The action cam market is clearly hot, and Sony is soldiering on in its uphill battle to gain market share by adding high-end tech and features into the X1000V, its first 4K action cam.
In terms of image quality, Sony is quick to point out that its image stabilization (Advanced Steadyshot), 50Mbps bit rate and 170 degrees ultra-wide angle would give it an edge over the competition. That’s probably true in controlled tests, but ironically, “image quality” is also something that is tough to sell when it’s not just eye-candy.
Just to cite a simple example, a feature like a full-sensor readout (which means that information from every pixel of the sensor is effectively used) is something that competitors would tend to do because they may not have a powerful image processor inside the camera.
To that end, Sony has also added pragmatic features such as Loop Recording and Wind Noise reduction, which is critical since the action cams are typically used outdoor.
The high-speed recording at 240 (720p) or 120 (1080p) frames per second is also a sought-after feature that will translate into great slow-motion action.
Some star-power doesn’t hurt either, and given that GoPro dominates much more in terms of branding than it does in terms of pure tech, Sony has brought Tony Hawk to help get its message across.
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