The road that Chinese action camera manufacturer had over the last 12 months can be described as : as per aspera ad astra (from the mud to the stars). But also as : from the stars to the mud all over again.
Note: If you want to save few bucks, use coupon SJ4PLUS when buying.
It all started with their SJ4000 camera, which was and still is a great success and certainly one of the best action cams that provides excellent value for the money. Company became world-famous low-budget GoPro alternative in just few months. They sold thousands of cameras, despite the counter-fake issues they faced along the way.
However, after a massive success, they hit the rock bottom.
Their newly launched, three times as expensive SJ5000 series had so many software problems, that even I (yes, an action camera freak) did not want to waste time on reviewing. It was overpriced and unfinished product rushed out just to get more money from already existing customers.
Now SJCAM is back to square one. They obviously gave up on the SJ5000 series, and went back to their roots. Few weeks ago, manufacturer released, brand-new SJ4000+ (also known as SJ4000 Plus).
In this article, I will provide you with an in-depth review, and serious overview of all features and functions on their latest model.
Note : You can buy this camera on GearBest for $120 (including free worldwide shipping) or get one on Amazon (Link) or eBay (Link).
SJCAM SJ4000+ action camera brings new features compared to its predecessor. Most important ones are: better image sensor,video recording in full HD at 60 fps and in 2K. SJ4000+ is a WiFi action camera that can record videos and take photographs in various resolutions and sizes. It comes in eight different colors and its menu supports 17 different languages.
With previous model being priced at 90$ most, Plus version will certainly raise a few eyebrows with its $120 price-tag.
Some of you, who already have an SJ4000 or even SJ5000 (unlucky you) will certainly ask :
- Should I upgrade from SJ4000 to SJ4000 plus?
- Is it worth the money, or are these guys playing the same “Money on my mind” song all over again?
Have SJCAM engineers created something that will make their customers astonished by the price/quality ratio and defeat competitors? Or have they yet again, created a camera that is not worth mentioning, let alone spending money on?
I have been using this camera for 15 days now. Various tests have been performed and bunch of videos and photos have been created in different light environment and different setup.
So, I will be more than happy to answer these and many other questions in this post.
Fasten your seat-belts, take a cup of coffee or ice-cold beer, its going to be long and bumpy ride! 🙂
Update 10/28/2015
I should mention that after this review was published, SJCAM released an updated version of SJ4000+ called SJ4000+ Gyro. This one is referred as standard. While I have not tested Gyro edition (nor I intend to), I would like to explain the difference between the two. Once again, SJCAM managed to confuse as all, so here is a simple explanation.
Standard version of SJ4000+ is the one featured in this article. Gyro version was lanuched 2-3 weeks after it, as an attempt to improve stabilization, which was terrible. Gyro edition contains far better video stabilization due to the built in Gyro it has.
I assume that this is only software stabilization. Obviously its not optical. Meaning camera will narrow the angle of view, but the video is certainly less shaky.That is the only difference between these two cameras.
So, if you really really want SJ4000+ (though I do not see a reason why), you probably should get a Gyro version. You can buy Gyro version Amazon |Link|. I have not seen it being sold elsewhere for now.
Update 11/14/2015
Differences between SJ4000+ Standard and Gyro have been covered quite in-depth in this post.
SJ4000+ specifications
Bellow table illustrates official specification of SJ4000 Plus provided by manufacturer. I have however, enriched it and added few more details that were not pointed out in the specs, though they are quite important in my opinion.
SJCAM SJ4000+
- Chipset : Novatek 96660
- Image Sensor: OV4689 COMS
- Lens : Wide Angle: 170 degree
- Focus Range: 12cm~infinite
- Weight :
- Size
- Screen Size: 1.5inch, LCD
- Colors available : 8
- Image resolutions : 12MP (4032*3024), 10MP (3648*2736), 8MP (3264*2448), 5MP (2592*1944), 3MP, 2MHD, VGA, 1.3MP.
- Video Resolutions : 2K (2560*1440 30FPS) ; Full HD (1920*1080, 30 and 60 fps) ; 1080*720 at 120fps)
- Video compression format : H.264
- Video format : MP4
- Image format : JPEG
- Memory : External MicroSD/MicroSDHC up to 32 GB (class 6-10 recommended)
- Battery : 3.7V 900mAh li-ion rechargeable battery
- Power Supply: DC 4.2V 450mA
- Charge Way : USB charge by PC
- Video Output: HDMI
- Built-in microphone/speacker (AAC)
- WiFi
- Android App WiFi
- iOS App WiFi
- Connection : USB 2.0
- Timer: 2s, 3s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 60s
- Continuous shooting: 2/5/10 seconds
- Video Time Lapse
Packing and design
SJ4000 plus comes in complete different packing then its predecessor. It seams that SJCAM borrowed the minimalistic approach in packing from Xiaomi YI.
Camera comes in a single, tiny-looking cardboard box. At first glance I though that it is impossible to pack everything in it. However once you opened a retail box, inside there are 3 different mini-boxes.
Two of the mini-boxes contain accessories, where as the third one has camera and a waterproof case. Packing is fantastic. Everything is easy to pull out, but at the same time product seams to be protected inside the sturdy boxes quite well. Quite an improvement.
Yeah, I know that the packing cant still justify the 50% increase in price nor improve video quality, but it does look much better, then the cheap and flimsy boxes in which SJCAM M10, SJ4000 and Amkov AM5000s were packed.
What’s Inside the box?
Once you pull out all the boxes, here is a list of everything you get :
- 1x camera
- 1x waterproof case
- 1x spare plastic case back door (not waterproof, for better sound recording)
- 1x manual (44 page, multilingual)
- 1x 900mAh battery (inside the cam already)
- 1x USB cable (for charging and transferring files to PC)
- 1x bicycle stand
- 2x helmet self-adhesive base
- 3X switch supports
- 1x bracket
- 1x clip (for bracket)
- 1x base mount
- 1x base adapter
- 1x base curved
- 2x 3M adhesive double tissue tape
- 2x bandage
- 1x cleaning cloth
- 2x SJCAM stickers
I am quite happy that they finally ditched wire rope and plastic ribbons which were included in their previous models. These tiny but cheap accessories gave only an illusion of camera habing more gear, though they were quite useless and cheap.
Compared to SJ4000, the only new piece of gear is a sticker.Besides ditching useless ribbon and rope, this time they did not include an AC power adapter, which means you will have to get a separate one if you want to charge your camera via the wall plug. In my opinion this is a huge omission. I am sure that many of us find wall charging more convenient, especially on the travels. In case you are wondering, yes camera can be charged via the USB port on your PC.
Speaking of gear, to be honest, I was slightly disappointed by the choice of the gadgets. Its standard. Nothing new, nothing impressive. Tens of other action camera from China have these very same accessories in their boxes. I expected SJCAM, as a Chinese action cam leader, to step up and at least add something new, but they decided to do what everyone are doing.
Do not get me wrong, the gear is OK, but its not impressive nor extremely useful.
Manual is on 44 pages and its pretty similar to SJ4000 manual. They pretty much copy-pasted huge portion of the previous version instructions. The piece of information provided this tiny booklet is pretty brief and cant get you all set up. But do not worry, I will clarify all the options that SJ4000 Plus has and reveal best practice when it comes to video and photo making.
One great thing worth mentioning is that due to the huge amount of counter-fakes of their SJ4000 that appeared on the market, the plus model now has the security scratch and check code, which you can enter on their website, to check if your purchased product is genuine one. All SJ4000+ have the code on the box. So if yours does not have one, return it right away.
Buttons and ports
Even though the design hasn’t changed not a single bit, here is an overview of all buttons and ports of SJ4000 Plus together with their function.
- OK/Shutter button (for recording video or taking photos, or to confirm particular option inside the settings)
- WiFi indicator (flashes orange when the WiFi is on)
- Navigation arrows (for browsing through the menu, or zooming in or out. Upper arrow is WiFi button which activates WiFi when you hold it)
- ON/OFF or Mode button – used for turning camera on or off, as well as switching through photo, video, preview and settings modes.
- Lens
- HDMI port – for connecting camera with TV
- Memory card slot (Micro SD Class 10 card is highly recommended. Camera can use cards that have storage space of 32GB maximum).
- USB Slot – for charging or exporting files to PC.
- LED recording indicator (flashes blue while the camera is recording)
- LED indicator charging indicator (red light when the camera is being charged)
- LCD Screen
Video
SJ4000 offers six different video resolutions to chose from. Biggest change is recording in 2K (2560*1440) at 30 frames per second. Additionally, unlike previous SJ4000 model, Plus version allows recording at 60fps in full HD (1080p) and HD (720p).
-
2K (2560*1440 30FPS)
-
Full HD (1920*1080, 30 and 60 fps)
-
1080*720 at 30/60/120fps)
In my opinion, video quality is quite good. I like the fact that there is an option of recording at 60 frames per second. I really haven’t seen any significant improvement of recording at 2k resolution. Colors look better then its previous version, but video stabilization is nearly non existent.
Footage I taken at 30 fps looks quite shaky. I have no idea if there is something to be fixed in firmware, but I truly hope video can be a bit more stabilized then it is now. Video sound is decent bout on ground and underwater.
Note : You can download true, uncompressed video file samples that I took on this DropBox link (download video raw samples at night, underwater, sounds test ,etc and preview them on your PC for best quality. Do not preview them on DropBox.) Make sure you are using a decent video player such as VLC or QuickTime.
Images
When it comes to image quality, I would like to be clear right away, even before I show you the sample. For its price, I am deeply disappointed with the quality of photos SJ4000+ provides. This is where low-quality OV4689 sensor comes to the fore. Images are not sharp as expected, and at a price of nearly 150$ there is no excuse for SJCAM.
According to their price, they had enough space to put some better-quality sensor, like Blackview did with their Hero 1 by adding Sony sensor (and its 20$ cheaper then this pile of junk!). The sensor manufacturer put inside the camera, produces images at 4 megapixels top.
If you do not trust me, take a look at the official specs of OmniVision OV4689. It says right away, in the first sentence :
The OV4689 is a high performance 4-megapixel CameraChip sensor in a native 16:9 format designed for next-generation surveillance and security systems.
Okay, so last time, with their 60-70$ camera, they had 3.5 mp sensor (which was great overall value for the money), and this time their camera has crappy 4.0 megapixels for much higher price.
Who are these guys kidding? This is an absolute joke.
Note : You can download true, uncompressed image samples that I took on this DropBox link (download images and preview them on your PC for best quality. Do not preview them on DropBox.)
While this sensor is pretty okay for videos (even 2k video) for photos it is absolute trash if we have the price in mind. Remember, that when reviewing any feature of any product I always have price/value offered in mind. And in my humble opinion, you get pretty lame photos for 150$.
You might be thinking I am going harsh on the company and perhaps its a true. SJCAM is the company that once inspired me to start this blog. They made me believe that video making does not have to be expensive and that there are cameras that will do the job for fraction of the price of a big-brand.
So yes, I once trusted them, I worshiped them, all because of their products, which provided great overall value. So yes, I am going to be harsh when they try to cheat us, interpolating resolutions, increasing prices and offering no real reason for that.
If you are still interested in image quality and resolution, here is a list of images resolution in which SJ4000+ can take photos. Note that all of these resolutions are interpolated, and are not true. Once again, huge failure for SJCAM.
- 12MP (4032*3024)
- 10MP (3648*2736)
- 8MP (3264*2448)
- 5MP (2592*1944)
- 3MP
- 2MHD
- VGA
- 1.3MP
There is one positive though, close ups are pretty OK, considering the fact action cameras are not made for close up videos or photos. Camera has 30cm focus range, which means everything taken at distance farther then 30cm will be in focus.
And here is a fact. Colors on the images are pretty good and as natural as you can expect from an action camera. These images do not look that bad online. They are decent.
But once you download original image samples you will see they they are nowhere as sharp as you can expect for 150$. Sharpness is a major issue. And that bothers me.
I as customer feel deceived. While action cameras are mostly made for video, is this really all I get for the money I pay?
Settings
What I always liked about SJCAM video cameras is that they allow users bunch of options and settings which you can use to tweak, improve or change in order to get better photos or movies. While the user interface hasn’t change at all, camera still offers basic and some advanced features.
Cyclic record
When cyclic recording (also known as loop recording) is turned on, camera will record sequences of the entire footage. For instance, if you chose the 3 minute interval, while you are recording, camera will stop the video recording once you reach 3:00 and start recording new one.
I personally always keep this option to off, since I do not see much use of it.
- off
- 3 min
- 5 min
- 10 min
Motion detection
By turning motion detection on, camera will start recording a video as soon as it detects a motion. This feature is not reliable and do not even thing about using SJ4000+ as a surveillance camera. Its something that might be interesting to use for experimental purposes, but when it comes to home safety, you should get a proper equipment for the love of God.
Also if you notice that your camera is recording videos as soon as its turned on, it is probably because motion detection is turned on. Just switch to off.
For more info on the motion detection feature, please check my SJ4000 WiFi review, since it works absolutely the same.
TV Mode and TV Out
TV mode setup allows quick change between two most commonly used video modes – PAL and NTSC. Strange thing is that no matter which one you chose, resolution options will not change, which makes this option quite useless.
For those of you who want to preview video or photos onto your TV and show them off to your friends and family this way, you can connect your camera to TV. For this you will need a Micro HDMI to HDMI cable and TV out turned on.
OSD Mode
By default, LCD screen shows lots of information on the margins while you are taking photos or recording a video. You can see recording time, weather or not you have cycling mode enabled or is sound turned on.
Additionally you will see battery life, date and few other things. I do not know why, but if these informative icons bother you, you can turned them all off by choosing OFF in On screen display (OSD).
I guess this is helpful once you get quite familiar with the interface and you want to focus solely on footage instead of screen data.
Video lapse
Video time lapse is one of the most interesting features of SJ4000 Plus camera.
But first, what is a time lapse?
Time–lapse photography is a technique whereby the frequency at which film frames are captured (the frame rate) is much lower than that used to view the sequence. When played at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing.
For more info on time lapse technique in general, check this Wiki-Page.
By enabling this option, your camera will take photo at the interval selected. Unlike many other action cameras, it will not only create bunch of photos from it, but also create a video, right out of the box. You do not have to edit video in video software, it works right away.
SJ4000+ video lapse has these intervals available : 1/2/5/10/30/60 seconds.
White balance
If you are one of those people who like to take full control of their movies/photos, it is always a good idea to experiment with white balance. This option will change warmth of your footage. Camera offers five different WB setups :
- Auto
- Daylight
- Cloudy
- Tungsten
- Fluorescent
In this particular situation, the most natural looking colors came when using Cloudy and Fluorescent. However it depends on light condition and situation you are photographing or recording in.
ISO
ISO is one of the most important things in photography. ISO controls how much light goes into your camera. Lower ISO number is used for situations where you have enough light. For low-light situation, you need higher ISO.
While WB should not be left on auto as camera does not always recognizes what is best for you, it works pretty well white auto ISO. That is why I keep mine on automatic, but you can always play around and take manual control of this option.
- Auto
- 100
- 200
- 400
- 800
- 1600
Exposure
Like most the Chinese action cameras SJ4000+ gives you the manual control over the exposure. This means that you can set up brightens or darkness of your footage. Exposure value go from -2 to +2. It is not possible to lock on exposure. In my experience, +1/3 and +0.0 gave the best results. I usually keep it at these two setups.
Capture mode
Capture mode allows shooting in different modes :
- S-Shot (single shoot)
- 3s timer
- 5s timer
- 10s timer
- 20s timer
Single-shoot will create only one image after you press the shutter button. Timers will delay taking photo after you press the shutter at the specified interval, which is pretty handy for group photos.
Language
Though not a big deal for most people, the fact that camera offers menu in seventeen different languages is astonishing. Besides English which is a default language, switch your camera interface to be on :
- English (default)
- French
- German
- Spanish
- Italian
- Portuguese
- 4 types of Chinese
- Russian
- Polish
- Czech
- Hungarian
- Danish
- Dutch
Multilingualism certainly adds few points to user friendliness of SJ4000+.
Auto power off and screen saver
After I have updated the SJ4000+ firmware, new features appeared. Here is what you get with this firmware update.
- Continuous shoot
- Stabilization
- WDR (wide dynamic range)
No worries, I will talk about how to upgrade the firmware as soon as I clarify all these additional options.
Continuous shoot
This feature is also known as burst mode. It allows your camera to take multiple photos continuously. You just need to press shutter button once and SJ4000+ will (depending on selected option) take 3, 5 or 10 photos. This is excellent feature especially if you want to photograph fast moving subject. One good example of this would be photographing soccer game, jumps, etc.
What is exciting is that SJ4000 plus has a 10 continuous photos, where as some other action camera such as Xiaomi YI or Blackview Hero 1 can take to up to seven continuous images..
Firmware updates
Updating firmware is quite important with any tech gadget. Firmware updates usually fix bugs and improve features. One great thing about SJCAM is that they update their FW quite regularly. Though firmware update is something you have to do manually, no worries, its not a rocket science.
How to update SJ4000+ firmware?
- Make sure to check official manufacturers site for correct FW version
- Download FW
- Unzip the folder
- Plug in your camera into the PC via the USB cable.
- Turn it on and chose Mass Storage
- Enter the memory card
- Copy the firmware file with the name .BIN into a root of the MicroSD Card
- Turn off the camera
- Turn it on again
- Wait while it upgrades (30 seconds usually)
- If will turn on automatically
- Chose Mass Storage again, and DELETE .BIN file, otherwise your camera will upgrade again
- Once .BIN is deleted, turn the camera off, and it should work on the latest firmware
These is quite detailed step by step instructions, if you are having trouble updating, contact your seller or manufacturer. If you are having troubles understanding these steps, you have instructions on SJCAMHD website.
One more tip about firmwares. Always double-check if you are installing the right one. Luckily this model has quite simpler FW structure, so the possibility of installing wrong one are almost impossible. Install only FW from the official manufacturer site. Anything non-official is always risky and do not attempt it, unless you really know what you are doing.
WiFi and App
Unlike previous model in the series, this one does give you the choice to chose over WiFi or non WiFi version. There is only one SJ4000+ model and it has built in WiFi. What this means is that you can connect to cameras wireless network and control it remotely. You can give some basics commands, switch through different setup and download photos directly to your phone without having to use an USB cable.
This all sounds good in theory, but when it comes to practice, an official SJCAMHD app does not seam to be ready yet. It is absolutely not calibrated nor adjusted for their latest model. Inside the app you can not switch to 1080p 60fps or 2K.
Therefore it is absolutely impossible for me to review an app that obviously is not ready yet. This is one more huge minus for this product, since I can not believe that they launched a WiFi product without having a ready to go Application for it.
If you are curious on how the app works, it is absolutely the same as SJ4000, the previous version. Check out this video of mine for more info on the app itself. Lets hope that very soon developers will fix this android app.
As far as I know there is also an iOS app, but I haven’t had a chance to test it out. So if any of you iPhone users would like to share your experience on using the iOS app, drop a comment bellow and let me know.
Battery and memory card
One thing I found problematic is zero improvement or whatsoever when it comes to battery life and memory card over a previous model. SJCAM SJ4000+ has a 3.7V 900mAh li-ion rechargeable battery, absolutely the same one its predecessor used.
The maxim storage space is 32gb. It is recommended that you use MicroSD or MicroSDHC memory cards from reputable brands of at least class 10, for best performance and less headache later on.
UPDATE : 11/6/2015
I have tried my Sony MicroSDXC 40MB/s 64GB and it worked in both SJ4000+ Gyro and Non Gyro versions.
Mass storage and PC camera
Since I recently upgraded to Windows 10, I tried to make SJ4000+ works as a Skype camera, but I had no luck. So at the time of publishing this review, this camera is not compatable as a web camera on Win10. However its predecessor works just fine. It probably is a firmware that needs to be updated.
To use it as a webcam, just plug it into your own PC and select PC Camera. It is most likely that your PC (Windows) will search for a driver automatically (Windows 7 and above, not sure about XP) and after a minute you can test it out on the Skype.
Summary
My overall experience with SJ4000+ can be described in one word – disappointment. I will be honest with you and say that in my opinion this camera is not worth its price tag. It provides great videos in 2k and full HD at 30 or 60 fps, which is its biggest advantage.
Videos underwater look quite good, though I have not spend much time testing underwater performance, as I would have probably drowned.
Colors on both videos and photos are quite natural looking, though the sharpness of the images is terrible. This is here SJ4000+ starts to fail. Photography. Photos are simply dreadful considering the price-tag the camera has.
For some people poor quality of the photos might not be an issue, this is an action camera, for making videos, right? Well no. Images are important, especially if you want to survive on today’s the competitive market. People care about photos, especially if they pay 140$.
Packaging is quite neat and I really loved the security check up code they implemented on the boxes. Huge progress on these two points.
Manufacturer launched a WiFi camera without adjusting the app for this particular model, which means plenty of features were left out.
Battery life could be better, and I can not understand why they didn’t include a better battery, especially since other competitors who have cameras in same price-range have better batteries.
Design is standard, nothing new, pretty much a repack with + sign on it.
Let me now answer two questions, asked at the beginning of the article.
Should I upgrade from SJ4000 to SJ4000 plus? –
No. In my humble opinion existing owners of SJ4000 would not gain much considering the price. However if you do need 60 fps in your video, or want 2k, there are plenty of better and cheaper solution then the SJ4000+. This camera makes very good videos, but for its price it disappoints when it comes to images.
Is it worth the money, or are these guys playing the same “lets-take-the-money-fast” song all over again?
They are playing the same song over and over again. If they continue do produce products just to make profit, instead of satisfy the needs of their target customers, there will be no reason to buy their cameras soon. Competition has never been bigger, and SJCAM has never been in bigger crisis.
I truly hopped they will create amazing cheap action camera, but they created average mid-range action cam, which has plenty of better, cheaper alternatives. If SJCAM continues to take the piss out of their products and customers, the light at the end of a tunnel is non-existent.
You can also take a look at some alternatives which are cheaper, but preform better, like Xiaomi YI or Blackview Hero 1.
Your questions, experiences and suggestions
Like on any other article on this site, if you have any sort of question, idea, doubt or you want to tell us about your experience of using this camera, just click the post comment button bellow and leave a reply.
I would gladly update this article, once more info is available, and if significant firmware update appears. Until then, happy recording.
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Thanks for the review! I have a question question. In the sj4000, pictures don’t fit wide-screen format 16:9. I think it is fixed at 4:3. Is it the same case with the 4000plus? In the same vein Is the video lapse also 4:3 since its essentially a series of photos stitched together?
Interesting question Loon. If you take a look at the image resolution I supplied, you will see its not 16:9. You are right its 4:3. You can download samples to check out yourself.
About the timelapse, I assume its the same. Not sure about video lapse though. I have to test it out. Will let you know in a few days.
How to compare an original and fake sjcam5000 plus wifi?
There are no fake SJ5000 series as far as I know.
Your review doesnt say how the Gyro helps in sj4000+. Sj4000 is getting sold at 99$ on 11.11. So is it worth? Or should I get Sj4000 wifi which is priced at 73$ on 11.11?
Does the screen remain continuously ON while recording or it can be turned off to save battery?
Have you read Update 10/28/2015 headline? Gyro function is clarified in the post. Further testing will be done soon comparing SJ4000 WiFi, SJ4000+ and SJ4000+ Gyro.
There is a option to set screen saver to a certain interval to save battery. For 99$ SJ4000+ is a better deal for sure. This article was written when the camera was 150$+
Well exactly. I read that update but it says “While I ‘havent’ yet tested… “” I ‘assume’ that this is only software stabilization”
Thats the reason I wasnt getting a firm answer 🙂
So does the gyro really seem to be helping sj4000+ or should I buy sj4000 for 73$ and save 26$?
As I said, the article on this should be coming either on weekend or next week. Until then you can check some YouTube videos people uploaded to see if there is a difference. I give my opinion only after fully testing the features/product, so you will have to wait for it for a bit.
For 26$ Gyro does not matter, what matters is better video (colors, more FPS options) that you will get.Image quality is not something that improved. Be aware that there are two versions of SJ4000+, I assume the 99$ you are referring to does not have built in Gyro stabilization.
No. The 99$ one is the sj4000+ with gyro. Only one day deal from puhui digital. Normal price is 123$
Hello Pavle, thank you very much for this review. I spent the entire morning so far looking for good ones and this review really helped me. (Almost bought the SJ5000 based on the model # alone! Eeeek!)
You are welcome, I am glad I published it at a right time 🙂
Hi and thanks for your review!
I got horizontal stripes on the display and also on video at darker conditions using my SJ4000+.
Cant see that on your clips, so I think there is a malfunktion with the item I got. (?)
Just bought it and better will send it back to seller asap….
What about “WDR” and “Image Stabilisation”? Can´t find in your review. 😉
No idea what you mean. Do you mean video noise? Though it sounds like its something more serious. If its grainy video that is normal for extremely low-light conditions for most of the cameras. Try boosting the ISO. As far as display is concerned, its probably something wrong with it. Sounds to me like you got a faulty unit. Without taking actual look at it, I cant tell you what it is. Try contacting manufacturer. WDR and Image stabilization are useless, so I have not talked about them, since they make zero difference.
have a problem when recording videos on 720p @ 120fps, its grainy and flickering, same as the 480p @ 240fps, what would be the solution?thanks i have a 2.8 version of sj4000plus 2k
Currently comtemplating to buy either SJ4000, SJ4000+, SJ5000 or SJ5000+. In your personal opinion, which one will you prefer?
Evan, depends on your needs. I do not have any of SJ5000 series as they sucked. SJ4000 offers most value for the money, but plus has better video.
Hi thanks for your review!
I bought this cam the other day but I cant seem to play the video on my phone and in my PC… I’ve tried using VLC and other android apps but keeps on saying that file format is not supported. Do I need to set something? Any suggestion what android apps/player should I use?
Sorry I’m new to this. Thanks in advance for the help.
Hi Jawy.
No worries. So, I will explain step by step, and you see if this is the way you did it.
1. Plug in the USB into the camera and PC and turn it on.
2. Chose Mass Storage from camera menu.
3. Enter Photo or Movie folder and copy those files onto your PC.
4. Right click onto your video file and chose PROPERTIES. See what format are your videos? What is its size?
5. Try to play them via VLC or QuickTime.
Questions for you :
-Which operating system you use? (Windows, 7,8,10?)
-Which memory card you use? (might be memory card issue)
Possible problems :
-Low quality memory card or improperly formatted one
-Lack of drivers on your operating system, though its unlikely.
Solutions (possible)
-Try different memory card, record few videos and see if it works (microsd or microsdhc class 10 of reputable brands are HIGHLY recommended)
Hi!
When I tried transferring the files using USB as you’ve suggested I was able to play the videos. Seems like I was doing it the wrong way.
What I did previously was download the file via the SJCAMHD app then transfer onto my PC via bluetooth.
But then, I still cant manage to play the file on my mobile. I’ve tried different MP4 player apps but still cant. Am I downloading it wrongly? Any Suggestion?
BTW, im using WN.7 and Sandisk Ultra class10 micro SD
Thanks for the help!
Thanks!
Apps usually download low quality video in some weird format, so that people can preview them on their phone, without too much resources being wasted. That is why you had problems. They are low quality video for previewing in app or on phone. No idea whats wrong with your phone though, it should be able to play it. Try transferring the ones from PC to your phone and see if that works (though those video will be much bigger in size).
I’ve tried transferring the one from pc to my phone and was able to view it.
Thanks a lot for the help! really appreciate it.
Glad to hear that Jawy, you are welcome.
Hi enjoyed your posting sorry if this is a dumb question is there any way to add a wireless mike to the camera
Hi, thanks a lot. Question is quite good. Camera does not have external mic support. You could just record audio straight from audio recorder, PC or even your phone, then sync that to the video from the SJ4000 by using some vide editing software.
Hello, i really liked all your reviews although i’m a little bit undecided, because all of the cameras have things that i love but sadly not all in just one, so i would like to know if you could give me a tip in wich one to choose since i’m mostly going to use it on skying and on water environments such as on the beach, the pryce its not a major issue since they are all pretty cheap, so don’t worry about that. One big concern i also have is the fog or moisture that appears inside the box when filming and it ruins the movies completly.
Hi João, with the provided information, I can not recommend any particular camera. You have to be quite specific. All of these I reviewed have waterproof cases by the way. For moisture you can use anti fog inserts. In the right hand sidebar of the website, you have cameras ordered by my preference, so you can start from there.
Thank so much for your help, i will do it.
Hi Pavle i have done some more research and now i am undecided beetween the hero 1 and the xiaomi yi, i care more about filming and image quality such as sharpness and stabilization, have in account the environments i soon had told (snow and beach) that for me is imperative because the reflection that these ones do, so can you help me?
If you need a display and do not mind annoying navigation which takes time to get used to, go with Hero 1. If you are on a budget and do not need much additional gear, choose Xiaomi YI. They have the same Sony Image sensor. Both are great cameras.
Thank you very much pavle, just one last question i have saw some reviews of the hero 1 and hero 2 (balckview) but i got confused wich one is the newest or the best. Also these ones seem to behave better at night that xaiomi yi. Could you help me? Sorry to boder so much 🙂
There is an in-depth review as well as comparison between 1 and two on this link. Its not a bother, I like helping people out.
Thank you so much for your help Pavle!
You are welcome Joao, glad I could help.
Hi Pavle,
at the beginning I would like to thank you for the review. I am still thinking about the final decision which camera to buy. I cannot afford to spending lots of money on it. I would like to buy it with shipping or directly in my country (Poland). My budget is about 160EUR.
What I am looking for:
-very good video quality(sharpness) in 1080p60fps
-LCD
-waterproof case
I intend to use it mainly during holidays and family trips.
What would you recommend buying:
sjcam 4000 plus
sjcam 5000 plus (is it really worth spending more money on it? I have read that it has serious problems with stability).
or other/which?
Hi Dan,
None to be honest. For what you are looking, you can try Blackview Hero 1, that is my recommendation. Those you want to buy are quite crappy and there are much better alternatives. And for budget alternatives, with some flaws, Yi or SJ4000.
Pavle,
thank you for your reply.
Do you have any links to raw videos from that Blackview Hero1? Videos on youtube ( maybe compression ) look quite worse than sj4000+.
What would you buy at this stage having 160 EUR to spend on that kind of camera?
There are links in the article I linked to. Check bottom of Video paragraph, and begging of photo, the link is the same.
I would go for Sony AS100V, but I guess its a bit over your budget. Any of top 3 trio (see right sidebar for camera rankings) are quite good as well. If you want to wait few weeks, there is new camera called Git Up 2 coming up, looks similar to Hero 1. Videos can not look worse, since it has much better Sony Sensor. If you need it most for the video, since you are leaning towards sj4000+ it is okay for video, but sucks for photos. Only if you can get it quite cheaper then RRP would make sense to get one. Overall value/money ratio is quite low.
Thank you.
So shall I even consider Blackview Hero 1 instead of Sj4000+?
I wish the Sony was closer to my budget but unfortunately it is not.
You have my both reviews here, check some other ones online and compare footage. That is the only further advice I can give you.
Hi!
I want to buy the sj4000+ and I have two questions .
I understand the the picture quality is not good, but is it same/better then the 4000?
Pure quality and not value for money.
The 4000 has car mode, does the 4000+ had it also?
Thank you!
Quality of the photo is better then SJ4000 in terms of colors, you can compare this yourself by downloading samples and comparing them with ones from the previous version of this camera. It does have a car mode.
I owned a GoPro and this SJ4000 has been collecting dust, it.. Brand new genuine SJCAM SJ5000 WiFi Plus 1080p 60fps action sports camera for sale, comes complete with all pictured accessories + extra battery and charge dock.
Hello Pavle,
The Video Stabilization issue has been resolved. You should be able to fix this with the updated firmware. Please contact me if you have any issues.
I owned a sj4000+ , its image quality is not good as my expect. like you say, SJCAM disappoints me .
Good afternoon from Edessa Pavle,
I am in a big dilemma. I am a multirotor Hobbyist and I bought Xiaomi Yi for aerial filming. My problem is that in my new set up xiaomi doesn’t fit to my gimbal wich is designed for Gopro Hero 3 series and her alternatives. So my question is: do I have to go with sj4000 or sj4000+ or even blackview hero 1 ?Do you have any other suggestions? My only limitations are the size:must be exactly the same with hero3 and the prize: around 140$
Thank you!!
Hi Nikolaos, that is a very hard question to answer, as I have very little knowledge on aerial photography. I guess you need 60fps at full HD, and good photo quality? If you want good photo quality, Blackview Hero 1 has same sensor as Xiaomi. SJ4000+ is okay for videos, but not for photos I guess. Personally I would go with BWH1 over SJ4000 and SJ4000+ for aerial, if price is not an issue. Just make sure to ask around on RCGroups and other specific forums for aerial photography.
Is there big difference between
Sj4000+ vs blackview hero 1 pro (new edition 100$)
I think that BH1 pro has only an improved waterproof case. I do not have it, so do not know for sure. I would not even consider SJ4000+ over BWHero 1.
What is the best alternative for better image quality, especially in the water?
I can talk about those that I have, have you seen Hero 1 by Blackview or Yi by Xiaomi? Those are some with better photo quality.
I’m in research mode right now and wanting to purchase a quality action cam. I had just about decided on the SJ4000 plus and stepped back a bit when I read this review, ( that’s a good thing ). The biggest setback for me was finding out about the cheap sensor in this camera which reduces the photo quality. I went to their website and it appears as though they have upgraded that sensor??? I’m not very savvy here, here’s the link, can you shed some light on this? sjcamhd.com/news/sjcam-sj4000-plus-2k-gyro-action-camera-official-description-updated/
I will update the article later this week, as I see clarification is needed. Gyro edition does not have different sensor, its the same hardware, but different software which has better stabilization. So that Gyro SJ4000+ will have better stabilized video then the SJ4000+ I reviewed here, everything else, including sensor, image quality, etc is the same.
Yes, just confirmed it with Mr Tony, its still the same cheap sensor, but surprisingly he said yes to my below question : interpolation can enhance the picture from 4 mega pixels to 12 mega pixels? then why on earth we need 24 mega pixels censor?
You can interpolate 1mp image to look like its 50 megapixels when you preview in settings, that does not mean it will look like 50 mp photo when you zoom in or want to print it… It is still same old shitty 1mp. Interpolation is not worth a shit, google a bit if you do not understand what it does. Its just a software tweak, so nope interpolation will not make your image better.
Got some answer from Sjcam official Live Chat about the picture quality,
Tony: interpolation
Me: the table here showed 12 mega pixels for image resolution ( normally this means picture right? )
Tony: for pictures it is interpolated if this is your question
Tony: Videos record at 12mp
Tony: you can actually check out our newer SJ5000x
Me: interpolation can enhance the picture from 4 mega pixels to 12 mega pixels?
Tony: yes
Me: Wow….
Hi, thanks for your very detailed review.
I would like to buy my first action cam soon. Would use it on 4WD trips or to film scenery. I guess therefore an image stabiliser would be very important. I also would love to have a remote control. Can you recommend something for a budget of around $200 AUD?
Thanks
Tom
There is a Gyro edition of this very same camera which has digital image stabilization. Also M10+ Gyro which I will review soon. For optical image stabilization, Sony AS100V is good choice.
But you say in this review that video stabilization is nearly non existent.
Has the Gyro edition another product name? I’ll also check out the Sony. Thanks for your help
SJ4000+ Gyro is upgraded model which has digital (software) stabilization.
Hi there,
Good review! I was actually planning to buy this camera and this review gave me an opportunity to really discern which camera is best for me.
I have a question though, I am a team building facilitator and I need an action camera for my programs. At first, I was planning to buy SJ4000 with wifi but based on reviews, it doesn’t shoot good slow mo videos. What SJCAM should I buy if I want to shoot awesome slow motion videos?
Thanks in advance!
For a slow motion, you should look at FPS (frames per second). More frames means that footage will look better when you slow it down in video editing software. You should look for a camera that can do 60/120fps in full HD or in HD. The more FPS, the more details.
Hey Pavle,
Your reviews are great, clear and comprehensive. chapeau!
After I saw your review I bought sj4000 plus standard version
gearbest.com/action-cameras/pp_196923.html
Then in another website I saw sj4000 plus gyro version
sjcamhd.com/sj4000_2k/
From reading the comments in your sj4000 plus review I understand that the hardware
of the two version are the same, (they both powering a gyro inside),
but differentiate by the software.
The standard version software doesn’t use it for stabilization whereas the gyro version does.
So my questions are:
1. Does the camera I bought is a genuine one?
2. Does it support real live video out (no delays, for FPV use)?
2. Can I upgrade the sj4000 plus standard camera firmware to that of the sj4000 plus gyro one so I’ll enjoy the anti-shake stabilization function?
Thanks in advance
Keep up the good work!
Hi Ran,
1. Yes it is original, its just standard version (standard version is also reviewed in this article). Gyro version has built in Gyro of some sort that allows software stabilization and that is the one and only difference between two cameras.
2. It supports FPV.
3. You can not upgrade from standard to Gyro.
Hope that helps.
Very responsive, clear and helpful thanks again
Hi there, was just wondering. I have an sj4000 already but its seen better days and I’ve had to fix it a few times after crashes etc from my hexacopter. I might buy the plus version butbdo you know does it support ‘video output’ through the USB as the standard sj4000 does. I need this to fly my hex fpv so I can see what the camera can see. Many thanks.
Hi Richard, I am not much into quadcopters, but it should have AV Output, as it has HDMI Out. All features are absolutely the same as in SJ4000. To be sure, maybe you can ask either seller or someone on RCForums.
I’m new to a camera such as this.
I could not figure out what these dozen or so attachments
are for. In fact I could not even determine how to open the case.
And there are no real instructions. Only a few poor quality photos.
I have the 4000.
Do you know where a beginner can get some detailed instructions.?
Thanks
Joyce
Hi Joyce,
You can check SJ4000 WiFi video review I made, its a 30min video and if that does not get you a good start, I do not know what will.
Hope that helps.
Hi Pavle,
Thanks for the review…wished I’d seen it before I bought the camera now as I had a sinking feeling the more I watched! Anyway, I’ll persevere with it a bit longer but would like to ask a few basic questions…I have just upgraded to the latest 2.5v Gyro firmware.
Can you recommend the best type of sd card for this camera?
When taking video, I’m getting a lot of juddering on playback…not stabilisation but it’s just jerky, not smooth. I’ve watched you’re SJC4000 footage which is way better. Could you let me know the optimum settings to get judder free video? Or could it just be that I’m not using a class 10 card.
I find the wifi and app all work well on my Cubot X6. Photos are rather blurry as you described though…any fix for that?
Thanks for all your hard work and if I send it back, I’ll check out the others that you mention as alternatives.
Thanks Bob
Hi Bob,
Well it seams you bought Gyro version which has stabilization, so at least your videos will not be as shaky as mine was.
There is no particular model of sdcard, but I can recommend MicroSD class 10 from reputable brands such as Samsung, Sony, Transcendent or similar, just avoid brands you never heard of.
Your problem seams like a memory card problem indeed. Unfortunately the sensor is only 4mp, and it is impossible to get better photos. For smoothest possible video, try more frames per second (FPS), either you have a bad memory card or you have set lower FPS such as 30fps, but there should not be any juddering with fps though. I am 99% sure you need a faster memory card.
Let me know if I can help somehow more.
Will this camera record video in 1080p at 60fps with true 60 frames or is it only 30fps with double frames ? like the Sjcam sj4000 wifi that will record 720p at 60fps but every 2 frames are the same
Hi Phil, its true 60fps.
good to know, thanks
Hi Pavle ,
I very appreciate your working (i mean this blog, especially this post ) . It is very very helpful for me who is a new beginer in action camera and dont have a lots of money .
Personally i want an action camera which is cheap and can record 60fps ( for my favorite slow motion effect ) . Then i saw your suggest Xiaomi Yi and Blackview . They are suitable for me exactly .
Thank you very much . Good luck .
Thanks a lot Soi for your kind comment and I hope you will choose the best camera for your needs.
Hey, great reviews, i have just bought Sj4000+ from gearbest (for astonishing90$), it is probably non-gyro version, so i would just like to know if there is settings, date/time reset when i replace the battery ? There is no information about it in your reviews and i think that just sucks if you have to change all the settings back when you replace the battery or juice runs out.
And another thing, how much space does recording in 1080p 60fps vs 30fps take on memory card ?
thanks and keep up the good work!
I do not pay attention to those kind of stuffs, as I always keep date and time off.
As for 1080p, I added links to video samples so you can check out how much space 1080p 60fps takes.
Best review ever
Thanks for a good review.
I think I will instead focus on the Sony hdr-az1 or sony hdr-as200v. Bad thing with the az1 is that you need the remote to get GPS. te 200v has built in GPS. And where i live its priced at around same prices 200 dollar.
HI, thanks for the review. I just saw your post after purchasing the sJ4000 +2k cam. So it explains why the picture quality is that bad when I zoom in because of the hardware? for all the pictures too, its blurred when zoom. Haiz that sucks
It’s digital zoom not optical, so obviously that’s what happens, if you need a zoom camera, you should have gotten DSLR or something, not a fixed-focus action camera.
How could I remkve the fog inside my sjcam4000 lens?