SJCAM SJ7 Star Action Camera Review

Things certainly have changed over the past few years in the action camera market. A few years back there was GoPro and everything else was simply inferior. Sure you could get cheap GoPro knockoffs, but what you saved in money, you lost in quality and durability.

Flash forward to 2017 and it is a whole new ballgame. Companies like SJCAM have been biting at the heels of GoPro, making high-quality action cameras at very reasonable prices. Now the SJ7 Star from SJCAM claims to deliver native 4K, 30FPS resolution at under $200. do we have a true GoPro killer?

Please watch our full video review of the SJ7 Star to see how it performed.

The SJ7 Star - A Whole Lot of Camera for Under $200

As the video shows, the SJ7 Star has a very impressive feature set with equally impressive image quality. This camera is comparable to the GoPro Hero 5 Black, which sells for $399, just about double the price of the SJ7 Star.

Here are some of the key features of the SJ7 Star from SJCAM -

Chipset: Ambarella A12S75, 1/2.” CMOS 12.40 MP (Sony IMX117)

LCD Display 2 inch TFT LCD , Touch Screen

Exposure Compensation;White Balance;Remote Control WiFi and 2.4G Hz Remote

Single Image up to 12M

FHD 1080P 4K: 3840×2160 16:9 30fps (Native 4K) 4K: 3840×2160 16:9 25fps SuperView 2160P: 2880×2160 4:3 30fps 2.7K: 2704×2028 4:3 30fps 2.7K: 2704×1520 16:9 30fps SuperView 2.7K: 2704×1520 16:9 30fps 2.5K: 2560×1440 16:9 60/30 fps 1440P: 1920×1440 4:3 60/30 fps 1080P: 1920×1080 16:9 60/30 fps SuperView 1080P: 1920×1080 16:9 120/60/30 fps 960P: 1280×1080 4:3 120/60/30 fps 720P: 1280×720 16:9 120/30 fps SuperView 720P: 1280×720 16:9 200/120/60/30 fps

EIS Support 1080P 60/30 fps Only

Audio;External Mic and Speaker (Mono) Equipped

Video : H.264 BP/MP/HP Level 5.1 and MJPEG codecs

EIS - Gyro Stabilization

HDMI: Support 1920X1080P60 output With CEC

Time Lapse Function;Self Timer;Continuous Shooting;Auto Shooting;Motion Detection;Loop Record;Sharpness;White Balance

Power Source:1000mAh Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery

Why Use An Action Camera in The Age of Smartphones?

Today, many of us walk around with extremely powerful computers in our pocket…I am of course talking about smartphones. In addition to the processing power of modern smartphones, they also have sophisticated cameras with 12MP and higher lenses.

Numerous experts have predicted the demise of action cameras due to the increase in power and resolution of smartphones, but we beg to differ.

Action cameras like the SJ7 Star can be dropped into a pool, knocked off a table, strapped to a drone and blasted off a table with a Nerf dart. These are all things you would not dream of doing with a $700 smartphone.

Yes, action cameras like the SJ7 Star have more features than the camera on our smartphone, but it is the difference in form factor and durability that explains why action cameras continue to thrive in an age of smartphones.

All of that being said, if the majority of your photography and videography does not involve action, you might do as well to stick with the camera on your phone and have one less gadget to carry in your bag.

Use The SJCAM App To Get The Most Out of The SJ7 Star

You technically can access all the functions and features of the SJ7 Star by using the touch screen on the back of the camera. In practice, it can be a little tiring to swipe through endless menus to get to the setting you need to change. In addition, some of the cases have a hard back, making the touch screen inaccessible.

For the best experience with the SJ7 Star we highly recommend you download and install the SJCAM app on your iOS or Android phone. The app makes it very easy to change settings and also provides a preview of what the camera is pointing at, great for remote shots.

Should GoPro Be Worried?

Simply put, yes. Is the Hero 5 Black a better camera? Yes...but not by much. The Hero 5 has a LCD screen in front, voice control, better navigation and a more established track record in terms of durability and repairs. There are also endless accessories to go with the GoPro line.

All that being said, the SJ7 Star is not just $20 or $50 cheaper than the Hero 5 Black - it is half the price. People who want the top of the line will still go with GoPro, but if you are looking for a great deal on a very impressive native 4K action camera, the SJ7 Star is the camera you want.

More Information:

Visit SJCAM to Learn More About the SJ7 Star Action Camera

Watch Our Full Video Review on the SJCAM SJ7 Star