Sony HDR-AS10 Pro Reviews

Like I said at the beginning of the review, the Sony Action Cam makes a good first impression. During use, though, there are a lot of minor issues that keep it from being as good as models from other manufacturers. Even its video, the one area where I'd expect Sony to shine, is pretty average and that's not improved by a mediocre lens (regardless of what name is attached to it). However, the current sub-$240 price for the Wi-Fi-enabled AS15 is good for what you get, and none of my complaints are so serious that the camera would not be worth considering if it does what you need it to do.

Has Sony swept away the competition with the Action Cam? Not quite. But as a debut into this market, it's respectable and promising. The camera does what it promises -- it lets you shoot good-quality action footage. The ability to shoot 720p footage at 120 fps gives the Action Cam a stand-out feature, which may be enough to win it a dedicated following. That said, the photo modes are somewhat limited, and the app integration is far from up to scratch. If Sony can promise (and deliver) an app update in the near future, along with a firmware bump to allow more camera shooting modes (burst and single-shot, please!), then the Action Cam would go from the leagues of a tandem parachute jump to a gnarly wing-suit dive. With the base-model retailing for $200, it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Contour's entry-level ROAM2 and GoPro's new White edition. At this price, only the GoPro has WiFi. If you want that feature with Sony's Action Cam, you'll need to dig a little deeper and pay $270. To be fair, that price puts it at about the level you would expect in the market -- given that GoPro wants $300 for its Silver Edition, which only really offers a stills upgrade from its cheaper sibling. All in all, we enjoyed our time with the Action Cam, and are happy with the results it provided. If its spec-sheet is suitable to your requirements, then there's no doubt it will serve you well.

We found the Action Cam to be a whole lot of fun to use out in the field, as you can see from our embedded video clip. We were able to position the camera in a number of locations on our Honda CBR 1000RR to get a great range of shots, with both forward and rearward vantage points. Some shots were taken from our helmet with the camera mounted either in a forward or rearward position, which can be achieved while the mount remains fixed in the same position. In some instances, depending on mount positioning it was a matter of trial and error before we were able to obtain the type of shots that we were looking to capture. Once you’ve worked out your way around the various functions, it really is quite easy to use. The addition of Wi-Fi also gives it additional flexibility in the field when coupled with a smartphone and the free companion app. Sony has also given users a range of accessories that will keep most people happy with the choice of ways in which the device can be mounted and used to capture shots. We also used a Joby GorillaPod for some fixed shots at ground level and from other external vantage points. The supplied water-proof housing also means that you can take the Action Cam out into the field without fear of damaging it. Even though it is small, the device itself is very well made and we believe that users will be able to get a lot of life out of it and can feel pretty confident that it will withstand taking a few knocks. Sony has priced the Action Cam competitively and the range of accessories it has made available for it suggests that they intend to gain a foothold in the market.