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Pro | Con
- Works mostly well | The firmware lags sometimes
- Takes pretty good pictures/video | It takes a few seconds to capture and process each photo*
- Came with a handful of accessories | The battery cap is really hard to openº
- Simple to use in the water | Buttons on the waterproof case feel awkward
- No loss of quality while in the water | The camera picks up the edges of the lens cover in the corners (see pictures)ª
- Battery is decentˆ | The card must be formatted specifically for (and on) the camera**
*But there is a burst mode
ºI had to use a mini pocket knife to wedge it open
ªThis could be a pro if that's the style you're going for
ˆBut it comes with an extra, and a dock to charge both simultaneously
**So you can't just insert and go (also, make sure to save everything on the card before you format)
The pictures came out nicely. They are not 4k as described, and if you plan on zooming in far you'll definitely lose some quality; the pictures become grainy the more you zoom in, but if your not planning on super-zooming, then this is fine. I think the firmware lagging might have been because my SD card is wonky, but it's still something to consider. It is annoying that it has to be specifically formatted, but it's not unreasonable. I just don't like how I had to backup everything instead of being able to just add on, as I can with my other camera.
The camera is simple to use, even in water, but sometimes it feels like you're pressing really hard when in fact you're not. It also sometimes has a fisheye effect, but it's sporadic and not the worst thing (I can live with it). The audio recording is either really good, or really bad. I dove off our boat while recording a video. I later watched the recording on my computer, and at the moment I hit the water the volume skyrocketed (my ears still hurt XD ). So, like I said, the camera was either really good at recording the audio, or really bad and just processed it as a loud bang of white noise. I'm not an expert in that regard, so take that as you will. Lastly, aside from my shoddy camera work, the video is also better than expected. Colour is pretty good (not exactly 4k), but acceptable for what I needed it for.
Overall, my experience with the Apexcam was pretty good. It's nothing professional, but it gets the job done and is worth it for the price. This was one of the cheaper waterproof(ish—WP case) cameras I could find, and it did not disappoint. For now I definitely plan on keeping it as my go-to WP camera.
