sJcAm sJ8 Pro
A more affordable, 4K-enabled alternative to GoPro
sjcam.com
$249 / £190 (APPROX)
The SJ8 Pro is SJCam’s flagship action camera, and it features the popular Sony IMX377 sensor and Ambarella H22 S85 processing engine. It’s capable of shooting 4K footage in MP4 (H264/H265) format at 25, 30, 50 or 60fps, as well as lowerresolution footage, including Full HD at 120fps for slow-motion playback. That’s ideal for making spins, turns and tricks look more dramatic. If you want even slower playback, it’s possible to shoot 720P video at 240fps. Further good news is that there’s a sixaxis gyroscope built in to help stabilise the footage. It’s also possible to capture 12MP stills in JPEG or RAW format.
On the back of the SJ8 is a 2.33-inch
IPS touchscreen. This bright colour screen displays a clear interface that makes controlling the camera easy. However, there’s also Wi-Fi connectivity built in, so you can adjust settings or control the camera via the free, easy-to-use SJCam app.
Unlike the GoPro Hero7 Black, the SJ8 Pro isn’t waterproof, but a waterproof case is supplied in the box along with a collection of GoPro-compatible mounts.
Although it does what it’s designed to do, the case seems a bit old-fashioned. The lock on the top is tricky to undo, especially in cold weather, and the two control buttons that press onto the camera’s controls feel quite spongy. Sometimes more than one press is required to get the result you want, which can be frustrating. However, it’s good that the back can be swapped out for the touchcompatible back that’s also supplied.
As with most action cams, the colours from the SJ8 Pro can look a bit lacklustre in gloomy conditions, but they’re great when the sun is shining. The camera also adapts quickly to changes in brightness when you move from shade to bright sun, and chromatic aberration isn’t a major issue.
As you’d expect with a camera that shows a 170-degree field of view, linear objects at the edge of the frame bow like bananas, but everything looks fine at the centre.