The Chinese action cam manufacturer “ThiEYE” has also been involved in the action cam market since 2015 and made its debut last summer with the ThiEYE i60. The manufacturer would also like to release various action cams and 360° cameras this year. The latest model, the ThiEYE V5, is scheduled to appear in July. The special thing about this camera is its compatibility with various UV filters, which can be screwed directly onto the lens. The new ThiEYE camera is currently still a long time coming, which is why no reviews have been published yet. Nevertheless, we took a closer look at the ThiEYE V5 in this preview.
ThiEYE V5
The ThiEYE V5 is a 2.3K camera with an integrated WiFi module. This combination now sounds rather unspectacular and is already represented in many other action cams, but what makes this camera so special is the built-in hardware. The ThiEYE V5 is equipped with a powerful Ambarella A7LS75 image processor. This was already used in the SJCAM SJ5000 Plus and was able to convince with its remarkable performance. Ambarella image processors are also used by current GoPro models, which in turn speaks for the quality of the hardware used.
The image sensor is also no stranger. A Sony IMX 206 image sensor is installed, which has a native resolution of 16.35 megapixels. The same image sensor is also used in the current SJCAM model "M20". This combination enables video recordings up to 2.3K (2304x1296 pixels) at 30 frames per second. An impressive 1080 and 60 frames per second are even possible on 30p. Lower resolutions are also available and allow for impressive slow motion recordings (720p@120fps, 480p@240fps). Images are taken with a maximum of 16 megapixels.
The lens of the ThiEYE V5 has a 170° wide angle. The most interesting feature is probably the additional UV filters, which can be placed directly on the lens. There are a total of 3 suitable filters. The "CPL Filter" removes unwanted reflections and at the same time protects the lens from dust and possible breakages. The “gray filter” or “ND filter” creates an even darkening. According to the product descriptions from various retailers, only one UV filter is included in the scope of delivery. It is not yet known whether the other filters have to be purchased or whether they are still included. So far only the actual action cam is listed.
Another feature of the ThiEYE V5 is the 2 inch LCD display. The connections of the camera amount to a Mini USB 2.0 socket and an HDMI Type-D socket. The micro SD card slot is compatible with 64GB SD memory cards. The battery compartment and a tripod thread are located on the underside of the housing. The housing (59 * 41 * 23.5mm) itself consists of a high-quality aluminum frame. Various LEDs notify you of an ongoing recording and the remaining battery level. The camera uses the integrated WiFi module to set up its own WiFi. You can then connect it to your smartphone or tablet and use the ThiEYE app to control and configure the V5. The large battery of the ThiEYE V5 is also worth mentioning. This has a capacity of 1180mAh. This enables recording times of a good 100 minutes.
As soon as the ThiEYE V5 has been released and we have received our test copy, the review will be published at this point!
Website of the manufacturer: www.thieye.com
