Sony Action Cam HDR AS100V Review | 96 Data compared

The Sony HDR-AS100V Action Cam challenges market rivals with a distinct shotgun-style design, a white splash-proof (IPX4) body, and a sharp f/2.8 Zeiss Tessar lens offering a wide 170-degree field of view. A major highlight is its high-bitrate XAVC S Pro recording mode at 50Mbps, which delivers punchy colours and superior, detailed footage over standard 28Mbps recording. Additional strengths include an impressive battery life of 2 hours and 17 minutes, an integrated GPS system for tracking location data, crisp built-in audio quality, and a highly effective digital image stabilization system that ensures fluid, smooth motion capture. However, the camera suffers from several usability quirks and technical constraints. Utilizing the high-quality Pro mode requires a specific 64GB microSDXC card, and the camera is highly selective, failing to recognize certain brands like SanDisk during testing. Standard 28Mbps recording reveals uneven, fluctuating automatic exposure with blown-out highlights, and the image tends to soften noticeably in low-light environments. Physically, water droplets cling to the lens cover of the 5m waterproof housing, and the optional Live View wrist remote introduces frustration due to a poorly...

The Sony Action Cam HDR-AS100V is a splashproof, lightweight camera designed as a competitive alternative to the GoPro Hero 3+ Black, offering distinct advantages in specific performance categories. On the positive side, it delivers outstanding low-light video performance with highly superior noise reduction, alongside exceptional, clear audio quality that easily outperforms its rival. Users will also benefit from its built-in GPS capabilities—which allow for data overlays like speed and trail info—and a highly efficient battery life capable of recording consecutively for two hours and forty minutes. Additionally, its default Vivid color mode yields highly saturated, vibrant blues that make outdoor scenery pop out of the box. Despite these strengths, the reviewer ultimately favors the GoPro due to several severe hardware and software limitations on the Sony device. Major drawbacks include terrible lens distortion that causes a woozy, fish-eye effect, alongside a highly flawed surf mount that allows the camera to easily dislodge. Its included waterproof housing is critically limited to a depth of only 16 feet, and the outer plastic lens fails to shed water droplets efficiently, ruining outdoor shots....

The Sony POV Action Cam (HDR-AS100V) is a streamlined, lightweight camera designed with a slim, oblong barrel shape that features a built-in GPS to track speed and distance metrics, though it lacks mapping capabilities. It provides a seamless mobile experience through the PlayMemories app, which pairs effortlessly over Wi-Fi to deliver smooth, low-lag live previews and robust remote configuration settings. For stable footage, the camera utilises SteadyShot digital image stabilization, which successfully minimises jolts but reduces the field of view from 170 to 120 degrees. Additionally, the unit is independently splashproof and includes a waterproof housing with extended physical buttons to allow on-the-fly navigation via its monochrome LCD menu. Despite its high-end Carl Zeiss optics and a 13.5-megapixel sensor, the camera's primary drawback is that video details remain soft, and the overall image quality suffers drastically in low-light environments, including overcast days. It records stereo audio via front-facing microphones and supports video up to 1080p60, including a 50 Mbps "Pro" mode using the XAVC S codec, though this mode shows no noticeable quality improvement over standard modes. Further limiting its...

The Sony HDR-AS100V action camera is a $299 POV video device featuring a premium ZEISS Tessar lens capable of capturing realistic, high-quality footage. The camera stands out from its competitors due to its exceptional electronic image stabilisation, which effectively smooths out heavy trail vibrations and bumps to prevent shaky, headache-inducing playback. Technical testing highlighted its versatile shooting modes, specifically its ability to shoot sharp 1920×1080 video at 60 frames per second (fps) and high-speed slow-motion video up to 240 fps at lower resolutions. Additional strong performance features include an intuitive, easy-to-navigate menu system, a highly realistic and natural audio recording quality, and above-average battery life that easily lasts through an entire day of riding. The device also features built-in GPS capabilities to overlay data like speed and distance, alongside seamless pairing with a bundled live-view wrist remote for effortless shot framing. Despite these strengths, the review notes significant design drawbacks regarding the physical mounting system. The camera relies on a standard ¼ inch – 20 thread screw mechanism that requires a physical coin to fully tighten, which complicates fast adjustments...

The Cycling Weekly review of the Sony HDR AS100V Action Cam highlights it as a feature-packed, high-definition camera tailored for outdoor physical activities like commuting and road cycling. The camera delivers very good image quality, comparable to the GoPro Hero 3 in resolution and sharpness, and stands out for its superb image stabilisation and strong performance in low-light environments. Key standalone features include built-in GPS functionality that allows riders to overlay speed onto their footage, a solid battery life reaching 2 hours and 34 minutes at 1080p/30fps during bench tests, and a handy wrist-mounted remote control for live preview and setting adjustments. However, the reviewer notes critical structural and physical shortcomings that prevent it from completely dethroning GoPro. The primary drawback is its mounting ecosystem, which feels clunky, unstable, and awkward to handle, especially since the protruding profile of the camera makes chest mounting uncomfortable and its heavy build makes helmet mounting difficult. Furthermore, while the camera unit itself is splash-proof, its included protective waterproof case is bulky, obscures the writing on the buttons, features a fragile-feeling clamp, and lacks...

The Sony HDR-AS100V is a casual-use action camera designed to compete with GoPro, featuring Full-HD 1080p recording at 30fps, 100fps Super Slow Mo, and Advanced Steady-Shot image stabilisation. Tested across extreme activities in North Wales like white water rafting and motor racing, the device excels with its functional, waterproof wrist-mounted Live-View Remote, which allows users to easily start and stop recording to break up footage. The camera delivers strong pros, including excellent colour reproduction, highly impressive image stabilisation even at 50mph, and superb audio capturing that clearly picks up subtle engine sounds. However, the camera suffers from notable cons, starting with its overly complex, serial-number-like product name. Its battery life is a significant drawback, dying after just a few hours of short 5-to-10-minute bursts during activity sessions. Finally, the actual video quality lacks sharpness for Full-HD, making it suitable for casual YouTube uploads and home videos, but disappointing for viewing on high-end 4K televisions.

The Sony HDR-AS100VR Action Cam is a lightweight, ergonomic POV camera that features a unique white design and a splash-proof body, allowing for outdoor use in wet conditions without its waterproof housing. It is equipped with SteadyShot image stabilisation to smooth out rapid vibrations from motion, an ultra-wide 170-degree Carl Zeiss lens, and a back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor for improved low-light clarity. For video capture, it supports high-quality XAVC-S recording at 50Mbps alongside impressive high-speed slow-motion capabilities at 120 fps and 240 fps. Additionally, it includes built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for easy smartphone connectivity via the PlayMemories app, a physical tripod mount, and simplified menu navigation using dedicated "prev" and "next" buttons. The review highlights several distinct pros and cons of the system. On the positive side, reviewers praised its standalone splash-proof capability, which eliminates the need to carry a bulky waterproof case during casual riding. Its compact form factor, extensive mounting options (including helmet, handlebar, and standard tripods), and seamless multi-camera control via the optional wrist-mounted Live View Remote were also highly commended. However, the primary negative flaw...

The Sony HDR-AS100V action camera excels in image stabilization, built-in features, and daylight performance. Based on the review, the standout pros include its highly effective digital image stabilization in bright light, which successfully counters rolling shutter distortions and automatically handles wide-angle geometry adjustments. It boasts strong versatility with multiple shooting modes (high-frame-rate, slow-motion, and time-lapse), built-in stereo sound recording, wireless connectivity, and integrated GPS data tracking. Additionally, its splashproof body operates reliably in rain without a case, it has a flat bottom that can stand upright independently, and its audio quality experiences less overwhelming wind noise compared to rival cameras. However, the reviewer highlights several notable cons and design limitations. The digital stabilization struggles under extreme movement and degrades significantly in dim lighting, where long exposure times lead to motion blur. The physical layout is also deeply flawed: all connection jacks (microphone, HDMI, USB, power) are located on the underside, meaning mounting the camera blocks access to most ports and forces you to leave the weather door open to use external power. Furthermore, the protruding Zeiss lens is highly vulnerable...

The Sony POV Action Cam (HDR-AS100V) is a lightweight, streamlined 3.2-ounce action camera featuring a slim, oblong barrel design that is notably lighter than key competitors like the iON Air Pro 3. According to PCMag's review, the camera's primary advantages include excellent SteadyShot digital image stabilization that noticeably reduces jitters during hand-held or mobile shooting, and a highly responsive, lag-free PlayMemories mobile app for seamless remote control and live viewing. It is also designed with built-in splashproofing, which eliminates the immediate need for a protective casing in light rain or snow. Additionally, the camera records in clear stereo audio through front-facing microphones and features a straightforward side LCD panel with rubber navigation buttons that make moving through menus easier than using a dual-button GoPro setup. However, the action camera has distinct drawbacks that limit its versatility. Its major flaw is that video quality suffers significantly in low-light environments, producing soft and muddy details even on overcast days. While a high-bitrate "Pro" mode (50 Mbps using the XAVC S codec) is available, it fails to deliver a noticeable visual improvement over...

The Sony HDR-AS100VR is a lightweight, 92-gram action camera that delivers impressive POV footage and high-quality 13.5-megapixel still images using a premium Carl Zeiss lens. It offers versatile recording capabilities, including 1,080p footage at 60fps, 720p at 120fps, and high-speed 480p at 240fps. Reviewers praise the camera's built-in image stabilisation, which ensures smooth and sharp video even when the camera mount is loose. It also transitions well through varying lighting environments, handles low-light conditions effectively, and boasts a showerproof body that doubles in weight only when placed in its rugged, waterproof outer casing. Despite these strengths, the action camera has notable drawbacks, starting with its high price tag and a low 3 out of 5-star rating. The standard helmet mounting system is limited, working efficiently only on large-surface helmets like full-face or pisspot styles. Additionally, while the included wrist-worn remote is simple to operate, it frustratingly lacks the ability to play back recorded video. The camera also occasionally struggles to adjust its exposure when transitioning rapidly from dark settings onto high-glare surfaces, such as wet roads.

The Sony POV Action Camera (HDR-AS100V) is a 3.5-star rated, lightweight action camera featuring a splash-proof design that allows for operation without a bulky housing. It delivers solid video in bright conditions, enhanced by effective image stabilization and a high-bitrate XAVC S "Pro" mode that captures superior detail. Conversely, the device suffers from poor low-light performance and an unintuitive, complex menu interface, with critical modes hidden in deep settings. Additionally, the included waterproof case has a limited 16.5-foot depth rating and the audio quality is noted to be inferior to competitors.

The Consumer Reports review identifies the Sony HDR-AS100V as a top-rated action camcorder, highlighting its excellent video and still photo quality, along with highly effective built-in image stabilization. Further, the device offers good audio capture and integrated GPS functionality. Yahoo Finance However, the camera's performance is hindered by poor video quality in low-light conditions and an, at times, inconsistent interface, according to the review. Additionally, while the unit itself is splashproof, the protective housing limits underwater usage to a 16-foot depth, restricting its utility in deeper water compared to some competitors.