Some activities are going to require a special type of camera to capture and if you are the kind of users who often record various activities which include much movement, an action camera like Eken H9r Vs Xiaomi Yi will be a great company. These two models are a very reliable cameras to deliver you good video quality but, before moving to the shopping stage, see what we can expect from them on our article below so we can choose better.

In this article, we are going to give you information about:

• Why Purchasing an Action Camera
• Is Affordable Action Camera Worth It
• What are EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi
• What EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi Look like
• How are the Camera in EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi
• What else EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi can offer
• How are the Performance of EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi
• EKEN H9r vs Xiaomi Yi

Action Camera

Almost all of us have a smartphone because today there are many of them available in a greater price range so everyone can have one. This smartphone mostly have reliable camera for casual users to capture still images and record some moments with their dedicated camera, moreover when giant companies continue to upgrade their game. However, while smartphones are indeed very useful and versatile as camera, not all activities are going to fit just fine with a smartphone since the camera and form factor may be too big or hard to mount at different object.

Compact camera is not a new thing but the product that allows its user to use them on various objects by having a versatile mounting system is relatively new since the beginning of the 2000s. This new form of compact camera is called action camera and we are sure that almost all people today who live in an urban area and update their device recognize it as a very trendy and versatile device to have especially those who are uploading their footages for mass viewing such as on social media and streaming sites.

An action camera with its huge range of mounting makes it possible for the users to record almost anything, anytime, and anywhere thanks to their petite size and available case with the almost limitless accessories. Some expensive models are even natively waterproofed for the camera to be able to record in different situations such as under water even without any protective casing and some even build their unit to be very rigid that will keep the components safe even when accidentally dropped at certain height.

Affordable Action Camera

For those who wonder whether it is wise or not to get an action camera, it is nice to see if the device will give the greater benefit or not compared to your smartphone camera or the already available compact camera because many good and reliable models out there are quite expensive such as GoPro Hero 7 Vs DJI Osmo Action. If budget is limited and it is hard to get the highly rated model, we can also see the alternatives.

These affordable cameras in general will not be on par with those priced higher in the market and it is not surprising but it also doesn’t mean that we can’t count on them for casual footage recording and image capturing. Depending on the model and what you will need from the unit, even action cameras less than $100 can be very helpful. However, it is still better to match what you need from the camera and the price range so we can get the best deal from the budget.

About EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi

If you already set up the budget and definitely want to get an action camera, now is a good time to see what the market has to offer for there are so many of them out there, especially when we are talking about GoPro alternatives. These brands may not be as familiar in your ears compared to those companies that have been playing in the game for so long but it doesn’t mean they have no interesting offerings on the catalogue since EKEN and Xiaomi are two brands that fit this description.

Both of them has been known as the other options of action camera when people are aiming to get a reliable unit but not ready yet to spend for the market leader such as Hero 7 camera due to the price different. What set them apart on most cases is only the product’s quality depend on which you are aiming at and if you are here, we are sure their two different range of products took your interest.

EKEN is always good when it comes to budget version of action camera while Xiaomi is a true alternative for GoPro because they tried to offer both cost saving version with capabilities not too far different from the pioneer and this what makes many people love these two brands. For those who want to get the best out of their budget, the H9r and Yi camera from the respective companies are a very ideal options to look at for the interesting capabilities.

The H9r is a very basic model and is a great option for anyone who wants to get a quick start on whatever they want to record due to the friendly price and nice footage but it is still very comparable to the Yi camera which in our article is actually not capable yet of capturing 4K. This is because the EKEN H9r is not native on the quality and better avoided when used while moving due to the distorted footage, making it not comfortable for a longer viewing session.

EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi Design

From the outside EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi are quite similar to each other because both of them are still mimicking the shape and design of an older GoPro camera with the mode button at the front accompanying a wide lens cover. Their shape and size are similar and they do have textured sides for a more comfortable gripping when used without the case as well as control buttons for navigating the menu and operating the camera directly through the main unit.

Rotating the box, we can see the 2-inch main display at the back and this display is just regular non touch sensitive type which is fine since they are less than $100 currently. What’s interesting about Xiaomi Yi is it also available in few color options as opposed to just black because the US version is white and if you get the Chinese version, it will come in a yellow and light green fashion which is actually very cute.

EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi Camera

Moving forward, let’s see what their companies has been packing inside these compact box to give you those action experience. As for EKEN, this model is coming with Sunplus 6630 processing chip which is not very known out there while the Xiaomi one is getting the popular Ambarella A7LS version. Ambarella is also used on various action cameras like those from GoPro and DJI products which most of them are very pricey compared to this Yi camera.

As for the sensor, EKEN is using OV4689 image sensor and this sensor itself is only 4MP so the 12MP specification listed is actually the upscale of this quality. On the other hand the Yi camera is coming with Sony IMX206 1/2.3-inch backlit illuminated sensor with effective pixel of 16MP. Coming to the footage quality the former is claimed to record at 4K 30 fps but Yi is only topping at 1080 60fps maximum while the 720p is already at 120fps on both of them. 

EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi Features

On the additional capabilities, everything is kept simple in any of these camera because not only they will need a type of protecting case to work under water but also because there is no image stabilization here which is very unfortunate. Their lens is wide angle, the type we often see on action camera but EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi are not featured with adjustable FOV and we have to be satisfied with 170-degree and 150-degree respectively from these cameras.

EKEN H9r and Xiaomi Yi Performance

Coming into the performance both of them are working seamlessly with smartphone and the app will let us choose shooting mode as well as any other available settings on both cameras. For the image quality, both of them are delivering a good result and quite sharp but the one in Xiaomi is not oversharpen when you try zooming in smartphone or computer later. The footage also seems nice and since there is no stabilization, mounting it on something is necessary yet the color seems more popping in Yi camera.

They work best outdoors with natural light and the result video are acceptably good that in comparison hard to tell apart. What’s surprising is their night footage also looks very nice yet Yi work with dark area faster at lighten it than H9r.

Comparison 

These two affordable action cameras are a very ideal option for anyone who wants to spend as little as possible but still get much from the product. Their main difference is on the camera specification and slightly on the performance because in general Xiami Yi is slightly nicer when it comes to image and video quality for the color is more present here. However, this camera has no mounting or accessories in the box unlike EKEN H9r so we may need to spend more when getting it.

EKEN H9r vs Xiaomi Yi

Conclusion 

At this point many of you may already have the perfect option between the two and if you are not yet, EKEN H9r is the best for the budget since the video and image quality is acceptably good for the price range and it already have remote as well a set of accessories inside so we don’t have to shop more.