Hawkeye Firefly 7S - Action Cam

The Hawkeye Firefly 7S is the new model of the less well-known “Hawkeye” action cam series, which can, however, compete with better-known brands thanks to its good video and image quality and good implementation. The Hawkeye Firefly 6S, which does not have a display and therefore weighs only 70g, is particularly popular with quadrocopter pilots. The Hawkeye 7S, on the other hand, has, among other things, a 2-inch LCD color display, although the weight has remained the same. In this preview, we'll take a closer look at how the cameras differ and which cameras from other manufacturers the 7S model is comparable to.

Hawkeye Firefly 7S

Display, weight and size

As already indicated, the Hawkeye Firefly 7S has a 2 inch LCD color display, which is located on the back of the case. The small front OLED display, which was already present on the Hawkeye 6S, was also retained on the successor. The size and weight of the Action Cam has remained the same and is still 59 x 41 x 21mm with a weight of 70g. Thus, the camera is compatible with all common accessories of the GoPro Hero series, as well as the SJCAM series.

Image sensor and image processor

As far as the installed hardware is concerned, nothing has changed. A Sony IMX078 image sensor is still used, which has a native resolution of 12.4 megapixels and the image processor is still based on a Novatek 96660 chipset. Incidentally, this combination is also used by the SJCAM SJ5000X, which means that similarly good video and image quality can be expected. However, it should be noted that well-optimized firmware also plays a decisive role in terms of video and image quality. The possible resolutions have also remained the same for the Firefly 7S. The maximum resolution is 4K at 24 frames per second. On 1080p even 60 frames per second are possible and on 720p a full 120 frames per second. The viewing angle is 120 °.

Gyro and connections

To stabilize the video recordings, the Hawkeye 7S has an integrated gyroscope, which stabilizes the recordings on the software side. The connections on the side of the housing amount to a mini USB socket for charging or data transfer, as well as a mini HDMI socket. The scope of delivery also includes an A / V cable, which allows video and audio signals to be transmitted via the USB socket. Memory cards up to a maximum of 64GB can be inserted via the micro SD memory card slot.

WiFi and App

Another interesting function of the Hawkeye Firefly 7S is remote control via WiFi in combination with the Firefly app. This is available for both Android and Apple iOS. Even with the predecessor, the app was able to convince in various test reports with a clean transmission and an impressive range of functions. In addition to live image output, various setting options, including resolution, the app also offers social media functions for sharing the recordings.

Battery and running time

The biggest disadvantage of the Firefly 7S in direct comparison with the Firefly 6S is the reduced size of the battery. The predecessor still used 1600mAh batteries, where a running time of 70-90 minutes, depending on the resolution, seemed quite realistic. The successor, on the other hand, uses 1050mAh batteries. Due to the additional LCD display, one can assume that the running time will be reduced accordingly. With a resolution of 4K and an active display, a running time of around 50 minutes can be expected. The exact battery life will only be comprehensible once the first reviews of the Hawkeye Firefly 7S are published.