Thieye T5e vs SJCam SJ6 Legend Camera Comparison: Which s…

A Google search for the keyword “cameras” or “action cameras” gives a lot of results, likewise a search for cameras on e-commerce stores like Gearbest and Aliexpress. While we can’t say the camera market is saturated, there are a lot of brands producing the same types of products with slightly different price tags. So what do you do when confronted with two or more similar cameras to choose from? This question is what has made me pen down this article, putting the Thieye T5e camera versus SJCam SJ6 Legend Camera for our readers to make a wise choice between the two devices depending on their specific needs.

When I think about cameras and camera-making brands,  especially those in the Chinese and Indian camera markets, a lot of names like GoPro, EKEN, H9, Xiaoyi and some others pop up in my mind. But of the lot, we have brands like SJCam and ThiEye that produce cameras for all categories of buyers from budget to premium.

Though both companies have a lot of products, two of them, the ThiEye T5e and the SJCam SJ6 Legend are so similar that buyers have been having a tough time choosing between them. The question “ThiEYE T5e or SJCam SJ6 Legend?” and variations of it have been popping up on the internet in recent times, so if you’re one of those who are confused on which camera to choose between the two, this article is going to sort it out for you.

ThiEye T5e vs SJCam SJ6 Legend: Comparison of the mid-range cameras

Design & Display

In terms of design, both cameras are essentially the same. They have the same design language, and when you look at them side-by-side from afar, you would think that they were the same product.

The ThiEye T5e and SjCam SJ6 Legend both have 2-inch displays at the back for previewing and making playbacks of videos and photos. While the back display screen of the T5e is made with TFT LCD display panels, the SJCam SJ6 Legend is made with LTPS display technology. Technically, both displays are the same since they are made with the same type of display technology (LTPS is a branch of LCD), but the SJ6 Legend’s display is slightly better in real life use.

Note, however, that this doesn’t affect the quality of videos and pictures taken with these cameras. It’s the camera lens and other internal components that determine picture/video quality, not the display.

The casing of both cameras are waterproof and both have tripod mounting screws that allow you to use them hands-free on tripods.

Storage & Performance

The SJCam SJ6 Legend comes with an external SD Card slot that allows you to expand the storage up to 128GB, while the microSD slot on the ThiEye T5e allows you to expand the storage up to 64GB.

The primary function of cameras is to take pictures and videos of everything, so the storage space expansion limit is a crucial factor that gives the SJ6 Legend an edge over the T5e. The limit of the former is double that of the latter, so if you intend to take a lot of pictures and videos, and you don’t have the patience to start transferring files from one storage device to another when one is full, the SJCam SJ6 Legend is your best bet.

The ThiEye T5e is powered by an Ambarella A12LS75 processor while the SJ6 Legend uses a Novatek 96660 processor. The Ambarella processor is good and performs better than the Novatek processor, but it gets hot sometimes and may cause discomfort when used for a prolonged period of time.

Camera Lenses

The lens in the ThiEye T5e camera has a diameter of 2.5mm, a sharp contrast to the 17.5mm diameter of the SJ6 Legend’s lens. Thus, the SJ6 Legend performs better in low-light conditions, but the difference might not be very noticeable; it depends on a what pictures you’re taking.

The ThiEye T5e is able to capture a wider area than the SJ6 Legend, thanks to its 170-degree wide-angle lens as opposed to the 166-degree wide-angle lens of the SJCam SJ6 Legend.

Functions & Connectivity

The ThiEye T5e is loaded with functions, and its menu is just a testament to this; it’s filled with a lot of settings and customization options. The camera has autofocus and time lapse, two functions absent on the SJCam SJ6.

The connectivity options are the same on both cameras; they have Wi-Fi for wireless transfer of files, micro HDMI ports for streaming videos to another display device, and micro-USB ports for charging their batteries. The WiFi connection on both devices is made via applications made for them by their respective manufacturers.

Image stabilisation is an important feature for a camera, so it’s not surprising that both devices come with a form of image stabilisation. For the T5e, it’s Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), while the SJ6 Legend makes use of Gyro Stabilization. The former is more advanced than the latter, but both work quite well to suit your needs.

To the last and most important feature, the ThiEye T5e camera supports native 4K video recording and photo capturing, while the SJ6 Legend only emulates 4K capturing. 4K recording is a deal-breaker for many, and it’s a factor that would make people choose the T5e over the SJ6 Legend, especially when you combine that with the low price tag of the T5e.

Battery

The SJCam SJ6 Legend has a battery of capacity of 1000mAh while the ThiEye T5e’s battery capacity is slightly higher at 1050mAh. Though there is a slight difference between these paper specifications, what really counts is the batteries’ performance in real life usage.

The ThiEye T5e supports native 4K, so if you’re going to be recording in 4K a lot, its battery life is going to be shorter than that of the SJ6 Legend. The T5e, however, comes with two batteries in its package, so you have a longer time before thinking about replacing its battery.

Price

The crux of the decision to buy devices like cameras lies on the price because there are a lot of similar devices at around the same price of the one you have in mind, always. The  SJCam Legend currently costs $159.99 while the current price of the ThiEye T5e on Gearbest is $115.99.

While this may be due to the promotions currently run by the e-commerce stores, since we’re comparing both devices for you to make the best choice depending on current factors, I’ll say the ThiEye T5e is worth the price.

I’m not saying that the SJCam SJ6 Legend isn’t worth the price, but the ThiEye T5e offers more features and is cheaper, and since you’re reading this article because you’re undecided between the two, my advice would be to go for the T5e if you don’t mind the hotness tendency of its processor and lower camera pixels (12MP to the SJ6’s 16MP).

Similarities

• 2-inch LCD back display with 320 * 240 pixel resolution.
• WiFi (with Remote control via app).
• Waterproof.
• Anti-shake & Aerial photography.
• Multi-language support.

Differences (SJ6 Legend/T5e)

• Processor: Novatek 96660/Ambarella A12LS75.
• Expandable Storage: 128GB/64GB.
• Battery: 1000mAh/1050mAh.
• Video resolution: Interpolated 4K/Native 4K.
• Camera Quality: 16MP/12MP.
• Lens Diameter: 17.2mm/2.8mm.
• FOV: 166 degrees/170 degrees.
• Extra battery (T5e).
• Autofocus & Time Lapse (T5e).

Conclusion – ThiEye T5e versus SJCam SJ6 Legend Camera

The ThiEye T5e and the SJCam SJ6 Legend are two of the best middle range cameras available in the market right now. If you want superior quality at a low price, you can go for the SJCam SJ7 Star, but if your budget is limited to around $120, I’d advise you to go for the ThiEye T5e because it offers native 4K, a longer battery life and FOV with better mobility (it’s a sports cam!) at a lower price.

Those are real deal breakers for me, but since individual tastes are different, you should read the above article carefully and compare both with what you really want in a camera.

So, which one did you choose?

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