm that...
OR
if you want to change the settings or have live view, it's pretty much the same process, except instead of sharing menu, turn on the wifi, go to the camera menu, connect to the network on your smartphone, launch Sony Mobile app and it'll automatically switch to live view... it's maybe a half second, to 1 second video delay... so it's pretty spot on...
Spec Differences
A couple thing they don't really tell you in their general marketing:
Still Images - GoPro: 11mp, Sony: 2mp
Video - GoPro: 1080p/30 fps, 720p/30 or 60fps, Sony: 1080p/30fps, 720p/30fps (with audio), 60 or 120fps (no audio)
FOV - GoPro: 170º, 127º or 90º (depending video setting), Sony: 170º or 120º (if Steadyshot is enabled, it'll automatically switch to 120º)
Steadyshot - GoPro: nope, Sony: yeap
Memory Card - GoPro: SD card, Sony: MicroSD
Can't comment on battery life yet, but record time using the same video settings with a 16gig card is pretty close to the same give or take a couple minutes, so nothing worth mentioning... same with photo lapse mode and other features I really don't use... just in it for the video...
So here are some quick photos...
iPhone "Live View" screens
DIY Time
So the extra bits I ordered came in the mail yesterday and today...
- $10 - 1/4"-20 threaded 3/4" bolt with hex key on one side (ordered 2 just in case, price includes shipping fyi, they're like $0.80 cents each + overnight shipping + tax)
- $6 - GoPro Tripod mount
- $3 - Cheap ass "mini tripod" just so I can get the adjustment ring...
Since I like all the GoPro mounting options, and Sony's are pretty crappy and limited so far, I've decided to adapt the Sony mount to fit the GoPro mounts I already have... a little lock-tite plus a broken gopro adjustment arm I had sitting around and now, I can attach the Sony to any gopro base... so all the mounts I have on my helmet/bike/Seb's toy's/etc I can continue to use... not only that, but I actually can tilt it left and right, up and down... so I have a little more range of motion... Now I need to do some vibration testing on the bike to make sure this will actually work... also of note... depending the mount and how I use it, it can either be mounted lower than a gopro, or higher... depends which "adjustment" arm I use...
I already had lock-tite'd one of the bolts to the gopro tripod mount before taking the picture... it actually doesn't come with that...
Ride Test... and why I'm returning the Sony...
So I took the Sony and the GoPro literally for a side by side ride test... one of the local back roads which I know is bumpy... I wanted to test the steadyshot and how well that would worked compared to it switched off and against the GoPro... and well... after the test... I know I'm returning the Sony without even needing to see the footage... but I'll post it anyways...
So the good and the bad... and the deal breaker...
Good: I love the live view on my ifail... still seated on the bike, I turned the camera on, connected to it using the Sony app on my phone, changed the settings I wanted to, hit record, put phone in pocket and rode off... awesome...
Bad: Unless you're looking at the LCD on the side you don't know you're actually recording... the startup beep is too quiet to hear... on the GoPro, when you start recording there is a red led light that flashes on 4 sides of the camera, so pretty much from any angle you can tell the camera is recording... also the startup beep is pretty loud...
Deal breaker:.. the housing is a piece of shit... condensation within minutes... footage is completely worthless... it was 70º and clear sky... the camera gets really hot and i guess the housing has weird breathing issues... if it starts condensation like this on a nice clear day, I wouldn't trust this thing near any water, or cloudy/balmy day...
I was this close to saying I was going to sell the GoPro, but after the housing issues I'm sticking with the GoPro... I've used the GoPro in a pool and had zero concerns... trust the housing completely... the Sony though, I was iffy with the housing from the beginning (see above), and after seeing the condensation issues, there is no way I'd take this in the water... and I don't know what's triggering it... I would never know if the footage would work or even if the housing would let water/condensation in...
Test Setup
Sony Condensation - Notice the white on the right inside the housing
GoPro Footage - Marker 1
Sony Footage - Marker 1
GoPro Footage - Marker 2
Sony Footage - Marker 2
Video time...
Started recording at a gas station about 1.5 miles/2 minutes down the road... notice how fast the Sony starts fogging over..
GoPro Hero2
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aedZovIdrrg"]GoPro Hero2 - Base Line - YouTube[/nomedia]
Sony - Steadyshot Disabled (1080p30, 170º)
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9WMaxQ_FF4"]Sony HDR-AS15 - Steadyshot Disabled - YouTube[/nomedia]
Sony - Steadyshot Enabled (1080p30, 120º)
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY2wmndimCU"]Sony HDR-AS15 - Steadyshot Enabled - YouTube[/nomedia]
My conclusion...
Keeping the GoPro... I enjoyed everything about the Sony, but that condensation and the iffy housing are a deal breaker for me... if it wasn't for that detail... I'd sell the GoPro...
