ThiEYE V5e (V5) test - Action Cam with filter system

First impression of the ThiEYE V5e

What's in the box

Action cams from China usually come with a number of accessories. The ThiEYE V5e, on the other hand, does not have a wide range of accessories and is only supplied with a UV filter and holder, a mini USB cable, a 1180mAh battery, a cleaning cloth and a multilingual operating manual. The manufacturer does not use a waterproof housing or mounts. These must be purchased separately. Additional filters are also not included!

Design and workmanship

In terms of design, the ThiEYE V5e does not differ from conventional China Cams. The case size is 60 x 41 x 32 mm with a weight of 85 g. The front is made of metal, while the rest of the housing is made of plastic with a carbon look. Overall, the workmanship is decent. There are no improperly processed areas or gaps to be found.

The ThiEYE V5e is operated via a total of 4 control buttons. On the front there is the power button, which has an additional, circular LED indicator. The confirmation button is located on the top of the housing, which can also be used to start a recording. On the side there are two arrow keys with which you can navigate through the menu, zoom the image or switch on the Action Cam's WiFi by pressing and holding it down. A total of 4 LED indicators provide information on the current status of the camera. There is a 2 inch LCD display on the back. The battery compartment is located on the underside of the housing. There is also a tripod thread as a mounting option. The Action Cam can be connected via a micro HDMI socket and a mini USB socket.

filter system

The highlight of the ThiEYE V5e is its modular filter system. If you unscrew the golden lens border, the UV filter and the thread holder can be screwed on. In the test, the filter screwed on without any problems. The thread runs without play and has a soft grip. The difference between recording with or without a filter is hardly noticeable. Rather, the filter is suitable for protecting the lens. Unfortunately, other filters are not yet available.

Commissioning and user interface

Commissioning is straightforward. Insert the battery and the camera is ready to go. Micro SD memory cards are recognized with a maximum capacity of 64GB. All the steps required for commissioning are explained in detail in the operating instructions.

After turning on the camera, you are in video recording mode. In addition to the live image output, you get further information about the remaining recording time, the video mode, whether the microphone is active and information about the remaining battery capacity. From the start screen, you can then switch to photo mode, the gallery and the settings.

The settings menu is clearly laid out and navigation is easy. The resolution can be freely selected for video recordings as well as photo recordings, there are setting options for exposure and white balance. Unfortunately, the "Language" menu item did not work with the preinstalled firmware, which is why the language could not be changed. Overall, the firmware is also in great need of improvement. Crashes during the ongoing recording were not uncommon in the practical test!

ThiEYE HD App

The ThiEYE V5e is equipped with a WiFi module. If you activate the camera's WiFi and connect to this WiFi with a smartphone or tablet, the camera can be controlled with the ThiEYE HD app. The app is available for Android and iOS devices in the respective app stores.

About the app, the same settings can be made, which can be made directly from the camera. In addition, you can see the live image of the ThiEYE V5 via the display of the connected device. Recordings can be accessed wirelessly, as well as recordings can be shared through the app.

Picture and sound quality

The Action Cam is equipped with an Ambarella A7LS75 image processor and a Sony IMX206 image sensor. Videos are recorded with a maximum of 2.3K at 30 frames per second. With a resolution of 1080p, a maximum of 60 images per second are possible. Pictures are recorded with a maximum of 16 megapixels. The field of view is 170 °. 

The video quality is convincing and comparable with recordings of the Xiaomi Yi (1 generation). Whether in good or bad lighting conditions, the picture noise is limited. In strong sunshine, the pictures are a bit too pale. Even the UV filter could hardly remedy this situation.

 The ThiEYE V5e surprised me with the recorded sound. The microphone picks up clearly. Even at a greater distance, the recorded sound remains clear. Disturbing noises such as wind noise are filtered well.

Battery

Despite the comparatively large battery with a capacity of 1180mAh, the runtime achieved is rather average. At a resolution of 1080p with 60 frames per second, a running time of about 90 minutes is achieved. The battery can be charged within 2 ½ hours.