A quick update on the progress: The "power issue" is fixed with firmwares above 1.2.3 and I am no longer experiencing it. As for the rest - freezes and some of the other not too well working options - I will need some more time to test. But so far indications are positive!
Just noticed your comment on the Worth it on not channel about it :-) I used 1.2.3 for a while and it was working alright. Not perfect, but not as bad as 1.20. Guess filters are what we may have to use to eventually improve picture quality... During golden hour and the light at that time the quality is very good.
I bought my SJ8 pro a few weeks ago for 150$ with firmware 1.2.9. It works absolutely fine. No freezing. Meanwhile they even included the "power on record" mode. My point is: don`t by new tech items too soon. Let them get rid of the bugs and errors first and you will also save a few bucks...
Very, very good point!!! The same could happen with every single vendor - we've seen it with DJI, GoPro, Apple, Samsung and so many others. Glad it is all fine. Good to know about the power on record feature - that used to be part of the "Plus" firmware too. Enjoy using it a lot! :-)
@Panagiotis Pagakis Yes, with that camera you can make pretty good photos and pretty good videos if you don't get one with the issues discussed above (looks like only the first batches are affected, but nobody from SJCAM took the time to confirm or deny it). It is one of the few meaningful competitors of the Hero 6/7.
Hey bro I am planning to buy one for motovlogging purpose. For that i need to confirm how audio quality in with external mic (from sjcam). Can you tell me how's your experience with external mic audio quality?
@@virsoni7756 Didn't have the chance to try the external mic. It should be alright. And it is your only choice anyways :-) The one on Firefly 8SE works fine too. If you are alright spending some more money on good audio - get Zoom H1 + Aputure A.Lav mic - both will cost you around 150USD and are the best budget option for recording audio on the go.
Update: although the camera still freezes on occasions it’s still a good camera because it takes great videos with stabilization at 4K 30 along with distortion correction hand held. I use the camera most often along with the SJCAM SJ7 Star and GoPro Hero5 and Hero6 Black. GoPro has their freezing issues as well.
I have now switched to the GoPro Hero 7 Black....My SJCAM SJ8 Pro broke within a couple of months of using it (shut off and wouldn't turn on at all). SJCAM told me to contact the seller which I did who offered to send me a new one...it never arrived. They supposedly sent a second (from Malaysia again) it never arrived again. Then the seller said they would refund me...never happened despite repeated promises. I contacted SJCAM to tell them I wanted to get a replacement and sent them video of the malfunction (like I did to the seller). They erased my help ticket like it never existed...I haven't heard back from them...I'm done with SJCAM...which is sad because I like the SJ7 STAR for cockpit audio when I fly. The only problem I've had with the two SJ7 STAR cameras is that the micro usb port has broken off in both cameras (I superglued a micro usb to usb cable on the second one before it totally broke off so I could keep using it in the plane while charging it at the same time with a USB power supply). The first SJ7 would not record sound after the micro usb port broke (while using the plug in official SJCAM microphone. The GoPro Hero 7 surpasses everything...that's all I'm saying..the only problem is that it's never going to be as cheap as SJCAM. I did all of my video reviewing with the SJ7 and SJ8 but they will be retired soon with GoPro cameras. The hypersmooth technology is what sold me and it is great. I do not have room in the plane to have a gyro. UPDATE: The second help desk ticket was taken down without answer as well...DO NOT BUY SJCAM....or should we leave the J silent and call it SCAM?
Hey Eric - first of all - thank you for the comment and the story you've shared. Also - reading all that - it is quite unfortunately that it doesn't come as a surprise :( It is so sad that a company that offers rather good product has such a disasterous support and attitude towards customers. This review and the comments below it seem to be a "hall of shame" - with so many of us sharing similar experience. It happens with the new SJ9 - which was promised to be shipped on 15th of June :-) WOuld you tell us the name of the store/seller you bough it from? Could help others to avoid this hassle. Also - did you pay via paypal? because paypal gives you 6-months protection. If you are still in that timewindow - it is worth trying.
The GoPro 8 also freeze on occasion. SJ8 Pro as of 2020 working nearly almost perfectly, a 4k 60fps. The price only 150$ or less on Aliexpress. I don't recommend SJ9 strike though due to compatibility.
Think before buy this camera because there are 4 big issue: 1) power on/off issue, for some reason often when you try to power on the camera it doesn't work, you must remove the battery, wait a while and put in again and will work. 2) RAW picture file are impossible to open in a correct way, before you open with Photoshop or any other software, you must convert the file with a specific software from Sjcam, after conversion from RAW to DNG, you will be able to open the file but with strange colours, in my case with a dominant red shade, impossible to use. 3) Sometimes and randomly the camera freezes, to work again you must remove the battery, there is no way to torn off and on with the power button. 4) The Sjcam support it's unprofessional, they answer to your assistance tickets only if they know the solution if they do not know the solution they will never answer and If you try to open a new ticket, they close your account, as happened to me.
Feels like I am reading a summary for my camera. It is a relief to see so many other people sharing the same experience. Such a pity it costs that much!
Yes, I bought on Ebay for 230 dollars and I quickly noticed several issues. Power Issue, Raw File Issue, overheating in 4K recording, freezing after a 5 minutes recording in 4K . I think the Sjcam Team are still confused about how to fix this action camera issues, I also tried to open a support ticket on the Sjcam web site and after very long time they replied and they was not able to fix my problems, I tried to open another time a ticket and they closed my account. Keep me update if you are able to solve any of your problems and also if you are able to open and manage the RAW file taken with your Sj8 Pro. Thank you.
I did already, was the first step that I did when I noticed the issue, stillw ith the same problem, and also the RAW file have issues, you can convert with the Sjcam software convert, but come out with a red shade dominant.
I have an old SJCam, still working perfectly. I bought an SJCam Legend a couple of years ago, nothing but problems. Maybe todays quality control is not what it should be at SJCam.. Good honest review, keep them coming.
Just got an sj8k, the manual mentions crashing how comforting, my GoPro hero silver 3+ kills it easily, I have a 6 year old sj4000 that’s takes better video. Guess I’ll return it I was an SJCAM fan but this ruins that I’ll stick with my $65 go pro
Yes the SJ8 PRO is an excellent camera. Had it for several months now. Works perfectly never had any of the issues you're talking about. Never did any FW updates and never will from Chinese companies. Did one from Thieye and my computer is messed up. You need another one having the issues you had. The proprietary ext mic is BS tho.
Thank you. I ordered one today. Didn't watch any reviews, only red some. I used to have an SJCam M10+ that died after a lot of use/abuse. Now I have a very bad sjcam 5000 clone. So I needed a better camera. I hope I will not have any of those problems. You gave me some hope after being totally bumbed. I need it for my UA-cam channel to be able to interview people inside. I hope it'll do the job well. Greetings, NicoD
@@josetomasjustiniano1044 I have never had any issues with this camera. I'm quite happy with it. Films a lot better than my previous cameras. Only the sound isn't good, but I use microphones for that. Here a video I recorded with it. Sound is with a microphone... I hope it will last me long. ua-cam.com/video/80TYh_OPWvU/v-deo.html
Hi I would like to purchase an action camera mainly for my dancing choreography video recording (and maybe sometimes for my sister's diving recording when she travels). I am thinking SJCAM SJ8 Pro or Akaso V50 Pro SE....... Which camera do you recommend that is most suitable for me? thanks.
I 've had git2, original xiaomi Yi ,sj7, and now Yi 4k +.It pleases me most: You can select "max" in SD card menu and your file will be continuous and not divided into 4GB files or 2GB like my sj7!
Had my first outing with the cam yesterday. Left it in 1920x1080/30fps by mistake. Getting used to the start/stop buttons. (Have to turn on screen, then the 2nd push does the start/stop). (Have lights turned off, so harder to tell when not paying attention). It looks like we are limited to 20 minute max length files? The digital zoom is very good from initial tests. 3-4x is still sharp. I did better with the mounts today on my bike(nothing came undone), so should have a good video to review later.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience :-) Perhaps the file length is related to the file system of the sdcard - fat32 supports 4GB files max, therefore once the maximum file size is reached, it starts a new one. Interesting about the zoom feature :) Theoretically it may work quite fine with 1080p, because it may use the remaining sensor pixels in reserve. Good catch!
I did format card in camera (64gb) and verified it is exFAT. The file options I see available are something like 1/5/10/15/20 minutes. Maybe I have another option set that is conflicting. (But when the memory card was full, it stopped recording). My handle bars get a little too much vibration (the mounts were locked down) - but the non vibration spots were good. 4k/60fps was 100Mbit/s. Sony fdr x3000 xavc-s does 4k/30fps at 100Mbit/s. I might use SJCAM S8 Pro more as a dash cam.
There are still some errors in the menu words, but at least the camera is no longer blocked. It's getting much better! Once again, thank you Laminar16!
purchased my sj8pro back in May 2018 along with the original gimbal. Used it for filming my wedding and very happy apart from distortion with loud music. Recently purchased the gimbal 2 thinking it would be the natural upgrade. At first did not work except for turning camera on, found the cable was the problem. Used my old cable and started the gimbal but not the cam. Ended up doing a firmware upgrade (1.29) and all was working. Started doing some filming and to my horror found that all my footage was corrupt.. it staggered when you tried to view. Also the sound did the same. after several emails to sjcam i was asked to do the upgrade via the USB method, which takes you back to version 1.24. Still the same problems. Several emails from me and NO RESPONSE from sjcam. I am left with a paperweight. checking the forums made it even worse for me due to the problems people are having. Would I recommend this cam....NO. poor response and service from SJCam.
Hi Bruno... What can I say ... Classic SJCAM behavior. They have a separate team to work on marketing, and a separate one to work on support... Your best shot is to get some help from either their forums, or places like dashcamtalk.com / goprawn.com. It is very disappointing to read this lines. May I have a look at a short sample of the footage?
However, SJ8 PRO Firmware ver 1.2.5 and SJ8 PRO Firmware ver 1.2.6 have already been released, but have been removed from the SJCAM Official Support website.
I have just bought an SJ8 Pro (April 2019) after reading all the rave reviews. Importantly because I live in Australia I was looking for a 50/25fps 50hz camera which this one is. My issues are as follows: 1. Skies are too vivid in their blue color. Way too over-cooked. 2. Digital zoom not there. 3. Raw feature doesn't work. 4. Constant freezing. 5. Wi-Fi keeps switching on when pressing the shutter release. I'm on version 1.2.8 and have yet to upgrade to 1.3.0 To say I'm dissatisfied is an understatement.
@@TechMishka I upgraded the software to the latest version 1.3.0 and behold, it has given me digital zoom, significantly improved the color of stills and video, and so far seems much more stable. I've just upgraded so will monitor over the next few days. But so far it seems to have totally transformed it from terrible to much better. One thing I still can't get are RAW images that are useable, and IQ is not as good as my Osmo Pocket, despite both being 12MP sensors.
The adapter is a standard type-C to 3.5mm jack, and does not work with the SJ8. You have to either make your own customized adapter, or buy the SJcam proprietary microphone. Or use a standard mic with an external recorder.
Yeah mine is still having freezing problems even when I first just start up the camera and I am using version 1.2.9. I rather preferred YI 4K plus, and even the YI 4K.
I guess we both have of the early batches. Well - after I lost my first one, the second is a top-device. Such a pity SJCAM are so careless about the affected users. Did you by the way try getting in touch with their support?
Thanks for the review tech4all. Did You try to load the newest firmware update v1.2.2 ?? As I'd mentioned earlier in another comment, most of Your problems are most likely due to a very early version of the firmware, however, I've already passed Your video to our R&D department and they will take another look at it. If You have any other questions You may always contact us through website support or on Facebook.
Thanks SJCAM for commenting here! I have already contacted your support department (Case30454) and I was told a future update should fix it. Where can we get the 1.2.2 from?
Glad to see your unit is problem free! I got a second unit of the Pro and it was problem free (check ua-cam.com/video/PpUihpH-NEA/v-deo.html). Looks like the initial batches were more problematic.
@@clashwithmi2681 for my opinion the sound is good the only problem with it the sound quality that its made is to crispy but for motovlogging I think its good
The SJ8 Plus testing is on my to-do list. I'd go for a camera with 4k stabilization. Guess I should say the SJ8 Pro. But ... well.. :D Have you considered other brands?
I do not understand why your camera has such a low bitrate in 4K. Only 40mbps? My camera does more than 60mbps at 4K@30fps, but I use quality mode in 'fine' , would that be the reason?
Fine is selected here too. Perhaps it has to do with the firmware. Which is the one that you have? Most of the footage was recorded with 1.20, because there was no newer firmware at that time. Guess things will get better in time.
I tend to agree with you (with one exception) - and am very happy to see that's the case. 1.2.3 is really better. 1.2.4 was bad, so I had to downgrade. My point of disagreement is the optics and that's nothing they can fix via firmware - it is just low-grade (you can see all these pink artifacts). But - yeah - maybe in a few months from now the camera qualities will improve.
So what are your thoughs after a few firmware updates? I've seen drone footage - does this camera have av out? In one comment you've wrote its 120fps is fake. What do you mean? This camera is really interesting and it would be a pity
Hi AllTheFlyingThings , thank you for your awesome questions. Unfortunately most of my responses won't make you happy. Couple of days ago I was reading the review on Pevly.com and it is mentioned that the 120fps is faked - frames are doubled. Checked and confirmed. Here is a sample video recorded with 1.20 firmware.- www.dropbox.com/s/hjavnomachnerlz/20180607043154_0009.MP4?dl=0 For every camera review I make, I get and use the camera for at least a week or two - that's the only way to figure out about issues. And these were two very troubled weeks this time :-) On top of that - there were numerous attempts from my side to get in touch with support and to get help. Overall - if you haven't bought the camera from SJCAM.com they don't care. There also is a small company based in Europe that is hired to do their marketing, and it also has done some weird things. At some point I have to stop digging, because the more I dig, the greater my disappointment becomes. In fact the drone footage here is with post-production - the original was looking horrible, and I have fixed a bit the exposure and the white balance just to have more details in the footage (the rest of the cam footage is raw). Still - the camera is indeed interesting. There were lots of promises and the expectations were high. And we all know what happens when expectations are high :-) Right now the only really working firmware for me is 1.2.3 and the power issue is gone there. With 1.2.4 I've had it twice and downgraded. The quality of the footage is not great (yet! might get better with updates, but the lens is unfortunately of low quality with purple reflections)... It is good, but even last year's hardware (FireFly 8SE) performs better on 1080p. Sure - the SJ8 is great on 4K with EIS. In fact the EIS is almost as good as GoPro Hero 6, which is the BEST EIS you can find. If I were you - and there is no need to hurry, I'd wait to see what's going to happen with the next updates. I have the promise to release a new video once/if the SJ8 gets better
tech4all Thanks for such long answer. I played this video frame by frame in VLC and for me the frames are not doubled. I don't know what to buy now. There's also yi 4k/4k+ but both are more expensive and I don't know where to buy them
tech4all Quality of the footage, I think is not bad. It's flat color profile and you can color grade it in editing software to your preference. Actually I like this colors. What other camera would you advice? I mean less then 200usd
In fact the flat color mode of the SJ8 Pro is not that flat... Feels like standard and doesn't give too many options for post. Right now there are plenty of good actioncams below 200 Yi4K and + are awesome. Firefly 8se is awesome. Rexso Explorer K, Xiaomi Mijia 4K. Also the Yi Lite is awesome. I can certainly recommend and most of the Akaso v40 based actioncams - thieye E7 and Akaso v50 pro. What resolution do you plan to use the most?
@@TechMishka thanks.for a price of 150-200 euros do you have a recommendation?i found this one 120 euros + batteries etc. 163 euros.is it worth it?does the zoom do a nice job?thank you,alex.
Hello Boss I am using this device but problem is when I make video after 3 minutes, it start newly time for make video and it happen every 3 minutes. Pls advice
Boss... sounds cool! 🤣 Most likely you have changed the setting in the camera to limit the video recording duration to three minutes - check the camera settings.
Thanks for sharing, my SJ8pro didn't have the power on issue after twice on-off operations, yet it can get freezed when shooting 1080@120fps, and I'm looking for nice bue cheap cameras for the "bullet time" shooting, I'm not sure if SJ8 can do the job
I was having major issues with the camera not turning on, freezing and failing to record.... Oh and the whole unit was over heating! I was going to send it back until i saw something about making sure you use a compatible memory card. So many things were wrong with the unit i didn't think that this would change anything but i thought i would try one final roll of the dice. So i swapped the memory card for the branded card that i had in my mobile phone... Voila! The camera worked perfectly and no more issues at all. The other memory card worked perfectly in my phone, so this wasn't faulty, just not supported to this camera i suppose. I find this camera an excellent cheaper alternative to the Gopro. Get your settings right and the video quality is brilliant, both above and under water. With the app control everything from your phone and see what your camera does straight on your phone, easy battery swaps so that you don't have to stop recording, it's a great camera. The latest Gopro top of the range model didn't have exchangeable batteries, the model below that does the silver but losses features and quality. This camera has a great balance of it all.
Thanks Chris, very good summary! Two short comments from my side - the power issues described in the review are not related to the sdcard. Of course, choosing the right one has major importance, but cannot fix a hardware defect. Also, the GoPro hero 7 Black has interchangeable batteries. The silver and white have them embedded.
My bad, you’re correct about the batteries. I remember the confusion as it was a few months ago came from the retailer didn’t have a clue what he was on about when I was comparing cameras. When I said what’s the best hero 7 details he gave me the silvers instead of the blacks info, and it stuck. I had forgotten that until you reminded me! No doubt overall the Hero 7 Black is better but here in the uk the Black is £380, the silver is £270, yet the sjcam sj8 pro was £250. For me the hero 7 silver was a no as I need spare batteries the the Black was over 50% more expensive... For that much more i would expect the footage to be a landslide victory, but it wasn’t vastly superior in my opinion. So once I had the Sjcam pro with the correct memory up and running I love it. I think for its price it’s way better than others in the same sort of price bracket. Not just paying for the brand name. Only thing that annoyes me still is when you’re underwater the app to see what’s on the screen of your phone loses signal. To be expected I suppose, but it would have been very handy for me to see what I’m filming underwater from land or boat as I am currently recording some training swimming videos for my girlfriend who runs a swim school. Would save so much time not having to get in and out with her, but I hear none of these types of apps still work underwater so it is what it is.
@@lynchio6719 yeah, I well understand what you mean. This is one of the main reasons to start the channel - to show that there are a lot of more affordable devices which can do a great job. While I am not an SJCAM fan, the pro-version is undeniably good, if you happen to get a "healthy" one. By the way - next time you may try checking tomtop.com - the SJ8 pro used to be less than 170$ at some point.
Me too, Paul! I heard the news a few weeks ago, and as always - I am with mixed feelings about SJCAM. Knowing their history of releasing under-cooked devices - likely it will be better to wait until there are at least a few firmware revisions.
Hi, great review thanks, I recently purchased the SJCAM SJ8 PRO camera plus the SJCAM Gimbal 2, great kit except cannot get the app - SJCAM Zone to connect to the gimbal at all plus trying to connect the camera is a nightmare. Does anyone know if there is a solution to this or if there is any other app that will control the gimbal? TIA for any input.
The initial unit I've had was never well. However I lost it. Now I have a new unit, which is stable. Looks like some units freeze, some don't. If you happen to get a well working one, it is really great. But SJCAM's support and communication is quite terrible.
@@TechMishka Does it depend on the date of its assembly? So the older assembled ones have got the issue and the newer ones does not? When was your properly working one assembled?
@@besteusquad7845 I honestly do not know... Perhaps it does - I have seen less complaints from units of 2019... My last SJ8 Pro is from August 2018 and works fine. Perhaps only SJCAM know...
Can you take pics whilst filming video? Is the second light on the front a flash? Good video. Your not the 1st to say it freezes however! Not very good in sunlight then? Is yi 4k plus better? Kind regards.
Didn't find a feature to take photos while recording video. THe second light is not a flash. There's only one actioncamera with something like flash, but it was cheap and poor in terms of performance. Frezes seem to be gone with 1.2.3 firmware, which is however not official. 1.2.4 brings the power issue back on mine, so I reverted back to the older one. And I believe the 4K Plus is way better. Just as heads up - on 08.08 there will be 30% discount of the camera and you can get it for 200USD or a bit less. Which is considerably better compared to the 289 initial price. Perhaps they will lower it permanently at some point.
tech4all thank you very much. I am in the UK. Hopefully we will see the discount also. On Amazon I presume? I am in the market for an action camera now. Im very exited to get one! Is a Yi 4K Pro just around the corner? Edited to Yi
tech4all sorry for delayed reply. It meant to say is their a Yi 4k pro around the corner? They are dropping the price because of it/ to compete with this perhaps? Please may you clarify: the 5 minute 4k 60 limit, does it seamlessly start the next video for you? Can you really only take 5 minute clips? Also the USB C issue with non genuine cable: do you mean the genuine microphone or do they sell a USB C to 3.5mm jack that will work with a sure or rode external for example? I can't find this official SJCAM cable anywhere if so. Watched your video again, I still like the loom of this camera.
Here it is: sjcam.com/product/sjcam-external-microphone-for-sj8/ - not a conversion kit . Maybe you can have a DIY based on that :-) Honestly, I am not sure about the Yi 4k Pro model coming. If that is so - it will be delightful to see them side by side :) Perhaps the price is dropping because of the many new models appearing (including the SJ8 series) and the possible release of the next GoPro. Yesterday I was filming for a new drone review and used the SJ8 Pro - in fact it was the first time I actually liked the footage. Maybe the 1.2.3 firmware performance is not that bad. No crashes, no complications. First time I actually enjoyed working with it :-)
If you are happy to get the Yi 4K/4K plus - they are good. The SJ8 Pro should also be fine with its newer revisions - check the SJ8 Pro vs plus comparison on the channel.
Hi, I watched your reviews and have decided to buy Firefly 8se. I am in US for a week, where can I buy this? Gearbest probably won't be able to deliver it in due time and it's really expensive on Amazon.
I got same camera sj8 pro. I film 4k or 1080 ,when i load to pc through vlc player video is awfull quality.imposible to watch. Shows as mp4 format. How to solve this? Video is good only whe i watch thtough camera screen
Sounds like you have an issue with your codec, or your PC is having older type of CPU, which doesn't have the needed set of decoders for proper playback. Try the following: - update VLC player - if that doesn't help - try with POT player - if that doesn't help - try on another PC
At 9:34 what is the c-type to jack cable name? Is your SJ8 Pro working with that cable? I bought one on Ali but my one not working with an external mic, but I really wish to get a compatible one. Thanks!
This cable connector doesn't work, quite unfortunately. There is a video in youtube about making a custom one, but not sure if it is worth the hassle. The SJCAM works only with proprietary cable. You may use an alternative - connect a microphone to your smartphone and then synchronize the audio - the outcome may be better.
@@TechMishka Thanks for the prompt response, it is really helps for me! I have subscribed to your channel now. :) I will try to build a custom adapter for this situation, will see how it goes, if not working probably I will buy the Xiaomi microphone.
I did not know SJ8 Pro is too old and they still review this awesome action camera right now (2020) I can’t decide to go with SJ8 Pro or SJ10 Pro. Thank you for review
Sure! The setup I used is perhaps the cheapest you can get - Bayangtoys x16 is the drone, and I use a gimbal - Walkera G2D Plastic Edition. It is important to say that the drone vibrations are something that usually is visible on the footage if it is recorded by a camera with not too great stabilization. The SJ8 Pro was handling this a bit better (6-axis vs 3-axis EIS). The best one was the GoPro hero 6 in that sense. if you use a camera without EIS, the footage will be rather shaky.
Sj official on dashcamtalk.com said they would correct all deficiencies before release, but like my sj7 which also freezes on 1080p120fps, they chose a cheap chip for the sj8 which can't carry the load! And what happened to voice and GPS?
Wow, you are the next person that reports the 120fps issues on the SJ7. If you have the SJ7 - is it the first batch with the microphone on the side, or not? I have never had issues with the 120fps so far. Knock on wood :D Got a response from SJCAM support today and they promise to fix that with the next firmware update. Quite honestly I am very skeptical - in my opinion it is a hardware issue. But let's wait and see. Overall the firmware is undercooked - if you watch the review closely, you will notice some firmware menus starting with capital letters, while others - with small letters. And there are some obvious typos here and there. As for the Voice and GPS ... guess they didn't happen :D Excuse me for not putting these topic on the review - I somehow never use these features and completely forgot to mention.
Dear @tech4all ... The SJ8 release was indeed a bit too rushed, but please be assured that 1. We are the only Chinese manufacturer of action cam with an in-house team of firmware developers who release DAILY updates (we only release stable versions which are available on our website about every week, most feedback sent by users is taken into account). 2. All typos and language issues are already fixed and will be updated within the next few days. 3. Those problems in You video can also be fixed with FW update and are not related to hardware.
Hi there nice video, just wanted to ask, have you tried on the external mic from SJCAM? I plugged my one in and set the external mic to on. But dont think my audio is recording from the external mic at all...
Haven't tried the external mic... Easy test is to plug it in and gently tap on it - easiest way to make sure it is recording or not. Did you get the original one from SJCAM website? It is proprietary and 3rd party mics may not work..
I use Class 10 and U3 cars. With this cam tried Samsung 64GB U3, Sandisk Class 10, Santisk Extreme U3. Never had a freeze and even the older Class 10 cards worked fine.
Hi Manuela - the SJ8 Pro is superior in many ways. However, there is a number of units that simply freeze - so if you go for it, buy it from a reputable place where they respect return policies.
Well I got one works fine 1.2.3 firmware out of box, updated to 1.2.4 still fine. Bought a 2nd unit 1.2.4 out of the box so obviously newer manufacture date and it is terrible - constantly freezes and displays WiFi light when it crashes requiring to remove battery. Usually it takes 4 out 5 attempts to even turn the thing on without an instant freeze. They must be a very bad batch. Ps also had the asako v50 pro as you recently reviewed ... inferior in every way compared to a 'working' sj8 pro. (Except the speaker)
I would agree about the Akaso. And kind of expected for the price :-) If price is not a huge factor - many people praise the Yi 4k+ and the Sony FDR3000r
Man SJCAM will not like you now. As a reviewer I love your approach to truth. Manufacturers hate criticism, which is why so many other reviewers are singing songs, lol. All the best mate.
Guess it is a mutual feeling :D :D Well - if something is not great, then we can say it. In the last weeks, after 1.2.3 fixed the power issue (which to me is of essential importance!) I used it more often and it was fine. Still a lot of work to do! 1.2.5 was just released and Kevin was complaining of bad Gyro performance. And overexposed FHD. And I have offered them to test pre-release firmware many times. What they did in terms of marketing is good, however what they offer in terms of quality may be a serious challenge to their brand name. Thank you a lot for the encouraging comment! P.S. today there will be a new video where I say two more good things about it :D
Mate how I do reviews is basically to say what comes to my mind, in clean words. You want an example, well please refer to my review of the SJCAM SJ6 Air. The review is my true feelings there. And that was the review that pissed SJCAM off. I respect those who speak straight and true, despite being sponsored. Unfortunately there are many out there who would sugar coat their reviews just so that the manufacturer will continue to sponsor them. I shared my thoughts here with Tech4All knowing all too well how SJCAM likes to hear only good stuffs about them, but he spoke up, and cheers for that.
The sj7 star had the same freezing problems. I wonder too if that higher price tag is worth it. Have you had a chance to check out the new Hawkey Firefly 8SE?
You are the second person I hear today complaining of SJ7 freezes. I had them only twice, because of my SD card. But many people seem to be affected by a 120-fps freeze. As for the Firefly - they seem to still be polishing it. Prototypes are there since February - but I'd like to go for the final version. Hopefully soon.
Hello, i’m using my SJ7 for almost two months with no freezing issues or other problems... But when I received mine from Gearbest, was heating up that I cant hold it. They replaced it for a new unity, and it was perfect. Hope SJCAM can fix these issues that you show us in your review.
4 роки тому+1
Thanks for the review budddy! I was looking to buy it but now i'm thinking twice! It looking really good and i'm not the kind of person to use all its futures, i just need it to mount on my scooter helmet and record my driving around amsterdam! So can you tell me how's the stabilizer on it and the in microphone? Anyways great video and it's my pleasure to subscribe on your channel! Keep on uploading Tech4all!
Looks like legit original batteries at gearbest are $4.51... but I'm on the lookout for a battery charger? I'm not finding anything right now. :( Battery too big for my sj5000 battery charger.
Try this site: www.androgeek.es/es/buscar?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=sjcam+sj8&submit_search= or this: www.banggood.com/pt/SJCAM-SJ8-Dual-Slot-Battery-Charger-Travel-Charger-for-SJCAM-SJ8-Series-Action-Cameras-p-1295419.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN
I personally prefer power bank. The SJ8 Pro is well optimized about battery consumption and you can shoot for more than 90 minutes. And you can charge while shooting too.
Will try the update soon or later. The second SJ8 Pro I've tested was much more stable than the first batch. Hopefully the issues are limited to the initial few weeks of manufacturing.
Can't say there are too many improvements with 1.2.4. A little weird that there are no more updates for such a long time... I had two SJ8 Pro cameras - the first one - reviewed here - freezes with 1.2.4. The second one works fine and doesn't freeze. Guess some of the batches are affected.
Hi Ram - sure. It is on my to-do list, but I don't see any way to fit it in the episodes until the end of the month. I will do my best to review it as soon as possible though. Is there a particular feature you are interested at? Or just looking to get overall idea about the quality?
tech4all Thanks. Actually they released the SJ8 series just when I was about to buy the SJ7 STAR which got very positive reviews from many reviewers including you. The SJ8 Plus is identically priced and has similar specs. I'm a bit confused now. Which one would be the better choice?
@Tech4All I just sold my Firefly 8S to buy this SJ8 Pro because of the 4k EIS. Do you think that this is a good upgrade? Or should I go for the Yi4k+?? Keep up the great reviews 🤙
Freezing issues are caused by using wrong Micro-Sd cards to record in high resolution, to record in the high resolution must use a Micro-Sd card V30 which are designed to record high resolutions such as 4k, 2.7k, or FHD 120 FPS, An inferior Micro-Sd card will cause overheating of the processor and crash the system. Complaining about the mic and the USB type C connection is ridiculous, especially when Go Pro forces, people, to spend extra money for an adapter and external microphone, 100 dollars at least.
Hey Axel, thanks for sharing your opinion. I disagree - freezing issues are almost never because of the cards. Most cameras that struggle with speed have notification on a firmware level that is being displayed. For the record - same kind of cards I easily use with Hero 10, 4K 120FPS. The camera was just shitty. In fact - I had a later revision of that and it was working fine. And of course complaining about SJCAM's external mic is not ridiculous - if you want to beat GoPro, beat it in your own way.
Well, my experience with SJCam is the opposite of yours. I hate with a passion my GoPro and love my SJCam - 3 months and my GoPro rear screen no longer works. My SJCam one is smashed (i dropped it a few times) and yet the screen still works. I need an action camera that can handle action. That means working after a few knocks. As for the microphone thing. Well, isn't it the same with GoPro and you need an adapter. I find life is easier if you just use an external sound recording (ZoomH1) option.
Lucky you! :-) I have been using SJCAM products since the SJ4000. And have mixed feelings about that. GoPro has been the camera I have always stayed away from - I do not like the price/quality ratio. But... after I got the hero 6 for testing and comparing purposes, I suddently started to like it. The user experience is on another level and it changed my mind. Especially for someone like me that often needs a camera that can be placed on a weird angle/surface and get shooting with ok quality. And I am so sorry that you had yours failing in such a way. SJCAM are on my end quite the opposite - I've had troubles with the M20, the SJ5000 series, and the SJ8 Pro. SJ7 was in fact stable, but I do not like its navigation. Now there is a new firmware update for the PRO-model and I hope it fixes all the issues. We will see. Thanks a lot for your opinion! And I hope that SJCAM will bring us more and exciting cameras in the future.
With the sjcamsj8 pro the file size should be 4 gb with fat format and with Exfat unlimited. I formatted in Exfat but file size with video is limited to 20 minutes recording. As if loop mode is on,but it isn't.. So my file sizes ar 2.1 gb max!! Does anyone know how to solve this problem?? Or is this again another bug with this camera??
Didn't know that and thanks a lot of the note. Indeed - 4GB is the maximum that Fat 32 will allow. Perhaps the best place to ask this question is SJCAM's support. If you are lucky you may get some sort of response.
On my SJ8 Pro I had a lot of issues, including a build quality issue with the battery door, which I haven't shown here. However I lost it a few weeks ago and got a replacement which is still about to arrive. My hope is that it won't show any of these flaws. In the past two weeks I've been testing the SJ8 Plus and ... man - I like it a lot! Today I will publish the video (in 6 hours from now) and in my opinion it better justifies its pricetag. A few missing resolutuons and feature, but shows very good video quality. The SJ7 has outstanding build quality. Better than the SJ8 series. Navigation is however not that great. And it cinsiderably warmer. And has not 4K stabilization. With SJ8 the user experience is way better and it is getting close to GoPro in terms of easiness. Right now to me the SJ8 Plus is their best SJ8 model if we look at the price-performance ratio.
I just received my SJ8 Pro, with firmware 1.3.0, today and it came mute. No matter what action I have taken there is no sound from the videos. I tried the internal microphone and all the right buttons checked in the menus and nothing, no sound. I then tried an external mic after checking the appropriate buttons in the menus and likewise, nothing. I then tried playing the video files on my computer, still no sound. I mean not even a buzz or beep or hiss - nothing. And I am using a new 128gb Samsung EVO Select memory card formatted to exFAT, and of course not while in the waterproof case. Anyone have a resolution to my problem, short of tossing it?
The only suggestion I can give is to try recording with different codec - h.264/265. You can also try a reset - to see if that will bring something. If that doesn't help - perhaps there is something really wrong with it, and you better replace it.
@@TechMishka Well I made a tiny bit of progress after many attempts at various settings through the menu selections, mainly turning volume up to 10, maximum, from 8 - default. I still can not hear but a faint whisper from the speaker with my ear on the speaker grill but when loaded onto my PC, the sound is clear and loud. This denotes a bad speaker. Nohow is this ideal, but workable when one considers just how many duds, or problematic SCAM SJ8 Pros are in circulation. I fear any exchange will bring me an even more troublesome camera, so I'll stay with the beast I now know. As I am too heavily invested in accessories and the like that are SCAM SJ8 specific, I will not seek a refund, realizing to seek a refund from all the merchants that I used, would be very troublesome and probably not all successful with me eating some that won't refund. The mistake of buying through AliExpress over Amazon, and saving a few dollars, is clear and it is simply not worth the risk, shipping time delays, and ornery return policies. As to SCAM's support - it is nonexistent, other than an email which says, "Sound performance of loudspeaker is not that good due to limited camera size...Loudspeaker part is very small to cause weak sound performance." Duh, no schit! They then went silent and no response has occurred since.
@@counterpoint6718 Classic SJ-SCAM... That's how they do when things become not that convenient. Aliexpress have in fact a very good dispute system, sometimes better than ebay. One funny fact - there's a camera company - Firefly - and their 8SE model has no embedded speaker :D So - maybe SJCAM wanted the SJ8 Pro to be like the firefly cameras! :) Honestly, if there is sound from the PC when playing back - there is no reason to be upset.
@@TechMishka I don't fault AliExpress in the least, and yes, they do have a good and effective return mechanism. No, I fault SjCAM for being the scam that they are. The shipping time to replace the camera is also a contributing factor that entered the return process - close to two months! Since is was obvious that a return was not going to happen, I went to a hacker site (goprawn.com) and downloaded a fantastic modded firmware update (upgrade) that almost doubles the OEM bitrates, for a seriously improved picture quality. Whereas before I always thought there was a faint fogginess about the visual, now it is crystal clear! A striking performance upgrade that is very plain to see, and which makes the picture quality as good, or better, than the best of the GoPros. Nutsey, the hacker, is also known for finessing a Firefly camera's firmware, though I do not know the model. Apparently he hit a home run there as well. You might want to check him out, do a video on him. Oh yeah, he modded the SJ8 and he doesn't even own one or have one in possession. Not too shabby in my book. I like your videos, especially since you don't seem to be owned by any particular manufacturer and thusly, you can speak your mind. That makes you independent, a good place to be for a reviewer. I subbed.
@@counterpoint6718 Thank you Steven - for sharing all this information. I know Nutsey, and he is a very kind person, and he is doing that for a really long time, having good connections with many camera makers. Haven't tried the modded firmware, but will certainly try it, based on your advise :-)
Awesome review!,I DEFINITELY will be considering purchasing it. I'm curious as to what computer editing software you have to edit your cool videos? I'm trying to setup a bbq cooking/camping channel and need advice on a good program..cheers from TEXAS!
Woo, warmest regards to Texas. YOu have me as a subscriber even before the cooking lessons - I am a huge fan of Texas-bbq style 😎👍 I mostly use Panasonic G7 for the closeup scenes; All edited via Adobe Premiere Pro. I would suggest looking into DaVinci Resolve - many people say great things about it.
Yes Sir.... I have seen couple of videos about Sj8 Pro. they have Same problem. also the External mic catches More wind noise.... Sir one Request....🙏 can you Please Review Sj8 Plus... and New Hawkeye Firefly 8SE (8SE = 2018 latest 120fps On ambrella A12S75 processor )
Hi Abhiraj, I need to say that the latest firmware update I was provided with, is fixing the power sympthom - version is 1.2.3 as far as I remember. As for the SJ8 Plus - I hope to soon get my hands on it. The 8SE review is work in progress. I prefer to prioritize quality over quantity, so perhaps it will be ready for next week.
They were :D And now it turns out being in a hurry doesn't necessary give the desired result. Looking forward to the new firmware and to check whether it fixes some of the troubles or not.
How do i make a 3h videolapse on the sj8 pro. Settings please because i tried and i got 2 separate videos Ps; my cam also freezes,after not using it for a time i can't power it on unless i remove the battery first
To be or not to be... :D We shall see! While specs are important, they are not the most important component. I still try to sort my issues out with SJCAM - but if that is "standard" behavior - I will never trust the Sj8 for a "daily driver". The A12 series are quite good. And the IMX117 is fantastic sensor - althoug the 377 is on theory better, sometimes having less effective pixels results into better light quality. Hopefully soon a 8SE review will follow.
I think that sj8 pro is a very good camera on the paper...yes, it has a lot of issues now but I hope that future firmware updates will solve all the problems
Honestly, I have the feeling they have significantly reduced their staff. Just a guess - but it feels like so. Previous models were much better, and this one - somehow ... bad. They are supposed to work on a few products per year and it is disappointing to see such a lack of quality. Still - I got a response from their support and they promise a fix will arrive with the next firmware update. So ... waiting :D
It's not problem with your unit, it is the problem with the whole production batch ! There is another youtuber named "Bulu Biker " who has the same problems as yours! Please check his video as well!
Thanks Rahul! I can confirm that versions 1.2.3 and 1.2.4 are fixing the power issue. As for the rest - I will have to use it for a while and confirm if improvements are real :D
Well after watching this video, and another 20 like it, I went out and bought me the SJ8 Pro kit. Boy was that a mistake! The camera that I received has a defective speaker straight from the factory and SJCAM support has basically told me touch luck, and are doing nothing to remedy the issue. I've done everything to correct the problem I can think of - checking all the right buttons in the menus, new quality sd-micro mem card, and using the camera without the waterproof case, and although the volume level is turned up to 10, the maximum, I can barely hear any sound with my ear pressed up against the camera's speaker. The videos that I produced with the camera play just fine on my computer, with solid sound, so I know the units microphones are working. But play the same video on the camera and silence. So there you have it...1.) SJCAM has an issue with quality control from their factory and, 2.) SJCAM does not care if the camera works or not once it is sold. Buyer beware!
This is true and very unfortunate... Where did you buy it from? If you used Paypal - then you can file a claim and get your money back. Scammers should never be let to get away with scams that easily. If you used a bank card - Visa and Mastercard have buyer protection programs as well. Check your local bank office where the card was issues and ask to file a complaint about the transaction. If you can send over the conversation with SJCAM - please do so to my email - contact@tech4all.net. Let's say I am collecting SJCAM scam examples for something I plan to show at some point. Also - if there's something |you believe I can do to help you - let me know.
@@TechMishka I used my debit card and purchased through AliExpress. I don't fault either the seller or AliExpress, schit happens. What I do fault is the manufacturer not living up the industry standard on defects and the merchantability clause that follows such purchases. As to ANY response from SjCAM - quote..."Sound performance of loudspeaker is not that good due to limited camera size...Loudspeaker part is very small to cause weak sound performance." That's it. That is all they have stated, refusing to address any further email/inquiries. As it is, I am too far invested in SJ8 Pro accessories from different merchants to ask them all for refunds and maybe not getting some realized. Besides the cost of shipping back to China, there is the time constraint of 25 - 30 days one way between myself and the sellers, should I want a replacement that's two months! Then there are the comments that permeate this issue of reliability of construction - it isn't there by chance. There are far too many duds or defects of their product to trust them further in any exchange. My comments are directed at those who are thinking about buying this camera, or any other, from a manufacturer with a predatory reputation such as the brand company SjCAM, Limited. I will ultimately accept this camera for what it is and work around the shortcomings, especially now that I have a modded firmware that enhances its photographic/video capabilities. I'll just have to do it without being able to hear the audio tract while filming or thereafter without downloading to a PC.
@@TechMishka BTW...Thank you for the offer of help. There's really nothing you can do that you are not doing already - speaking truthfully! ...a rare commodity, for sure.
@@watersprite7983 Hey man, very kind to say that, thanks. Well - if at some point you decide there's still something - just shoot an email and we will figure it out.
A quick update on the progress: The "power issue" is fixed with firmwares above 1.2.3 and I am no longer experiencing it. As for the rest - freezes and some of the other not too well working options - I will need some more time to test. But so far indications are positive!
Version 1.2.4 has already been released.
Version 1.2.5 is pretty bad at edges too, left side worst, and 1080p is very bright and grainy, almost unusable. Wouldn't suggest this upgrade.
Just noticed your comment on the Worth it on not channel about it :-)
I used 1.2.3 for a while and it was working alright. Not perfect, but not as bad as 1.20. Guess filters are what we may have to use to eventually improve picture quality...
During golden hour and the light at that time the quality is very good.
Yes that is the example I saw. 😀
Does the Sj7 Star have Distortion correction?
I bought my SJ8 pro a few weeks ago for 150$ with firmware 1.2.9. It works absolutely fine. No freezing. Meanwhile they even included the "power on record" mode. My point is: don`t by new tech items too soon. Let them get rid of the bugs and errors first and you will also save a few bucks...
Very, very good point!!! The same could happen with every single vendor - we've seen it with DJI, GoPro, Apple, Samsung and so many others.
Glad it is all fine. Good to know about the power on record feature - that used to be part of the "Plus" firmware too.
Enjoy using it a lot! :-)
@Panagiotis Pagakis Yes, with that camera you can make pretty good photos and pretty good videos if you don't get one with the issues discussed above (looks like only the first batches are affected, but nobody from SJCAM took the time to confirm or deny it). It is one of the few meaningful competitors of the Hero 6/7.
Hey bro I am planning to buy one for motovlogging purpose. For that i need to confirm how audio quality in with external mic (from sjcam). Can you tell me how's your experience with external mic audio quality?
@@virsoni7756 Didn't have the chance to try the external mic. It should be alright. And it is your only choice anyways :-) The one on Firefly 8SE works fine too.
If you are alright spending some more money on good audio - get Zoom H1 + Aputure A.Lav mic - both will cost you around 150USD and are the best budget option for recording audio on the go.
@@virsoni7756 Sorry, didn´t purchase the external mic.
Update: although the camera still freezes on occasions it’s still a good camera because it takes great videos with stabilization at 4K 30 along with distortion correction hand held. I use the camera most often along with the SJCAM SJ7 Star and GoPro Hero5 and Hero6 Black. GoPro has their freezing issues as well.
u sure? Theres way cheaper and better
@@hidayat1999 yep, I still have it now and works great
Here in 2023, i just picked one of these up new for only 80!
The deal is good. Hardware is pretty much the same as SJ10 Pro.
@@TechMishka thanks. So far, so good. Only a quick couple of experiments and I'm just a newbie to action cams so it seems pretty impressive to me.
@@UpsideDownForkdo you think this camera works well for posting content nowadays?
@@fahatali8524 It's still good enough, as long as you record audio separately.
I have now switched to the GoPro Hero 7 Black....My SJCAM SJ8 Pro broke within a couple of months of using it (shut off and wouldn't turn on at all). SJCAM told me to contact the seller which I did who offered to send me a new one...it never arrived. They supposedly sent a second (from Malaysia again) it never arrived again. Then the seller said they would refund me...never happened despite repeated promises. I contacted SJCAM to tell them I wanted to get a replacement and sent them video of the malfunction (like I did to the seller). They erased my help ticket like it never existed...I haven't heard back from them...I'm done with SJCAM...which is sad because I like the SJ7 STAR for cockpit audio when I fly. The only problem I've had with the two SJ7 STAR cameras is that the micro usb port has broken off in both cameras (I superglued a micro usb to usb cable on the second one before it totally broke off so I could keep using it in the plane while charging it at the same time with a USB power supply). The first SJ7 would not record sound after the micro usb port broke (while using the plug in official SJCAM microphone. The GoPro Hero 7 surpasses everything...that's all I'm saying..the only problem is that it's never going to be as cheap as SJCAM. I did all of my video reviewing with the SJ7 and SJ8 but they will be retired soon with GoPro cameras. The hypersmooth technology is what sold me and it is great. I do not have room in the plane to have a gyro.
UPDATE: The second help desk ticket was taken down without answer as well...DO NOT BUY SJCAM....or should we leave the J silent and call it SCAM?
Hey Eric - first of all - thank you for the comment and the story you've shared. Also - reading all that - it is quite unfortunately that it doesn't come as a surprise :( It is so sad that a company that offers rather good product has such a disasterous support and attitude towards customers. This review and the comments below it seem to be a "hall of shame" - with so many of us sharing similar experience.
It happens with the new SJ9 - which was promised to be shipped on 15th of June :-)
WOuld you tell us the name of the store/seller you bough it from? Could help others to avoid this hassle.
Also - did you pay via paypal? because paypal gives you 6-months protection. If you are still in that timewindow - it is worth trying.
The GoPro 8 also freeze on occasion. SJ8 Pro as of 2020 working nearly almost perfectly, a 4k 60fps. The price only 150$ or less on Aliexpress. I don't recommend SJ9 strike though due to compatibility.
If only there was EIS in 4K 60 FPS... 😊
Think before buy this camera because there are 4 big issue:
1) power on/off issue, for some reason often when you try to power on the camera it doesn't work, you must remove the battery, wait a while and put in again and will work.
2) RAW picture file are impossible to open in a correct way, before you open with Photoshop or any other software, you must convert the file with a specific software from Sjcam, after conversion from RAW to DNG, you will be able to open the file but with strange colours, in my case with a dominant red shade, impossible to use.
3) Sometimes and randomly the camera freezes, to work again you must remove the battery, there is no way to torn off and on with the power button.
4) The Sjcam support it's unprofessional, they answer to your assistance tickets only if they know the solution if they do not know the solution they will never answer and If you try to open a new ticket, they close your account, as happened to me.
Make the upgrade firmware to version 1.2.4 that solves these problems.
1.2.3 worked good here. 1.2.4 has the freezes again. Less, but they happen ... again :(
Feels like I am reading a summary for my camera. It is a relief to see so many other people sharing the same experience. Such a pity it costs that much!
Yes, I bought on Ebay for 230 dollars and I quickly noticed several issues. Power Issue, Raw File Issue, overheating in 4K recording, freezing after a 5 minutes recording in 4K .
I think the Sjcam Team are still confused about how to fix this action camera issues, I also tried to open a support ticket on the Sjcam web site and after very long time they replied and they was not able to fix my problems, I tried to open another time a ticket and they closed my account.
Keep me update if you are able to solve any of your problems and also if you are able to open and manage the RAW file taken with your Sj8 Pro. Thank you.
I did already, was the first step that I did when I noticed the issue, stillw ith the same problem, and also the RAW file have issues, you can convert with the Sjcam software convert, but come out with a red shade dominant.
I have an old SJCam, still working perfectly. I bought an SJCam Legend a couple of years ago, nothing but problems. Maybe todays quality control is not what it should be at SJCam.. Good honest review, keep them coming.
You will see a lot of similar statements shared from other users in the comments here. SUch a shame what SJCAM are doing lately...
Just got an sj8k, the manual mentions crashing how comforting, my GoPro hero silver 3+ kills it easily, I have a 6 year old sj4000 that’s takes better video. Guess I’ll return it I was an SJCAM fan but this ruins that I’ll stick with my $65 go pro
Yes the SJ8 PRO is an excellent camera. Had it for several months now. Works perfectly never had any of the issues you're talking about. Never did any FW updates and never will from Chinese companies. Did one from Thieye and my computer is messed up. You need another one having the issues you had. The proprietary ext mic is BS tho.
Good and useful comment, thanks! I am happy to hear that your SJCAM has no issues.
Which firmware are you running on?
@@TechMishka Never updated so its whatever it came with when they launched. Bought it straight from SJCAM.
Thank you. I ordered one today. Didn't watch any reviews, only red some. I used to have an SJCam M10+ that died after a lot of use/abuse. Now I have a very bad sjcam 5000 clone. So I needed a better camera. I hope I will not have any of those problems. You gave me some hope after being totally bumbed. I need it for my UA-cam channel to be able to interview people inside. I hope it'll do the job well.
Greetings, NicoD
did you experienced freezing issues?
@@josetomasjustiniano1044 I have never had any issues with this camera. I'm quite happy with it. Films a lot better than my previous cameras. Only the sound isn't good, but I use microphones for that.
Here a video I recorded with it. Sound is with a microphone... I hope it will last me long.
ua-cam.com/video/80TYh_OPWvU/v-deo.html
This camera (sj8 pro) can do vídeos 1080p 60fps with superview (ultrawide 16:9) and gyros enable (EIS ON)?
I also have the same question
Hi I would like to purchase an action camera mainly for my dancing choreography video recording (and maybe sometimes for my sister's diving recording when she travels). I am thinking SJCAM SJ8 Pro or Akaso V50 Pro SE....... Which camera do you recommend that is most suitable for me? thanks.
Say, tech4all: Get hold of a Yi 4k+,except for a minor glitch in voice control which support promises to fix, it's a top performer.
I 've had git2, original xiaomi Yi ,sj7, and now Yi 4k +.It pleases me most:
You can select "max" in SD card menu and your file will be continuous and not divided into 4GB files or 2GB like my sj7!
Had my first outing with the cam yesterday. Left it in 1920x1080/30fps by mistake. Getting used to the start/stop buttons. (Have to turn on screen, then the 2nd push does the start/stop). (Have lights turned off, so harder to tell when not paying attention). It looks like we are limited to 20 minute max length files? The digital zoom is very good from initial tests. 3-4x is still sharp. I did better with the mounts today on my bike(nothing came undone), so should have a good video to review later.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience :-)
Perhaps the file length is related to the file system of the sdcard - fat32 supports 4GB files max, therefore once the maximum file size is reached, it starts a new one.
Interesting about the zoom feature :) Theoretically it may work quite fine with 1080p, because it may use the remaining sensor pixels in reserve. Good catch!
I did format card in camera (64gb) and verified it is exFAT. The file options I see available are something like 1/5/10/15/20 minutes. Maybe I have another option set that is conflicting. (But when the memory card was full, it stopped recording). My handle bars get a little too much vibration (the mounts were locked down) - but the non vibration spots were good. 4k/60fps was 100Mbit/s. Sony fdr x3000 xavc-s does 4k/30fps at 100Mbit/s. I might use SJCAM S8 Pro more as a dash cam.
Hi got the 1.2.3 firmware from sjcam support 3 days ago.
No more freezing. Works really stable now
Is it for sj8 pro? Please make firmware 1.2.3 available for download!
Hi. Yes it's for the sj8 pro. Try this: www.dropbox.com/sh/l1jt9tohjevwr7y/AABoDbtTHihJcwucPjDZty-Ba?dl=0
Let me know if it works.
Thank you very much!!!
I'll try.
Wooo, nice! Will try it on my camera too.
There are still some errors in the menu words, but at least the camera is no longer blocked.
It's getting much better!
Once again, thank you Laminar16!
Could we charge sj8 pro batteries to an Sj7 star charger? Thank you
Hi Liz - no, this will not work. The SJ8 batteries are slightly wider and won't fit.
What is the difference of vandop 6s footage in sj8 pro are they the same footage ???
They are pretty close, yeah
@@TechMishka are the vandop 6s camera lens used is same as sj8 pro i am planing to buy vandop instead of sj8 pro
No adjustment for FOD?
field of view?
There is - you can choose between a few grades.
Now it is 2020 it is still have freezing problem after getting updates & it record 1080p @60fps with gyro?? Reply needed 🥺🥺🥺
Most batches are fine now.
And 1080p in 60fps has the gyro, yeah.
New firmware 1.2.4 has been released for the SJ8 PRO.
Yeah! Even the 1.2.3 fixed the power issue. And I will try the new one soon enough. Thanks for the note!
purchased my sj8pro back in May 2018 along with the original gimbal. Used it for filming my wedding and very happy apart from distortion with loud music. Recently purchased the gimbal 2 thinking it would be the natural upgrade. At first did not work except for turning camera on, found the cable was the problem. Used my old cable and started the gimbal but not the cam. Ended up doing a firmware upgrade (1.29) and all was working. Started doing some filming and to my horror found that all my footage was corrupt.. it staggered when you tried to view. Also the sound did the same. after several emails to sjcam i was asked to do the upgrade via the USB method, which takes you back to version 1.24. Still the same problems. Several emails from me and NO RESPONSE from sjcam. I am left with a paperweight. checking the forums made it even worse for me due to the problems people are having. Would I recommend this cam....NO. poor response and service from SJCam.
Hi Bruno... What can I say ... Classic SJCAM behavior. They have a separate team to work on marketing, and a separate one to work on support...
Your best shot is to get some help from either their forums, or places like dashcamtalk.com / goprawn.com. It is very disappointing to read this lines.
May I have a look at a short sample of the footage?
Tech4all I’m thinking about getting this camera are there any other cameras I should consider first
There are always other cameras to consider. Generally that one is fine, of you get a well-working device.
Tech4All ok but what other cameras would you recommend
Is SJ8 Pro water proof without the casing?
No, it's not. There should be SJ10 soon or later - it will support being waterproof without a case.
I have marked these issues with other UA-cam's who have also reviewed sjcam 8 pro. Rather than going for it some one should go for sj7star.
Unfortunately there is a faulty batch of the SJ7 Star too... Those with issues actually freeze at 120fps recordings :(
Which one will be better formoto vlog??
Akaso v50 Pro or v50 Pro SE or V50X??.
Or any other??
Budget 120/150 usd
Each one of these will be fine. I'd probably go with the X
Do you know the suitable j mount for original sjcam 8 pro base bro as unable to find it anywhere?
SJCAM use standard accessories - get any j mount listed as GoPro compatible and it should fit fine.
@@TechMishka I have ordered it and now raised the request of return because gopro and sjcam base are not similar.
However, SJ8 PRO Firmware ver 1.2.5 and SJ8 PRO Firmware ver 1.2.6 have already been released, but have been removed from the SJCAM Official Support website.
Ouch! Sounds like some more bugs :) .
is the freezing problem fixed by now?
Yes
The recent units show no such issues.
I have just bought an SJ8 Pro (April 2019) after reading all the rave reviews. Importantly because I live in Australia I was looking for a 50/25fps 50hz camera which this one is.
My issues are as follows:
1. Skies are too vivid in their blue color. Way too over-cooked.
2. Digital zoom not there.
3. Raw feature doesn't work.
4. Constant freezing.
5. Wi-Fi keeps switching on when pressing the shutter release.
I'm on version 1.2.8 and have yet to upgrade to 1.3.0
To say I'm dissatisfied is an understatement.
Hi Sean, I am very sorry to read about this. If the camera is still fresh - is there a way to return it back?
@@TechMishka I upgraded the software to the latest version 1.3.0 and behold, it has given me digital zoom, significantly improved the color of stills and video, and so far seems much more stable. I've just upgraded so will monitor over the next few days. But so far it seems to have totally transformed it from terrible to much better.
One thing I still can't get are RAW images that are useable, and IQ is not as good as my Osmo Pocket, despite both being 12MP sensors.
Hello, very good review. After some time, what would you recommend? Sj8 Pro or sj10 pro dual? Regards
SJ10 is fine, but... I'd avoid the brand
@@TechMishka Why? So what would you recommend at this price?
I'm thinking of buying this product, but it's out of stock, would you recommend the Plus model?
Errr... I cannot really recommend SJCAM products due to the poor service lately.
what is the mic adapter in 9:25 , does it work?
The adapter is a standard type-C to 3.5mm jack, and does not work with the SJ8. You have to either make your own customized adapter, or buy the SJcam proprietary microphone. Or use a standard mic with an external recorder.
I'm looking into buying an SJ8 Pro, I did hear many had freezing issues. Are you experiencing this after the FW updates?
I have owned 2 SJ8 Pro devices. One of them was freezing no matter what, the other one never freezes. WHat can I say... This is sooo SJCAM... 🤓😎
Yeah mine is still having freezing problems even when I first just start up the camera and I am using version 1.2.9. I rather preferred YI 4K plus, and even the YI 4K.
I guess we both have of the early batches. Well - after I lost my first one, the second is a top-device. Such a pity SJCAM are so careless about the affected users.
Did you by the way try getting in touch with their support?
Main problem with this camera is that audio noise in background. This can also be heard on your video.
Yeah. I wouldn't expect great microphone out of a SJCAM product.
@@TechMishka that's a pity since video quality is really good.
Thanks for the review tech4all. Did You try to load the newest firmware update v1.2.2 ?? As I'd mentioned earlier in another comment, most of Your problems are most likely due to a very early version of the firmware, however, I've already passed Your video to our R&D department and they will take another look at it. If You have any other questions You may always contact us through website support or on Facebook.
Where can I download firmware 1.2.2 for SJ8 pro?
Thanks SJCAM for commenting here! I have already contacted your support department (Case30454) and I was told a future update should fix it.
Where can we get the 1.2.2 from?
Here: tinyurl.com/ycal7vbn
It's firmware version 1.2.0, not version 1.2.2!
received this camera and it has freezing problems. did anyone solved this??
I bought this camera its has been 2 months its currently working fine to me maybe yours is broken
Glad to see your unit is problem free!
I got a second unit of the Pro and it was problem free (check ua-cam.com/video/PpUihpH-NEA/v-deo.html). Looks like the initial batches were more problematic.
Hello man I am also planning to buy this camera just want to ask about the audio quality? And is it good for motovlogging..? Thanks
@@clashwithmi2681 for my opinion the sound is good the only problem with it the sound quality that its made is to crispy but for motovlogging I think its good
Thanks a lot appreciate it..
can i record audios without ecternal microphone?
of course - the internal microphone works well in most conditions.
Video quality is great if you consider the price.
yup, absolutely!
Planning to buy sj8 pro. Current firmware is 1.3.1. Is the hanging issue has been fixed in this firmware?
I don't know as I don't have the freezing unit any longer. I have a new revision which doesn't freeze.
Great! Thanks
I'm considering buying an sjcam, but I do not know which one ... I doubt between the sj7 star, the Sj8 plus or the sj8 pro. What would you recommend?
The SJ8 Plus testing is on my to-do list. I'd go for a camera with 4k stabilization. Guess I should say the SJ8 Pro. But ... well.. :D Have you considered other brands?
Tech4All maybe a yi... but i bought the sjcam sj8 pro because I needed an action camera quickly... so thankss for the response and I will see...
You will like it :-) WIsh you a lot of great videos to be shot with it!!
I do not understand why your camera has such a low bitrate in 4K. Only 40mbps? My camera does more than 60mbps at 4K@30fps, but I use quality mode in 'fine' , would that be the reason?
Fine is selected here too. Perhaps it has to do with the firmware. Which is the one that you have? Most of the footage was recorded with 1.20, because there was no newer firmware at that time. Guess things will get better in time.
I'm using version 1.2.3. I think everything bad in this camera is directly connected to the firmware. We can only wait and hope.
I tend to agree with you (with one exception) - and am very happy to see that's the case. 1.2.3 is really better. 1.2.4 was bad, so I had to downgrade.
My point of disagreement is the optics and that's nothing they can fix via firmware - it is just low-grade (you can see all these pink artifacts). But - yeah - maybe in a few months from now the camera qualities will improve.
So what are your thoughs after a few firmware updates? I've seen drone footage - does this camera have av out? In one comment you've wrote its 120fps is fake. What do you mean? This camera is really interesting and it would be a pity
Hi AllTheFlyingThings , thank you for your awesome questions. Unfortunately most of my responses won't make you happy.
Couple of days ago I was reading the review on Pevly.com and it is mentioned that the 120fps is faked - frames are doubled. Checked and confirmed. Here is a sample video recorded with 1.20 firmware.- www.dropbox.com/s/hjavnomachnerlz/20180607043154_0009.MP4?dl=0
For every camera review I make, I get and use the camera for at least a week or two - that's the only way to figure out about issues. And these were two very troubled weeks this time :-) On top of that - there were numerous attempts from my side to get in touch with support and to get help. Overall - if you haven't bought the camera from SJCAM.com they don't care.
There also is a small company based in Europe that is hired to do their marketing, and it also has done some weird things. At some point I have to stop digging, because the more I dig, the greater my disappointment becomes.
In fact the drone footage here is with post-production - the original was looking horrible, and I have fixed a bit the exposure and the white balance just to have more details in the footage (the rest of the cam footage is raw).
Still - the camera is indeed interesting. There were lots of promises and the expectations were high. And we all know what happens when expectations are high :-)
Right now the only really working firmware for me is 1.2.3 and the power issue is gone there. With 1.2.4 I've had it twice and downgraded.
The quality of the footage is not great (yet! might get better with updates, but the lens is unfortunately of low quality with purple reflections)... It is good, but even last year's hardware (FireFly 8SE) performs better on 1080p. Sure - the SJ8 is great on 4K with EIS. In fact the EIS is almost as good as GoPro Hero 6, which is the BEST EIS you can find.
If I were you - and there is no need to hurry, I'd wait to see what's going to happen with the next updates. I have the promise to release a new video once/if the SJ8 gets better
tech4all Thanks for such long answer. I played this video frame by frame in VLC and for me the frames are not doubled. I don't know what to buy now. There's also yi 4k/4k+ but both are more expensive and I don't know where to buy them
tech4all Quality of the footage, I think is not bad. It's flat color profile and you can color grade it in editing software to your preference. Actually I like this colors.
What other camera would you advice? I mean less then 200usd
In fact the flat color mode of the SJ8 Pro is not that flat... Feels like standard and doesn't give too many options for post.
Right now there are plenty of good actioncams below 200 Yi4K and + are awesome. Firefly 8se is awesome. Rexso Explorer K, Xiaomi Mijia 4K. Also the Yi Lite is awesome. I can certainly recommend and most of the Akaso v40 based actioncams - thieye E7 and Akaso v50 pro.
What resolution do you plan to use the most?
tech4all I need mostly 1080p 60fps sometimes 120. Av-out is feature that I need, so mijia is probably out. Where can I get yi 4k in good price?
In my country it costs about 164 should I buy it ?
Yeah - price is excellent.
hi.i noticed it has a zoom .does it have options for different lenses?thank you.
No, no options for different lenses.
@@TechMishka thanks.for a price of 150-200 euros do you have a recommendation?i found this one 120 euros + batteries etc. 163 euros.is it worth it?does the zoom do a nice job?thank you,alex.
alex akrivos where did you see the sj8 pro for 120?
@@Koen040 banggood.but it was on a special offer.and just the camera.
Is 4k 60fps EIS on setting available??
No...
Great review.
No FOV setting, very very pity!
As far as I remember there is FOV setting. But not that useful as it is just a crop.
Hello Boss
I am using this device but problem is when I make video after 3 minutes, it start newly time for make video and it happen every 3 minutes. Pls advice
Boss... sounds cool! 🤣
Most likely you have changed the setting in the camera to limit the video recording duration to three minutes - check the camera settings.
Thanks for sharing, my SJ8pro didn't have the power on issue after twice on-off operations, yet it can get freezed when shooting 1080@120fps, and I'm looking for nice bue cheap cameras for the "bullet time" shooting, I'm not sure if SJ8 can do the job
firmware was 1.2.4
Please help me ! Sj8 pro or Yi 4k ?
Yi 4K plus! :-)
@@TechMishka tq 😁😁
I was having major issues with the camera not turning on, freezing and failing to record.... Oh and the whole unit was over heating! I was going to send it back until i saw something about making sure you use a compatible memory card. So many things were wrong with the unit i didn't think that this would change anything but i thought i would try one final roll of the dice. So i swapped the memory card for the branded card that i had in my mobile phone... Voila! The camera worked perfectly and no more issues at all. The other memory card worked perfectly in my phone, so this wasn't faulty, just not supported to this camera i suppose.
I find this camera an excellent cheaper alternative to the Gopro. Get your settings right and the video quality is brilliant, both above and under water. With the app control everything from your phone and see what your camera does straight on your phone, easy battery swaps so that you don't have to stop recording, it's a great camera. The latest Gopro top of the range model didn't have exchangeable batteries, the model below that does the silver but losses features and quality. This camera has a great balance of it all.
Thanks Chris, very good summary!
Two short comments from my side - the power issues described in the review are not related to the sdcard. Of course, choosing the right one has major importance, but cannot fix a hardware defect.
Also, the GoPro hero 7 Black has interchangeable batteries. The silver and white have them embedded.
My bad, you’re correct about the batteries. I remember the confusion as it was a few months ago came from the retailer didn’t have a clue what he was on about when I was comparing cameras. When I said what’s the best hero 7 details he gave me the silvers instead of the blacks info, and it stuck. I had forgotten that until you reminded me! No doubt overall the Hero 7 Black is better but here in the uk the Black is £380, the silver is £270, yet the sjcam sj8 pro was £250. For me the hero 7 silver was a no as I need spare batteries the the Black was over 50% more expensive... For that much more i would expect the footage to be a landslide victory, but it wasn’t vastly superior in my opinion. So once I had the Sjcam pro with the correct memory up and running I love it. I think for its price it’s way better than others in the same sort of price bracket. Not just paying for the brand name. Only thing that annoyes me still is when you’re underwater the app to see what’s on the screen of your phone loses signal. To be expected I suppose, but it would have been very handy for me to see what I’m filming underwater from land or boat as I am currently recording some training swimming videos for my girlfriend who runs a swim school. Would save so much time not having to get in and out with her, but I hear none of these types of apps still work underwater so it is what it is.
@@lynchio6719 yeah, I well understand what you mean. This is one of the main reasons to start the channel - to show that there are a lot of more affordable devices which can do a great job.
While I am not an SJCAM fan, the pro-version is undeniably good, if you happen to get a "healthy" one.
By the way - next time you may try checking tomtop.com - the SJ8 pro used to be less than 170$ at some point.
Night video is smooth or grainy??
It is fine for an actioncamera. Not perfect, but definitely not too bad.
SJ9 coming out in a few weeks. Would love to see what you think of it!
Me too, Paul! I heard the news a few weeks ago, and as always - I am with mixed feelings about SJCAM. Knowing their history of releasing under-cooked devices - likely it will be better to wait until there are at least a few firmware revisions.
Hi, great review thanks, I recently purchased the SJCAM SJ8 PRO camera plus the SJCAM Gimbal 2, great kit except cannot get the app - SJCAM Zone to connect to the gimbal at all plus trying to connect the camera is a nightmare. Does anyone know if there is a solution to this or if there is any other app that will control the gimbal? TIA for any input.
Does the SJ8 Plus have the DVR function where it starts recording as soon as the external power supply is switched on?
Hi! Yes, this function is available.
Hi Tech4All! I would like to know that are you still experiencing any problems with the camera almost a year later?
The initial unit I've had was never well. However I lost it. Now I have a new unit, which is stable. Looks like some units freeze, some don't. If you happen to get a well working one, it is really great. But SJCAM's support and communication is quite terrible.
@@TechMishka Does it depend on the date of its assembly? So the older assembled ones have got the issue and the newer ones does not? When was your properly working one assembled?
@@besteusquad7845 I honestly do not know... Perhaps it does - I have seen less complaints from units of 2019... My last SJ8 Pro is from August 2018 and works fine.
Perhaps only SJCAM know...
Can you take pics whilst filming video? Is the second light on the front a flash? Good video. Your not the 1st to say it freezes however! Not very good in sunlight then? Is yi 4k plus better? Kind regards.
Didn't find a feature to take photos while recording video.
THe second light is not a flash. There's only one actioncamera with something like flash, but it was cheap and poor in terms of performance.
Frezes seem to be gone with 1.2.3 firmware, which is however not official. 1.2.4 brings the power issue back on mine, so I reverted back to the older one.
And I believe the 4K Plus is way better.
Just as heads up - on 08.08 there will be 30% discount of the camera and you can get it for 200USD or a bit less. Which is considerably better compared to the 289 initial price. Perhaps they will lower it permanently at some point.
tech4all thank you very much. I am in the UK. Hopefully we will see the discount also. On Amazon I presume? I am in the market for an action camera now. Im very exited to get one! Is a Yi 4K Pro just around the corner? Edited to Yi
I believe it will be worldwide. sjcam.com/news :-)
Didn't get the part about "To 4K pro"? Is it another model from another brand?
tech4all sorry for delayed reply. It meant to say is their a Yi 4k pro around the corner? They are dropping the price because of it/ to compete with this perhaps? Please may you clarify: the 5 minute 4k 60 limit, does it seamlessly start the next video for you? Can you really only take 5 minute clips? Also the USB C issue with non genuine cable: do you mean the genuine microphone or do they sell a USB C to 3.5mm jack that will work with a sure or rode external for example? I can't find this official SJCAM cable anywhere if so. Watched your video again, I still like the loom of this camera.
Here it is:
sjcam.com/product/sjcam-external-microphone-for-sj8/ - not a conversion kit . Maybe you can have a DIY based on that :-)
Honestly, I am not sure about the Yi 4k Pro model coming. If that is so - it will be delightful to see them side by side :)
Perhaps the price is dropping because of the many new models appearing (including the SJ8 series) and the possible release of the next GoPro.
Yesterday I was filming for a new drone review and used the SJ8 Pro - in fact it was the first time I actually liked the footage. Maybe the 1.2.3 firmware performance is not that bad. No crashes, no complications. First time I actually enjoyed working with it :-)
I was about to buy this but now I am confused. Any suggestions in a budget of 200 - 250$?
If you are happy to get the Yi 4K/4K plus - they are good. The SJ8 Pro should also be fine with its newer revisions - check the SJ8 Pro vs plus comparison on the channel.
@@TechMishka Thanks a lot for the reply man. I'll check them out for sure.
Most welcome! If any other questions appear - keep them coming :-)
Most welcome you are :-)
Hi, I watched your reviews and have decided to buy Firefly 8se. I am in US for a week, where can I buy this? Gearbest probably won't be able to deliver it in due time and it's really expensive on Amazon.
I got same camera sj8 pro. I film 4k or 1080 ,when i load to pc through vlc player video is awfull quality.imposible to watch. Shows as mp4 format. How to solve this? Video is good only whe i watch thtough camera screen
Sounds like you have an issue with your codec, or your PC is having older type of CPU, which doesn't have the needed set of decoders for proper playback.
Try the following:
- update VLC player
- if that doesn't help - try with POT player
- if that doesn't help - try on another PC
Try tonplay itbon google chrome
At 9:34 what is the c-type to jack cable name? Is your SJ8 Pro working with that cable? I bought one on Ali but my one not working with an external mic, but I really wish to get a compatible one. Thanks!
This cable connector doesn't work, quite unfortunately. There is a video in youtube about making a custom one, but not sure if it is worth the hassle.
The SJCAM works only with proprietary cable.
You may use an alternative - connect a microphone to your smartphone and then synchronize the audio - the outcome may be better.
@@TechMishka Thanks for the prompt response, it is really helps for me! I have subscribed to your channel now. :) I will try to build a custom adapter for this situation, will see how it goes, if not working probably I will buy the Xiaomi microphone.
I did not know SJ8 Pro is too old and they still review this awesome action camera right now (2020) I can’t decide to go with SJ8 Pro or SJ10 Pro. Thank you for review
They are quite similar; The SJ10 should have better build quality, but I haven;t tested that yet myself.
I would love to know how you set this up to be mounted to a drone
Sure! The setup I used is perhaps the cheapest you can get - Bayangtoys x16 is the drone, and I use a gimbal - Walkera G2D Plastic Edition.
It is important to say that the drone vibrations are something that usually is visible on the footage if it is recorded by a camera with not too great stabilization. The SJ8 Pro was handling this a bit better (6-axis vs 3-axis EIS). The best one was the GoPro hero 6 in that sense.
if you use a camera without EIS, the footage will be rather shaky.
that Røde mic, Does it work on this camera with adapter?
Nope. SJCAM Proprietary :-)
There is a video that shows how you can make your own custom cable, but ... it is DIY...
Hi tech4all, I can't seem to find the Pevly review. Direction?
There it is: pevly.com/sjcam-sj8-pro-review/
Sj official on dashcamtalk.com said they would correct all deficiencies
before release, but like my sj7 which also freezes on 1080p120fps, they chose a cheap chip for the sj8 which can't carry the load!
And what happened to voice and GPS?
Wow, you are the next person that reports the 120fps issues on the SJ7. If you have the SJ7 - is it the first batch with the microphone on the side, or not? I have never had issues with the 120fps so far. Knock on wood :D
Got a response from SJCAM support today and they promise to fix that with the next firmware update. Quite honestly I am very skeptical - in my opinion it is a hardware issue. But let's wait and see.
Overall the firmware is undercooked - if you watch the review closely, you will notice some firmware menus starting with capital letters, while others - with small letters. And there are some obvious typos here and there.
As for the Voice and GPS ... guess they didn't happen :D Excuse me for not putting these topic on the review - I somehow never use these features and completely forgot to mention.
Dear @tech4all ... The SJ8 release was indeed a bit too rushed, but please be assured that 1. We are the only Chinese manufacturer of action cam with an in-house team of firmware developers who release DAILY updates (we only release stable versions which are available on our website about every week, most feedback sent by users is taken into account). 2. All typos and language issues are already fixed and will be updated within the next few days. 3. Those problems in You video can also be fixed with FW update and are not related to hardware.
There is still no firmware that fixes the failures of SJ8 PRO Firmware ver 1.2.0 (Huge Update!)
Not at all... tried the 1.2.1 and it is the same freezing condition...
Where can I download version 1.2.1? The one that appears on the support page is version 1.2.0 (Huge Update!)
This or the Yi 4k+?
Yi 4K+
Hi Sir, good day! Do o you have any latest updates with this item? Planning to get 1. Thank you!
If you get this - buy it from a place where the returning policy actually works. If there are no freezing issues - the camera is actually good. 😎😇👍
Hi there nice video, just wanted to ask, have you tried on the external mic from SJCAM? I plugged my one in and set the external mic to on. But dont think my audio is recording from the external mic at all...
Haven't tried the external mic...
Easy test is to plug it in and gently tap on it - easiest way to make sure it is recording or not.
Did you get the original one from SJCAM website? It is proprietary and 3rd party mics may not work..
Hey Guys,
I have one question,
what kind of memory card are you using?
Thank you
I use Class 10 and U3 cars. With this cam tried Samsung 64GB U3, Sandisk Class 10, Santisk Extreme U3. Never had a freeze and even the older Class 10 cards worked fine.
The sjcamhd.com support page shows a fw update for the sj8 pro of 1.2.4
Yup! On my way testing it. 1.2.3 already fixed the power issues, which is AWESOME :p)
Hi! Thanks for your videos. I have a question... Between SJCAM SJ8 PRO and AKASO v50 ELITE, what do you think is better ? Thanks
Hi Manuela - the SJ8 Pro is superior in many ways. However, there is a number of units that simply freeze - so if you go for it, buy it from a reputable place where they respect return policies.
Well I got one works fine 1.2.3 firmware out of box, updated to 1.2.4 still fine. Bought a 2nd unit 1.2.4 out of the box so obviously newer manufacture date and it is terrible - constantly freezes and displays WiFi light when it crashes requiring to remove battery. Usually it takes 4 out 5 attempts to even turn the thing on without an instant freeze. They must be a very bad batch. Ps also had the asako v50 pro as you recently reviewed ... inferior in every way compared to a 'working' sj8 pro. (Except the speaker)
I would agree about the Akaso. And kind of expected for the price :-)
If price is not a huge factor - many people praise the Yi 4k+ and the Sony FDR3000r
Man SJCAM will not like you now. As a reviewer I love your approach to truth. Manufacturers hate criticism, which is why so many other reviewers are singing songs, lol. All the best mate.
Guess it is a mutual feeling :D :D
Well - if something is not great, then we can say it. In the last weeks, after 1.2.3 fixed the power issue (which to me is of essential importance!) I used it more often and it was fine.
Still a lot of work to do! 1.2.5 was just released and Kevin was complaining of bad Gyro performance. And overexposed FHD.
And I have offered them to test pre-release firmware many times. What they did in terms of marketing is good, however what they offer in terms of quality may be a serious challenge to their brand name.
Thank you a lot for the encouraging comment!
P.S. today there will be a new video where I say two more good things about it :D
No worries mate, I'll check it out.. cheers...
Salesberg Is this how you do your reviews? Give a good review whether the camera is good or bad in fear of the company not liking you?
Salesberg was a little sarcastic here :-) I think we are all on the same page about this one.
Mate how I do reviews is basically to say what comes to my mind, in clean words. You want an example, well please refer to my review of the SJCAM SJ6 Air. The review is my true feelings there. And that was the review that pissed SJCAM off. I respect those who speak straight and true, despite being sponsored. Unfortunately there are many out there who would sugar coat their reviews just so that the manufacturer will continue to sponsor them.
I shared my thoughts here with Tech4All knowing all too well how SJCAM likes to hear only good stuffs about them, but he spoke up, and cheers for that.
The sj7 star had the same freezing problems. I wonder too if that higher price tag is worth it. Have you had a chance to check out the new Hawkey Firefly 8SE?
You are the second person I hear today complaining of SJ7 freezes. I had them only twice, because of my SD card. But many people seem to be affected by a 120-fps freeze.
As for the Firefly - they seem to still be polishing it. Prototypes are there since February - but I'd like to go for the final version. Hopefully soon.
Hello, i’m using my SJ7 for almost two months with no freezing issues or other problems...
But when I received mine from Gearbest, was heating up that I cant hold it. They replaced it for a new unity, and it was perfect.
Hope SJCAM can fix these issues that you show us in your review.
Thanks for the review budddy! I was looking to buy it but now i'm thinking twice! It looking really good and i'm not the kind of person to use all its futures, i just need it to mount on my scooter helmet and record my driving around amsterdam! So can you tell me how's the stabilizer on it and the in microphone? Anyways great video and it's my pleasure to subscribe on your channel! Keep on uploading Tech4all!
There should be SJ10 soon - with better build quality and hopefully less software issues.
@@TechMishka Are he issues I SJ9 Strike resolved ?
Sir ilang hours po bago ma lowbat?
Depends on how often you use the screen. Up to 90 minutes of recording time.
Looks like legit original batteries at gearbest are $4.51... but I'm on the lookout for a battery charger? I'm not finding anything right now. :( Battery too big for my sj5000 battery charger.
found one at sjcam sjcam.com/product/dual-slot-battery-charger-for-sj8/
Try this site: www.androgeek.es/es/buscar?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=sjcam+sj8&submit_search= or this: www.banggood.com/pt/SJCAM-SJ8-Dual-Slot-Battery-Charger-Travel-Charger-for-SJCAM-SJ8-Series-Action-Cameras-p-1295419.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN
There is one over here:
sjcam.com/product/dual-slot-battery-charger-for-sj8/
P.S. Battery shipment is not working for some countries, unfortunately.
Talking about batteries. What's more convenient: buying extra batteries or a powerbank?
I personally prefer power bank. The SJ8 Pro is well optimized about battery consumption and you can shoot for more than 90 minutes. And you can charge while shooting too.
Can you update to 1.2.9? Hows the issues?
Will try the update soon or later.
The second SJ8 Pro I've tested was much more stable than the first batch. Hopefully the issues are limited to the initial few weeks of manufacturing.
Sj8 pro or firefly 8se?
SJ8 Pro with the remark that you better buy it from a place where you can count on return policy - just in case it freezes.
Is it better now? What about 1.2.4 firmware? Any improvement recently!!
Can't say there are too many improvements with 1.2.4. A little weird that there are no more updates for such a long time...
I had two SJ8 Pro cameras - the first one - reviewed here - freezes with 1.2.4. The second one works fine and doesn't freeze. Guess some of the batches are affected.
Considering I managed to get a brand new SJ8 Pro for $45, I’d say it’s a pretty good deal
The question now is: how did you do that?! Wow! 👌
Hi! Can you post a review of the SJ 8 Plus? I couldn't find a single review of the Plus variant on UA-cam.
Hi Ram - sure. It is on my to-do list, but I don't see any way to fit it in the episodes until the end of the month. I will do my best to review it as soon as possible though. Is there a particular feature you are interested at? Or just looking to get overall idea about the quality?
tech4all Thanks. Actually they released the SJ8 series just when I was about to buy the SJ7 STAR which got very positive reviews from many reviewers including you. The SJ8 Plus is identically priced and has similar specs. I'm a bit confused now. Which one would be the better choice?
@Tech4All I just sold my Firefly 8S to buy this SJ8 Pro because of the 4k EIS. Do you think that this is a good upgrade? Or should I go for the Yi4k+?? Keep up the great reviews 🤙
Keep the Yi 4K +. Stabilization with the SJ8 pro is a little better, but overall - the Yi 4K+ is a better one in my opinion.
THey are close in terms of performance - but considering the history of SJCAM and the quite close price tag - the Yi 4K+ 👍😎
Freezing issues are caused by using wrong Micro-Sd cards to record in high resolution, to record in the high resolution must use a Micro-Sd card V30 which are designed to record high resolutions such as 4k, 2.7k, or FHD 120 FPS, An inferior Micro-Sd card will cause overheating of the processor and crash the system.
Complaining about the mic and the USB type C connection is ridiculous, especially when Go Pro forces, people, to spend extra money for an adapter and external microphone, 100 dollars at least.
Hey Axel, thanks for sharing your opinion.
I disagree - freezing issues are almost never because of the cards. Most cameras that struggle with speed have notification on a firmware level that is being displayed. For the record - same kind of cards I easily use with Hero 10, 4K 120FPS. The camera was just shitty. In fact - I had a later revision of that and it was working fine.
And of course complaining about SJCAM's external mic is not ridiculous - if you want to beat GoPro, beat it in your own way.
Can you use sj8 pro as a webcam? Thank you for noticing! I liked your UA-cam video!
Hi Joshua, thanks a lot for supporting me.
Sadly, the answer is not.
Great test Thank you !
Most welcome!
Sjcamhd.com update page currently has the 1.2.0 fw update for sj8 pro, called"huge update" for all concerned!
That is the pre-last update. They have version 1.2.1 and also 1.2.3 - which in fact cured the power issue! :-)
Well, my experience with SJCam is the opposite of yours. I hate with a passion my GoPro and love my SJCam - 3 months and my GoPro rear screen no longer works. My SJCam one is smashed (i dropped it a few times) and yet the screen still works. I need an action camera that can handle action. That means working after a few knocks. As for the microphone thing. Well, isn't it the same with GoPro and you need an adapter. I find life is easier if you just use an external sound recording (ZoomH1) option.
Lucky you! :-) I have been using SJCAM products since the SJ4000. And have mixed feelings about that.
GoPro has been the camera I have always stayed away from - I do not like the price/quality ratio.
But... after I got the hero 6 for testing and comparing purposes, I suddently started to like it. The user experience is on another level and it changed my mind. Especially for someone like me that often needs a camera that can be placed on a weird angle/surface and get shooting with ok quality.
And I am so sorry that you had yours failing in such a way.
SJCAM are on my end quite the opposite - I've had troubles with the M20, the SJ5000 series, and the SJ8 Pro. SJ7 was in fact stable, but I do not like its navigation.
Now there is a new firmware update for the PRO-model and I hope it fixes all the issues. We will see.
Thanks a lot for your opinion! And I hope that SJCAM will bring us more and exciting cameras in the future.
The SJ4000 - Now, that was a bad camera ;)
With the sjcamsj8 pro the file size should be 4 gb with fat format and with Exfat unlimited. I formatted in Exfat but file size with video is limited to 20 minutes recording. As if loop mode is on,but it isn't.. So my file sizes ar 2.1 gb max!! Does anyone know how to solve this problem?? Or is this again another bug with this camera??
Didn't know that and thanks a lot of the note. Indeed - 4GB is the maximum that Fat 32 will allow.
Perhaps the best place to ask this question is SJCAM's support. If you are lucky you may get some sort of response.
Cool accent. Cool video sound effects. Very honest reviews. Subscribed :D
Thanks Jim for the kind words and support. Looking forward to see you around more often :-)
By the way, SJ7 or SJ8? which one is better in terms of quality?
On my SJ8 Pro I had a lot of issues, including a build quality issue with the battery door, which I haven't shown here. However I lost it a few weeks ago and got a replacement which is still about to arrive. My hope is that it won't show any of these flaws.
In the past two weeks I've been testing the SJ8 Plus and ... man - I like it a lot! Today I will publish the video (in 6 hours from now) and in my opinion it better justifies its pricetag. A few missing resolutuons and feature, but shows very good video quality.
The SJ7 has outstanding build quality. Better than the SJ8 series. Navigation is however not that great. And it cinsiderably warmer. And has not 4K stabilization.
With SJ8 the user experience is way better and it is getting close to GoPro in terms of easiness.
Right now to me the SJ8 Plus is their best SJ8 model if we look at the price-performance ratio.
I just received my SJ8 Pro, with firmware 1.3.0, today and it came mute. No matter what action I have taken there is no sound from the videos. I tried the internal microphone and all the right buttons checked in the menus and nothing, no sound. I then tried an external mic after checking the appropriate buttons in the menus and likewise, nothing. I then tried playing the video files on my computer, still no sound. I mean not even a buzz or beep or hiss - nothing. And I am using a new 128gb Samsung EVO Select memory card formatted to exFAT, and of course not while in the waterproof case. Anyone have a resolution to my problem, short of tossing it?
The only suggestion I can give is to try recording with different codec - h.264/265. You can also try a reset - to see if that will bring something.
If that doesn't help - perhaps there is something really wrong with it, and you better replace it.
@@TechMishka Well I made a tiny bit of progress after many attempts at various settings through the menu selections, mainly turning volume up to 10, maximum, from 8 - default. I still can not hear but a faint whisper from the speaker with my ear on the speaker grill but when loaded onto my PC, the sound is clear and loud. This denotes a bad speaker. Nohow is this ideal, but workable when one considers just how many duds, or problematic SCAM SJ8 Pros are in circulation. I fear any exchange will bring me an even more troublesome camera, so I'll stay with the beast I now know.
As I am too heavily invested in accessories and the like that are SCAM SJ8 specific, I will not seek a refund, realizing to seek a refund from all the merchants that I used, would be very troublesome and probably not all successful with me eating some that won't refund. The mistake of buying through AliExpress over Amazon, and saving a few dollars, is clear and it is simply not worth the risk, shipping time delays, and ornery return policies.
As to SCAM's support - it is nonexistent, other than an email which says, "Sound performance of loudspeaker is not that good due to limited camera size...Loudspeaker part is very small to cause weak sound performance." Duh, no schit! They then went silent and no response has occurred since.
@@counterpoint6718 Classic SJ-SCAM... That's how they do when things become not that convenient.
Aliexpress have in fact a very good dispute system, sometimes better than ebay.
One funny fact - there's a camera company - Firefly - and their 8SE model has no embedded speaker :D So - maybe SJCAM wanted the SJ8 Pro to be like the firefly cameras! :)
Honestly, if there is sound from the PC when playing back - there is no reason to be upset.
@@TechMishka I don't fault AliExpress in the least, and yes, they do have a good and effective return mechanism. No, I fault SjCAM for being the scam that they are. The shipping time to replace the camera is also a contributing factor that entered the return process - close to two months!
Since is was obvious that a return was not going to happen, I went to a hacker site (goprawn.com) and downloaded a fantastic modded firmware update (upgrade) that almost doubles the OEM bitrates, for a seriously improved picture quality. Whereas before I always thought there was a faint fogginess about the visual, now it is crystal clear! A striking performance upgrade that is very plain to see, and which makes the picture quality as good, or better, than the best of the GoPros. Nutsey, the hacker, is also known for finessing a Firefly camera's firmware, though I do not know the model. Apparently he hit a home run there as well. You might want to check him out, do a video on him. Oh yeah, he modded the SJ8 and he doesn't even own one or have one in possession. Not too shabby in my book.
I like your videos, especially since you don't seem to be owned by any particular manufacturer and thusly, you can speak your mind. That makes you independent, a good place to be for a reviewer. I subbed.
@@counterpoint6718 Thank you Steven - for sharing all this information.
I know Nutsey, and he is a very kind person, and he is doing that for a really long time, having good connections with many camera makers.
Haven't tried the modded firmware, but will certainly try it, based on your advise :-)
Awesome review!,I DEFINITELY will be considering purchasing it. I'm curious as to what computer editing software you have to edit your cool videos? I'm trying to setup a bbq cooking/camping channel and need advice on a good program..cheers from TEXAS!
Woo, warmest regards to Texas. YOu have me as a subscriber even before the cooking lessons - I am a huge fan of Texas-bbq style 😎👍
I mostly use Panasonic G7 for the closeup scenes; All edited via Adobe Premiere Pro. I would suggest looking into DaVinci Resolve - many people say great things about it.
@@TechMishka awesome! Thanks buddy, stay tuned for the best BBQ videos in the world! TEXAS BBQ!LOL
Yes Sir.... I have seen couple of videos about Sj8 Pro. they have Same problem. also the External mic catches More wind noise....
Sir one Request....🙏 can you Please Review Sj8 Plus... and New Hawkeye Firefly 8SE (8SE = 2018 latest 120fps On ambrella A12S75 processor )
Hi Abhiraj, I need to say that the latest firmware update I was provided with, is fixing the power sympthom - version is 1.2.3 as far as I remember.
As for the SJ8 Plus - I hope to soon get my hands on it. The 8SE review is work in progress. I prefer to prioritize quality over quantity, so perhaps it will be ready for next week.
tech4all Thanks you sir 👍
Don't hold your breath sir, remember their distributors were promising GPS and voice control from the flagship sj8 pro!
They were :D And now it turns out being in a hurry doesn't necessary give the desired result. Looking forward to the new firmware and to check whether it fixes some of the troubles or not.
How do i make a 3h videolapse on the sj8 pro. Settings please because i tried and i got 2 separate videos
Ps; my cam also freezes,after not using it for a time i can't power it on unless i remove the battery first
Firefly 8SE might be a better choice
its not possible because Firefly 8SE uses Ambarella A12 chipset and
Sony IMX117 sensor...
To be or not to be... :D We shall see!
While specs are important, they are not the most important component. I still try to sort my issues out with SJCAM - but if that is "standard" behavior - I will never trust the Sj8 for a "daily driver".
The A12 series are quite good. And the IMX117 is fantastic sensor - althoug the 377 is on theory better, sometimes having less effective pixels results into better light quality.
Hopefully soon a 8SE review will follow.
I think that sj8 pro is a very good camera on the paper...yes, it has a lot of issues now but I hope that future firmware updates will solve all the problems
Firefly audio is much worst and also when filming at night. I tested both of them and returned Firefly.
Why is Sjcam ignoring its friends,testers ,and buyers on dashcamtalk
.com?
Honestly, I have the feeling they have significantly reduced their staff. Just a guess - but it feels like so. Previous models were much better, and this one - somehow ... bad. They are supposed to work on a few products per year and it is disappointing to see such a lack of quality.
Still - I got a response from their support and they promise a fix will arrive with the next firmware update. So ... waiting :D
It's not problem with your unit, it is the problem with the whole production batch !
There is another youtuber named "Bulu Biker " who has the same problems as yours! Please check his video as well!
Thanks Rahul! I can confirm that versions 1.2.3 and 1.2.4 are fixing the power issue. As for the rest - I will have to use it for a while and confirm if improvements are real :D
Well after watching this video, and another 20 like it, I went out and bought me the SJ8 Pro kit. Boy was that a mistake! The camera that I received has a defective speaker straight from the factory and SJCAM support has basically told me touch luck, and are doing nothing to remedy the issue. I've done everything to correct the problem I can think of - checking all the right buttons in the menus, new quality sd-micro mem card, and using the camera without the waterproof case, and although the volume level is turned up to 10, the maximum, I can barely hear any sound with my ear pressed up against the camera's speaker. The videos that I produced with the camera play just fine on my computer, with solid sound, so I know the units microphones are working. But play the same video on the camera and silence.
So there you have it...1.) SJCAM has an issue with quality control from their factory and, 2.) SJCAM does not care if the camera works or not once it is sold. Buyer beware!
This is true and very unfortunate...
Where did you buy it from? If you used Paypal - then you can file a claim and get your money back. Scammers should never be let to get away with scams that easily.
If you used a bank card - Visa and Mastercard have buyer protection programs as well. Check your local bank office where the card was issues and ask to file a complaint about the transaction.
If you can send over the conversation with SJCAM - please do so to my email - contact@tech4all.net.
Let's say I am collecting SJCAM scam examples for something I plan to show at some point. Also - if there's something |you believe I can do to help you - let me know.
@@TechMishka I used my debit card and purchased through AliExpress. I don't fault either the seller or AliExpress, schit happens. What I do fault is the manufacturer not living up the industry standard on defects and the merchantability clause that follows such purchases. As to ANY response from SjCAM - quote..."Sound performance of loudspeaker is not that good due to limited camera size...Loudspeaker part is very small to cause weak sound performance." That's it. That is all they have stated, refusing to address any further email/inquiries.
As it is, I am too far invested in SJ8 Pro accessories from different merchants to ask them all for refunds and maybe not getting some realized. Besides the cost of shipping back to China, there is the time constraint of 25 - 30 days one way between myself and the sellers, should I want a replacement that's two months! Then there are the comments that permeate this issue of reliability of construction - it isn't there by chance. There are far too many duds or defects of their product to trust them further in any exchange.
My comments are directed at those who are thinking about buying this camera, or any other, from a manufacturer with a predatory reputation such as the brand company SjCAM, Limited. I will ultimately accept this camera for what it is and work around the shortcomings, especially now that I have a modded firmware that enhances its photographic/video capabilities. I'll just have to do it without being able to hear the audio tract while filming or thereafter without downloading to a PC.
@@TechMishka BTW...Thank you for the offer of help. There's really nothing you can do that you are not doing already - speaking truthfully! ...a rare commodity, for sure.
@@watersprite7983 Hey man, very kind to say that, thanks.
Well - if at some point you decide there's still something - just shoot an email and we will figure it out.