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After taking a hammer to my GoPro Hero yesterday I decided to give Sony a shot. After reading a few reviews I decided to purchase the FDR-X3000, which records in 4K.
I bought the camera and underwater housing for $400.
Please keep in mind that this is a day one review.
One thing is absolutely clear from the first few minutes of playing with this Sony, and that is the user experience is spot on. The menu system is dead simple, and recording requires you to press the button that has the red dot on it, next to text labeled REC.
I charge up the battery, throw in my SD card and jump in the BMW for a quick road test. A few things jump right out. First, there is nothing to do except hit record. The red light tells you it is recording. But the GoPros aren't complicated either. They just haven't proved reliable. But this Sony is easy enough that anyone can use it without reading the manual. It is small, feels high quality, and overall it is a polished unit. Sony knows how to build a great consumer product, and it shows.
I bought the GoPro mount adapter for $7 so i was able to use my existing RAM suction cup mount. Everything worked perfectly the first time. The entire focus of the controls is power and record. The camera turns on instantly, and the record button is raised, making it easy to feel for.
So how did the recordings turn out? This Sony has high-end image stabilization, in every mode including 4K. This is the killer feature, because recordings are silky smooth. GoPro is in trouble on this one. Picture quality was about the same with both, unless you are dealing with low or challenging lighting situations. On my GoPro 4 i couldn't mount it inside the car, on the rear windshield facing forward (so the video shows me driving). When I tried, anything on the outside was a big white glare. I messed with the exposure settings, but I could not get it right. I gave up trying.
I mount the Sony in exactly the same place, and just like the GP the front windshield is a big white glare. I find the exposure option and go -2.0. Take a drive...and it is perfect.
It is refreshing to have a camera that just works.
Audio appears to be better with the Sony, although i need more testing. It just picked up the sounds clearer, and louder. Another nice feature with the Sony is built in wind reduction. If you have ever tried recording driving with a GoPro mounted outside your car, you know the audio is unusable. I will test this and let you know how it works.
I really can't think of a single thing I like more with the GoPro. Maybe the cameras look cooler? But that isn't why I have one. I need a product that works reliably, because in many cases you don't get a do-over. You miss the moment, and that's it. The GoPros have not only lost precious memories and moments, but they have been a total distraction. So many things can go wrong with these things, and you find yourself troubleshooting problems when you should be enjoying the event you cared enough to record in the first place.
And ultimately that is what you need in an action camera. Reliability. It doesn't matter if one review says the color or the audio is better with the Hero 5, if the camera is a total sh!tshow half the time. But here's the thing. These Sony FDR-X3000 cameras are better in several key areas. Image stabilization means much better videos. Check out comparison videos between these two. Not even close. Low lighting, or challenging lighting situations also heavily favor the Sony. It appears to just have better sensors, better optics, etc., because this is in Sony's wheel house.
I can't comment on battery life yet, but I will do a follow up on the camera after more usage. But if you are considering a GoPro, do yourself a favor and check out Sony. Otherwise, you may need to find your hammer. Life is too short to screw around with lousy tech.
Rob, now you've got that excuse you needed to do another track day!
That is a good point, Kobalt. On my list! So far so good with this Sony, but I am going to give it a proper test this week. Not expecting miracles. Just don't **** yourself randomly or take away from the experience you are recording.
Rob, do you have a picture of the Sony attached to the rear inside window? Which parts did you need to buy that didn't come with the Sony? Did you buy the Sony locally or ordered it on line?
Rob, do you have a picture of the Sony attached to the rear inside window? Which parts did you need to buy that didn't come with the Sony? Did you buy the Sony locally or ordered it on line?
I am in a meeting right now but I will get you more details. I just needed a $7 adapter so my GoPro RAM mount would work with the Sony. Bought it at Best Buy. I will get you more details when my meetings are over.
Made the same switch late last year and never looked back.
Sony wins on stabilisation and user interface.
In camera sound recording is much, much better than gopro (if the internal mic is not enough there is an inbuild mic input)
What is essential in filming from inside a car is the available manual exposure compensation so that you can set it to see both the bright outside and dark inside, no guesswork on which bit of shot the camera will decide to set its exposure.
The wider dynamic range helps tons in capturing both the bright outside and dark inside of a car.
I sound like an advert for sony but I have been so fed up with the gopro issues (sd cards, looping not working etc) that sony feels like a great relief - one less thing to worry about.
Only downsides - it does not charge when recording and connected to a powersource (gopro did).
The camera has a 3/8 inch tripod mount so you just need a cheap adapter to use it with any of your gopro accessories and can mount to tons of other stuff that uses the 3/8 screw.
Here's a sample of a 1080p crop from a 4k wide angle shot:
My little VBox HD camera. Comes with Wife connection to my I phone to aim it before sessions.
Need to aim it a little lower next time and maybe a but more forward.
Rob, do you have a picture of the Sony attached to the rear inside window? Which parts did you need to buy that didn't come with the Sony? Did you buy the Sony locally or ordered it on line?
I bought this adapter so the camera could work with my gopro mounts.
Made the same switch late last year and never looked back.
Sony wins on stabilisation and user interface.
In camera sound recording is much, much better than gopro (if the internal mic is not enough there is an inbuild mic input)
What is essential in filming from inside a car is the available manual exposure compensation so that you can set it to see both the bright outside and dark inside, no guesswork on which bit of shot the camera will decide to set its exposure.
The wider dynamic range helps tons in capturing both the bright outside and dark inside of a car.
I sound like an advert for sony but I have been so fed up with the gopro issues (sd cards, looping not working etc) that sony feels like a great relief - one less thing to worry about.
Only downsides - it does not charge when recording and connected to a powersource (gopro did).
The camera has a 3/8 inch tripod mount so you just need a cheap adapter to use it with any of your gopro accessories and can mount to tons of other stuff that uses the 3/8 screw.
Here's a sample of a 1080p crop from a 4k wide angle shot:
Agree 100% with these Sony cameras. Are you sure they don't charge while recording? Testing it now and i see the charge indicator while recording. That is a bummer if not.
Update: I have been recording for an hour with the camera plugged in, and still showing fully charged.
I can confirm charging while recording works. Also, found this post.
Re: Charging the X3000 during recording
04-03-2017 09:18 AM - edited 04-03-2017 09:34 AM
If I decide to perform this test, would written proof be enough, or do you require detailed video documentation (in which case I wouldn't do it)?
EDIT: For the written proof - it works. The camera will charge (indicated by the "power plug"-icon beneath the battery bar WHICH IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE MANUAL!!!).
You can hot-plug the cable during the camera is on/recording.
I have just re-tested the X1000V camera in this situation and confirm my earlier result that it will draw external power during recording but will not charge the battery during recording.
So keep this in mind if you get something other than the X3000.
04-17-2017, 10:01 PM
OT: Sony FDR-X3000 - No Hammer Required
