Picked up a brand new HDR-AS100v for $149 from amazon on sale yesterday, feeling pretty good about my purchase after watching this excellent review. Thanks Mark!
Hi Mark. Thanks in advance for your input. I am looking for an action camera for motorcycle riding on dirt and street and still photos while out camping/hiking. I just recently came across the Sony cameras. The AS100 seems like a great camera and has better reviews on Amazon. I actually haven't purchased a camera yet because some of the bad GoPro4 reviews on Amazon. With that said, have you experienced any poor quality issues such as not working out of the box or failing within the first few weeks with the GoPro4 cameras? Do you feel that the Gopro4 cameras perform at a level that warrants the price difference when compared to the Sony AS100? If you had to pick just one action camera, which would you choose?
Sorry for the delayed response. My First Hero4 Silver did arrive defective. Lots of lock ups. I quickly swapped in out for a new one though and haven't had issues with the new one. When it comes with things with trails or photos I generally like the GoPro. I love filming in 1440p mode which adds extra field of view at the bottom. This way I never miss anything because the camera was too low or high. Also Photo mode in my experience is quicker and better with the GoPros. All that said, is it double the cost better then Sony? No but it is better in those areas for me and that's why I'd be willing to spend the extra cash. If you don't see the extra $200 value in what I listed would be important for you, I'd consider the Silver. If not then I'd say some money for mounts, sd cards, and go with the AS100
Having both of these cams, I have to say the gopro wins hands down, the biggest advantage is the lcd screen on the back, it allows you to play back footage and more importantly, it allows you to delete files you don't like...This cannot be done on the Sony. I think Sony slightly has the edge in video quality, but the gopro has for more features like night photo, nightlapse and video timelapse (which records in 4k) Sony can only shoot timelapse in 2mp. I fell in love with the Sony AS100v when I bought it last year, then I bought the gopro last October and have not touched the Sony since. I wish Sony would open their eyes because even the latest model still does not have a viewfinder and still has a curved lens cover...If the sorted those 2 things, I would buy another Sony but, untill then, gopro has the edge.
Hey Mark, incredible video reviews here. Just watched about 8 of them in succession. So well put together!! Looking to get an action cam but struggling to decide which is best suited for me. Uses (from most frequent to occasional); 1. Golf 2. Vlogs 3. Underwater 4. Time Lapse I'm leaning towards the Hero 4 Silver currently, and am open to any brand. Budget to get a solid setup started is $350. The Hero 4 Silver seems to have the best range which would be nice for landscape details on the course, but it also lacks a tad in close up (face shots for vlogs) which the 3+ Black takes the cake. Any input is much appreciated! I know a DSLR may be best for video logs but just a broke college student here.
I was leaning towards the Hero4 Silver or the AZ1 until I read 2 and 3. The Sony AZ1 just doesn't have a good underwater option and the time lapse option just doesn't hold up to the Hero4 Silver. After this 2.0 update the Hero4 can even build your timelapse in the camera if you want. Hero4 Silver is the one I would recommend. While the Hero3+ Black doesn't have better up close focus, the Hero4 Silver isn't far off. The OLED screen on the back is fantastic and doesn't really impact the battery life in a notable way. And taking photo's on the gold field is so much easier with that screen and options it offers. It is more expensive especially after the right Micro SD card, but the Silver is a camera you can feel good about using for at least 3 years. It's a fun camera. Also pick up a handle bar mount and throw it in your bag. You know have a caddie carrying your bag of possible selfie sticks :D
Thanks a million for the suggestion. I was leaning towards the Hero 4 Silver for it's versatility and I believe you've swayed me for certain. Will definitely look to add a handle bar mount! Smart thinking :) Would love to see more accessories spotlight vids on RU-vid. There isn't a day that goes by that I see a new unique add on for the cameras. Such an industry.
Hi Mark. Great video! extremely helpful!. Between the Hero4 Silver and the AS100 which would you recommend for someone who scuba dives very often? i know that either way I would have to buy a flat lens case for the Sony or filters for the Hero4silver. I just want to know your overall opinion specifically for scuba diving. Thanks in advance!
I would recommends either but would lean more towards the GoPro Hero4 Silver. The screen on the back is very useful and the added filming modes really help. Battery life is good too. If you can wait Sony just announced the HDR-X1000V. A 4k version of the AS100 for this March as $499.
MarkHawkCam Awesome! thanks for the heads up, I think I will wait to see what this new Sony has to offer, I read some literature on the HDR-x1000V and it sounds like it will be worth the wait. Im curious to see if this new model will have a better battery life than the HERO4 BLACK.
Hi, Awesome comparison video! At the moment I have the as-100v and am super happy with it but I am thinking of upgrading and also getting the hero 4 silver. I like the idea of 2.7 and 4k. I find gopro's accessories more convenient. I also need the built in touch screen because I find using playmemories a little bit inconvenient especially for underwater filming and cannot use the lcd screen accessory underwater. Do you use both and do you think that buying a hero 4 silver is worth it if I already have the sony as-100v? Are you glad that you have both or would you get rid of one? Thanks, Annabel. :)
I have a review of the AS200 vs the GoPro Hero4 silver going up soon. prob by early next week. It's all filmed, just editing it together. Should answer a lot of questions. Also you can use the touch screen underwater to a certain depth with the right case. Also you can wake it up when it goes to sleep real easy with the dive case on.
I'm am having the hardest desition between the all new Az1 with its incredibly small size or the standard AS100 HD. I will mainly be using this for action and scenic video purposes, such as snowboarding and beautiful mountain views. I am looking for the best resolution however something small and not to noticable. I just want to know if you can notice a difference between the two in video resolution. Although the fact that you can't change a single video setting on the Az1 through the camera is a huge bummer. Because I am often in the mountains where there is no WiFi avalible there for not allowing me to adjust the settings through my phone. Can you change the video settings with the GPS watch on the AZ1? Can you change the video settings through your phone with 4G not WiFi? What is new about the Az1 that the AS100 HD doesn't have? And what is it that the AS100 has but not the Az1? Greatly appreciated if you could reply!
Lots of pros and cons to consider, but the question of the day is if you can only take one camera out tomorrow for action POV videos, which camera will you grab. The GP4 Silver or the HDR AS100v?
depends on what I am doing. If there is a trail or tight space, chances are I am bringing my GoPro for 1440p mode. if it's a lower light enviroment like inside a card or event that goes into the evening, bringing the HDR. Honestly both will make it on any of my trips :p
I would recommend buying a real dash cam. Most have an auto record feature that will start recording when you start your car and stop when you stop and loop recording that auto deletes old footage unless you lock the footage. The one I'm looking at is the D802 which is under $200, has GPS, shock sensor (won't delete footage after a shock), smaller then a gopro, and has loop recording unlike gopros.
xXBurntBaconXx This from the gopro hero 4 feature list - Looping: Record a continuous video loop that overwrites itself until you press the shutter button to stop it and save. Well I bought the SJ4000 which has looping and the car mode feature which automatically starts recording when u start the car. I also use it on my bike.
hello mark, 2 things that were important to me are stabilization and underwater clarity. the sony can be compensated with the flat lens. but can the gopro's stabilization be improved? or is that only helped by editing afterward with special software? thanx for a great comparison...lots to think about but leaning on the sony.
nateroo Would have to use special software but I don't think there is a stabilize feature in GoPro Studio 2.0 software. Check out our AS200V vs AS100 we just put up this week. Think you might like it.
That means i cannot change it? Right? btw. I bought the AS100V for just 199$ with Remote :D Really Happy withit also because of skiing and the remote :D Thx Mark
***** That's a pretty good deal. Only thing you can do is switch it to steady shot which will crop it down to a 135 degree field of view. Less jarring but you will see hints of warping in the edges but nothing that will really ruin your filming experience.
Thank you Mark! In the sound comparision the Sony's picture was very distorted. If one put on the steadyshot mode would it look more normal like the HeroPro Silver looks? Or is stabilization already on in that shot? Audio is awesome but I'm wanting the video view to look as square as possible for doing Music Videos and live painting.
I would but you would still have some distortion in the corners. Really not to distracting or jarring but you are losing a lot of that extreme distortion since stabilization pushes the framing in a little past where the distortion starts to get extreme.
Thank you for the great video comparison. On the Sony cam, what is the difference between PS mode: 1920 x 1080 60p and HQ mode: 1920 x 1080 30p? Are these modes intended for different situations/uses?
the P is misleading. It should say 60FPS. PS and HQ I belielve represent the bitrate of the footage. HQ 1080 30fps should be a max 50MBs bit rate at 30fps. Good for most occasions. PS 1080 60fps is at a lower bit rate (32-34MB I think) because it's using more resources from your camera to run at a higher frame rate. Good when you have fast paced action and want to avoid motion blur and slow footage down to 50% after. 60fps is bad for lower light though because it is cutting the time the camera takes in light per photo by half. If it's lower light conditions (post sunset, indoors, etc) stick to 30FPS or less.
I do like the quality of the sony... But the problem I have is that I need something flat to mount on my helmet The Gopro is just right for that. But the Sony is best for side mounts such as guns, bikes.
Thx for this video, I'm still undecided. I will be using it for low light indoor sport filming, using it on a tripod. Sony sounded like the better option with less grains?
+Suz Mordsith Pole Dance For low light, it's the one with consistent reliable results. If you enable steady shot you also might be able to "zoom in" a little bit if you have it on a tripod off to the side.
2 things 1) In the title there is sony as-100, while in descrition there is sony az-1! Then what is the camera reviewed? sony as-100 or az1? 2) Why in the first part of the video the go pro is with pro tune ON while the sony (as100 or az1 I don't know) is with vivid OFF? With both the cameras with protune/vivid turned ON or OFF would be more correct.
Video is the AS100V, more info section just had some copied over info from the AZ1 from a similar video. Protune offers a higher Bitrate, Similar to the Sony ProMode. Both cameras have it on to show off the highest quality footage possible with the right Micro SD card. The Color profiles of Vivid and Neutral on the Sony, swap on and off throughout the video. Also just incase there is some confusion, Protune allows you to select color profiles now. So you can choose between the GoPro Color profile or Flat. Sorry for the confusion, I'll see about correcting it now.
Same picture as in the previous versions of these both cams: The Hero has a much better image quality (sharpness and colour depth) as well as the underwater clarity than the sony and performs much better at night, while the sony has a better sound quality and the steadyshot. It's like always with tech equipment: The best cam would be the combination of both :D Great review by the way.
Agree a lot with that last line. I always get asked which is the best but it's so scenario based. Both have their pros and cons but in the end it just ends up what you're gonna be using it for on any given day.
Hello people, wish one would you recommend for the use of walking around a city? I want a cam to do some videos on vacation while sightseeing (with headband)... As well does the sony cam stand on a flat surface without case or is it shaped to fall over without a tripod or so?
Either would be fine but I still prefer the GoPro for photography. If you don't plan on bringing a DLSR with you, might want to consider the Hero4 Silver.
Very well could. Here is a better example of how steady shot will work while just walking around. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-N5WXCyLfATg.htmlm4s
You are shooting almost all of the GoPro video in Protune. According to the GoPro website "Turning on Protune in your camera causes the videos you take to look less sharp, and you’ll also notice that the colors look more washed out. This is different than what you’re probably used to, which is that crisp, bright look and feel to GoPro’s footage. We stripped this away to give our professional users more of a “blank slate” so they have more freedom in their post-production workflow." So, is the footage we are watching post editing? It seems like the most people would be most interested in a comparison right out of the box. I'd like to see a comparison of the two cameras GoPro's Protune disabled and Sony set for neutral, both cams set for 1080 60p.
I am shooting mainly in Protune mode but we are selecting the GoPro Color Grade in the camera that negates the default washed out color grade of Protune. Quality and bitrate boosts offers so much more detail in many areas. It's the best possible quality you can get out of the camera. To not test with it on would be unfair in showing off what the camera is fully capable of. Also the camera will seem even softer if you turn protune off in my experience. That's because disabling Protune allows a grain reduction to be applied to your footage which softens your image up. Turning protune on turns this background feature off a allows the user to decide if they want to degrain themselves. Just adds a lot more control on the user's end if they know the strengths and limitations of it.
MarkHawkCam Thanks for clarifying. This prompted me to read the online owners manual. Do you know the bit rate of 1080/60P Protune GoPro Color vs Protune OFF? Also, is the file type (extension) the same for ProTune GoPro Color vs regular 1080/60P Protune OFF? The online remote does not provide this info. Thanks for your help!
Great comparison. Would've like to see the GPH4 in non-Protune mode compare with SONY. All the time you want to use the Protune mode is when you ARE going to ColorGrade Boost in Post. But this is exactly what I was looking for to tell a friend about. Thanx.
Well now with GoPro in Protunbe mode you have a choice of using the default color grade or the washed out one for color correction in post. Basically turning off Protune now is going to decrease the quality. Only reason I would suggest it is if you are on a slower end computer that can't handle the footage or limited on micro sd card space.
Both would be great honestly but I love filming 1440p with a Chest mount on the Hero4 Silver. It's such an awesome perspective. If you can check out the Hero3+ Black and a chest mount. The price is somewhere and the middle. 1440p is a 4:3 HD mode that gives you more field of view at the top and bottom of the screen so you capture everything from the trail under your skis to the sky. Since it's filming 1920x1440 you can crop it down to 1920x1080 and position the picture to cut off in the perfect framing you choose. You can also film in super view mode which is basically 1440p mode but ti auto distorts the images to fit inside the 16:9 1080p frame so you have no black bars. It's a little distorted but in a way that is not to off putting. I wouldn't mind the Sony for Skiing it's just there are a few things with trails that I love having the 1440p option for.
I also made this video if you wanted to see the differences between the Hero4 Silver and Hero3+ Black. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C6vSVF9QvRc.html
The thing is you say the Hero 4 Silver is better for me i think i gonna get the hero4 silver but what is in Night Condition. But if you say Hero4 is better for skiing so i will go for it :D
+MarkHawkCam Do you think i should ivent 70$ more into the Hero 4 Silver (i say just 70 because i do not buy the sony without the extra Remote, I just buy it withit)
So after a few weeks of research here is what I've got ~$100 Budget go for the GoPro Hero4 (the $130 version) - Great day time footage, but not many features and poor low light ~$200 budget go for the Sony HDR-AZ1 ($230) - Great color, tons of features, Excellent Low light, but not as sharp as the GoPros and you can't plug in a mic ~$300 budget go for the Sony AS100V ($270) same image quality as the HDR-AZ1, but you get better case options, and a mic input ~$400 budget go for the GoPro Hero4 Silver ($400) Great day time footage, pretty good low light, LCD backpack + tons of features, only downside is price (its $130 more then the AS100V and the only thing better is sharper pictures in daytime footage) ~$500 budget go for the GoPro Hero4 Black ($500) Great day time footage, great low light footage, tons of features and 4k recording at 30 fps, best one out there and used by professionals. I'm planning on picking up the Sony HDR-AZ1 for my car as its splashproof (good for puddles), great price, slo-mo (good for burnouts), Great low light (good for cruising around) and if it gets damaged I won't cry as much as loosing a $400 GoPro.
I forgot to add one thing. The Time Lapse on the GoPros is a LOT better (even the base model) then the sonys. They can snap a pic every 0.5 seconds while the sony its every 5, 10, 15 seconds. But with the Sonys you also get OIS which makes the videos much smoother. And the mics on the Sony are better so if you want to record without a case you should get some decent sound
Not to mention with Sony's timelapse it's taking video stills and stitching them together. Not full res stills. Just so you know Sony just announced the 4k HDR X1000V. Basically a 4k version of this camera. Roughly $499 coming out in March with 1080p 120fps and 720p 240fps. There is also an AS200V but not sure on the specs of that but its said to be 299.
Awesome Review! Should have known you'd have a review on the top Action Cams. Was looking for a helmet cam for riding the motorcycle around AZ. I am think I am going to go with the Sony for its low profile and image stabilization, not to mention lower cost.
While the GoPro does have a clearer picture its also almost twice the price so bang for the buck the Sony is a great option. If money is no object grab the GoPro. Sony's 2K action cam should be out or out shortly if its not in your area. Great cameras either way.
CoisasDaApple Sem a menos que indicado de outra forma . ProTune pode aplicar o mesmo grau de cor para a filmagem como ProTune fora . O Hero3 + 4 e adicionou esta opção. O Hero3 foi a única câmera para não permitir que você selecione os perfis de cores
i still like the results from the 100V better personally i'd rather not have to mess with every setting in the camera to get it to do what the 100v does pretty much automatically an for the 100V being a 3 year old camera i think it's holding up pretty well to the brand new competitors still :o)
More time to focus on the fun at hand! With the AS100V you pretty much need to decided if you want High Bit Rate footage, Frames per second, and Steady shot on/off. I agree it's simpler just wouldn't mind seeing the UI updated and maybe adding a field of view option back.
+Amy Singh Yes and no but it's heavily influenced by lighting changes. I swap between the two a lot. When it's possible Action Cams work great for me for most adventures but for setting a mood or indoor recording with limited natural lighting, it can become very unacceptable.
Actually, what was said about the high frequency vibration on a bike frame with the Sony is actually incorrect - high frequency vibration is actually dealt with really well by the Sony when attached to a bike frame, what isn't dealt with so well is large sudden movements, such as hitting a large rock, which causes a small amount of jitter - although to be fair, the level of jitter you get with such movements is certainly no worse than what you would get with a gopro under the best possible conditions, and under the same conditions, the gopro would simply be all over the place and basically, you wouldn't be able to see what was going on, and would basically be unusable, so there really no comparison. Of course, if you had the Sony on a head cam while riding a bike, then it would be attached to what is essentially an extremely good gimble system - the human body - and even over the roughest terrain, the Sony gives extremely smooth footage. The gopro in this cases is also improved, but still jumps around a *lot*, so for stability, there really is no comparison, and the Sony wins hands down.
+Jam Spandex Just so you or anyone else can see, we did some bike tests here with the AS200. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eCO8bE2GGr4.htmlm43s
+MarkHawkCam Excellent, many thanks, I think your review on the mountain bike that you link to is very fair. It would be interesting to see how well a gopro does in the same test - not at all well I should imagine.
i see what you're saying. you do draw attention to the fact that you're showing max resolutions. but i think such a comparison would be more meaningful if it highlighted how well the poorer-spec'd camera holds up. maybe that was precisely your intention, though, in which case nevermind! at any rate i appreciated the review as i am trying to decide between these two. i want the clarity, touchscreen, and timelapse of the gopro with the color, image stabilization, and audio quality of the sony -_-
+wuziq The point you brought up is a topic that is brought up a lot. I understand. I tend to try and throw both cameras at the same resolution somewhere in my comparisons these days based off feedback like this. :D
Which one if you want both? My wife offered me the Sony for snowboarding but she didn't bear in mind at that time that I also do scuba diving. Though I have a 12MP sony with the sony marine pack, I'd be happy only having to drag a small action cam when on vacation rather than having to carry the large marine pack. The one she gave me brings the standard case (water proof to 5m) but I was leaning towards keeping it and buying the MPK-AS3 casing for scuba. Have you tested both underwater?
Of course the Sony will give you a "pop" in colour because you're filming the GoPro in Protune which is a flat colour scheme. Switch Protune off and GoPro will "pop" too... and be supersharp
You're thinking the way ProTune worked on the Hero3 black/silver series. Since the Hero3+ line, enabling ProTune keeps the normal GoPro color profile and gives you the option to enable flat mode. Filming without it results in the same colors but at a lower bit rate
I have to be brutally honest here. If you are doing the types of things where IS is actually going to make a big difference, you probably shouldn't be looking for an action camera. Image Stabilization isn't going to help downhill biking, or surfing, or skiing, or skydiving. What IS will help is a nice little walk through the woods (not that walks through the woods are a bad thing, just not what an action cam is for). IS should in no way be a selling point for an action cam.
I think it's a compelling feature if you know it's strengths and weaknesses. Wanted to share this as a good example. This advanced image stabilization isn't in the AZ1 or AS100V but it will be the new Sony cameras coming out in March 2015. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vC3ERYAWE38.html
MarkHawkCam Good point, Mark. I was thinking the more "extreme" side of sports so I didn't even think about things like drones. I will admit that there are likely quite a few uses for it that I never thought of, but honestly I still think the cameras are for two different types of shooting. Thanks for your input, and this video is great, by the way!
