I'm looking for an action cam for 80% general use (mtb and family stuff) / 20% windsurfing use - the new Sony action cam is looking damned good but am not sure about it's impact resistance compared to GoPro.

Anyone have any experience with these two cameras?

I had the older version of the Sony and I was very happy with it except for the case. It was prone to fogging after a while. When I lost my Sony to the bottom of the lake I replaced it with a go pro silver plus and I have to say that even though the Sony is a good camera the go pro is superior in every way except for the mounting bracket. The go pro mounting system is flimsy compared to the Sony although having said that it would still take a fairly decent crash to snap it off.

The addition of the plus range to the go pro line up has been excellent. The 60 fps recording looks so smooth and clear I love it. The waterproof case is also excellent. My go pro has had plenty of use and has not fogged up once, not even a tiny bit. As for the image stability. to be honest I haven't noticed any difference. when I use the head band on the go pro the footage is very smooth although the 60 fps helps a lot in this regard. I think the design and effectiveness of the mounting you are using is the decisive factor when capturing windsurfing footage rather than the capabilities of the cam itself.

For my money, the quality of the waterproof case is the decisive factor. My silver plus just doesn't fog up and this is pure gold in my book. I can't speak for the new Sony case as I haven't used it but until I know more I would not be willing to go back to Sony just yet. The Sony is still a good product and you won't be disappointed with one but for my vote go pro all the way.

P.S. Better battery life with the Sony as well but this is mainly evident when shooting in 60 fps mode and for that silky smooth footage I'm willing to put up with having to run a backup battery.

Thanks guys! If I could hold out until the GoPro4 then I'd do that...but gotta buy now - the Sony, it is.

Cheers!

boardboy said...
whats the price difference?

Close enough to make no difference. AS100V vs 3+Black

If the budget is stight I would recommend a more traditional handy cam combined with a cheap action cam for a wider range of shots - and your people shots will be much nicer.

And your sound will be better too.

Great advice! I'd forgotten about the wide angle. A change of direction in my thinking is in order.

Will let you know cluffy , I got one for that reason. , I've used it once and the picture was great !!!!! Haven't used the GPS feature yet , never home enough to give it a good work out