I've seen the LynkSpyder used with GoPro's but was not ready to invest in a GoPro yet. So I decided to try the lower cost SJCAM SJ5000 WiFi action cam (~$130 from an eBay vendor) instead and have used it to record two 14u tournaments.
This just my initial experience with using the SJ5000 WiFi with the LynkSpyder and working with the captured video. It is not really meant as a detailed product review.
Mounting on chain link fence:
The SJ5000 came with numerous mounting options and I was able use it with LynkSpyder without purchasing any additional mounts. There were no issues with mounting the SJ5000 properly to capture video. The LynkSpyder worked great.
Using external battery:
The SJ5000 can record while being charged via USB cable. I used the pouch recommended by LynkSpyder to hold the external power bank and it worked great. In order to power the SJ5000 via the external power bank, the SJ5000 requires the purchase of a 'SJCAM SJ5000 Series Waterproof Case + Car Charger for Motorcycle' (~$20). This accessory allowed me to connect the power bank to the camera via USB through the camera housing. The power bank I used was rated at 20000mAh. After recording 3 games (2+ hours each) the power bank still seem to have 75% of the charge remaining.
Video capture:
The SJ5000 WiFi can record in the following resolutions:
1080P (1920*1080 ) 30FPS
720P (1280*720) 60FPS
720P (1280*720) 30FPS
WVGA (640*480) 60FPS
The SJ5000 WiFi takes a 32GB micro sd card and the field of vision is 170 degrees.
A 2 hour game at 720P and 30FPS created files totaling about 6GB. There appears to be a 4GB file size limit. So the game was split into two files.
Thoughts on video quality:
Since the camera focus is fixed, following plays in the infield is not a problem. Following plays in the outfield are a little harder due to the distance. To me the video quality is OK given the limitations of the camera.
*note on audio quality - The level of audio being recorded is kind of low. It is not a issue for me as I'm more concerned with the video.
Post processing video:
I was able to get rid of the fish eye effect using a video editing program. This process also removes some of the video at the edges. Due to the wide field of vision, no action was compromised in the videos. I was also able to export the video via software as DVD compatible video files and create DVD's that worked in a home DVD player.
It took me about 40 minutes to cut out the dead time between innings and add some text to indicate innings for a game. It took me 6+ hours to put together a 30 minute highlight video from 8 games. Still learning to edit videos and use the video editing program properly.
Overall, I'm happy with my setup and the videos. I'm going to stick with this current setup through the fall. I may upgrade to a GoPro next year.
This just my initial experience with using the SJ5000 WiFi with the LynkSpyder and working with the captured video. It is not really meant as a detailed product review.
Mounting on chain link fence:
The SJ5000 came with numerous mounting options and I was able use it with LynkSpyder without purchasing any additional mounts. There were no issues with mounting the SJ5000 properly to capture video. The LynkSpyder worked great.
Using external battery:
The SJ5000 can record while being charged via USB cable. I used the pouch recommended by LynkSpyder to hold the external power bank and it worked great. In order to power the SJ5000 via the external power bank, the SJ5000 requires the purchase of a 'SJCAM SJ5000 Series Waterproof Case + Car Charger for Motorcycle' (~$20). This accessory allowed me to connect the power bank to the camera via USB through the camera housing. The power bank I used was rated at 20000mAh. After recording 3 games (2+ hours each) the power bank still seem to have 75% of the charge remaining.
Video capture:
The SJ5000 WiFi can record in the following resolutions:
1080P (1920*1080 ) 30FPS
720P (1280*720) 60FPS
720P (1280*720) 30FPS
WVGA (640*480) 60FPS
The SJ5000 WiFi takes a 32GB micro sd card and the field of vision is 170 degrees.
A 2 hour game at 720P and 30FPS created files totaling about 6GB. There appears to be a 4GB file size limit. So the game was split into two files.
Thoughts on video quality:
Since the camera focus is fixed, following plays in the infield is not a problem. Following plays in the outfield are a little harder due to the distance. To me the video quality is OK given the limitations of the camera.
*note on audio quality - The level of audio being recorded is kind of low. It is not a issue for me as I'm more concerned with the video.
Post processing video:
I was able to get rid of the fish eye effect using a video editing program. This process also removes some of the video at the edges. Due to the wide field of vision, no action was compromised in the videos. I was also able to export the video via software as DVD compatible video files and create DVD's that worked in a home DVD player.
It took me about 40 minutes to cut out the dead time between innings and add some text to indicate innings for a game. It took me 6+ hours to put together a 30 minute highlight video from 8 games. Still learning to edit videos and use the video editing program properly.
Overall, I'm happy with my setup and the videos. I'm going to stick with this current setup through the fall. I may upgrade to a GoPro next year.