Imitation GoPro Cameras from China. Any Good?

[JamesBon92007]

Great! Thanks! Where is Green Bridge?

The video was nice and smooth I managed to find a side-by-side comparison of the Hero 4 and the SJ5000X and in many of the scenes the SJ Cam looked better--equal image quality but better color saturation and exposure on the SJ.

 

[CT-Rich]

Green Bridge is in Newport, RI. I did use a image stabilization that came with my video editor. the Gopro House software doesn't offer that, not sure why not. For the price difference and for what I am interested in doing with the u/w camera, the SJcams are pretty good.

 

[diver0008]

I just returned from Bonaire using a new action camera, the Activeon CX gold. Very nice. A week of diving to 100+ feet and not a drop of moisture in the casing. Unlike the SJCam SJ4000 which was leaking and fogging constantly. It would also shut off by itself at depths. The camera and case were very cheaply made. It's in a garbage dump somewhere now. The Activeon has a far superior build quality, very nice video and image quality, and is easy use with just two buttons and a logical menu structure.

 

[diver0008]

Activeon CX Gold:

 

[JamesBon92007]

Great! About what depth was this shot at? Obviously you used a red filter too. Any particular filter #?

I'm just waiting for cheap air fare and I'm going to Bonaire! Any suggestions on lodging, restaurants, etc?

 

[diver0008]

Great! About what depth was this shot at? Obviously you used a red filter too. Any particular filter #?

I'm just waiting for cheap air fare and I'm going to Bonaire! Any suggestions on lodging, restaurants, etc?

Shot at approx 35-45 ft at Karpata if memory serves.

Red filter was a DIY job using a piece of reddish gel used for lighting purposes cut round and inserted inside the case in front of the lens.

Also used a Sealife Sea Dragon 1200 light with a DIY diffuser.

There are many options for lodging. I am sure you can find many threads here about that. Depends on what you like in accomodations and how much you want to spend. I stay at the Dive Hut. Very affordable and suits my modest and chill needs fine. I buy an unlimited air/nitrox package from WannaDive, and rent a truck from AB Car Rental. I buy groceries, and snack on fruit, nuts, and chocolate steadily throughout the day. For dinner I track down the Kite City food truck. Nothing beats it. Other than that, there are lots of Chinese restaurants, and the Pasa Don pizzeria, which I like.

Note that if you fly through Curacao, that airport can be a nightmare on certain days and certain times. If a KLM 747 to or from Europe has it's wheels on the ground when your plane does, expect 3+ hours to do a transfer. Time your flights accordingly.

 

[JamesBon92007]

We seem to be of like minds as far as dive trips go. Is the Kite City food truck something like what we, in Southern California, might call a roach coach? The reasons I asked about restaurants is because I've read so many mixed reviews.

Thanks for the tip about he Curacao airport. The flight my girlfriend found had one stop at an airport that we had not yet identified. It might have been Curacao. This reminds me of my flight on MAYAir to Cozumel from Cancun. One airliner after another kept landing so we had to wait. Finally the pilot saw his chance, took off, and quickly banked to the right We made it!

I have a red filter for a 35mm SLR and was contemplating rigging that onto a video camera. I also made a DIY diffuser but it needs a little more work--still too focused.

We'll probably go for lower-priced lodging. If we spend less on a trip we can take more trips

 

[Montreal Manta]

Found a fix for the shutoff problem at depth. I just stuck a portion of the backing sheet of one of those little silicone "feet" that you stick to your furniture bottom to keep them from moving around. This way I had a self adhesive silicone washer/spacer. I used one from the 7/16" diameter feet.

Sent from my Underwood typewriter

Hello, I would appreciate your help in this matter. Here are my questions:
How thick is the backing sheet you used?
Please clarify where did you stick this backing sheet: just beneath the power button?
Thank you & best regards

 

[Pao]

Hello, I would appreciate your help in this matter. Here are my questions:
How thick is the backing sheet you used?
Please clarify where did you stick this backing sheet: just beneath the power button?
Thank you & best regards

Around 2 mm. I stuck it in the housing. I'm out diving till tomorrow. I'll get a caliper and measure it for you later tomorrow.

 

[Pao]

Measured it. Thickness is just 1mm while the hole is 11.85 mm. I stuck it inside the housing centered on/around the hole for the power button. Any 1 mm thick sheet of material will do as long as it clears the "hole" for the power button prong. I used this because I had it, it had the right hole size and has adhesive on it already.