Editor's Choice

Xiaomi Yi Action Camera (Basic Edition) Review: GoPro “Killer”

The tech world is abuzz about the Xiaomi Yi Action Camera.

This is the first brainchild in the video camera niche of the Chinese smartphone manufacturer.

The moniker most often used in these rumors is the GoPro Killer, but is it really justified?

For a long time, this niche was occupied only by a few proven manufacturers, including Olympus and Sony.

But it's time for change. Xiaomi released their device in this segment.

Camera on a Budget

Xiaomi Yi Action Camera is a low-budget camera.

By purchasing it, the user gets the opportunity to record video in 2K format and create 16 megapixel photos.

The inevitable popularity of this copy was preceded by massive advertising, paid press releases and publications by bloggers.

Many noted that for such a brand the price is simply minimal.

Xiaomi Yi Action Camera is a lightweight video camera; it records video in Full HD format with a resolution of 30 and 60 fps.

In addition, it can take 16 megapixel photos.

Its big advantage is its price.

Yi cameras come in two different versions:

Standard (Basic edition)
For travelers (Travel)

The only difference between these revisions is that in the Travel package, the user receives a very neat one.

It doesn't creak, doesn't fall apart, and looks very stylish.

Specifications

Lens: 16MP CMOS F2.8 155° wide angle
Sensor: Sony Exmor R BSI CMOS 16 million pixels
Dimensions: 6 x 2.1 x 4.2 cm / 2.36 x 0.83 x 1.65 inches
Memory: Micro SD, cards up to 64GB supported
Video system: PAL, NTSC
Video format: MP4
Sound: 96KHz 2 channels, 92dBA noise reduction system
Battery 1010mAh
Charger: USB when connected to a PC or via the included AV adapter
Modules: Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi
Photo format: JPEG
Selfie Timer: 1-15 sec
Time interval: 0.5/1/2/5/10/30/60 sec

Even at first glance, we can say that the characteristics look impressive.

And the developer offers all this to potential buyers for only $89

Equipment

As soon as you open the box of Xiaomi Yi Action Camera, this is what you get:

1x Xiaomi Yi Action Camera
1x USB to microUSB cable (used for charging and syncing with PC)
1x 1100 mAh battery

Design

Many adherents of this gadget often call the Xiaomi Yi Action Camera the “Chinese Apple”.

Their directors are named as follows. The same pedantry, the same attention to detail.

Parallels are often drawn between these two personalities.

The minimalistic approach is visible even in a simple cardboard box.

The USB cable and battery are neatly packed in an inconspicuous compartment.

When it comes to color choice, the device comes in three colors:

Green
White
Black

It's a shame, but I wish there was more variety in the color selection.

The brightest among them is green.

White looks simple and is suitable for those who prefer minimalism.

But it’s worth saying right away that this is a very easily soiled color, so be prepared to wipe your pet frequently.

And connoisseurs of strict forms and classics will certainly choose a black set.

It's quite solid and feels like it's made from quality materials both inside and out.

This sets it apart from cheaper analogues.

Main disadvantage

The company sacrificed functionality by abandoning the LCD screen.

Yes, for many this is a significant drawback, but it is worth noting that such a detail can significantly increase the cost of the camera.

There is now a solution for connecting external LCD displays.

In addition, you can connect an external battery, which will double the recording time.

All settings in the camera can only be changed when connected to a computer.

So before you start using it, you need to download it, connect the camera to your PC and configure it.

You can, of course, use the camera this way, but all the functionality will not be available.

Dimensions and weight

The device measures 60.4mm x 21.2mm x 42mm and weighs only 72 grams when fully assembled.

They are a little heavier than similar camcorders, especially when compared to the SJ4000 and SJCAM M10.

Lens and sensors

The Ambarella A7LS is responsible for photo processing; in the kit, the user receives a Sony Exmor R BSI CMOS 16 MEGA Pixels sensor and an ST 3-Axis G-sensor.

Buttons and ports

The camera does not have many buttons and ports; you can figure them out in the first 10-15 minutes.

Buttons, Ports and LED Indicators

The button on the front is the power on/off button. Allows you to turn the camera on or off, and also switch modes.
The button on top is the shutter button, when pressed it will take a photo or start/stop video recording.
On the side there is a button that turns WiFi on/off

1/4″ Tripod port
Micro SD card slot
USB port (charging, connection to PC)
HDMI port (for transferring images and videos to TV)
Battery clamp (press to open battery compartment)

Indicators

LED indicators (indicate whether recording is currently in progress or not. The round indicator changes color as the battery drains)

Video

The colors look quite natural. The images are decent and much sharper than the video. Even when the camera is turned on directly in the sun, the colors do not darken.

The 16-megapixel CMOS sensor from Sony ensures that you get quality photos even on a bright sunny day.

Many analogues produce a darker image. The Xiaomi Yi Action Camera has very natural brightness.

Time-lapse photography

The camcorder has a time-lapse mode. This setting can be set via the application.

Basically it allows your device to continuously take photos at an interval that you set. You can set the time interval to 0.5/1/2/5/10/30/60 seconds.

For example, you can set the time period to 5 seconds (this is the time that is used most often).

I would like the camera itself to take frame-by-frame photos from your photos, but unfortunately this option is not provided.

If you look at it technically, you can set the indicator to 2 hours (10800 seconds) and set the shooting interval to 10 seconds.

At 1080p 60 fps, you will get 18 seconds of time-lapse video. It's not as difficult as it sounds, you can see plenty of video tutorials on YouTube on how to create this kind of video.

Self-timer

Time-lapse shooting and self-timer are different functions. Time-lapse photography is a constant number of photographs.

The camera will work continuously for a set interval of time, and the self-timer takes just one photo after a certain period of time.

The timer allows you to set a delay before taking one single photo.

This is a useful option for group photos, where you can place the Yi Action Camera on a stand and it will automatically take the photo.

The timer can be set to 3, 5, 10 and 15 seconds

Snapshot

Snapshot is probably the least useful feature for any photographer.

Using the Snapshot function, you can create a short animation with a ridiculous resolution of 640 x 480 / 4:3 / 30p.

A comment Advantages: 1. A huge number of scripts - plugins that can change the picture to an incredibly high quality level, more on this below. 2. International version! Among the advantages of the international version over the Chinese one: 2.1. Battery 990 mAh from Sony in international versus Chinese 1010 mAh in Chinese. Guess which one lives longer? 990 mAh international! For about 20 minutes. There is a video test on YouTube upon request: Chinese vs International Version (black version) Now the Chinese versions have also begun to be equipped with 990 mAh batteries. 2.2. In the international version. The battery compartment cover with a metal plate, in theory, does a better job of cooling the battery. Now the Chinese versions have also begun to be equipped with such covers. But you can get into the old party. 2.3. Smartphone application in English and Russian. 2.4. It is believed that international versions are new batches of cameras with 100% corrected problems of previous versions! And the Chinese versions may be from old batches, because... have been around for quite a long time! Size 3! She really is like a matchbox! I was pleasantly surprised! 4. There is an application made specifically for Xiaomi cameras, which allows you to flexibly manage settings and display the current camera recording mode. Connection to a smartphone via Wi-Fi. 5. The camera is literally hung with indicators of its operation. Front, back, side, bottom, everywhere there are diodes that make it clear what mode the camera is in. All this can be turned off in the settings through the application, and focus only on sound to save battery. 6. Car enthusiasts! It is possible to set up automatic video recording when the camera is turned on, and there is a cyclic shooting mode. Those. in fact, it is also a 60 FPS DVR. 7. Supports charging the camera via USB with the ability to continue recording. (You can use PowerBank when traveling) 8. Supports high-speed SDXC memory cards! Info below! Flaws: Before installing scripts! 1. Out of the box with factory settings, the camera takes decent pictures, but with very compressed quality, the full potential of which is hidden for some reason! The video is not 100% clear, the photo has watercolor elements in the background. Video bitrate is 25 Mbit/s with H264 codec level 4.2, which cannot but affect the quality. After installing the scripts, the camera shoots much better! 2. Sound. It is very quiet, records at a quality of 128 kbps 48 Khz and, surprisingly, in stereo (although the camera only has one mono microphone) 3. No display! It would be nice to have a tiny monochrome display to display the current state of the camera, instead of a bunch of diodes all over the camera. You don’t have to constantly think: “What mode is my camera in now?” (This is when taking photos and videos without a smartphone). Using a smartphone makes it much easier to control the camera, but the battery on the camera also drains faster. 4. The camera out of the box does not allow you to shoot long videos in one file, but splits long videos into several files of the maximum possible size for it. By default, this size is 2 gigabytes (expanded to 4Gb by scripts). Those. if you shot a video with a total of 8 gigabytes (30 minute video), then on the card you will see 2 files of 4 gigabytes each. Before installing the scripts, this would have been 4 files of 2 Gb each. Which you agree is not convenient. A comment: My opinion: 1. The quality of shooting, in my opinion, is many times better using scripts from the 4PDA forum and various other thematic resources on the camera. Their essence is simple: Scripts are simply launched by the camera from your memory card when the camera is turned on and do not affect the camera firmware. These are a kind of presets or, more simply put, equalizer settings. You can always remove them, and the camera will start with the settings from the manufacturer, as after purchase, or replace them with newer ones and continue experimenting with the quality. Using them you can: Increase the bitrate of video recording, change the color of the picture (warm-cold), white balance and other parameters. Everyone can find something for themselves. Xiaomi Yi SuperView Mod to help, and then see for yourself. The number of scripts is simply huge! 2. I do not recommend flashing the camera! 3. All these shortcomings - low bitrate, color balance, after installing the scripts are corrected, the camera begins to play with new colors! Namely, the video bitrate can be raised up to 50 Mbit/s with codec level 5.0, which will have a positive effect on the quality of the recording. Those. It's not a matter of the camera itself, but rather the settings specified by the manufacturer. After all, in reality the camera can and can do much more! 4. I consider the optimal bitrate for video to be 35 Mbit/s, but not 25 Mbit/s out of the box! 5. It is advisable to take an SDXC memory card for the camera with the ability to record at least 40 Mbit/s, at least 10 class UHC-I, otherwise, after installing scripts with the ability to record video with a high bitrate, the sound will lag! The version of my camera is Z23L and There is a discussion on the forums that this revision is considered one of the best with excellent recording quality and no mistakes. So it is, the camera is really good, but I saw a video on YouTube of how the same Z22 shoots even more clearly than the Z23L. Fortunately, in any camera you can adjust the lens yourself, but the fact remains a fact! Happy shopping everyone!

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If you use a Xiaomi Yi action camera, then you will probably need accessories for it. These are small and inexpensive, but very useful devices. Thanks to them, you will open up many more possibilities for using the device. Using it will give you even more pleasure, and the videos you create will surprise not only your friends and acquaintances, but the entire Internet.

You don’t have to look in third-party stores - everything is already in the Xiaomi Store

The developer of the popular Yi action camera, the Chinese company Xiaomi, also creates additional devices and accessories. You don't need to turn to third-party manufacturers: hardly any of them are able to offer something better than Xiaomi, which created the camera and knows its features thoroughly.

Accessories for the Xiaomi Yi action camera for all occasions

In this section, you can select products that will help you use the device’s capabilities to the fullest. Products are grouped in the catalog and provided with brief descriptions with photographs and prices. To learn more about a product, click on it and go to the corresponding page.

To make your search even less time-consuming, select only those categories that interest you. To do this, use the filter located on the left side of the screen. For you, Store Xiaomi offers:

aquaboxes for safe underwater photography;
batteries and chargers to shoot video in any conditions and in any area, even far from civilization;
mounts and holders, including universal clamps and functional tripods, fasteners and adapters for all kinds of situations, holders for animals and so on - now you can record absolutely any process on video;
ultraviolet filters, image stabilizers, lighting devices, thanks to which shooting will become more convenient and safer, and the video itself will look better;
control panels, panoramic timers, LCD displays - find out what else your action camera is capable of;

Among other things, ready-made sets of tools, fasteners and other accessories for servicing Xiaomi Yi are offered. The manufacturer has not only created one of the most feature-rich action cameras - he also made sure that you can choose everything you need from the available range.

In the catalog you will find accessories that will allow you to photograph hiking trips and sports competitions, cycling or scuba diving. Shoot through the eyes of your growing children or pets, let your imagination run wild, come up with the most incredible angles and shooting methods.

Quality and compatibility guarantees are provided on behalf of the manufacturer

A distinctive feature of the Xiaomi Store: we cooperate directly with the Xiaomi company, which produces gadgets and products for them. Therefore, we have every reason to guarantee the quality and performance of the products presented. You can also be sure: the products sold here are fully compatible with the device - you will not have any problems using them.

Why does the manufacturer enter the market? To sell something. How does it enter the market? With advertising and loud statements, preferably louder. This case is no exception: the release of the action camera in question was actively covered on the Internet. In addition to listing the names of electronic components, the camera was awarded in absentia with loud epithets up to and including “GoPro killer.” We won’t argue about the components - the filling in the chamber is undoubtedly more than decent. But practice shows that content alone is not enough to be called a champion. The components must be used correctly, “to the fullest”, only then will the desired result be achieved. We will try to look at how the Xiaomi Yi camera does this in this review.

Video review

First, we suggest watching our video review of the Xiaomi Yi action camera:

Now let's take a look at the characteristics of the new product.

Design, technical characteristics

The complete set of the device received for testing consists of the following accessories:

camera
rechargeable battery with a capacity of 1010 mAh
monopod with tripod screw mount
USB to Micro-USB cable
User manual in Chinese

The manual is indeed in Chinese, but this may be because the device was purchased specifically for testing purposes in one of the foreign stores. However, due to the fact that information about the camera was widely circulated, finding the necessary information and materials (including the Russian-language PDF manual) turned out to be not so difficult.

The body of the device we have is made of milky-white, rough plastic (you can find other, even more cheerful colors on the market). The form factor of the camera is a typical “brick”, only, in comparison with the same GoPro, it looks more minimalistic due to the lack of a display and a small number of controls.

One of the main differences from the mentioned competitor is the presence of a hole with a real tripod thread. How much this simplifies the search and selection of holding accessories - I think there is no need to explain. But this mount still has one drawback: the threaded hole is not deep enough, as a result of which you can attach the camera to a standard good tripod only by placing some kind of rubber pad between the camera body and the surface of the platform. Nothing can be done, all in the name of miniaturization and reducing the weight of the camera.

During long-term recording, the camera body heats up to 50°C in some areas, and up to 55°C when Wi-Fi is running.

The supplied metal monopod with a rubberized handle is made so well and thoroughly that you wonder: what is actually included with what? Monopod to camera or vice versa?

The rotating head of the monopod with a clamp and tripod thread allows you to rotate the camera to any angle, and using the existing latch, this monopod can be attached, for example, to a pocket.

In addition to the camera, you can purchase one that will allow you to immerse it to a depth of up to 40 m.

The main technical characteristics of the device are given in the following table:

Lens
line of sight
focal length
optical zoom
Camera
image sensor CPU	CMOS BSI Exmor R 1/2.3″ 16 MP Ambarella A7LS
Dimensions, weight	60.4×42×21.2 mm 72 g with battery
Time continuous recordings from the included battery	59 min. in 1920×1080 50p mode with working Wi-Fi (recording and broadcast mode)
Carrier	microSD/SDHC/SDXC memory card
Video formats	in the text of the article
Interfaces	Micro-USB 2.0 Micro-HDMI Bluetooth 4.0 WiFi
Other characteristics	PAL/NTSC switching work from network adapter
average price according to Yandex.Market	T-12408261
Offers according to Yandex.Market

Video/photography

The camera in question records video at the following frame sizes and frequencies:

You can clearly imagine the difference in detail and character of the picture that these recording modes provide using the following still frames and original videos.


1920×1080 50p 26 Mbps	1920×1080 25p 13 Mbps	1920×1080 48p 11 Mbps	1920×1080 24p 11 Mbps	1280×960 50p 16 Mbps

Download video	Download video	Download video	Download video	Download video
1280×960 48p 13 Mbps	1280×720 50p 13 Mbps	1280×720 48p 16 Mbps	1280×720 100p 18 Mbps	848×480 200p 16 Mbps

Download video	Download video	Download video	Download video	Download video

First of all, you pay attention to the fuzzy, seemingly out-of-focus picture. Unfortunately, focus has nothing to do with it. And the lens glass should not be blamed for uncleanliness. For some reason, the frame cannot be called detailed (however, some owners of some cameras may not agree with this formulation of the question), and due to its “blurring”, I would like to know what the resolution of our camera is. We'll deal with this later, but as a starting point, let's compare the sharpness that the camera gives in video mode and in photo mode.

Explain such the difference in detail cannot be achieved except for artificial restrictions. Apparently - we are just assuming - these restrictions are imposed on the capabilities of the matrix and processor used in the camera, and relate only to video shooting. But the electronic content of the device in question has a lot of potential, including shooting video with a 4K frame size (but our camera, of course, does not have this format).

The reasons for the described miracles, if they exist, probably lie in the permitting licenses that accompany the sensors and processors, and must be purchased separately. By the way, if we develop this idea in a slightly different direction, a sad picture emerges: earlier, several years ago, poor quality photos, received by video cameras, could be attributed to their small video matrices. But now, when another amateur camcorder is equipped with a sensor with many millions of pixels, it is at least strange to point to the matrix. But photographs from video cameras were unsightly 10 years ago and remain so.

As for our camera specifically, here we can, if not explain, then at least justify the lack of clarity in its video mode. A ringing, sharp image is required mainly for static shooting. But our camera is designed for something completely different, for shooting in motion. In which all objects are smeared in one way or another. Well, if there is still a need for static shooting, then you can always use the photo mode, especially since the camera can take photographs both in series and at intervals from 0.5 to 60 seconds.

Let's take a look at the technical parameters of the video files produced by the camera. The device records video in all modes in the same codec (AVC, of course) and with the same Main profile, only changing the level from 3.2 to 4.2 in accordance with the size and frame rate. Since the camera has the ability to change the working standard from PAL to NTSC and vice versa, you can add 60p and 30p to the listed frequencies. Separately, we note two ultra-high frame rate modes: 1280×720 100p 18 Mbps and 848×480 200p 16 Mbps (if the camera operates in NTSC, the frame rate will be 120p and 240p, respectively). Unlike some other cameras, these files actually contain video at the specified frequency, and are not slowed down four or eight times. However, there is no audio track in these files. These speed modes should only be used in rare cases when it is important to capture fast events in order to slow down the movement later when processing video. At the same time, one cannot make any complaints about the resolution in such a video - being low in normal modes, it drops even lower in high-speed modes.

But let’s finally measure it to dot the i’s. The usual shooting of a test pattern is not suitable for this - the viewing angle of the camera lens is too wide. Despite the small minimum focusing distance - only 20 centimeters - even the table moved to such a distance does not completely fill the entire frame. You will have to use filming of a section of the table printed on a sheet of large area, a meter in length. We will shoot in different video modes, as well as photo mode. Below are sections of the resulting video and photo frames; larger images will open by clicking the mouse.

1920x1080 50p	1280×960 50p	1280×720 50p	1280×720 100p	848x480 200p	Photo, 4608×3456

Once again, our assumption regarding the artificially low image clarity in video mode is confirmed. It is clearly visible that if you remove this software Gaussian blur, in maximum video mode the camera is quite capable of producing 1100 conventional TV lines horizontally. Well, okay, 1000 - without a doubt. Below is a familiar section of the table, shot in 1920x1080 50p mode, but with a sharpening filter applied to it in the graphics editor.

The camera's viewing angle does not actually change depending on the selected video mode. Only in two cases, when the camera shoots with a 4:3 aspect ratio, is there an additional area of the image at the top and bottom of the frame that the camera sees and captures. Because of this increased view in all directions, even the handles of the tripod on which the camera was mounted were sometimes included in the frame.

However, there is one item in the camera settings - Lens Rectification. It means correcting the fisheye effect. The correction is, of course, software (fortunately, a powerful processor is capable of performing tricks like these), when this option is enabled, the viewing angle narrows.

This mechanism works quite effectively, however, if you are going to subsequently process the captured video, it is better to shoot as is, without this in-camera correction.

Since the camera uses a modern and fast matrix, the level of rolling shutter (for more details, see the material ) in the chamber is probably minimal. Let's study it under different conditions. To begin with, let's take the camera for a ride on an electric car, the movement of which produces that characteristic vibration in most cases, in which rolling shutter is most pronounced. The following video was shot in 1920×1080 50p mode.

As expected, there is practically no “jelly” manifestation of rolling shutter. But even this miniscule jelly of the picture, which appears at the moments of the sharpest jerks, completely disappears if the shooting is carried out in high-speed mode. For example, in 848x480 200p. As we have already said, this mode does not involve sound recording, which is why the video is silent.

However, it is not difficult to encounter situations where vibration still leads to unpleasant frame shake. There is nothing you can do about it, the vibration frequency exceeds the frequency of information reading from the sensor, as well as the frequency of the shutter.

Finally, the next video will clearly show that in high speed mode the image is taken from the sensor at a frequency of 200 frames per second. Because in this case, the tilt of the verticals (one of the main manifestations of rolling shutter) is absolutely absent. While when shooting at 50 frames per second, there is still a slight tilt.

The camera settings allow you to enable one of three levels of encoding quality: high, medium, and low. In normal scenes, it is extremely difficult to discern any difference between these modes. However, in scenes with great dynamics, the difference is also difficult to notice.

Our camera can operate by receiving power directly via USB. This means that it can be used as a car DVR. However, the camera will not make a full-fledged recorder. The fact is that the device settings do not have a frame flip function. To obtain the following screenshots and videos, the original video had to be flipped in a video editor.

This artificial blurring of the video frame also makes it difficult to see small details: the symbols on the license plates of even nearby cars tend to stick together into an indistinguishable mess.

The camera does not have an electronic stabilizer (not to mention the optical one). This, of course, is not good. Such a powerful processor could easily process the image and smooth out sharp, albeit small, jerks with shaking.

Software

The camera is equipped with an HDMI port from which you can receive a live Full HD video stream. True, graphic symbols are imprinted into this stream, displaying the current operating mode and state of the camera, and this function cannot be disabled in any way.

The HDMI video output is never disabled, even when the camera is recording or streaming video to a mobile device via Wi-Fi. If the camera's Loop mode is turned on, the camera splits videos into 5-minute segments. In normal mode, the file size will correspond to the maximum size allowed for the file system of the memory card.

Connecting a camera to a mobile device consists of several sequential steps:

turning on the camera (the Wi-Fi adapter is activated automatically)
launching a proprietary application on a smartphone (follow the link - version for Android)

After a short wait (5-10 seconds), the application will detect the camera’s active access point, turn on the Wi-Fi adapter on the smartphone, and make a connection. The established connection between the smartphone and the camera is reliably maintained at a distance of up to 70 meters with direct visibility and the absence of other Wi-Fi networks, and the delay in displaying the video signal coming from the camera to the mobile device is only 0.6 seconds.

To view in a larger size, click the Original size button

The application settings completely replicate those available in the camera, nothing is forgotten.

We note quite rich settings, which, however, are annoyingly missing such important items as flipping the picture and manually setting white balance. But, as we can see, there is an opportunity to turn on gain, which supposedly will help when shooting in low light conditions. We will address this issue in the next chapter.

We must pay tribute to the sensitivity of the camera: even in the almost complete absence of light, it shoots exactly like any camera or video camera with the most sensitive optics. This refers to the overall brightness of the picture, but not the detail, of course. Which in our camera falls the more strongly, the less light that enters its microlens. This happens due to the built-in noise suppressor, which “smears” the image to eliminate noise. And noise, in turn, inevitably appears when the gain is turned on, an analogue of the camera ISO number. However, the camera, sacrificing detail, still does not allow itself to reduce the shutter speed to lower values than the frame rate in the recorded video, as the vast majority of cameras do in automatic mode (and some video cameras too, to be honest). This reduction in shutter speed occurs only when the Auto Low Light option is turned on. Here the picture becomes a little brighter precisely as a result of playing with the shutter frequency - the last way to raise the exposure level.

conclusions

We have already talked about resolution. But they never agreed on its exact definition. It’s better to leave it as it is: camera resolution in video mode Maybe reach 1100 conventional TV lines horizontally. True, to really get such a result, you need to dig deeper into the firmware and disable software frame blur. It turns out that all hope lies in enthusiasts who have sufficient knowledge for this. Such enthusiasts, we hope, will catch up over time, delve into the topic and, seeing the potentially high popularity of the product, will begin to “customize” it. And one believes in high popularity for a single and elementary reason: because of the price of the camera. It is surprisingly low, if you remember about the high-quality and, therefore, expensive electronic components on which the device is built.

The only way to get a clear picture in all details so far is to take photographs. The pictures that the camera creates clearly demonstrate the capabilities of both the matrix and the processor, which are capable of processing several full-size frames per second. The fairly long battery life of the included battery - one hour of continuous video recording with working Wi-Fi - also adds to the interest of the product.

As for managing settings using and exclusively through mobile devices, this concept is as modern as it is controversial. Not every new idea is convenient, it does not become so just because it is new. This is why most people don’t take their usual watches off their wrists, despite having a smartphone in their shirt pocket. The irritatingly long ups and downs of connecting the camera and smartphone, the extremely inconvenient touch controls with the every second risk of accidentally swiping or closing a running application - all this in no way correlates with operational video shooting in the most difficult conditions, for which any action camera was originally intended. No matter what, but a display that displays at least the basic parameters of the camera and makes it possible to change them without the help of third-party devices - such a display is simply necessary.

Xiaomi Yi action cameras: review, test, reviews. Xiaomi IP Cameras Action Camera yi