Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera Review: C…

As my first Elephone product, the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera came with its doubts and fear. I’ve never used the brand before but I still pushed further to get the device after reading some positive reviews online. And though I had never met an existing user to feel the product, the existing reviews convinced me to go ahead.

I needed to get a good camera on a tight budget, and I was in search of a good one despite my small budget. From what I read online before I got the device, it’s the best budget camera produced by any company. But who would believe that? Actually, after this review, you would see reasons with me why I fell in love with this gadget.

Though it is new, it is a very impressive camera as promised by Elephone. If you love shooting photos and videos for fun, or you are into the photography profession, giving this lovely camera a chance would do you some good. It is indeed an action camera that I find interesting, awesome and lovable from first sight. Here is my review of the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera.

Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera Specifications

• Novatek 96660 chipset.
• Battery capacity of 1050mAh.
• Expandable external storage up to 64GB.
• 2-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 960 * 240.
• The video and picture format supported are MP4 and JPEG respectively.
• Built in microphone.
• For easy transmission, it has a Wi-Fi.
• Weighs 55 grammes.
• Gyro Stabiliser.
• Wi-Fi enabled.

Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera Review: True to its name?

PACKAGING

The process of unboxing the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K camera comes with the anxiety of what it contains; the carefully decorated white carton is a beauty on it own. It is well packaged using multiple packs and guarded with a foam for extra protection; it is one of the best packages I’ve ever seen on a camera. Inside the box, the following items can be found;

• 1 Action Camera.
• Waterproof Cover.
• Adhesive Tape.
• Cleaning Cloth.
• Bandage.
• Bicycle Stand.
• Accessory Seat (1).
• Accessory Seat (2).
• Steel Rope.
• Ribbon.
• Fixing Base.
• USB Data Cable.
• Helmet Seat.
• Adapter.
• Adapter Stand(1).
• Adapter (2).
• Adapter Stand (3).
• English User Manual.

Design & Display

Holding this beauty in my hand, it looks so simple yet elegant, sporty and stylish. Due to my love for silver, I didn’t mind the absence of other colour variants (it’s only available in silver colour).

It has a 2-Inch TFT display which from my personal experience is better than most cameras in its price range. With this huge display frame, you can play back your recorded videos without a phone and set all the cam action with ease.

Not only that, I was able to frame the scene while taking my mountain-hiking pictures and videos as a result of the display screen. With a resolution of 969 * 240 pixels, the display quality delivers more than my expectation. Holding the camera in your hand comfortably will unravel the glossy feel of the finishing which is enhanced by its delicate wire-drawing design.

Dimensions and Weight

You wouldn’t believe how light this action camera is until you hold it. It is unbelievably just 55 grammes in weight. It’s not a typo error, I mean it. The dimensions of the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera are 2.33 * 1.61 * 1.17 inches.

You can enjoy this action camera in a variety of sports such as skiing, cycling, diving, surfing as well as climbing. This camera is lighter than your smartphone.

Lens

The specification of the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K according to its manufacturer is 12 Megapixels, but I wanted to debate that in real life and decided to test it against one of my other cameras with a 16MP lens. Surprisingly, the lens of the EleCam Explorer Elite performed better than the other camera, probably due to the combination and integration of other features and functions aside from the lens. The 12MP lens proved its worth as it captures beautiful and colour dynamic 4K videos with 60fps image freeze-frame. It gave me a clearer and brighter picture quality than I expected.

Interestingly, this small-in-physique but giant-in-functions camera is also capable of capturing HD visual wide angle photos and videos at an angle of up to 170 degrees. I never regretted buying this as it captures a beautiful mountain view despite the wind speed and the cloud at almost 1400 ft above sea level.

The landscape shooting experience was better than imagined. Just picture yourself climbing a mountain, with the whole mountainous background showing in clear colours. I want to believe that the electronic image stabilisation (EIS) reduced the shake of climbing and the wind from distorting the picture output.

Hardware

It was after my first usage of this camera that I read about the improved and upgraded Novatek 96660 chipset; it must be the reason for an improved and excellent experience of 4K shooting. You must be thinking and wondering in what part of the world I was holed up in that I didn’t know about the NovaTek 96660, but hey, I’ve been busy with other gadgets and decided to review the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera as a comeback to the camera world.

The storage capacity is up to 64 Gigabytes; you really don’t have to worry about the space or deleting your old pictures, unless you’re a kind of large file collector who doesn’t get satisfied until the entire storage is filled up and he has to resort to gallery sanitation.

Knowing how fragile cameras were, especially high-end ones like this, I was careful with it, but my kids weren’t. The waterproof box that came with the camera was my saving grace as it had a quick dive into a stagnant water when the nine-year-old was asked to take a shot.

It also supports underwater photography up to 30 meters deep; I can’t wait to try this out as soon as I start taking swimming lessons, though when or IF that will ever happen I don’t know. The Explorer Elite 4K is said to have an underwater mode that automatically lightens up the pictures between 15 to 30%.

The only downside in this segment is the audio quality and the absence of an external audio port; the manufacturers did not consider the need of quality audio to make the excellent video even more superb.

Also, there is no remote control for the camera, but this has been remedied with the availability of the Elephone App. You might be wondering why you need a remote control for a camera, but think of the situations in which you, the videographer have to be in the video currently being recorded; surely, a remote control would come in handy. Lastly, this camera is built for outdoor purposes. Hence, it has a poor lighting output when used indoors.

Connectivity

Transferring and storing my photos and videos comes with ease due to the Wi-Fi capability of the camera. Using the Elephone app, connecting the camera to my Android and iPhone was as easy as switching it on; it makes the sharing and transfer of my pictures and videos fast, swift and easy. I must not forget to add that the camera can be controlled remotely using the app.

The camera also has a TV output port which makes displaying on the TV easy and instant; you can view your favourite recorded videos and shot pictures on an even larger frame and screen.

Battery

For a camera with a 1,050mAh battery, I’m highly impressed with the battery life of the Elephone EleCam Explorer Elite 4K Action Camera after each full charge. I charged the camera 100% towards the birthday of my kid and it captured 1080p videos for around 75 minutes.

Charging the device is also possible through the use of either an AC adapter or via the USB port of a PC. It also means it can be charged via any USB port if you are going to be using it for outdoor photography like I do. It is even possible to get around 2 hours of continuous recording if the temperature is low and you are recording, shooting and capturing images and videos at a low resolution.

PROs

• Cheap and Affordable.
• 2 Inches LCD screen than can preview pictures, frame scenes and playback recorded videos.
• Sony IMX078 sensor that produces an awesome video quality.
• Steady and stable videos due to the gyro stabiliser.
• Nice body design.
• Packaged fully with all needed accessories.
• Long-lasting battery life.

CONs

• The absence of an external microphone port.
• Poor lighting for indoor shooting.
• No remote control.

Verdict

This impressive device has enjoyed its few seconds of fame on the internet but it deserves more accolade and viewing time. Despite being a tech critic, I almost found no fault in this camera. I’m not saying it is without one, but it has served me more than I expected.

Sporting a careful design, stylish and light body, the lens delivers exceptionally. The superior battery life will give many top range camera manufacturers a run for their money. If you are searching for a good camera to invest in as a picture lover, I would recommend the Elephone EleCam Explorer. You should be aware that it is an action camera that delivers on its promise of a 60fps full HD video. Considering the price tag, it’s a great value and lovely addition to my collection.

Buy Elephone Elecam Explorer Elite 4K Camera (Black) on Gearbest.com for $78.99 Dollars

Buy Elephone Elecam Explorer Elite 4K Camera (White) on Gearbest.com for $78.99 Dollars

Source link