It has been some time since I last evaluated an action camera, and the market has seen significant changes since then. While GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 dominate the market conversation, their top-tier models now come with a hefty price tag comparable to that of a decent mid-range phone. On the other end of the spectrum, numerous budget brands flood the market, offering varying levels of quality. Some budget cameras are surprisingly usable, while others are reminiscent of the no-name cameras that flooded Amazon a decade ago.
The XTU S7 Pro falls somewhere in the middle ground, offering a 4K ultra flagship action camera at around £110. The key specifications include a 1/2-inch 48MP sensor, 4K recording at up to 50fps, XTU’s Super Stabilisation 5.0 with 360° horizon lock, dual screens, Wi-Fi 6 file transfer, PD fast charging, and a magnetic quick-release mount. These specs are quite impressive for a camera in this price range, with most of the features you would expect from a camera priced three times higher.
XTU provided me with the S7 Pro for review, and as always, my conclusions are not influenced by this. The real question with any budget action camera is not how good the spec sheet looks, as they always do, but rather how well the camera performs in real-world usage and whether the compromises made are acceptable. This review covers aspects such as design, settings, video and photo quality, stabilisation, low light performance, battery life, and a comparison against similar models from DJI and AKASO.
The pricing details mentioned in the review are based on US list prices, but they are reflective of the UK market as well. The DJI Osmo Action 4 typically sells for around £215 to £250 in the UK, the AKASO Brave 8 is priced around £230, and the older AKASO models fall in the sub-£150 price range. The S7 Pro, priced at £110, undercuts most of these models except for the AKASO Brave 4.
The XTU S7 Pro adheres to the standard action camera design template and feels familiar to those who have used GoPro Hero, DJI Osmo Action, or Insta360 Ace Pro cameras. It features a black rectangular body with a prominent lens surrounded by an orange accent ring, a 2.29-inch touchscreen at the back, and a smaller 1.4-inch color screen at the front for selfies and vlogs. The rear display offers a sharp 426 PPI pixel density, which is noticeably better than most budget cameras. The touch response is generally good, although it can be a bit tricky to navigate menus at times when holding the camera at an odd angle.
In terms of build quality, the S7 Pro surpasses expectations for its price point. The camera has a decent weight without being cumbersome, the buttons offer a satisfying click, and the battery door slides and locks securely. However, the USB-C port flap tends to come off its hinge too easily, a minor issue that may result in loss with regular use over time.
The camera features two physical buttons—a power button on the side, which also doubles as the mode selector, and a record button on the top. A long press of the record button switches between the front and rear screens, a convenient shortcut once you get used to it. Additionally, the camera supports voice control for starting and stopping recordings, and taking photos, which comes in handy in various scenarios, especially when the camera is mounted on a helmet or handlebars and is out of reach.
One important aspect to note is that the S7 Pro body is not waterproof on its own. Unlike the DJI Osmo Action 4, which is rated up to 18 meters without a case, or the AKASO Brave 8, which offers 10 meters of waterproofing without a case, the S7 Pro requires a separate dive housing for underwater use or in heavy rain, with a waterproof rating of up to 30 meters. While the camera can withstand splashes and light rain, users interested in water sports should consider the additional cost of the housing.
In the package, you receive the camera, one 1800mAh battery, a USB-C to USB-C cable, the magnetic quick-release mount, and a user manual. The manual is a comprehensive 25-page booklet in clear English, which is a step above the documentation provided with many budget cameras. Notably, the package does not include a microSD card, and XTU recommends using a U3-rated card from a reputable brand with support for up to 512GB. The documentation also advises formatting the card every three months, which is an unusual but good practice for a camera that continuously records high-bitrate video.
One of the standout features of the camera is its magnetic quick-release mount, a concept similar to what DJI and Insta360 utilize. The camera attaches magnetically to the mount, with two side clips securing it in place to prevent over-reliance on the magnet alone. The magnetic strength is robust, the clips provide a secure lock, and detaching the camera is quick and easy with a simple squeeze of the clips. This mounting system is particularly beneficial for users who frequently switch the camera between a bike, helmet, and tripod.
However, the quick-release plate is the only mounting accessory provided in the package. While the plate features standard folding fingers compatible with existing GoPro mounts, users starting from scratch will need to purchase additional mounts separately. The package lacks a frame, adhesive mounts, a tripod adapter, or a carry pouch.
Some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of accessories included with the camera. XTU’s website suggests an accessory kit priced at £124, which includes two batteries and various accessories. However, the contents of this kit are not clearly outlined, and the image provided implies that a camera is included, which can lead to confusion. The pricing of the accessory kit relative to the camera’s cost seems odd, and XTU would benefit from clarifying the kit’s contents. In the meantime, generic GoPro-compatible mount kits available on Amazon for £15 to £25 can fulfill most mounting needs. Additionally, the waterproof dive housing, charging case, camera cage, magnetic neck mount, and XTU’s Bluetooth microphone are available as separate accessories. It’s worth noting that the S7 Pro only supports XTU’s Bluetooth microphones; third-party Bluetooth mics may connect but will not record audio correctly, so users should not rely on pairing their existing wireless lav mic.
The camera’s on-screen interface is intuitive. Swiping down from the top of the rear screen opens a quick menu with options for Wi-Fi, screen lock, Bluetooth, voice control, settings, and power options. The settings menu covers essential features such as auto sleep and auto power-off timers, language options, video format settings, LED and tone toggles, date stamps, composition grid, SD card formatting, and factory reset. An emergency reverse charging option is also available, allowing the camera to provide a small charge to your phone via USB-C. While this feature is niche, it demonstrates a clever use of the 1800mAh battery in emergency situations.
The camera offers a robust range of shooting controls. In addition to standard resolution and frame rate options, users can manually adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, metering mode, sharpness, color filters, brightness, contrast, and saturation. Video recording can be encoded in H.264 or H.265, image quality can be toggled between standard and high, and a RAW photo mode is available. These manual controls exceed what is typically found in cameras at this price point, allowing users to customize their settings and grow their skills beyond basic auto functions.
Two default settings that should be adjusted immediately are the image quality, which ships set to standard rather than high, and the promotional watermark that appears on footage by default. Disabling the watermark requires navigating through the settings menu, which may not be immediately apparent. Another quirk to note is the auto segment option, which splits recordings into one-minute or three-minute files. While an “all” option is available, there is no clearly labeled option to turn off segmenting, which can be frustrating for users who prefer single continuous files for editing purposes.
The XTU GO companion app (available on iOS and Android) connects to the camera via its 5GHz Wi-Fi hotspot, providing a live preview, remote control of settings, and file download capabilities. Once connected, the app functions smoothly, allowing users to control the camera from their phone, especially when the camera is out of reach. While connecting for the first time may be slightly challenging due to a less intuitive pairing process, the app works effectively once set up. The Wi-Fi 6 transfer feature is a significant advantage, with XTU claiming speeds of up to 30MB/s. This faster transfer speed makes offloading 4K clips quicker compared to older budget cameras that use slower 2.4GHz transfers. Additionally, the camera can be mounted as USB mass storage when plugged into a PC and offers a webcam mode over the same connection, enabling it to be used as a third camera source in OBS or Teams.
One potential drawback users may encounter is the camera’s limitation to 4K at 50fps, with normal 4K resolution and no HDR. While HDR recording is available, it is limited to 30fps in 4K, 2.7K, and 1080p. The absence of 4K/60 and 24fps options may pose challenges for users looking to integrate footage from this camera with other 24fps content shot on different cameras.
Another consideration regarding frame rates is that the available options depend on the video format setting. In PAL mode, which is recommended for UK users, frame rates of 25fps and 50fps are available, including the advertised 4K/50 mode. Switching to NTSC mode limits the options to 30fps at 4K, with higher frame rates reserved for lower resolutions. While this difference may not be significant for UK users, it explains the confusion in some US reviews where the 4K/50 mode was seemingly missing.
The camera offers an extensive range of shooting modes beyond standard video, including timelapse, slow motion (1080p at 120fps and 720p at 240fps), quick stories mode, underwater color mode, car looping for dash cam use, a combined video and photo mode, and a dedicated night scene mode. The car looping feature is a valuable addition, although dedicated dash cams offer additional features such as parking modes, GPS, and hardwiring options that action cameras cannot provide.
In terms of video output, the S7 Pro delivers sharp, vibrant 4K footage in good daylight conditions. The camera’s AI ISP processing imparts a slightly saturated, social media-ready look to the footage, as opposed to a flat profile. While the camera lacks 10-bit or log recording, the output is suitable for everyday use, vlogging, cycling, travel, and family videos. The footage is of sufficient quality to be shared without any significant editing, meeting the expectations for a camera in this price range.
Stabilization is a critical factor for action cameras, and the S7 Pro offers four stabilization options: off, Super, Super Enhanced, and Gyro Flow, along with a 360° horizon lock mode. The electronic stabilization is surprisingly effective, providing smooth footage with minimal shake and jitter. However, quick head movements or sharp direction changes may reveal slight wobbling and processing delays at the frame edges, which premium brands like DJI and GoPro handle more gracefully. For general use, such as cycling, walking, running, and handheld shots, the stabilization is quite impressive, with most users unlikely to notice any significant difference compared to higher-end cameras.
The 360° horizon lock feature is particularly noteworthy, as it keeps the horizon level even when the camera rotates a full turn. While this feature results in a slight crop into the sensor, it is a valuable addition to the camera, especially given its price point. It’s important to note that horizon lock may not be suitable for all scenarios, as it can remove the sense of lean in footage, particularly for motorcycling or cornering shots. The ability to toggle horizon lock on a per-recording basis is a useful feature.
As with all electronic stabilization, higher correction levels result in increased crop and latency, so it’s recommended to match the stabilization mode to the activity rather than maxing out all settings. The default settings of Super for general use and Super Enhanced for more vigorous activities are sensible choices, while Gyro Flow is best reserved for footage that will undergo post-editing stabilization.
In terms of still photography, the S7 Pro excels on paper with its 48MP sensor, outperforming the 10MP stills of the DJI Osmo Action 4 and the 20MP output of cheaper AKASO models. The camera offers a RAW mode alongside JPEG, long exposure, burst, timer, and timelapse photo modes. While the 48MP sensor provides detailed and colorful photos in daylight conditions, pixel-level quality may not match that of larger-sensor cameras or high-end smartphones. However, when viewed at standard sizes, the images are detailed and vibrant, with the resolution allowing for significant cropping, a useful feature given the fixed 152° wide-angle lens. The camera supports both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios for video and photo modes, catering to various shooting scenarios without the need for post-cropping.
Low-light performance is a common challenge for action cameras, and the S7 Pro faces limitations due to its 1/2-inch sensor packed with 48 million photosites. In low-light conditions, noise levels increase, fine detail may blur due to aggressive noise reduction, and stabilization becomes less effective with longer exposures. XTU has included an AI night vision algorithm and a dedicated night scene mode to address these challenges, resulting in usable footage in evening and dusk scenarios. While the camera performs better than expected under street lighting, it may struggle in darker conditions, especially with moving footage. Users engaging in night riding, astro timelapses, or indoor shooting in dimly lit environments may find the camera’s low-light performance lacking compared to larger-sensor cameras.
The S7 Pro features a removable 1800mAh battery, offering up to around 200 minutes of recording at 1080p/30, with actual 4K recording time ranging from 90 minutes to two hours depending on settings and usage. The ability to swap out the battery for a spare provides a convenient solution for extending runtime and avoiding the degradation commonly associated with sealed batteries. Fast charging support enables the camera to reach approximately 80% charge in 46 minutes, making it competitive in terms of charging speed within its class. Users can also record while charging from a power bank, eliminating runtime restrictions for stationary shots, timelapses, and dash cam applications. However, users should be cautious about heat buildup during extended 4K recording, particularly when charging in hot environments.
The XTU S7 Pro is available directly from XTU for £163, with an RRP of £160 on Amazon. However, the discounted price of £110 makes the camera an attractive option for users seeking a budget-friendly action camera. For those willing to purchase a separate waterproof housing and basic mounting accessories, the S7 Pro stands out as a versatile camera suitable for casual users, vloggers, and travelers. When fully equipped with spare batteries and a U3 microSD card, users can expect a capable camera setup for under £150.
Comparatively, the DJI Osmo Action 4 serves as a premium alternative, typically priced between £215 to £250 in the UK. The higher cost of the DJI model offers advantages such as 4K at up to 120fps, a larger sensor for improved low-light performance, 10-bit D-Log M color for enhanced grading, and better waterproofing without a case. Users requiring these premium features will find the DJI camera worth the investment. However, for users seeking a budget-friendly option with comparable performance, the XTU S7 Pro offers a compelling choice.
Among its budget competition, the S7 Pro presents a strong case. The AKASO Brave 8, priced around double that of the S7 Pro, boasts advantages like 4K/60 and bare-body waterproofing up to 10 meters. In contrast, the S7 Pro excels with better stabilization options, Wi-Fi 6 support, fast charging, and the magnetic mount. Cheaper models like the AKASO V50 Elite and Brave 4 show their age with weaker sensors, basic stabilisation, slower Wi-Fi, and no fast charging. While Insta360’s Go and Ace ranges offer creative features and a polished app, they come at a higher price point compared to the S7 Pro.
It’s essential to consider additional costs associated with action cameras, such as a U3 microSD card and basic mounting accessories. Even with these additional purchases, the total cost rarely exceeds £170, making the S7 Pro a budget-friendly option that competes favorably with higher-priced models like the DJI Osmo Action 4.
In conclusion, the XTU S7 Pro surpasses expectations for its price, delivering a robust set of features and capabilities. While it may not match the performance of premium flagship models in certain areas, such as low-light conditions or high-frame-rate 4K recording, it offers sharp 4K footage at 50fps, effective stabilization, and convenient features like fast charging. For users willing to invest in a separate waterproof housing and a few mounting accessories, the S7 Pro stands out as a compelling choice for everyday users, vloggers, and travelers. By purchasing a spare battery and a quality U3 card, adjusting key settings, and turning off the promotional watermark, users can enjoy a versatile and capable camera setup for under £150.
[Note: The article includes a review section, authored by James, the Editor of Mighty Gadget, providing a detailed assessment of the XTU S7 Pro 4K Action Camera. The review covers various aspects of the camera’s performance, features, and value proposition, offering insights and recommendations based on real-world usage.]
