MINI CAMERA TEST
You might not think a less well- known manufacturer like YI would be breaking new ground in the competitive action camera market, but last year the firm’s 4K+ model was the first action camera to shoot at 60fps in 4K. Although the GoPro Hero6 Black now does this, it’s still a very limited choice if you want 4K at 60fps, and the YI delivers this at an affordable price of just £299/$339. But there has been no obvious skimping to bring the price down, as it records to Sony’s Exmor R 12-megapixel CMOS backside- illuminated sensor for decent low-light performance. It’s driven by a 64-bit processor with 2GB of RAM, recording in H.264 format at up to 135mbps. The YI also records at 120fps in full HD and 240fps at 720p. It also offers digital stabilisation at all resolutions, except for 60fps in 4K. Where the latest GoPro and Sony RX0 cameras don’t need waterproof cases, the YI does and comes supplied with one. The fittings are standard GoPro type, although the YI’s standard kit comes with a tripod mount on the bottom. YI has its own range of mounts but doesn’t include any as standard. The camera comes with a 5.6cm/ 2.2in touchscreen to navigate menus and frame shots. The screen is coated in tough glass and the menus are easy to navigate and very clear. But you have to take the camera out of the case to change settings. When recording, front and rear LEDs illuminate. There’s also voice control but you have to be relatively close. It’s not something a pro would rely on. YI 4K+ ACTION CAMERA
RIGHT The YI takes a separate case like the older GoPro models but the tech inside is bang up to date.
The camera uses a USB-C port for charging and transferring data, but you can take the battery out and charge it. This port can also be used to connect a mic, but you can’t use the camera in its case so it’s of limited use. There are no manual audio controls. There’s also Wi-Fi, and a free app for iOS and Android, which lets you change settings and provides a live view from the camera. The footage can also be recorded on your device, edited and shared online. And there are also some interesting filters which can be fun for social media use but not of a huge amount of interest to serious users. The benefit is the image quality and the 4K output is very impressive with fantastic sharpness right across the whole frame and bright and punchy colours, especially if using YI’s own colour profile. There is also a Log- style flat profile for reduced contrast which boosts dynamic range and is ideal for colour grading. It isn’t as flat as the Sony S-Log profiles, but it does a good job in retaining detail from highlight to shadow. If the typical action camera fisheye look isn’t what you want, the 4K+ has “Launched last year, YI’s 4k+model was the first action camera to shoot at 60fps in 4K”
integrated lens distortion correction. This does a good job of removing major distortion, even towards the edge of the frame. The lens quality isn’t on par with the Sony’s Zeiss optic but for a camera designed for point-of-view action, it’s definitely good enough. The 4K and 2K recording options only offer a very wide view but drop to HD and there are more cropped-in options available. The camera also has an Auto Low Light mode which does improve detail in shadow areas but also increases noise slightly. The YI 4K+ also has good photo and timelapse functions, and the battery lasts for around 90 minutes in normal use, which is very good. Crank it up to 4K at 60fps and it drops to about an hour though. Of course, the YI doesn’t allow you to take full control of all its settings, so you are at the mercy of automatic settings which can often get things wrong and even change exposure during a shot. Fine for a fun camera, but not great for a professional quality tool. But for the price, the YI offers great quality, especially in the 4K settings.
BELOW The YI is light enough to be mounted on a bicycle helmet and the wearer to not really notice the difference.
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SPRING 2018 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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