SJCAM SJ8 Air Review

Earlier this year, SJCAM revealed that they will be coming out with a new SJ8 action camera series. They have finally released all 3 of the cameras and have started shipping. So today I’m going to review their most basic and cheapest action camera: the SJCAM SJ8 Air! It’s a budget alternative for those who are looking for a cheap camera without any extras. Such as one for extreme sports where you are afraid of breaking it after recording. Or maybe you are just a beginner and want to get started without having to spend too much. Either way the new SJ8 Air has definitely got a niche and the question is, how good is it really?

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Dimensions: 63×41×29mm / 2.5×1.6×1.1″

Weight: 80g / 2.8oz

Sensor: Panasonic MN34112PA

Chipset: Novatek NT96658

Field of View: 160°

Video resolutions: 1296P 30fps; 1080p 30fps; 720p 30fps; 420p 240fps

Photo: 14MP

Gyro stabilization: No

Modes: Video, Video Lapse, Slow Rec, Video+Photo, Single Shot, Burst, Time-Lapse, Car Mode, FPV Mode

Features: WiFi, 2.33″ IPS Touch Screen

Ports: USB-C, MicroSD card slot

Memory: MicroSD with Class 10 and SDXC cards, up to 128GB

Battery life: 130 minutes of 1080p at 30fps (WiFi turned off)

IN THE BOX

SJCAM SJ8 Air

Waterproof Housing up to 30m / 98ft

Quick Release Buckle

Handlebar Seat post mount

Curved & Flat adhesive mounts

Univeral 1/4″ Camera Tripod mount, Tripod Mount adapter

Adhesive tape

Cleaning cloth

USB-C to USB-A cable

DESIGN

The new SJCAM SJ8 Air has a pretty traditional action camera design. It has a dimension of 63×41×29 mm / 2.5×1.6×1.1″ and weighs only 80 g / 2.8 oz. The body is made out of smooth plastic and you get to choose between 3 colors: black, white and pink. The overall build quality is also very good, especially considering that this is the budget version. There aren’t any loose details or anything that feels out of place. Everything just feels like a solid piece and I’m really happy with that. It’s great to see that you can get quality devices without having to spend premium prices.

The action camera has only got 2 buttons. One of those is used to turning the camera on/off and you can find that on the side. The top button is used for recording videos and capturing photos. All of the settings and such are accessed from the new 2.33″ IPS screen on the back. It’s the nicest touchscreens I have ever used and it’s even an upgrade from what the SJ6 Legend has. And I was already impressed with that one. So you definitely won’t miss any buttons as SJCAM has made the UI really easy to use.

Underneath the camera, you will find a compartment for the battery and a MicroSD slot. There is also a threaded tripod hole/mount in case you plan on using it with a selfie stick. It also opens up the possibility to mount to 3rd party accessories as well. There is another small compartment on the side of the SJCAM SJ8 Air, which holds the new USB-C port. They have dropped the previously used MicroUSB and MicroHDMI ports as the new USB-C is better in every way! Great to see new technology being used on the budget camera as well!

ACCESSORIES

SJCAM action cameras are definitely known for their accessories. With the new SJ8 series, you can choose whether you want just the camera or a full package. The full package includes all the accessories that you see in this image below.

You get a new waterproof case and plenty of extra mounts. There is also a touch backdoor which you can add onto the waterproof case. It let’s you use the action cameras touchscreen even underwater. The downside is that you can’t go really deep with the camera while using it.

In addition, the SJCAM SJ8 Air is still compatible with external microphones as well. However it will need to have a USB-C connection.

VIDEO & PHOTO

Video quality is always the most important aspect of action cameras. On paper, the SJ8 Air is really nothing special. What I do like is that SJCAM hasn’t fooled anyone by adding a 4K resolution. No cheap action camera in their price range actually records in a 4K resolution. They all record in a Full HD 1080p resolution and then scale it to 4K, which is sometimes even worse than the original recording.

I’m really pleased to see that SJCAM hasn’t gone down this path. Instead, the camera can record videos in the standard Full HD 1080p resolution at 30 fps. But that’s just the specifications and tell us nothing about the image quality.

Here is a great example of the image quality and how sharp the action camera actually is. Especially when you are using it without the waterproof case. Everything is so clear and there’s hardly any blur at all. It’s definitely the nicest video quality I have seen out of all the other budget action cameras. Even the colors are neutral and look amazing. They are vibrant without having any additional filters. This is a clear example that resolution isn’t everything.

The only downside is that there isn’t a digital stabilization system. So you do have to pay more attention to your movements while recording. Especially while you are walking, as you may end up with a shaky video. Mounting onto a car or any other moving object will be fine though. Or you can also always use a gimbal, which will anyways work better than any digital stabilization system.

CONCLUSION

If you are looking for a cheap action camera that has an amazing video quality, then the SJCAM SJ8 Air is the best choice! They have somehow managed to make a high quality device that’s really affordable. And it’s not just the video quality. The SJ8 Air has the nicest touchscreen I have ever used on any other cameras. And that also includes much more expensive competitors. So overall it’s definitely the best budget action camera in 2018!