The action cam is now also available under the name " EKEN H9S " available. The image sensor and the image processor, as well as the appearance, are identical to the EKEN H9 or H9R. However, the 4K recording capability has been slightly improved. Attached you will find our test report on the "new" EKEN Budget Action Cam.
First impression of the EKEN H9R
What's in the box
Unlike other China action cams, the EKEN H9R differs only slightly, which is why this camera is also supplied in a typical cardboard box with a wide range of accessories. In addition to the various brackets also a waterproof housing is included, which makes a good impression on the outside. Although the shutter closes a bit difficult, but otherwise the camera can be well served by the housing. The pressure points are not too soft, but not too hard. The size of the EKEN H9R is similar to the well-known SJCAM SJ4000, which makes the accessories compatible with each other. The enclosed battery has a capacity of 1050mAh. A matching charging adapter is included.
The remote control included in the scope of delivery, which can be linked to the camera, is particularly interesting. This allows video or photo recordings to be triggered “remotely”. An English-language instruction manual for the camera and remote control is also included. The set comprises a total of 21 parts.
Optics and workmanship
The EKEN H9R Action Cam is available in 7 different colors. The workmanship is average good. Only the cap of the battery sits in my test copy comparatively easy.
The power or mode button is on the front. A large 2 inch LCD color display was installed on the back. The buttons for menu navigation are on the right edge of the housing. This also activates the camera's WiFi. The connections are on the left. These amount to a micro HDMI socket, a micro USB socket and an SD memory card slot. Memory cards up to 64GB are accepted. Next to the record button, on the upper edge of the housing, there is also a large record LED that shows the current status of the camera. Except for the loose cover of the battery compartment, the EKEN H9R is well made. The accessories included in the scope of delivery are also impressive.
Commissioning and user interface
With the battery and SD memory card inserted, the EKEN H9R is ready to go. The included operating instructions go into all the necessary steps in detail and explain both the setting options and the remote connection via WiFi. When switched on, you get the live output immediately. The symbols on the edge show, among other things, the recording mode, the recording resolution, the current recording time and remaining recording time, as well as the battery level. With the mode button you can switch between the video mode, the photo mode, the burst mode and the timelapse mode.
The setting options of the EKEN H9R are very limited. The following settings can be made.
Video resolution (1080p @ 60p / 30p, 4K @ 25p, 2.7K@30p 720 @ 120p) | Loop mode | Date stamp | Exposure | Image resolution (12MP, 8MP, 5MP, 4MP | Series mode | Interval mode | Time lapse | Refresh rate (50Hz / 60Hz / Auto) | Language | Date & time | Sounds | Rotate 180 ° | Auto LCD | Power saving mode | Format | Factory settings Version
Settings for WiFi mode can not be made. Thus, no individual password can be set, so anyone with the default password (1234567890) could access the camera.
Video and picture quality
Hardware
The EKEN H9R uses an OmniVision OV4689 image sensor and a Sunplus 6350 image processor. This combination is rather weak-breasted and clearly attributable to the low price segment.
Although the Action Cam promises recordings with a resolution of maximum 4K, but these are artificially extrapolated, which is why this value is purely interpolated. The native resolution of the image sensor is just 4 megapixels. Native 12 megapixels were not to be expected at this price. The wide angle is the usual for Action Cams 170 °. The recording format is .mov, compressed with the .h264 codec and .jpg.
video recordings
The quality of the video recordings is good in good lighting conditions. In low light conditions, the picture looks pale and a clear blur can be seen. On the other hand, the brightness adjustment of the EKEN H9R is good and the maximum 60 images per second on 1080p are shown in a smooth flow. The recorded sound is comparable to conventional action cams and thus extremely quiet. Clearly recognizable is the blur towards the edge of the image.
image capture
The pictures taken are unfortunately blurred and at the same time washed out. The colors look pale and the image dynamics are lost.
firmware
The special feature of the EKEN H9R is the large developer community behind this reasonably priced Action Cam. Firmware updates appear regularly to get the best possible video quality out of this camera. For example, the standard 10 images per second at 4K resolution has been increased to a whopping 25 images-per-second.
WiFi feature and app
The WiFi can be activated on this camera with the lower menu navigation button. The SSID and the password cannot be set individually in the settings. To be able to use the camera with your smartphone or tablet, you need the EZ iCam app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and the iOS Store.
About the app a live image of the camera is output. The delay is low and the display ran in the test without any artifact formation. General settings are limited to white balance and refresh rate. In Video mode, you can only switch between 1080p @ 60 or 30 FPS. Despite these few setting options, the app is clearly implemented and easy to use. Recordings can be started directly from them, saved to the smartphone or tablet and even shared with friends via social media.
EKEN H9R
Price
Extensive scope of delivery
connection options
Good workmanship
Acceptable recording quality
Remote control
Recent firmware
Exposed connections
Few setting options
Marginal app
The EKEN H9R does not offer the best video quality and is by no means comparable to a much more expensive GoPro. Nevertheless, this camera achieves a liquid 4K resolution, which is quite admirable at this price. In addition, the Action Cam has a large developer community, which constantly releases new updates. Overall, the EKEN H9R does justice to its price and provides reasonable results.
