Firefly 6S is a new 4k very good action cam. But the older Firefly 5S is still a very good alternative, expecially for those who want a action camera to use it as a dashcam or for quadcopters.
FireFly 5s in fact is a very good action cam and can be used also as a dashcam, and thanks to the included AV-out cable is suitable out of the box for FPV systems for drones or quadcopters.
In the front part of the camera there is a tiny OLED screen that allows to display many useful information like operation mode and configuration menus. For easy and intuitive operation the camera has only 4 buttons: up, down, OK and power ON/OFF.
Thanks to the Novatek 96655 imaging processor this camera is capable to record video at full HD 1080P video resolution at 30 fps.
Through the built-in Wi-Fi connection that is based on a Realtek chip, the Hawkeye Firefly 5S camera can be remotely controlled with any Android and iOS smartphone or tablet.
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Firefly 5S camera main features:
- Novatek 966955 imagining unite (SoC);
- Sony 12MP CMOS image sensor;
- Up to 1080p/30fps video resolution;
- 0.65″ OLED display for settings;
- AV-out via micro USB for FPV flights;
- Built in WI-FI connection;
- Auto start, time-lapse and cycle loop recording;
- High capacity 1600mAh battery.
FireFly 5s action camera has a time lapse mode that allows to automatically capture images every 3, 10 or 30 seconds. For the best results the camera has many fine tuning options regarding the image quality. Can be manually set the followings:
- Photo resolution (12MP, 8MP or 5MP);
- ISO adjustment (AUTO, ISO 100, ISO 400 or ISO 1600), higher value means more noise;
- Sharpness adjustment (high, medium or low);
- Color scheme (standard or vivid);
- Enable/Disable WDR mode (Wide Dynamic Range);
The video quality is great in good light, reducing in quality when the light fades or when I tried to record videos indoor. You can get some quality improvements in dark conditions when I activated the WDR functions.
The auto start on USB power and cycle loop recording features are very useful when this camera is used as dash-cam in a car. When the memory card reaches its full capacity, the camera automatically deletes the oldest file and continues to record till the camera is powered.
Overall, FireFly 5s is a very good and affordable quadcopter camera for decent aerial filming. It can be used with most of the 350mm sized quadcopter like the Cheerson CX20, X380 and DJI Phantom 2. Being very lightweight also can be installed on inexpensive models like the Syma X8 series.
Pros
- Included FPV AV-out cable;
- Long operation mode;
- Good for dashcam and quadcopetr use;
- Compatible with GoPro 3 batteries and Gimbals;
- WI-FI connection;
- Lightweight.
Cons
- NO live view screen;
- Only 30fps at 1080P;
- Lack of included accessories.
Video review and video test of Firefly 5s:
FIREFLY 5S WiFi 1080P 30fps CMOS 12.0MP action camera sport DV camcorder
Adopting back illumination CMOS 12M image sensor
Using Novatek 96655 chipset
Wide view angle: 120 Degree level, 170 degree diagonal
0.65 inch OLED status display screen
Video resolution: 1080P at 30fps, 720P at 60fps
Time-lapse video at 0.5 or 3 second intervals
Cycle recording cutting the video into 5-minutes segments
Automatically start recording when connected to external power source via USB
WDR function is suggested to be used in cloudy / dark environment
Fast image capture technology, can capture 11 photos in 1 second
Continuous photo: This option allows you to capture photos continuously every 3 /10/30second
ISO adjustment / sharpness adjustment / color adjustment
Time stamping: this option allows you to stamp the time on the photos or videos
Built-in Wi-Fi allowing you to connect to the smart phone / tablet via the Firefly App
WiFi allowing you to view the videos and photos or to control the camera
3 options for angle adjustment: Large / medium / small
Supporting TF card up to 64GB (not included in the package)
You can use a Smart phone/tablet to view or take photos and videos via Wi-Fi connection
Removable 1600mAh battery, exchangeable with battery for GoPro 3 / 3+
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Specifications
| General | Brand Name: FIREFLY Brand: Firefly Model: FIREFLY 5S Type : Sports Camera Chipset Name: Novatek Chipset : Novatek 96655 Special Function: HDMI output, Time and date display, Auto power on/off, Photograph, WDR, USB function, WDR, Loop recording, Cycle recording, Automatic Start-Up, AV-OUT, Microphone |
|---|---|
| Storage | Max External Card Supported: TF 64G (not included) Class Rating Requirements: Class 10 or Above |
| Display | Screen Size: 0.65inch |
| Power | Battery type: Removable Capacity : 1600mAh Power Supply: 5V Charge Way : USB charge by PC Working time: 2 hours 1080p 30fps (WiFi off) |
| Primary Info. | Wide Angle: 170 degree wide angle Image Sensor: Sony back illumination CMOS 12M image sensor and Novatek 96655 chipset Camera Pixel: 12.0 megapixel ISO: Auto, ISO100, ISO400, ISO1600 |
| Video/Image/Audio | Decode Format: H.264 Video Format: MOV Video Resolution : 1080P (1920 x 1080), 720P (1280 x 720) Video System: PAL, NTSC Video Frame Rate: 60fps, 30fps Video Output: AV-OUT, HDMI Image Format : JPG Image Resolution : 8M (3264 x 2448), 5M (2592 x 1944), 12M (4032 x 3024) Audio System: Built-in microphone/speacker (AAC) White Balance Mode: Auto Scene: Auto |
| Functions | WiFi: Yes WiFi Function: Remote Control, Sync and Sharing Albums WiFi Distance : 3 – 5 meters Loop-cycle Recording : Yes Loop-cycle Recording Time: 5min, Off HDMI Output: Yes WDR: Yes HDR: Yes Auto-power on: Yes Delay Shutdown: Yes Time Stamp: Yes Interface Type: Micro HDMI, AV-Out, TF card slot, Micro USB Language: English |
| Dimension/Weight | Product Weight: 0.075 kg Package Weight: 0.3 kg Product Size (L x W x H): 5.9 x 2.1 x 4.1 cm / 2.32 x 0.83 x 1.61 inches Package Size (L x W x H): 17 x 11 x 8 cm / 6.68 x 4.32 x 3.14 inches |
| Package Contents | Package Contents: 1 x FIREFLY 5S WiFi Sport DV Camera, 1 x 1600mAh Battery, 1 x Lens Cap, 1 x USB Cable (0.8m Length), 1 x AV Cable (About 0.2m Length), 1 x English / Chinese User Manual |
