The SJCAM C200 is an action camera with 4K resolution, compact design and bi-directional horizontal and vertical shooting technology, which is well positioned in the entry market thanks to its competitive price and other features, but does that mean we can recommend it? Let’s find out.
Unlike the SJCAM A10 (another affordable action camera from the same manufacturer), the new SJCAM C200 is submersible in water with its protective case, which allows it to withstand depths of up to 40M. As if that were not enough, it consists of 6-axis stabilization and a respectable SONY IMX335 photographic sensor, all this and more for a price of approximately 100 euros.
Compact, waterproof and well accompanied
The SJCAM C200 is physically characterized by two things: its compact size and its waterproofness. In this sense, it has dimensions of only 6.8 x 3.4 x 2.65 cm, so it is quite compact.
Also, the body is made of metal and receives IP68 certification on its own, which means that the camera can submerge up to 5 meters deep on its own, but it should be noted that, with the right accessory, that is, a waterproof housing, it can reach depths of up to 40 meters without suffering mishaps. Fortunately, we won’t have to look far to take advantage of this possibility, as a waterproof case is included with the purchase.
In another vein, the rear of the SJCAM C200 is home to a 1.28-inch LCD screen. (240 x 240 pixels) that allows us to see what we are filming at all times.
Accessories
An action camera benefits greatly from the accessories available to it, as they provide multiple ways to record. With that said, the SJCAM C200 includes the following accessories in the package:
- Medium
- Helmet base
- Clamp
- Bicycle mounting frame
- Waterproof housing
How about video recording?
The most important thing about any camera is, of course, the photographic sensor it uses, after all, this is what determines the quality of the footage and photos. On this front the SJCAM C200 complies decently with a Sony IMX335 sensor. accompanied by an NT96660 image processing chip. This combination, without being anything to write home about or comparing to a GoPro Hero7 Black, does its job in a respectable way.
However, it is our duty to note that cameras equipped with the NT96660 chip do not achieve true 4K resolution. The SJCAM C200 is no exception to the rule, and what we actually get is a 2880 x 2160 pixel resolution stretched to fill the screen, which means the image quality will be lower than that of a true 4K camera.
Also, the FPS rate is limited to 24FPS when it comes to shooting in “4K UHD”. If we want to film with at least 30FPS we will have to lower the quality to 2K, and if we need 60FPS to record high speed sports, then we will have to resort to 1080p.
Negative aside, the camera is equipped with a 6-axis gyro stabilizer that ensures stable , shake- free shots, so all is not lost. Additionally, it has the ability to quickly change the orientation of the recording or photo between wide (16: 9) and portrait (9:16).
The camera is also capable of detecting faces and taking night shots thanks to its super light sensitive sensor.
In terms of autonomy, the SJCAM C200 is powered by a 1,200mAh battery which, according to the manufacturer, can provide up to 150 minutes of filming in UHD 4K quality.
Connectivity and other features
In the department of connectivity and additional functions, the SJCAM C200 does very well. This camera has Wi-Fi and connects to our mobile through the SJ Remote app, which will allow us to control it remotely (up to 10 meters away.)
It also has a USB type C port that, in addition to serving to charge the battery, allows us to connect an external microphone to improve the audio recording quality. Alternatively, it can be connected to the computer and used as a webcam for video conferencing.
Finally, to save everything we film or photograph, we will be using a classic Micro-SD card with a capacity of up to 128GB.
Regardless of its cons, the SJCAM C200 is a fairly complete camera in terms of performance; Although we can only recommend it to those who are looking for a round product at a good price, but without giving much importance to image quality, since as we said before, it is not native 4K, and a quick look at the list of specifications can corroborate it.
On the other hand, if you put a lot of weight on having true 4K filming quality, you should keep looking. Sure, there are better inexpensive alternatives to the Go Pro, but hardly any are the same price (or comparable) to the SJCAM C200.
PROS:
- Good price
- Ultra-wide angles
- 6-axis gyro stabilizer
- Waterproof
- Includes a good variety of accessories
CONS:
- It’s not really 4K
- The FPS rate is low when recording in “4K”