Reviews |Wimius L1 4K Review

Wimius L1 4K Review

Review

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Friday December 15, 2017

By Ali Jennings

Wimius L1 4K Snap Verdict

The Wimius L1 4K presents itself as a highly accessible action camera, striking a balance between affordability and functionality. With its robust build and satisfactory image quality, it offers an appealing option for beginners in the action camera scene.

Price and Value

At just under £50, the Wimius L1 4K stands out for its affordability, making it an excellent choice for those new to action cameras or for anyone seeking a budget-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on essential features.

Design and Build Quality

The camera’s design is straightforward, prioritizing ease of use and durability. The build quality is solid, ensuring the camera can withstand the rigors of active use, although the fit within its casing could be tighter to prevent audio rattle.

Performance and Features

With 1080p at 60fps, the Wimius L1 4K delivers smooth motion capture, suitable for a variety of action-packed scenarios. The camera comes well-equipped with a range of mounts and two batteries, enhancing its value and usability. However, its dynamic range and low bitrate recording are areas where compromises are noticeable, reflecting its budget status.

Technology and Usability

Leveraging components from respected suppliers like Novatec and Sony, the Wimius L1 4K manages to offer 4K video at 24fps—adequate for general use, though not without the limitations typical of budget action cameras.

Market Comparison

In a rapidly evolving market where high-end models like the GoPro Hero 5 and 6 set the standard, the Wimius L1 4K demonstrates that budget-friendly options have significantly improved, offering credible features that cater to the needs of casual users and beginners.

Conclusion

The Wimius L1 4K is a testament to the evolution of budget action cameras, providing a feature set that, while basic, covers the essentials for entry-level users. Its construction, ease of use, and inclusion of practical accessories make it a commendable option for those seeking an affordable introduction to action photography and videography.

Features

The Wimius L1 4K, despite its affordability, packs a feature set that can satisfy both novices and seasoned users, offering versatility and good performance in various shooting conditions.

Video and Photography Capabilities

Resolutions and Frame Rates: It supports 4K at 24fps for high-definition recording, 1080p at both 60fps and 30fps for smooth action shots and clear standard video, and 720p at 120fps for slow-motion capture.
Additional Modes: The camera features TimeLapse for capturing events over time, slow-motion at 720p 120fps or VGA 240fps for detailed slow-motion footage, loop recording for continuous capture, and car mode for dashcam use. Aerial FPV, Photo, Self-timer, and Photo Burst modes add to its versatility.

Build and Durability

Waterproof Housing: Comes with a reliable waterproof case that protects the camera underwater up to 30 meters, making it suitable for diving and other water activities.
Design: The camera has a standard fisheye lens with a 170-degree field of view, a 2-inch LCD on the back for live view and playback, and a compact, slightly square design, measuring 53.4 x 51.2 x 26.6mm and weighing 81g with the battery.

Manual Controls and Connectivity

Manual Adjustments: Offers manual control over white balance, exposure compensation, and ISO, providing a degree of creative flexibility often absent in entry-level cameras.
Image Stabilisation and Wi-Fi: Features built-in image stabilization to reduce camera shake and Wi-Fi connectivity for remote control and transfer of footage.

Battery Life and Accessories

Battery Performance: The 1000mAh battery allows for approximately 90 minutes of recording time, with a spare included in the box to double the available shooting duration.

Conclusion

The Wimius L1 4K is a feature-rich action camera that exceeds expectations for its price range. With a variety of shooting modes, manual controls, and a robust build, it represents a solid choice for those looking to explore action photography and videography without breaking the bank. The inclusion of image stabilization and Wi-Fi connectivity further enhances its value, making it a capable and adaptable option for a wide range of activities and environments.

Build Quality and Handling

The Wimius L1 4K offers a solid construction and user-friendly handling, making it a practical choice for entry-level action camera users.

Build Quality

Housing: The camera comes with a sturdy waterproof housing of an older design, but it remains robust and reliable. The lever lock mechanism is secure, with a secondary lock to prevent accidental opening, ensuring the camera’s safety in wet and rugged conditions.
Mount Compatibility: It features a GoPro-style mount, allowing compatibility with a wide range of accessories, enhancing its versatility.

Handling Experience

Button Interface: The housing is equipped with three responsive buttons that align with the camera’s controls, providing a tactile and straightforward user interaction.
Camera Fit and Protection: Inside the housing, the camera fits snugly, with room for moisture-absorbing strips if required. However, the absence of a rubber buffer around the lens section might lead to audio quality issues due to vibrations.
Material and Design: The camera itself is made from textured rubberised plastic, offering a decent quality feel. Its button layout is intuitive, with a clear click feedback, facilitating easy operation even for beginners.

User Interface and Usability

Menu Navigation: The camera’s interface is basic yet functional, with easy navigation through the menu settings. The button configuration simplifies the process of changing settings, with a straightforward transition between recording and menu modes.
App Connectivity: Compatibility with a free app for iOS or Android extends its functionality, allowing remote setting adjustments and control.

In-Field Performance

Mounting and Operation: The camera mounts easily and securely to various setups, including bikes, without any compatibility or stability issues. Although button response can sometimes be delayed, overall operation is intuitive and reliable.
Display Quality: The 2-inch LCD screen provides clear visibility head-on, though it may be challenging to view from certain angles, especially in mounted positions like under a saddle or on a crossbar.

Conclusion

The Wimius L1 4K impresses with its solid build and ease of handling, particularly for its price point. Its compatibility with common mounting systems and straightforward interface makes it a user-friendly option for action camera beginners. While there are minor drawbacks, such as potential audio capture issues and limited screen viewing angles, its overall performance and build quality present it as a commendable choice for those entering the world of action cameras.

Image Quality

The Wimius L1 4K manages to rise above the common pitfalls of budget action cameras, offering decent video quality that surpasses expectations for its price range.

Video Resolution and Bitrate

Performance Metrics: At 1080p 60fps, the camera records with an average bitrate of 24 Mbps, and at 30fps, it drops to 12 Mbps. While these rates are lower compared to higher-end cameras like the GoPro Hero5 Black, which records at around 45 Mbps, the Wimius L1 4K maintains a satisfactory quality for its target audience and price point.

Color and Detail

Color Reproduction: The footage exhibits good color saturation and balance. Although there’s a tendency towards over-sharpening and increased contrast, these aspects are manageable and can be adjusted in-camera to improve image quality.
Lens Quality: The lens provides a clear and sharp image across the frame, outperforming expectations for a camera in this budget category.

Dynamic Range and Exposure

Chromatic Aberration and Dynamic Range: In high-contrast situations, minor chromatic aberration and a limited dynamic range are noticeable, but these are not overly detrimental given the camera’s entry-level positioning.
Auto Exposure and White Balance: The camera effectively adjusts to varying light conditions, offering quick compensation and maintaining pleasing color accuracy in most situations.

Detailed Analysis

Detail and Texture: While the footage lacks the finer details and tonal range found in more expensive cameras, leading to some pixelation in flat color areas like the sky, it still delivers a commendable quality overall.
Motion Handling: The camera excels in capturing motion smoothly, with no noticeable jittering or blurring, making it well-suited for action scenes.

Conclusion

Considering its budget-friendly nature, the Wimius L1 4K offers image quality that is surprisingly good, with competent motion handling, color reproduction, and adaptability to different lighting conditions. While it can’t compete with the high-end models in terms of bitrate and dynamic range, its performance is robust enough to satisfy the needs of entry-level users and those seeking a cost-effective action camera solution.