The ACT20 Action Camera
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 6:49PM My review of this camera was negatively coloured by the fact that I couldn't edit or convert the footage using my Mac. I edit all my Youtube videos using iMovie on my Mac and not being able to properly utilise the original footage from this camera meant that I couldn't do an accurate video review.
There is definitely something non-standard about the .avi files created by this camera - however after I posted this video review, I tried editing the footage on my PC in a trial version of Power Director 9 and it worked without a hitch.
So unfortunately this camera is still not ideal for me - but if you use a PC as your main machine, this camera might possibly be just what you are looking for.
To me, the main headline feature of this camera is the fact that it can record for 3 hours on one charge. The HD808 can only manage about 45 mins and then often stops recording after only a handful of minutes (for reasons that I really can't determine). If I ride my motorcycle to work it's a 2 hour round-trip, so for the moment I'll be using the ACT20 as an incident camera - attached to my helmet. I'll set it to loop-record continuously (in 20 min segments) and I'll only pull the footage off the camera if I need to use it for some kind of evidence.
I think when I make my next video review when my new action camera arrives from Dealextreme, I'll give the ACT20 a bit more screen time to redress any disservice that I may have done to it in this video.
Reader Comments (18)
Hi Techmoan, I've been following your reviews of cheap 720p cameras with interest. It appears so far that no device seems to do everything. Also, the prices seem to be climbing into the level of the the GoPros (which now retails for about 115 GBP/US$180).
This unit has me interested. It's apparently called the Poseidon.
It checks off a lot of boxes, plus it has a wireless remote trigger, which would alleviate your issues with inadvertently brushing the button. Plus, for me, I would be able to mount the camera anywhere on my car and still trigger it only when I see something interesting.
It also has more than one button and an LCD display, which would be helpful in settings. If the video quality holds up to the 808 #11, this seems to be the one to get. It also mentions a 120 degree FOV! Doesn't mention h.264 however.
Hope you may get a chance to test that one. Looking forward to your new vids!
Just wanted to say a huge thanks for all these reviews. Very informative, thorough and interesting.
My reason for looking into these cameras is for airsoft, so I need one that functions pretty well in the dark, and has a decent FPS rate due to the fast movement.
Is there anything you would recommend?
Thanks, keep up the vids!
Interesting vid and I have to say that having a 720p fob, ContourHD and Kodak Playsport HD there's no competition especially when you need 60fps - ESSENTIAL for action cams. The the two latter cameras are still the best option cost-wise. The Kodak benefits from being truly waterproof (to 3m) and has EIS digital stabilisation. I think its worth paying £90...
@Steve H. I haven't come across anything suitable for you yet...although the next one I'm getting is supposed to do night vision..but I have my doubts. For fast moving subjects you really need 60fps. These cheap ones all seem to be 30fps. Bear in mind though that most editing packages only output 30 fps video.
@James...I think you may be right. Most of these cheap cameras are a bit of a false economy.
@James My issue with the mainstream units (outside of the Contour and GoPro) is the form factor. I want something tiny and light I can pretty much mount anywhere. 720p (60fps would be nice), 3 hour battery, h264, and image stabilization. That's all I really want. I don't even want a display.
And cheap of course :P
@ Clive C - Yes I've had my eye on the Poseidon, but like you, think when prices edge near £100, I might as well pay the extra for a GoPro 960., also the Poseidon is .avi again, unfortunately. When my next camera arrives - I think it will be pretty much the same at the Poseidon, minus the remote and LCD. It has a 120 degree lens and claims to be waterproof. I've already got a bad feeling about it - I'm expecting more jerky frame dropping due to the mjpeg .avi encoding. It appears that whatever chips/compression these chaps are using in the Chinese 720p HD cameras, just isn't up to the job. So however the next one turns out - it's going to be my last action camera review for a good while - until technology catches up a bit. I'll only try out another camera when I can get it for less than £50 and it does h.264. - and possibly only 60fps.
I have the same problem - Ideally I'm after a smallish keyring cam like the #11 but can be mounted on anything easily, with a 2/3 hour battery life, ideal for Airsoft (mounted to helmet or glasses) and far more robust than the #11 (I'm on my third as they keep packing up)
Happy to have nightvision with it and more of a bullit-form factor/size.
Please let our demands be met soon.... :D
Hi there,
maybe the 120 degree view angle can be created using an replacement for the plexiglass lens cover. If that was a lens, it may able to take footage in 120degree angle. Its worth trying? Maybe the seller sels these things also?
i'm looking forward to the review of the next camera!
@clive c, have you already got experience with that camera? It seems to be more suatable for the job i need it for.
Rutger, no. At that price, I thought it was a tad expensive to try untested technology. I might as well go with a Go Pro 960. If I hear otherwise, I may reconsider.
Nice looking camera
After 20 minutes does it write a new file? and if so does it lose 2 seconds of footage like the d011?
thanks
Kevin
I've discovered that cheap SD cards lie about their "class" rating. Sandisk and Kingston appear to be honest, so I would recommend people stick with those.
I've been playing around with video editors. I use Ubuntu Linux 11.10 as the operating system (free) and Open Shot Video Editor as the free software application available in Linux. Open Shot Video Editor is the equivalent of Final Cut for Mac OS X from reviews that I have read. Anyway, the AVI test file exports & converts quite nicely to mp4 or mpeg for both the video & audio aspects of the test files I've piddled around with. A 65.9 MB AVI compresses to 28.9 MB for the mp4 format and is indicated as You Tube HD 720p resolution & H.264, The You Tube mpeg file is 22.3 MB, 640x480. Playback of each on my computer is virtually indiscernible for the audio portion amongst the 3 files and the video obviously would have differences in terms of resolution reductions. I am using a 28" Hannspree 1080p television as a monitor. Seems that the camera is geared more towards Windows than OS X ? But I've found with the exception of the firmware flashing software utility, the camera is very Linux friendly for moving files off the camera, doing basic video editing and converting the file to other formats that other cameras are using. Hope this helps others.
hi
i been looking in to bying a action cam to use while playing paintball inndoors and outdors
and i found a act20 with 120 degree lens is this bether then the 60 degree lens
(realy great rewives)
bjørn
@Bjørn. Yes get the 120° lens if you can.
Good morning,
I'm not able to update the firmware on mine, as I do?
Hi Mat,
Can't afford to spring for the two action cameras you mentioned recently, so I've gone for an ACT20. I'd like to have 16GB total storage to make best use of the great battery life but am concerned about the frame-lag issue you found with the 16GB card. Was this definitely to do with the capacity of the card? Or could it have been down to something else like the unbrandedness? I'll definitely go for a class 10, but I'm not sure whether it's 2x8GB or 1x16GB storage for me.
Excellent, excellent site by the way,
Alex.
@Alex. If I were you I'd try the 16GB card as long as it's a decent make and not a fake you should be fine. I can't be sure what the problem was with mine - without retesting all over again with my various cards in different situations (not my idea of fun).