Best Camera For Guitar Videos (2024 Update)

This product has some design flaws: The camera comes with a 32-page printed manual, but it is only a summary. I need to download the PDF version to see the entire manual. The ferrite core is not built into the power cord (even though the manual states the importance of attaching the core). I needed to manually attach it. If the ferrite core is so important, it should already be attached to the power cord when I bought the product. The camera comes with a plastic lens cap, but it is not connected to the camera, making it easy to misplace. My previous camcorders had a better design (lens cover is built in, and opens/closes automatically). When I press the Disp Batt Info button (to see how full the battery is) when the camera is turned off, the first bar in the bar graph is never lit, making it difficult to comprehend what the screen is displaying. When in recording mode, the top of the display has a number like 5:05:04.25. It's obviously some type of clock (the value increases when recording) but the manual does not say what this value means nor how to reset it. The Face detection & tracking feature appears to be worthless. All it does is display a box around the person's face on the touchscreen (adding more clutter to the display); it does not alter the recording at all. The camera lens does NOT move to follow the person. When deleting video clips, one of the options is to delete all. But another option is to delete 112_0831. To me, that looks like a filename, meaning it will delete that ONE particular file. Instead it deleted ALL the files recorded on August 31! The 112_ prefix appears to be meaningless. The 0831 suffix should be in the MM/DD format I specified in the settings so I will realize the camera is referring to a date rather than a sequential filename. The IFC-400PCU USB cable is NOT included. And with the cable the transfer speed is only USB 1.0 or 2.0 (I'm not sure which, but definitely not 3.x) The camera supports TWO memory cards. But when I connect the camera to my Windows 11 PC via the IFC-400PCU USB cable, Windows only shows ONE of the memory cards. By the way, I checked and the camera already has the latest version of its firmware. The cover for the DC IN connector is held on by a tiny piece of plastic, which I am sure will break off soon. Having a sliding cover would be a better design.Gerald

I have use this in church and lights were Led its ok video is very good But when I move to the other church were the Lights were florecent pictures were some slight green. I did not have a florecent filter. Moving to manual to correct the the green to natural colors. But overall the pictures were very Good. I like this video Camera it did very well in Video and in Pictures. I recomend it. I took an video of the Moon during sunset, very good like a Pro. IT does not have a copyright author. I wish it had .Francis

I love this camera. I bought one several years ago from B&H to benefit from the 4K capability. I own 4 HFG10's which have served me well but after a couple of recent shoots the difference in quality even at 1080 between the G10 & G50 was substantial enough that I just purchased a 2nd G50. The 2 G50's now comprise my main arsenal for most projects. The look of this camera is beautiful. Canon has the best color look for my taste and the 20x zoom is very impressive for a camera just under $1K.Stephen

After owning this camera for almost a week, I have had the opportunity to take it out for some test excursions. The results are good so far, and the price of the camcorder is justified. The video is very clear, smooth, and bright in well-lit scenes. Low-lit scenes have some video noise, but you'll need one of Sony's 1"-sensor camcorders to reduce that noise (at a much higher cost). I edit the video files with either "DaVinci Resolve" or "iMovie", and the XAVC files produced by the camera allow for a good amount of range in the adjustments. I like my landscape scenes to be a bit more saturated than stock, so colors can be bumped up a little and still look good with a lots of dynamic range. The built-in microphone works ok, and the electronic wind noise reducer is effective. The BOSS system works well at removing much of the camera shake, but is not a full substitute for a good tripod, especially at long telephoto lengths. It especially excels at keeping shake down when on the move while shooting. Unfortunately, the "Intelligent Active" Steady-cam mode is disabled for 4k. Leaving the BOSS system on while on a tripod seems to have no ill-effect. Sony's version of point & shoot: "Intelligent Auto"… I leave on about 80% of the time and works very well. It makes quickly flipping on the camera and hitting the record button a confident move, knowing that the end result is going to likely look great. The AX53 is a true "run & gun" camcorder. Otherwise, I use the adjustment ring to set the parameters I need, especially exposure for landscape shots. The ring has a nice slightly dampened, tactile feel to it. No wonder so many use this camera for online vlogging. With the BOSS system almost responding like a mechanical gimbal, an improved video sensor that was developed for this camera and lens, and 20x telephoto through Zeiss glass… well, you can figure out the end result. I do wish Sony would include a lens hood. There is lens flare at times. For that reason, I gave the AX53 4-stars instead of 5… Otherwise, this is a great camcorder for its price point. Playing back the 4k video produced by this camera on my 75" 4K screen is glorious!!!Fathernature59

Purchased recently as an upgrade to 4k from the sony CX410VE which still gives super HD video and if the AX53 performs as long I shall be more than satisfied. As well as the higher resolution video, the impressive lens, with super zoom capabilities the additional eye piece, whilst small, still allows more accurate framing when reflection on the screen simply makes the flip-out useless, an annoyance with the CX410VE. The use of the "manual" settings is taking a bit to learn but there are some options to fully automatic. Yet the auto settings seem to answer for many situations. The AX53 does have a few issues, as already mentioned the eye piece is too small and does not have a soft rubber surround, the flip out screen is no bigger than the CX410VE at 3 inch and finding a suitable lens hood is still ongoing after one abortive purchase. But the camcorder is a lovely handful, substantial and adaptable to my hobby needs.Bingban

Basic shooting with the camera is simple enough, the viewfinder is excellent and the controls fall easily to hand. Where it goes to pot is in the interface to the computer. I use a Macbook Pro and to transfer video files you first need to install Sony proprietary software (Playmemories Home). This is where Sony have failed miserably. The software cannot be installed on a modern operating system computer (ie Sierra) and the Sony support pages are an unmitigated nightmare. I bought a high end SD card in the hope the movie would record onto that but there seems to be no way of actually recording onto the SD card (The camera defaults to its internal memory. This camera is therefore ultimately only any good for people shooting traditional family baby film and playing them back direct from the camera onto a television. This is not a camera for professional or semi professional use. I wish I had bought one of the other cameras on my short list. I will be seeking to return it to Amazon tomorrow.TomWDW

Good little camera. It would be nice if you didn’t need to use a separate SONY app to output the footage, but you do. The software is quite functional if not a bit clunky. Manual/instrux are so-so, as usual with SONY. Some icons are not intuitive, but once you get used the menu navigation via the thumb pointer on the monitor door, you’ll find your way around well. Image quality is very SONY, i. e., fairly well balanced right out the box with solid blacks and good skin tones. Exposure can be adjusted overall, as can other video and audio settings, so you do have a degree of control that I find very useful. The glass is what you’d expect or better, and the cam has optical image stabilization, making the full zoom range useful, even when handheld. I wanted a decent video cam for my band and general fun, in addition to my other toys. I knew what I’d get/forgo for the price and cared more about video than audio, since anything band-related will be recorded and mixed separately. I am happy with the mini-HDMI out (or is it micro-?) There is NO digital audio I/O. You can output to SD video with audio via a multichannel-cable. Why? Charging the battery internally bugs me for a reason I can’t identify, but I think I like the integrated USB cable. SONY is almost always the best choice when for consumer video cameras, but compare. SONY has a ‘look’ that suits what I do, and other cameras have theirs. I should mention I’m a 40yr video veteran experienced in all aspects of production.SpaceStationStudios

I will give this product 5 stars, because I am amazed at all the things this little camcorder can do. The 60x zoom on this is crazy. It's one of the things that sold me on this camera; including the 1080×1920 quality. Very convenient way of turning the camera on and off (by just opening and closing the screen). When recording videos, they are very stable and far from shaky. The grip on the camera is really nice. Overall easy to get used to most of the features offered. Some I am still learning how to use in the settings. The zoom is also something I had to get used to. The one thing I noticed that I didn't like (at first) is that if it's really bright outside, the camera gives no contrast and color to the objects and in order to really see it, you would have to zoom in more for it to catch it. But then I didn't mind it, because this camera has a look to it like from the 90's, and that made it very cool to use.ambitiousfictitious

This camera is actually way smaller & extremely light-weight than I expected. It's to the point it's ridiculously small, yet as an experienced various consumer cameras, to some pro cameras user, this one is still awesome. I think women will love it as it likely will conveniently slip into a purse, complete w/a built-in physical lens shutter-cap, so great for a roving reporter doing their own pick-up & insert shots. Sony always does marvelous things when it comes to lenses. Even when I purposely switch off digital zoom (as that usually degrades the pic./video, & despite the model claims to have a circuitry which somewhat fixes that), the optical zoom is impressive to me. There are several record modes. I like the one dual mode where it keeps the highest video quality at full HD, even audio at PCM so no compression, & simultaneously records a lower resolution file at 1280×720, which even looks great to me. That means there's no waiting for your PC software to compress a video because some social media won't take it (other than to trim its duration). It's very helpful & convenient to even take MP snapshots while rolling video record! It's auto settings are very helpful too, & you can take the focus into a manual mode if you want control over that for one. I say, match this with a camera stabilizer rig (it does have a standard tripod hole mount) & you'll be recording like a pro! Oh, & Sony tends to have nicer sounding built-in mics. on their cams., like this one, where I lean on using its stereo sound over other cams. in a multi-cam. shoot & edit. I think the only main drawback is a lack of a remote control, even had it been an optional (wasn't able to track one down so far). Another slight negative, is there is no view finder. Did you notice? Many likely miss that/don't look for it, but even w/a swing-out display panel, such panel usually consumes batt. power on location. Although newer CMOS cams. (vs. CCD) tend to run the cam. cooler w/less power consumption, I'm sure this cam. would've maintained longer running power had you had a dual opt. of both panel & viewfinder, while using the viewfinder mostly. Come to think of it, though affects your movement-safety visibility, a viewfinder would aid in outdoor bright sunny days. Well, I can go on, but what do you expect from a consumer model cam. that wants to have some pro like features & results, but maintain a low-budget price range? I'd still buy another one for a multi-cam. shoot setting.CaliforniaVideoProGuy

I have been a long time Panasonic GH5 user and love the camera, its features and video quality. However, my curiosity got the better of me and I bought the BMPCC 4K. All of the positive reviews are true about the menu system, features, codecs and ease of use. It's all true. I still love my Panasonic GH5 and use it a lot but I have been reaching for the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K just as much. I cannot say one is better than the other. I can only say I love using both and have absolutely no regrets buying it. Both make gorgeous video. I won't go into spec comparison as any informed consumer should do that on his/her own. I will say whatever your needs, both cameras deliver. Usability differs somewhat as far accesorizing but that's completely up to the user. If you've used other mirrorless cameras and are ready for a change, you won't be dissapointed with this feature rich 4K video camera. And, you can spend as little or as much as you want to accessorize. I only bought a Small Rig cage, 12 rods, an INdiePro battery kit and XLR cables. The rest of my accesories came from what I bought for my GH5.Hugh

I shoot pictures and occasionally videos on mirrorless and dslr's, figured I would look at this to see if it was interesting and/or possibly upgrade path. Watched all the youtubes about it to be ready to use it. After a week, I can safely say this isn't the camera for me. But it might be for you, if you're doing all the video work. The battery life issue is real. Otherwise it's a great piece of gear. It takes practice to get used to using this for impromptu video (aka, kids running around). It's better for shooting set up shots or studio bits. The output files can be quite pretty if you do all the right things to make sure they are. The max resolution is great for archival purposes, you can crop down as well to do things like higher speed shots. For DSLR comparison purposes, the output files are like shooting RAW files, they're going to take some adjustment to make them look good afterwards. The cage is useful especially if you're going to be shooting to SSD. Fedex delays made this more like a 6 day rental, which isn't LR's fault, but was annoying.ryan s.

There are some issues with the UX and a few other things that I don't like. But the quality for price ratio is phenomenal. You can shoot truly professional-grade footage for about $1500 when you've bought a basic lens and some memory. For this reason alone, I'm very happy with the product. Be aware, though, that this is a big kid's camera with big kid file sizes that require–as any camera of its caliber–some expensive add ons: A fast computer, lots of solid-state storage, expensive onboard memory cards etc. Otherwise, the workflow becomes unmanageable at best, impossible at worst. My biggest problem is with the UX. You can't view stills and the playback only enables you to skip from clip to clip in a linear sequence. Meaning that to get from A to D you have to skip through B and C. There's no thumbnail-based interface and–worst of all–no way to delete existing clips, which can be a problem since memory card space disappears quickly. Maybe I'm missing something, but so far I haven't been able to figure this out. Still, at the end of the day you can create beautiful pieces with this camera for an unbelievable price, and DaVinci Resolve, a great editor, is included. If you have a huge budget you might want look into other cameras. If it isn't this is. frankly, a no brainer, and would make an amazing secondary camera for any shoot.William H

I have been using the camera for small-scaled doc-style projects and corporate shoots for about a and a half and it's been great. I have a rig for it to power the camera via a gold mount battery so that I'm not dealing with constantly swapping batteries. I pair it with the sigma art 18-35mm and 50-100mm which gives me a good enough range. I like the images that come out of the camera and the capability to shoot RAW or ProRes, both very easy to work in post. I'm not crazy about the crop when going to high speed, I wish it had other crop modes aside from 6K, 5.7K and 2.8K because the jump between 5.7K and 2.8K is pretty significant. The internal ND is wonderful although mine got stuck and wouldn't move after about a year of use. Luckily I was still under the warranty and was able to swap out for a new one. My current camera is now giving me some issues not turning on at times after flicking the power button on. Also, the colors on the image out of the hdmi output gets messed up when I switch from live to playback mode and I have to unplug and replug the hdmi cable each time which can get annoying and awkward when you're trying to show playback to your director or client from the camera. All in all, if it's small scaled shoots/personal projects, I think it's a solid option especially given its price but I wouldn't bring it for bigger productions because I feel like it's just not reliable enough.Yousuke

I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone looking for a cinema-quality image on a (semi high-end) DSLR budget. The image is crisp and film-like, and the RAW format opens up a word of options for coloring in post. Is it perfect? Of course not. What camera is? But, for the price it's an amazing value. One of my favorite aspects of this camera is the user interlace. It's the most well laid out and pleasing UI of any camera system I've used. The foldout display is great. The top side quick function buttons for false color, LOG preview, and aspect ratio guidelines are equally fantastic. Another big selling factor is the native compatibility for Canon EF lenses. That's a huge plus over the 4K model. Blackmagic RAW is incredibly versatile in post within DaVinci Resolve Studio. I shot mostly 6K at 8:1 compression, and while I had to optimize some media for my machine, playback worked very well. The color science of Blackmagic Film Gen 5 is truly magical and unmatched. There's also an option for ProRes RAW, but file sizes will be much, much larger (DaVinci doesn't support ProRes RAW currently, either). A couple downsides – the battery life isn't great, so grabbing a few extra batteries is a must for shoots. Blackmagic has an official battery grip for this model, but that will make the body pretty bulky. So, it depends on your rig needs. A V-mount battery may be your best bet for longer shoots. There's so IS or autofocus, but that isn't a problem for me as I prefer manual focus for video. More so, standard cinema lens are manual focus pulled anyway. The body is definitely larger than a DSLR, but it is a dedicated cinema camera so the tradeoff in size is acceptable.Nick

I've owned dozens of Blackmagic Design cameras from the URSA Mini Pro 4.6k G2 to the OG pocket 1080p. This camera is by far the easiest camera to use that Blackmagic has made. Not only that, but the footage is also the best looking out of any camera I've used by them. The 6k Super 35 sensor is gorgeous, and the gen 5 color science is brilliant to work with. It's much less depressing looking. The battery life is now at the point where I can use use just the camera as a minimalist rig, however I still recommend rigging this camera up to a v-mount. I didn't buy the viewfinder for this camera, as I don't particularly love the form factor it provides, as I'm much more likely to sit on the left side of the camera rather than behind it. I'm hoping that a third party manufacturer will provide some way to change the position of the viewfinder, at which point I will look at picking it up. The ND filters are amazing to use. They're significantly less janky feeling than the ND filters on the URSA and are worth the extra $500 by themselves. Additionally, the two mini XLR ports are a welcome addition. Add in a tilting screen and all of this is only $500 more? But, there's one problem for me. The LCD on my screen is tinted completely blue. Like unusable blue. It's embarrassing to have this camera on set because even directors will see the color difference between the two monitors. I've talked with Blackmagic and they'll be issuing a fix, but I can't believe they didn't see this before sending the camera out. Until this is updated and fixed I cannot rate this camera anything other than one star. If you're thinking about picking one up, either buy it through a company like Bh with a great return policy, or wait until the issue is resolved.Patrick

If you do your shooting outside in the open air and the sun is shining, forget about it. That viewfinder window attracts glare big time. Since there is no eyepiece viewfinder you are stuck with that lousy flip out screen –framing your subject is nearly impossible, no adjustments. Other than that, nice camcorder. Oh, and no hot shoe for a generic attachment on top, and no remote control. Time lapse controls, zoom— nice. Oh the other big problem is that power connector outlet on the side. Very poorly designed. Cord just does not want to stay connected to the camera, making charging the battery with it near impossible.brushworker

I purchased the Canon Vixia HF R800 camcorder to record online classes I am teaching. I just recently got it (actually bought 2 from Adorama) and have found it to live up to my expectations. I am still learning all the options available to me. I love that I can use an external mic. I have used both a shotgun mic and a lavalier mic and both work well. It was definitely a good purchase!!!Lawrence

Love this video camera. I had an earlier model (R500) that I also loved, but something happened to the charging cord where it connected to the camcorder and I could no longer charge it, so I got the newer model and I love it even more than the older one. Very user friendly and has a decent on board mic. Most of the features are the same as the older model, so it was easy for me to jump in and start using it right away. Looking forward to exploring and using all the new features too.CASSANDRA

I'm loving this camcorder. As an actor (especially with coronavirus) we're being asked more and more to self-tape auditions. Casting directors expect audition submissions with good lighting, good sound, and good video. I love that I can plug my XLR shotgun mic which is attached to a boom stand directly into the camcorder. The XLR inputs are part of the detachable handle accessory, which also has a convenient start-stop record button right on top of the camera. I run the HDMI output from the camera into an external field monitor which is also super convenient, and I can easily pop out the SD card to transfer the video to my laptop for processing. With a separately purchased video grabber, I can also convert the HDMI to USB 3.0 and Livestream the video in applications like Zoom. This is my primary application, but this camcorder does much more that I look forward to exploring.Bruce

I stepped up to this from 12 year old Sony. Wow what a learning curve ! I've only had it for a week but I'm learning bit by bit and day by day. I've learned that the 128gb memory card in 4K is not enough. Yes there are 2 slots but I have it setup to duplicate the one on the other for safety sake so I would start out with at least 256gb cards or more. I seen how big a memory it can take. The camcorder comes with a small 36 page quick start manual but you have to go on line to download and print the full 8 1/2 by 11 146 page owners manual. It's not a light weight camcorder because of all the features it has. It comes with almost everything you will need except a Mini USB TO USB CABLE to save your videos and photos to your computer. It is well worth the price and if are not familiar with professional camcorders like myself, there is learning curve. If you like new technology and can do your homework you will really enjoy this camcorder.Haleigh

This camera gave us everything we were looking for. Shoots great in low light and night time. I rarely break out lighting stands at all. The dual XLR inputs make interviews with two or more a breeze. It is almost too light as twice I thought I left it some where when it was in a small bag on my shoulder. Lenses from previous Canon cameras fit perfectly on front. I use a wide angle from my GL1 on the XA40. Dollar for dollar a great purchase.Linda

The Pocket 2 is a great camera, I'll start with that. There are weird little nuances that will most likely be improved for the next one, but I couldn't imagine this camera existing years ago. The technology is great- 4K60p, excellent stabilization, actually good color (I use the D-Cine like color profile), and it fits in my pocket so I always have it. This camera will be easy and fun or extremely useful depending on what you need it for. If you're a vlogger you'll probably love it, but i'm not one so i can't speak to that. I do use it for b-roll- my job always requires specific b-roll from around my city, and so i carry this and pull it out on walks, on my way to the grocery store, waiting for the bus, etc. I wish I had this when I was a videographer for the news because it would've allowed me to blend in and not get hollered at by the public driving by. I have the Freewell Bright Sun ND/PL filter kit which works great but makes me nervous as heck with how small they are. There is a magnetic slot inside the Pocket case to hold one filter, so i keep the ND64 one in there. At my job, no one ever guesses that some of the b-roll comes from this little guy. The video quality is great as long as you know its limits. I don't use it in extremely dark situations, though indoors in darker hallways it still holds up. I'll eventually push it's low light capability, but I cannot speak to that right now. I can say that it's great with smaller moving shots, the gimbal helps this blow other tiny cameras out of the water. I wouldn't consider it an action camera, but I strapped it to my helmet on a bikeride and it worked great (at high enough speeds tho it starts to interfere with the gimbal, I wouldn't use it outside of a car). I have used it on a long selfie pole to get makeshift crane/jib shots and I love the outcome. The only negatives I have found are far exceeded by the pros, but here is what i've noticed. 4K60p does record in a lower bitrate, so I have to decide between the highest quality (4K24p) or having the option to slow down footage but sacrifice quality (4K60p). The accessory pieces are just that- little tiny pieces. They clip into the camera case, but the iphone piece came loose and now I have to buy another ($20 for that single accessory, which is a bit annoying). Using the iphone defeats the purpose for me as a 'quick get the shot and move on' camera, but it helps to see the whole shot and frame it up better than the tiny screen on the handle (which i am definitely not knocking, it still helps a lot!). I'll probably end up buying the wireless accessory instead, but I would love to see that built in for the next version (gopro has that perfected). The last thing that kind of drives me crazy is that it seems to prefer vloggers- the On button on the side will always start the camera facing in selfie mode. You have to press the button next to the record button for it to start in FPV mode. It should be reversed in my opinion, but i've adapted to it. For the price of this little guy and all its features, I'd say its definitely worth buying. I hate using my iPhone (even though it does a good job with video and photos), but some days you just want to capture the moment with whatever you have on you. I'll always have a nice looking stabilized shot because from now on, the pocket will always be in my pocket.Michael

This has practically everything you need pocket size. The gimble for stabilization works flawlessly which is great for lower lighting use vs software stabilization. Four microphone in the device and the wireless lav are superb. There's pro mode, letting you manually change the iso, shutter speed giving you the option to use ND filters (not included). This can be a great IRL streaming option connecting it to your hotspot using RTMP to OBS and then OBS to any streaming platform. It can stream up to 1080p so you don't have to worry about buying an encoder. You can charge while using it too. Pros: – gimble w/active track – 4k 60fps – features (b-roll w/timelapse, hyperlapse, slow motion, d-cenelike, etc) – can take photo as JPEG or RAW – control from phone physically or wirelessly Cons: – does not have HDMI output so it cannot proficiently be used as a webcam. (it can be used as one with cosmostreamer app but will require wifi direct connect but no audio) – small battery (last about 2 hours max with low settings) – not waterproof Overall, this little device packs a punch. It's almost unnoticeable that it makes your surrounds feel more natural compared to filming with a big mirrorless camera on a gimble, tensing up everyone around you. All the camera tricks you can do with this thing is insane, making your videos look professional. If you're a realtor, buy this now. You can make virtual house walkthroughs look like you paid Steven Spielberg to film this (not really but close enough). If you're a starving reporter and can't afford someone to film you, buy this now. Who needs someone to hold the camera when you got active tracking to follow you. If you're bad at flying a drone but want drone like film, buy this now. You can do so much attaching this thing to a long selfie stick.Panks

I bought this for collecting rapid B Roll video footage, and this is a great device, so I won't bore you with the positives- there are plenty of Youtubes on that. But there is proof of idiocy in design at DJI, so here are some glaring issues that easily could have been overcome; 1. DJI apparently doesn't understand that people keep their phones in protective cases. The little adapter to connect to the P2 from an iPhone to activate it, or directly control it or edit videos is not long enough to work with my iPhone 12 Max in an Otterbox case. 2. The Extension Rod accessory is awesome, but likewise doesn't fit a phone in a case. These are plain stupid design flaws inconsiderate of reality and are infuriating oversights. 3. The Cine mode isn't available in video over 30FPS with the Do-it-all accessory handle, but is without it. If the power draw is that bad- so be it- give it to us anyway and let us deal with it. 4. The expensive Controller Wheel for pan and tilt DOES NOT allow for cross-panning high-to-low. It's either right or left or up and down. I assumed the wheel jogged, but no. Both the Mini Control Stick and the Extension Rod allow this. Don't waste money on this, it's absurd. De-tuning the response of the Mini Control Stick makes this possible instead. 5. The case DOES NOT protect the P2 while it has the wide angle lens, or any filter on it. I at least keep a CPL filter on it, and its wide open to be scratched, or most likely lost- without protection. DJI could easily have made the case with a small rotating cover that rotates down covering the P2 using a WA lens or filter. I bought a cheap plastic slip cover for travel, and don't like it, but at least it's something. 6. The latch system on the Extension Rod accessory for securing the P2 is extremely, and unnecessarily fragile. This needs addressed. 7. The 64 mp capability of the still feature is kind of misleading. The P2 has such a small sensor, that the stills aren't what you are led to believe by calling them 64 MP.Dale

The Pocket 2 is a great camera, I'll start with that. There are weird little nuances that will most likely be improved for the next one, but I couldn't imagine this camera existing years ago. The technology is great- 4K60p, excellent stabilization, actually good color (I use the D-Cine like color profile), and it fits in my pocket so I always have it. This camera will be easy and fun or extremely useful depending on what you need it for. If you're a vlogger you'll probably love it, but i'm not one so i can't speak to that. I do use it for b-roll- my job always requires specific b-roll from around my city, and so i carry this and pull it out on walks, on my way to the grocery store, waiting for the bus, etc. I wish I had this when I was a videographer for the news because it would've allowed me to blend in and not get hollered at by the public driving by. I have the Freewell Bright Sun ND/PL filter kit which works great but makes me nervous as heck with how small they are. There is a magnetic slot inside the Pocket case to hold one filter, so i keep the ND64 one in there. At my job, no one ever guesses that some of the b-roll comes from this little guy. The video quality is great as long as you know its limits. I don't use it in extremely dark situations, though indoors in darker hallways it still holds up. I'll eventually push it's low light capability, but I cannot speak to that right now. I can say that it's great with smaller moving shots, the gimbal helps this blow other tiny cameras out of the water. I wouldn't consider it an action camera, but I strapped it to my helmet on a bikeride and it worked great (at high enough speeds tho it starts to interfere with the gimbal, I wouldn't use it outside of a car). I have used it on a long selfie pole to get makeshift crane/jib shots and I love the outcome. The only negatives I have found are far exceeded by the pros, but here is what i've noticed. 4K60p does record in a lower bitrate, so I have to decide between the highest quality (4K24p) or having the option to slow down footage but sacrifice quality (4K60p). The accessory pieces are just that- little tiny pieces. They clip into the camera case, but the iphone piece came loose and now I have to buy another ($20 for that single accessory, which is a bit annoying). Using the iphone defeats the purpose for me as a 'quick get the shot and move on' camera, but it helps to see the whole shot and frame it up better than the tiny screen on the handle (which i am definitely not knocking, it still helps a lot!). I'll probably end up buying the wireless accessory instead, but I would love to see that built in for the next version (gopro has that perfected). The last thing that kind of drives me crazy is that it seems to prefer vloggers- the On button on the side will always start the camera facing in selfie mode. You have to press the button next to the record button for it to start in FPV mode. It should be reversed in my opinion, but i've adapted to it. For the price of this little guy and all its features, I'd say its definitely worth buying. I hate using my iPhone (even though it does a good job with video and photos), but some days you just want to capture the moment with whatever you have on you. I'll always have a nice looking stabilized shot because from now on, the pocket will always be in my pocket.Michael

This has practically everything you need pocket size. The gimble for stabilization works flawlessly which is great for lower lighting use vs software stabilization. Four microphone in the device and the wireless lav are superb. There's pro mode, letting you manually change the iso, shutter speed giving you the option to use ND filters (not included). This can be a great IRL streaming option connecting it to your hotspot using RTMP to OBS and then OBS to any streaming platform. It can stream up to 1080p so you don't have to worry about buying an encoder. You can charge while using it too. Pros: – gimble w/active track – 4k 60fps – features (b-roll w/timelapse, hyperlapse, slow motion, d-cenelike, etc) – can take photo as JPEG or RAW – control from phone physically or wirelessly Cons: – does not have HDMI output so it cannot proficiently be used as a webcam. (it can be used as one with cosmostreamer app but will require wifi direct connect but no audio) – small battery (last about 2 hours max with low settings) – not waterproof Overall, this little device packs a punch. It's almost unnoticeable that it makes your surrounds feel more natural compared to filming with a big mirrorless camera on a gimble, tensing up everyone around you. All the camera tricks you can do with this thing is insane, making your videos look professional. If you're a realtor, buy this now. You can make virtual house walkthroughs look like you paid Steven Spielberg to film this (not really but close enough). If you're a starving reporter and can't afford someone to film you, buy this now. Who needs someone to hold the camera when you got active tracking to follow you. If you're bad at flying a drone but want drone like film, buy this now. You can do so much attaching this thing to a long selfie stick.Panks

I bought this for collecting rapid B Roll video footage, and this is a great device, so I won't bore you with the positives- there are plenty of Youtubes on that. But there is proof of idiocy in design at DJI, so here are some glaring issues that easily could have been overcome; 1. DJI apparently doesn't understand that people keep their phones in protective cases. The little adapter to connect to the P2 from an iPhone to activate it, or directly control it or edit videos is not long enough to work with my iPhone 12 Max in an Otterbox case. 2. The Extension Rod accessory is awesome, but likewise doesn't fit a phone in a case. These are plain stupid design flaws inconsiderate of reality and are infuriating oversights. 3. The Cine mode isn't available in video over 30FPS with the Do-it-all accessory handle, but is without it. If the power draw is that bad- so be it- give it to us anyway and let us deal with it. 4. The expensive Controller Wheel for pan and tilt DOES NOT allow for cross-panning high-to-low. It's either right or left or up and down. I assumed the wheel jogged, but no. Both the Mini Control Stick and the Extension Rod allow this. Don't waste money on this, it's absurd. De-tuning the response of the Mini Control Stick makes this possible instead. 5. The case DOES NOT protect the P2 while it has the wide angle lens, or any filter on it. I at least keep a CPL filter on it, and its wide open to be scratched, or most likely lost- without protection. DJI could easily have made the case with a small rotating cover that rotates down covering the P2 using a WA lens or filter. I bought a cheap plastic slip cover for travel, and don't like it, but at least it's something. 6. The latch system on the Extension Rod accessory for securing the P2 is extremely, and unnecessarily fragile. This needs addressed. 7. The 64 mp capability of the still feature is kind of misleading. The P2 has such a small sensor, that the stills aren't what you are led to believe by calling them 64 MP.Dale

This camera is a near perfect camcorder. Best one I have every used, if they could only improve the low light performance on future models, then this would be perfect. I used it to document a 5 day backpacking trip. Battery life is incredible, and the ergonomics are great. Footage (except for anything low light) turned out amazing!David

I am very pleased with this camera, the Compact design with so much control is really nice. I am still getting to know it and I am having fun. I am still shopping for a good mic for it to be able to have that quality sound but the sound it’s internal mic records is actually pretty nice and balanced. If you’re looking for a nice compact workhorse of a camera I would highly recommend this. Long battery life. Perfect run and gun for superior image quality.Sean

This is a good camcorder, even shot at low light. I usually use camcorder to shot performance or show at room with regular light or studio. It performs good. The video shot looks clear and sharp. The color of objects looks full and of reality. Though the manual reads too long, it is clear. In general, I like it and satisfied with its performance. I'd like tp give it 5 stars.Gang

Bought this camera in January of 2021. Believed it was worth the investment since the brand was well known, figured it would last a long time, and it had good reviews for the most part. Fast forward to June of 2022, a year and a half later, and the camera does not work. Plugged it in to charge one night, the next morning, the camera was completely dead. I've been on the phone with GoPro support multiple times, tried all trouble shooting options offered & nothing worked. They said it's a manufacturing defect, but can't replace the camera because it's outside the 1 year manufacturing warranty. They aren't willing to do anything to remedy the situation, so figured I'd warn people against this product. I understand we could have purchased a bigger warranty, but I stupidly assumed this product was a quality camera that would last a long time (considering the price $$). Turns out I was wrong. Do not waste your money on these cameras.Meg

This is a big step up from the Hero 6 that i have been using for the last few years. GoPro has released a new battery with the HERO8 Black. It's the same shape, size, and power rating as the HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, and HERO5 Black. And, technically, you can put one of the older batteries inside the HERO8 Black and power the camera with all of the same features available. I can safely give it a solid 9/10 in my review. There are a few things that don’t make this action cam absolutely perfect though. To start with while I absolutely love the idea of the folding fingers, I’m still not 100% sure of their long-term durability. In the two weeks I’ve owned this camera it has frozen on me twice, both times during heavy use and after I end recording of a video. The video has always been saved to the SD card though, so that is good. Over all, it is an upgrade for me. I like it very much.Jowen

Positives: Small, Durable, Versatile, Water-Proof, Easy to use adjustable settings. Video stabilization is awesome. Negatives: File sizes are insanely huge, take up lots of memory fast and no good way to really tone it down. Go-Pro Color is completely off, over-saturated, and unnatural to reality. One can however turn that off providing some improvement. Quite a bit of digital distortion/fragmenting around moving subjects. Does not come with a plug in charger for the wall or much else for that matter. Still images lack detail zooming in and are about the equivalent of a cheap smartphone. No built in stereo mic? Less expensive Sony cameras had that 10 years ago along with other features this does not have. Final Conclusions: Great for what it's built for (Durability/Action shots but certainly could use some improvements on some things less expensive cameras from other brands were already doing 10+ years ago. Decent enough little camera but I feel just a tad over-rated. AVCHD Sony video from 10 years ago has better color, less fragmenting, overall more pleasant and natural looking to watch. Simply having higher video resolution isn't everything when it comes to overall video quality. Certainly beats what I've previously owned when it comes to image stability though.Stufforme82

Bought this camera in January of 2021. Believed it was worth the investment since the brand was well known, figured it would last a long time, and it had good reviews for the most part. Fast forward to June of 2022, a year and a half later, and the camera does not work. Plugged it in to charge one night, the next morning, the camera was completely dead. I've been on the phone with GoPro support multiple times, tried all trouble shooting options offered & nothing worked. They said it's a manufacturing defect, but can't replace the camera because it's outside the 1 year manufacturing warranty. They aren't willing to do anything to remedy the situation, so figured I'd warn people against this product. I understand we could have purchased a bigger warranty, but I stupidly assumed this product was a quality camera that would last a long time (considering the price $$). Turns out I was wrong. Do not waste your money on these cameras.Meg

This is a big step up from the Hero 6 that i have been using for the last few years. GoPro has released a new battery with the HERO8 Black. It's the same shape, size, and power rating as the HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, and HERO5 Black. And, technically, you can put one of the older batteries inside the HERO8 Black and power the camera with all of the same features available. I can safely give it a solid 9/10 in my review. There are a few things that don’t make this action cam absolutely perfect though. To start with while I absolutely love the idea of the folding fingers, I’m still not 100% sure of their long-term durability. In the two weeks I’ve owned this camera it has frozen on me twice, both times during heavy use and after I end recording of a video. The video has always been saved to the SD card though, so that is good. Over all, it is an upgrade for me. I like it very much.Jowen

Positives: Small, Durable, Versatile, Water-Proof, Easy to use adjustable settings. Video stabilization is awesome. Negatives: File sizes are insanely huge, take up lots of memory fast and no good way to really tone it down. Go-Pro Color is completely off, over-saturated, and unnatural to reality. One can however turn that off providing some improvement. Quite a bit of digital distortion/fragmenting around moving subjects. Does not come with a plug in charger for the wall or much else for that matter. Still images lack detail zooming in and are about the equivalent of a cheap smartphone. No built in stereo mic? Less expensive Sony cameras had that 10 years ago along with other features this does not have. Final Conclusions: Great for what it's built for (Durability/Action shots but certainly could use some improvements on some things less expensive cameras from other brands were already doing 10+ years ago. Decent enough little camera but I feel just a tad over-rated. AVCHD Sony video from 10 years ago has better color, less fragmenting, overall more pleasant and natural looking to watch. Simply having higher video resolution isn't everything when it comes to overall video quality. Certainly beats what I've previously owned when it comes to image stability though.Stufforme82

Good-looking images. 1080 seems enough resolution for most TV displays so I don't yet miss 4K. This is a used low-budget camera but delivers good enough quality to get me started in video/YouTube. I purchased two of the larger size batteries with charger and a 128 GB card to give me more recording time. I installed a clear glass protection filter which I think necessary for work in the kitchen. It doesn't have any provision for a lens shade and with the protection filter I am unable to find a shade that doesn't vignette, but then again it doesn't seem to need one, either. A viewfinder would be very welcome but let's agree that my low budget will involve compromises. The manual over-ride is a little kludgy.harry35711

I purchased this camera for a church that has begun live streaming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I've been using my own equipment up to this point, but the church wanted me to buy equipment that would belong to the church and this is the camera I decided on. OK… It doesn't do 4K video, for my purposes 1080P is more than adequate. In fact, I live in a very rural community and the fastest internet service available doesn't have upload speeds fast enough to support 4K. I'm perfectly happy with this camera. It does great video quality and has everything I need. I was able to connect the HDMI out to a video capture card and plug that into the USB port on a computer and stream that live to YouTube with great results. I'm plugging a cord from a mixer into the mic input of the camera and set the mic input level manually on the camera and it works great! The price was phenomenally low! What's not to like? Highly recommended. It is a bit larger than my own video camera which makes it a bit less ideal for carrying with you on a vacation for instance. I';m shooting with it mounted on a tripod which is great.rbcory

Purchased this camcorder to replace a cannon D 70 for live-streaming events. The camcorder works great. You can leave it on for hours upon hours and there are no issues at all. The cannon D 70 would turn off after 30 minutes and I had a hard time getting a clean HDMI out. While the HC-V770K is not set to a clean HDMI out, I found a youtube tutorial and was able to do this pretty easily. Compared to my AIDA PTZ camera, it's the picture is a bit darker, but I have to adjust some settings to match them up. It does not do 4k, but were just streaming so its fine for what we are doing.soundrayaudiogear

I come from a strong background in photography and audio production, with moderate experience in video. I am really happy with this camcorder. It has been used for about ten projects so far, and to date, I really enjoy its features, the functionality, how it works, and the quality it produces. I bought it in the kit, which in general I like as well. I am a bit concerned about the bag. It is stout, but the zipper carries a fair amount of stress on it and as such, I am concerned for how long the zipper will last.Bill

I needed a solid, workhorse camcorder for educational use (short documentaries, interviews, events). I did not need 4K, but did want the 20x zoom for reach in large rooms, so this camera fit my needs. Ive had it for about two months now and overall its met my expectations. The image quality and low-light capability are excellent. It doesnt have the bokeh of a 1-inch sensor, but does reach toward that goal and has a nice look for interviews. Many controls are in the menu (audio, WB, iris, etc) which might be a minus for those accustomed to lots of external buttons. There is no internal memory, but it does have two card slots so I use one of them as a backup (never removed) should I forget to return the main card to the slot. Theres a few minor ergonomic annoyances – for example the battery cant removed while the camera is on a tripod. The XLR inputs have a release button at the bottom of the connectors and theyre VERY tight, which makes it a challenge to remove cords quickly with one hand. The external microphone mount is low and near the front of the camera, which is an issue with some long mics with deadcats that find their way into the frame for wide shots. The solution is to mount the mic to the top of the camera, easily done but just one more thing to think about and another mounting gadget in the bag. The AV/out and the power are next to each other in a difficult to maneuver spot, so its easy to plug the power into the AV jack if youre in a hurry (I dont think this is a danger to the electronics, but who knows). Its a solid, well-built little camera and I am getting used to all these things. Overall I dont regret the purchase, but think it could have been a 5 if the design was just a little better.chris

I needed to replace my current JVC HD camera, because they were acting up and cutting sound at times. The video is good, clear – I added a telescopic lens. But the attachments are loose, don't tighten – I feel like if it was accidentally bumped, the microphone holder would definitely break – not going to use for 'run and gun' because it's just not durable, it's very small. That said: Canon settings are helpful, sound is good – I use Rode mics – just wish they had invested more into it's durability. Most filmmakers are pushed to the limits for news, etc. and this is too delicate.Julie

I have had this action camera for only a few days, and I have not taken any video with it yet. As a beginner to all of this, I have had to learn some lessons by stumbling around a little or a lot. After the fact, I learned I needed to manually update the camera with the latest firmware because attempting it using the phone app does not work. The camera overheated just sitting around learning how to use it, and after I did the manual firmware update, that problem resolved – that is not to say that it still does not get warm. Next – I did not order a sufficiently powerful micro SD card. I ended up getting a San Disk Extreme Plus UHS-3 rated card. That apparently has helped, also. It is rather warm as I write this review. I set the auto off at 15 minutes to see how it feels after just sitting around. I did not charge the battery in camera. I bought a dual battery charger, and that works just fine for charging the battery. I bought what seems like a boat load of accessories from screen protectors, cases, sleeves, cages and a remote. Also bought an external mic. I guess a cage is an absolute necessity if you are going to use an external mic with a GoPro mic adapter because the side door has to be removed to plug in the mic adapter which has a USB-C connector. I bought just one extra lens for the moment – a circular polarizer. Hopefully my Dell Inspiron 7000 Series laptop will not choke when I download the video content in 5K. So far, I have not found anything that says I cannot do that. Okay, as I conclude this review, the camera is definitely warm but not to the point of being untouchable, the battery power is down to 77% from 100%. I hope B&H will allow me to post a subsequent review once I start recording video and downloading it to my Windows laptop. I hope to make this camera work up to its expectations, but I think GoPro has some work to do on design, etc. Maybe they could design a new door where the battery and USB connection is so that you don't have to remove it to attach a mic adapter. A person should not need a special cage for that purpose. I am sure I will come up with some other critiques. I have a feeling I will be happy with the video in the end and get some enjoyment from this camera, but people who are new to this are going to have to spend time on the Internet to learn how to resolve their overheating problems related to improper firmware update techniques, etc. So that is where I will leave this review for now. Maybe a really great video camera, but especially for newbies, a long learning curve and stumbles and bumbles along the way. Do lots of internet research on every little thing you can think of.Sharon

B&H was prompt in delivering the camera. Unfortunately, the camera has many issues. First, because of its more powerful processor, this camera runs HOT. After doing 20 minutes of video at the highest performance settings, I had to set the camera down and take the battery out because the whole device was hot. I also updated the firmware per GoPro's instructions. After completing the update, the camera continued to display a message saying it needed to be updated. I did a hard reset with GoPro tech support on the phone and performed the firmware update via SD card. The update message was still displaying for no reason even though the camera's software said it was the latest version. I jumped through hoops with GoPro for an hour (and their tech support is difficult to understand, I had to ask for a different person 3 times before I could understand them). No matter how many times I performed the fix actions tech support suggested, the camera still thinks it has old firmware. Finally, GoPro no longer develops a desktop app for this camera so you have to use their app on your phone for many functions. If I wanted to have my phone glued to my hand in order to use my camera, I would have just used my phone's camera.Robert

It's a good camera when it doesn't act up. Main issue is that sometimes it decides to not turn on for no apparent reason. I have the media mod and so I have to take it out the media mod, take out the battery, put it back in, then it seems to work again. It's not an overheating issue as I record in very short durations. It's not the battery as it happens repeatedly on a charged battery. Pretty sure it's not the micro SD card because I made sure it was compatible before I bought it (will recheck though). What happens is I'll be using quikcapture; it'll work most the time, but every now and then after using quikcapture the camera won't turn on until I take out the battery and put it back in. I've done a factory reset and I've updated the latest firmware. This is my first GoPro and I'm dispointed because there seems to be many issues in the community with it and not a lot of clear answers out thereNoNameSam

I have been shooting with this camera for about 3 months now, and will give the most honest review I can based off of my time with it. I opted for this camera, as 85-90% of my shooting is run and gun live event shooting/interviews, and I was growing weary of carrying all my lenses/attachments and swapping out mid-shoot with a DSLR. I would describe the image quality as sharp and crisp. Shooting in the WDR mode gives me very clean colors, with minimal need for color adjustment in post (given that you expose/light correctly). Highlights and shadows can be adjusted to a respectable level for 8-bit color. Combination of the 2.8 aperture (on wide zoom) and the 1' sensor lend to some surprisingly cinematic depth of field looks for a camcorder. That is the most pleasantly surpassing aspect of the camera to me. With the correct angles, lighting and movement you can achieve some highly artistic shots that you would not expect from a camcorder. The dynamic image stabilization works very well for minimal movement styles. Following the 3-points-of-pressure rule, keeping your body tight and keeping a good squeeze on the camera, you will get zero to minimal shake on moving shots. Trying to go into a full-speed walk, the image stabilization will most likely fail and you will get very shaky shots. Pan shots can get pretty distorted at higher pan speeds, but no one should be fast panning anyway ;p The pro-features packed into the camera are so helpful. The built in nd-filters are a nice time/hassle saver in helping you keep your exposure/Dof/Shutter speed where you want it in changing light. Manual focus ring is very responsive, and can be adjusted to different reaction and speed times. You can manual focus with the auto-focus on to get a bootlegged focus rack, and in manual you can set a preset focus point, refocus, then return to the preset focus point with a touch of one button. This allows for the creation of some very clean, smooth, responsive looking focus racking, especially for a non-cine camera. Color coded focus outlines and focus assistant help you know you're nailing focus on the head when you're in situations where you don't get to reshoot if you screw it up. Not having 4k 60 fps is a bit of a bummer for slow-mo purposes, but the built in 1080p slow-mo setting looks very smooth and fluid to me, especially considering I edit on 1080p timelines anyway. Design is very clean and efficient. Handle helps for nice drop shots, and also creates a nice pressure point for stabilizing your camera by hand. The closing/opening shutter on the lens hood is great. XLR connections run clean, buzz/hum free audio with a high quality XLR cable and good audio conditions. On-camera display is tiny, so if you have sausage fingers and bad eyes like me, an external monitor would be beneficial. You can also assign functions to custom buttons on the camera body, so you can access your favorite features on the fly without having to go into the menu and access it manually. TL;DR, this camera nets very clean, very sharp and very cinematic results for a reasonable price tag and with lots of pro features packed internally that would otherwise need external accessories to achieve. There is a lot to like, and very little to complain about for the price you're paying.Addison

Coming from a Canon DSLR background I wanted to try something that was pretty much point and shoot but a high quality. This seemed to fit the bill rather well. I was able to see the screen in very bright sunlight. The two handles work well. Unfortunately I didn't see the manual until after I had returned the camera. The videos on YouTube just don't do it justice. Again I was in a very tight schedule and should have done more research. Clarity was wonderful I bought a microphone that I didn't end up using, the sound right off the video cam is fair to middling. My biggest complaint is that I had to have the camcorder on standby, because if I turned it off it will take several seconds for it to turn back on and then record, having me miss the shot. It does eat batteries and glad I rented a second battery to go along with this. Now I was shooting for a total of 5 hours in an outdoor hot environment ( so brightness levels on all displays were on max). It's been a while since I rented equipment, and it went flawlessly.K K.

I’m not filming the next Discovery Cannel series though I think this camera is well suited for the task. This is the first camcorder I have owned since I had some Panasonic 3CCD consumer camcorder. You can imagine how long ago that was. Anyway, I enjoy photography but I thought I’d try to get onto videography and I don’t believe in going in half way. So, I wanted a serious video camera. That’s what the Canon XA50 is. It’s a camcorder designed for serous work best sided for news and documentaries. This camcorder is probably well suited for cinema. Having said, that, I really enjoy this camera. It is compact and light. The 1” sensor really helps in low light and the zoom is fantastic. You can get a pretty wide shot or get in really close. The image stabilization is really nice too but I think you’ll want something more serious for real stabilization. The Canon XA50 really gives you a lot of options. For anyone interested in upping their video recording game, the XLR inputs are a must. They provide phantom power, giving you a ton of microphone options. I’m currently using an Audio Technica BP4029 stereo shotgun mic for my recording. It’s a great setup and sounds fantastic. There are optional accessories. I’m also using a wide teleconverter to record marching bands. In terms of video quality, I find it to be excellent. I got a lot of complements on the professional look of my videos. It limited to 4K at 30fps. I don’t find this limiting but some that want to to 60fps may. It will do 60fps at 1080p. You can also record through HDMI to an external source and that gives you some different color options. 4:2:0 vs 4:2:2. I’m not pro enough to have this make much difference for me. Out of the box, anyone can pick this up and shoot decent video in full auto mode but as I continue to use it, I'm learning how to use more of the manual settings and up the quality even more. Canon’s colors look really nice and I'm glad I bought this camcorder. As far as editing videos goes, I recommend DaVinci Resolve. It’s free version is pretty robust and it works well with the videos from the Canon XA50, especially if you shoot XF-AVC over MP4. This camcorder is expensive but for a dedicated, semiprofessional to professional tool, it’s a good value.Stalaris

The Pocket 2 is a great camera, I'll start with that. There are weird little nuances that will most likely be improved for the next one, but I couldn't imagine this camera existing years ago. The technology is great- 4K60p, excellent stabilization, actually good color (I use the D-Cine like color profile), and it fits in my pocket so I always have it. This camera will be easy and fun or extremely useful depending on what you need it for. If you're a vlogger you'll probably love it, but i'm not one so i can't speak to that. I do use it for b-roll- my job always requires specific b-roll from around my city, and so i carry this and pull it out on walks, on my way to the grocery store, waiting for the bus, etc. I wish I had this when I was a videographer for the news because it would've allowed me to blend in and not get hollered at by the public driving by. I have the Freewell Bright Sun ND/PL filter kit which works great but makes me nervous as heck with how small they are. There is a magnetic slot inside the Pocket case to hold one filter, so i keep the ND64 one in there. At my job, no one ever guesses that some of the b-roll comes from this little guy. The video quality is great as long as you know its limits. I don't use it in extremely dark situations, though indoors in darker hallways it still holds up. I'll eventually push it's low light capability, but I cannot speak to that right now. I can say that it's great with smaller moving shots, the gimbal helps this blow other tiny cameras out of the water. I wouldn't consider it an action camera, but I strapped it to my helmet on a bikeride and it worked great (at high enough speeds tho it starts to interfere with the gimbal, I wouldn't use it outside of a car). I have used it on a long selfie pole to get makeshift crane/jib shots and I love the outcome. The only negatives I have found are far exceeded by the pros, but here is what i've noticed. 4K60p does record in a lower bitrate, so I have to decide between the highest quality (4K24p) or having the option to slow down footage but sacrifice quality (4K60p). The accessory pieces are just that- little tiny pieces. They clip into the camera case, but the iphone piece came loose and now I have to buy another ($20 for that single accessory, which is a bit annoying). Using the iphone defeats the purpose for me as a 'quick get the shot and move on' camera, but it helps to see the whole shot and frame it up better than the tiny screen on the handle (which i am definitely not knocking, it still helps a lot!). I'll probably end up buying the wireless accessory instead, but I would love to see that built in for the next version (gopro has that perfected). The last thing that kind of drives me crazy is that it seems to prefer vloggers- the On button on the side will always start the camera facing in selfie mode. You have to press the button next to the record button for it to start in FPV mode. It should be reversed in my opinion, but i've adapted to it. For the price of this little guy and all its features, I'd say its definitely worth buying. I hate using my iPhone (even though it does a good job with video and photos), but some days you just want to capture the moment with whatever you have on you. I'll always have a nice looking stabilized shot because from now on, the pocket will always be in my pocket.Michael

This has practically everything you need pocket size. The gimble for stabilization works flawlessly which is great for lower lighting use vs software stabilization. Four microphone in the device and the wireless lav are superb. There's pro mode, letting you manually change the iso, shutter speed giving you the option to use ND filters (not included). This can be a great IRL streaming option connecting it to your hotspot using RTMP to OBS and then OBS to any streaming platform. It can stream up to 1080p so you don't have to worry about buying an encoder. You can charge while using it too. Pros: – gimble w/active track – 4k 60fps – features (b-roll w/timelapse, hyperlapse, slow motion, d-cenelike, etc) – can take photo as JPEG or RAW – control from phone physically or wirelessly Cons: – does not have HDMI output so it cannot proficiently be used as a webcam. (it can be used as one with cosmostreamer app but will require wifi direct connect but no audio) – small battery (last about 2 hours max with low settings) – not waterproof Overall, this little device packs a punch. It's almost unnoticeable that it makes your surrounds feel more natural compared to filming with a big mirrorless camera on a gimble, tensing up everyone around you. All the camera tricks you can do with this thing is insane, making your videos look professional. If you're a realtor, buy this now. You can make virtual house walkthroughs look like you paid Steven Spielberg to film this (not really but close enough). If you're a starving reporter and can't afford someone to film you, buy this now. Who needs someone to hold the camera when you got active tracking to follow you. If you're bad at flying a drone but want drone like film, buy this now. You can do so much attaching this thing to a long selfie stick.Panks

I bought this for collecting rapid B Roll video footage, and this is a great device, so I won't bore you with the positives- there are plenty of Youtubes on that. But there is proof of idiocy in design at DJI, so here are some glaring issues that easily could have been overcome; 1. DJI apparently doesn't understand that people keep their phones in protective cases. The little adapter to connect to the P2 from an iPhone to activate it, or directly control it or edit videos is not long enough to work with my iPhone 12 Max in an Otterbox case. 2. The Extension Rod accessory is awesome, but likewise doesn't fit a phone in a case. These are plain stupid design flaws inconsiderate of reality and are infuriating oversights. 3. The Cine mode isn't available in video over 30FPS with the Do-it-all accessory handle, but is without it. If the power draw is that bad- so be it- give it to us anyway and let us deal with it. 4. The expensive Controller Wheel for pan and tilt DOES NOT allow for cross-panning high-to-low. It's either right or left or up and down. I assumed the wheel jogged, but no. Both the Mini Control Stick and the Extension Rod allow this. Don't waste money on this, it's absurd. De-tuning the response of the Mini Control Stick makes this possible instead. 5. The case DOES NOT protect the P2 while it has the wide angle lens, or any filter on it. I at least keep a CPL filter on it, and its wide open to be scratched, or most likely lost- without protection. DJI could easily have made the case with a small rotating cover that rotates down covering the P2 using a WA lens or filter. I bought a cheap plastic slip cover for travel, and don't like it, but at least it's something. 6. The latch system on the Extension Rod accessory for securing the P2 is extremely, and unnecessarily fragile. This needs addressed. 7. The 64 mp capability of the still feature is kind of misleading. The P2 has such a small sensor, that the stills aren't what you are led to believe by calling them 64 MP.Dale

This is a solid camera for the price. The image is good and has a lot of professional features. It is incredibly easy to use and the UI is very intuitive. However, we have had ongoing issues with rear SDI ports. These are used in a higher ed environment, so this may be specific to how they are used, but the rear SDI cards in both of the cameras we use have been replaced twice and are currently not working on either. Cameras are out of warranty, so this puts a serious strain on productions. They seem to work for about a year before thereat SDI ports break. We had similar issues with the original pocket cameras, but were hoping the pro features of the URSA would be better quality.Travis

I have 8 of these 4 no longer work and 2 are only a few weeks old. I get drop frame alert, and then recording stops. Others it looks fine but I hit the stop record button and the time code stops but everything stays light red like recording and the units freeze up. Only way to fix is to shut off the camera but you will lose a chuck if not all of the ssd recording. We have also found the the camera looks like it is recording and when we check we see that the timecode has stopped and the recording has to. We did some test and it all comes down to the cable. They were load tested and ALL failed the needed data transfer speeds by 50 percent or more. They do not sell a replacement cable. Blackmagic will not send you one either. They also say it will ONLY work with the short cable that comes with it. NOT TRUE. It will NOT work with any other usb c cable, even the anglebird. BUT and here is the important part. It WILL work with the Xcellon Thunderbolt 3 Cable (1.6', 40 Gb/s) BH #XCTB354005 MFR #TB3-540-05 with o problem. We have tested over 40 hours, on everything from h264 to 6k blackmagic raw, many start and stops and full drive recordings with no issues. I as an engineer highly recommend this recorder BUT buy 2 and replace the original cable with this thunderbolt cable and you will not have issues.Hope this saves you tons of problems like we had.Brad

Ok, I have been dreaming about this camera for ages. I wanted a pro body so I wasn't having to add on so many things to our DSLR rigs but my desires were also high. I needed 4k internal, good codec, non proprietary storage, and slo mo. This camera has it all! Shoots RAW which I thought was my save all for the future. WOW it burns through storage fast! No fault on its own, I just question now if I need that in my workflow. Color looks great to my eye. A little flat and desaturated, giving me room to go in and grade as I need. EF mount is standard so it took my existing lenses pretty well. Sigma 70-200 was having some peaking issues but that might be an easy fix, need to find out. Ok, here are my gripes. 1st- include a US power cord. It's $5 retail so I can't imagine how cheap it is to include one. 2nd. build. Within two weeks an audio nob broke off. Easy fix hopefully but wow that was quick. 3rd- Media slots are exposed once the monitor is out in the open. I shoot in not perfect conditions so the fact that there is a port open there scares me. Imaging shooting in August on a New York hot sunny day and some AC rain comes down at the wrong moment…. I really wanted to love you , I hope the G3 will be what I need.Stephen

I recently got this camera to switch from my Rebel T4i, and Nikon D3400 DSLR cameras. So far, I am loving the light weight hold, and having the ease of doing manual settings while seeing the results on the screen before taking the shot! I will say, I don't believe there is auto focus, so that was a set back for me at first, but I do not mind since I do not plan to use this for fast moving subjects. So far I have no complaints, other than that I wish there was more lenses, but I am very happy to see there is a lens adapter to use with my previous cameras. I will say however, that this camera does not lie when reviews have said that this is great in low light scenes! I went out before the sun sets, during that "golden hour" during the day before night fall, and the colors and lighting was beautiful on my camera, I was surprised!FantabulousG

This Canon EOS M50 Mark ii is literally the most advanced camera I have ever owned and used. There is a learning curve for me, I find this camera quite challenging, but in a superb way. I have gained more knowledge about photography and videography than I have before. Every day that I use this camera, I am encouraged to study a new function or feature to help me accomplish my next photography or videography gig. I know this camera will take me a while to master, but that is what photography is all about, setting goals and accomplishing them, and I believe this golden camera will be the catalyst in my new career. Pros: This Mark ii allows me to move forward, it gives me the tools I need when I need them. It is a fun camera to operate. Being able to shoot still pictures and videos all in one camera is remarkable. This M50 is great for beginners and intermediate photographers or videographers. It bridges the gap between beginner to advanced. It offers the functions to accommodate my needs quickly, and accurately in a moment's notice, it's confidence inspiring. I find that the extensive menu gives me the power to easily adjust for external variables, i.e., lighting, depth, blur, effects, JPEG, raw etc. It takes out the guess work. With the plethora of functions, menus, manuals, and videos there is no limit to what I can do with it. Having a preview of the images is satisfying, to know how the image is going to turn out once it has been taken, it is a time saver and an assurance builder. The focus functions with the different colors makes focusing a breeze. The autofocus is a lifesaver for people who are visually challenged. The assortment of options available under autofocus. i.e., tracking, zone, point, and spot, makes autofocus simple to operate and accurate. Cons: Need to make the battery and memory card compartment "white" so I can see where to put them in their slots. On-line manual, sometimes tells where the button or function is but doesn't always define what its purpose is. Only have seen this about three times. My solution was to search the web, read an article or watch a video. Occasionally, when not looking, it is hard to find the buttons on the body, i.e., menu, info, M-fn, video on-off buttons. Don't understand why the camera won't shoot a shot. I will be looking through the viewfinder, press the shutter button, then, nothing. Next, I will look at the screen and check the focus, FPS, ISO and they look fine. I press the button and nothing. Then something changes, I don't perceive what, and spontaneously, as if nothing happened, it works again. This doesn't occur every day, just once in a while. It leaves me stumped.Steven

I used a DSLR for 6 years before I finally decided to get into using a Mirrorless camera. This camera is perfect if you’re just starting out with Mirrorless. It’s very user friendly. I love me a nice DSLR but this quickly became my new favorite camera. It is so lightweight and doesn’t put strain on my wrists. I enjoy the quiet shutter so I don’t feel like I’m being goofy taking pictures in public. The video quality is really great. Way less camera shake due to the lack of mirror. I find this to be more swift & quick to use compared to a DSLR which is perfect for me because I do nature photography. If you are going to buy this camera please be understanding of the fact that this type of camera doesn’t have many lenses BUT you may buy an adapter to use your other lenses. I personally haven’t tried it yet but will soon! The kit lens is actually very decent which is something I enjoy about Canon in general. I also want to say if you are someone who wants to upgrade from a point and shoot to a more professional camera but aren’t too interested in learning or upgrading to a DSLR, while this is a more expensive option it’s definitely worth the money due to the features of the camera and how user friendly it is.Unsweetened

GoPro has become the expected name in action cameras for good reason. The cameras tend to do everything better than everyone else, have the best support and the most accessories. To start, the GoPro Hero 11 Black comes packaged in brown paper around a canvas/nylon carry semi-hardcase, which I find to be very cool, and reminiscent of the previous generations. With all of these companies working towards renewable packaging, this is probably one of the best examples, simple paper with a carry case that is reusable by the customer rather than a bunch of single-use plastics. It may cost SLIGHTLY more than single use plastic, but honestly, in the way many of these companies create this stuff in volume, it's probably not so dramatic and it cuts down on the footprint of items like this. Plus, it just adds to the cool factor. In setup, it's very straightforward, there's a little door in the side that houses the battery and a spot for an SD card. The camera is waterproof to 10 meters, but I haven't taken the time to test that yet (fundamentally I know things like this and my phone have an amount of water resistance, but there's still something about me and tossing electronics in the water, I suppose someday I'll get over it). The Hero 11 Black carries the same form factor as the previous generations, so it is easy to swap in mods and accessories from the previous gens without much concern. Of most note is the larger sensor in the camera to give it higher quality, larger images at higher resolution. The front facing screen is nice for keeping track of what the camera is recording when it is facing you. I have to say though, the image quality is outstanding. The new sensor is superb, the aspect ratio gives an immense amount of control over the video, particularly if you need to crop or change things based on certain types of content creation. There's so much room to play with this here. I really cant say enough about this. In low light conditions, I still find the image to be quite good, though definitely not on the level of an appropriately lit image. Really it's hard to find anything negative to say. There's an improvement with this camera over the 10, it's noticeable, and if you don't already own the 10, it's a worthy upgrade over most previous cameras in the line. I easily recommend this to anyone in the market for an action camera.Beradon

If you're looking for the best do anything camera, this GoPro Hero 11 Black certainly fits the bill. It includes a lot of the features you'd expect from a large professional rig and fits it into a tiny ~4CuIn frame. The Hero Black is in its 11th iteration notably visible by the 11 on the side of the frame. Knowing this tells you its perpetually gotten better and to this level, improvements over previous models have been assured. I am coming from a Hero Session I purchased a few years ago because I needed something waterproof and small to capture all the fun beach moments going on cruises every year. It was very basic with a tiny lcd on top with 2 input buttons. So upgrading light years ahead with the Hero 11 has been an absolute dream I never realized. I have looked at previous models over the years, but didn't have any desire for them until the Hero 7. I became more intrigued with the Hypersmooth image stabilization and larger image sensors over the years. I came real close to getting the Hero 10 before hearing of the newest model in the pipeline. I'm so glad I waited, though not much of a departure from the Hero 10, it nonetheless improves upon the already stellar features like Hypersmooth 5.0, boosting the image size from 23 to 27mp and offering 10 bit color across all shooting modes. Superview (now Hyperview) uses the image sensor's full 8:7 aspect at 5.3K and automatically scales it to 16:9 ratio letting you play with FOV. The new image sensor is now bigger than a half inch at 1/1.9 allowing for better Horizon Lock at full 5.3K recording and allowing full frame recording at essentially the actual size of the image sensor at 8:7 aspect which can be resized later to either social media friendly ratios or wide cinematic sizes while maintaining the same great quality. Upon receiving, I set it to charge and realized after turning it on that it didn't come with a memory card. I fortunalely had a 128GB v30 sitting around for just such an occasion. I also had an extra tripod mount accessory from my old Hero Session. It was clearly evident with the first video captured (default is 5.3K/60) how Horizon Lock helps you realize how well the Hypersmooth image stabilization is actually working. It looked like I was using a gimbal instead of having it attached to a normal mini tripod. Low light shots were commendable for a camera with such a small aperture, though lighting was accentuated, shaded portions were slightly blurry. I like how you can slow down your video for cinematic effect, really impressive. Hyperview will come in handy for those times when a drone is inadmissible and you really want that view from above. Hyperview gives you that ultrawide angle, so mounting it to a tripod stick and hoisting it over my head and with Hypersmooth to mimic gimbal steadiness, will give the appearance of drone footage (only with sound). The battery is said to be longer lasting, but with 2 screens and use of both WiFi and GPS, I don't see much difference. I managed about 80 minutes; I suppose deactivating the front screen and turning off one or both antennas might give you longer life, but I haven't tried. Competition truly brings out the best effort and with prominent companies striving for market share in the action camera market, it's not hard to see how impressive things have become. GoPro still seems to offer that extra edge though typically being more expensive than rivals. The subscription service allows for so many cool editing features. I think it might be worthwhile to get the yearly service if you're a content creator or if you like to get snapshot highlights sent to your phone when you plug in to charge it. But it really is a great way to insure your device if you will most likely put it in precarious positions risking breakage. The best camera to have with you wherever you go should be the Hero 11 Black.joecaffe

This is now my 3rd GoPro, my previous ones being the 2018 Hero and last year's Hero10 Black. So far, each iteration has been getting better and better, and going from the 10 to the Hero11 is a noticeable enough improvement that it's worth the upgrade. That's not to say its perfect as it does still have flaws, but you're not going to get a better action cam than this GoPro. The main reason I need and use GoPros is for my youtube channel, which is mainly an automotive channel with a lot of focus on drag racing. This GoPro is an absolute necessity for me and is mostly used for a POV view, whether it be filming a how-to or mounted on my helmet while drag racing. As far as video quality goes, this GoPro 11 is about as good as it gets, especially for the content creation I do. The images look spectacular and the video quality is more than good enough that it allows me to do various edits like slowing the video down, speeding it up, or freeze framing and still look great. The different aspect ratios is a huge benefit for me too since it allows me to capture everything I need to, something that isn't always easy when you can't really see what the camera is pointing at being that it's strapped on my forehead. The biggest and best feature to this GoPro however has to be the hyper smooth image stabilization. This alone is integral to my content. With a POV view while racing, things can get shaky between the car's violent launch combined with me looking around at my car, the track, and my opponent. This GoPro somehow makes it all look incredibly smooth. Smoother than my dash cam, and smoother than my 5G Ultra smartphone I keep mounted on the windshield that I also record with. This stabilization and high quality comes at a price though, and I'm not talking about money. To record with such high quality while keeping things looking smooth uses up a lot of computing resources, which means this camera, like the 10 before it, can get HOT. Add in the fact that a lot of races happen during a hot day in the summer inside of a hot car that can't run a/c while on the track (for safety reasons), makes it prone to overheating. With drag racing and the way I use my helmet cam, most clips are about 10 minutes or less. To help with cooling, I try not to overextend the time it's recording and make sure to keep it off and in a cooler spot between races. Even with all that, I did have one clip where it got up to about 13 minutes long and this GoPro 11 shut itself off due to overheating. While I was disappointed that it happened, I'm happy that it's at least improved quite a bit over the 10. With the 10 it happened a lot more often to the point I couldn't trust it to stay on, which is one of the reasons I keep my phone recording on the windshield, so that I have a back-up. So far this 11 seems to handle heat noticeably better, but it's still something you have to be aware of and take whatever steps needed to prevent. Aside from that, the camera has a lot of nice features and adjustability to suit whatever needs and use you have. Physically, it looks identical to the 10 as well, and works with the same accessories. The battery is a different color, but still works in the same external charger if you have it, and speaking of the battery, it easily lasted throughout a full day of racing with plenty of power to spare at the end of the day. It also fits in the same media mod, which I already had for my 10, so I got to use it with this 11 and everything works perfectly. I normally only use the media mod however when filming "less shaky" videos, like my how-to's. When it sees more action, like while racing, I prefer to remove the media mod as I feel it doesn't allow for as much cooling and could cause the camera to overheat faster. I also want to bring up the GoPro Quik mobile app. You definitely need it as that's how the camera firmware gets updated, which will need to happen immediately after you turn the camera on for the first time. The app works very well in conjunction with the camera though and offers more features. What I mainly use it for though is to get a preview of what the camera sees for those times I have to set it up away from where I am. That makes it easier to line up the shot and then start recording. The only negative I have is that once you start recording, you lose the camera's live view. I don't know if it's a hardware limitation or the reason why, but that would be a huge improvement if they could figure out a way to display the camera's live view while recording. The couple negatives I found though between the GoPro 11 and its companion app are easily outweighed by all the positives. It is still in my view the best action camera you can buy and in many ways outdoes most other cameras that I've used for content creation. So much so that this GoPro 11 is my main go-to camera, even when it's not seeing a lot of "action" shots. On top of that, the 11 is a nice upgrade over even its most recent predecessor and definitely worCKent