Firefly is one of the most popular Chinese brands. The company's product range includes a variety of recording equipment, quadcopters, equipment and components for drones, and sports accessories.
A distinctive feature of Firefly gadgets is the combination of high quality and low price.
Today we will talk about the latest action camera Firefly 8SE with support for 4K recording and an affordable price.
Appearance
The Firefly 8SE is a classic sports camera in GoPro format. ON the front side there is a wide-format lens, a power button and a special mirror for conveniently taking selfies.
The original solution replaces the screen and allows you to control the shooting process even from a great distance - for example, when taking photographs with a selfie stick.
Also on the front side there is an LED with which you can control the status of the camera: red – charging, green – recording.
On one of the side faces there is a connector for connecting to analog monitors, and a classic microUSB for connecting to computers, synchronizing and charging. Slightly higher are the microphone slots.
The developers took an interesting approach: the place of the memory card slot was taken by a cord fastener. And the slot itself moved to the back of the camera, to the screen. Immediately below it is the back button - this is another find.
Hidden at the bottom is a snap-on, moisture-resistant battery compartment and a threaded hole offset toward the edge for mounting on a tripod. At the top are the navigation keys.
This re-arrangement of control elements is really convenient and works great in operation. However, you have to pay for everything - although the camera is made in a body compatible with the accessories of most action cameras, the Firefly 8SE waterproof housing is unique and cannot be replaced. Just buy another one.
Video and Lens
The camera is based on a 12-megapixel SONY IMX117 sensor and an Ambarella A12S75 processor. In addition to the performance sufficient for fast recording, the processor is equipped with support for extended dynamic range.
For image clarity, a 170-degree lens with anti-reflective coating ensures more accurate color rendering and a unique blue filter that eliminates unwanted lens flare in bright Sun.
Maximum video resolution is 4K, 30 frames per second. It also supports 2K and FullHD shooting at 60 fps. The camera can shoot Time-Lapse and Slow Motion video with frame rates up to 240 (for HD) or 120 (for FullHD).
For shooting dynamic scenes, Firefly 8SE is equipped with stabilization, eliminating defects in shooting in motion.
Control
The camera is controlled using both a standard set of buttons and a 2-inch IPS touch screen with support for swiping to navigate to the menu. In addition to this, the user can use a companion smartphone app that communicates with the camera via a direct Wi-Fi connection. A wireless Bluetooth controller is optionally available.
The wireless communication range allows us to recommend the camera for use with quadcopters. Although, using a separate cable, you can connect Firefly 8SE to remote RC receivers directly, bypassing the smartphone.
For fans and geeks, this is exactly the same cable that is used to connect cameras to TVs. On one side there is miniUSB, on the other there are 2 RCA “tulips” (video + audio).
Recording quality
First, let's look at the photographs. Indoors, the shooting quality is not stellar, but any daytime photos are beyond praise. Night photography is possible, and surprisingly produces better images than difficult artificial light.
Now let's look at examples of video files recorded by the camera.
FireFly_8SE (4K 30fps)
FireFly_8SE (1080p 60fps stabilizer OFF)
FireFly_8SE (1080p 60fps stabilizer ON)
It is not surprising that with such a filling it copes with all popular modes. The stabilization works excellently, without eating up too much and eliminating unnecessary shaking.
Additional features
Selfie lovers will definitely love the unique mirror on the front of the camera, which allows you to control your shooting and know exactly what fits into the frame.
The Firefly 8SE's functionality goes beyond just shooting video. The camera takes 12-megapixel photos and can work as a surveillance camera or car recorder. For the latter 2 features, it comes with a motion tracking sensor that triggers the camera once it detects movement in the camera's field of view.
conclusions
The standard price of the Firefly 8SE is $150, but it can be purchased for just $140 from July 2 to July 8 on Gearbest. Not a bad discount that significantly increases the value of the new item.
