Foxeer Legend 3 review: 4K FPV at decent price

While many drone camera manufacturers moved to cubic shape, Foxeer Legend 3 sees the return of the candybar form factor that Mobius debuted a few years ago. Don’t be afraid, the old design is paired with UHD 4K video recording, which is a must-have in 2017.

When it comes to racing quad-copters, it is very hard to find a proper camera (shape, weight, features) that allows recording the journey of your flights. Of course, if you have no budget limit, you can go for the GoPro 5 Session, but with a limited budget, you need to prospect the market (reading reviews and watching sample videos) till you find what you need.

Among the Legend 3, Foxeer also announced a cubic camera with similar specs called “Box 4K”, so the pilots can opt for their optimal form factor.

Foxeer Legend 3 highlights

• Low profile, aerodynamic shape (23 mm height);
• Ambarella A12 SoC (imaging processor);
• Sony 12MP CMOS image sensor;
• Generous OLED status screen;
• EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization);
• Micro HDMI video out and AV-out via micro USB for FPV;
• Removable 1000mAh battery;
• Built-in microphone;
• Up to 4K@30ps, 2.5K@60fps, 1080P@120fps, and 720P@240fps video recording;
• Loop recording (2, 3 min or 5 min clips);
• Up to 16 photo resolution (4608 x 3456 pixels, 4:3 image format);
• Multiple photo modes: Normal, Timer, Auto, and Continuous;
• SuperVision (similar to GoPro’s SuperView).

Foxeer Legend 3 camera review

Disclosure: I received this Legend 3 camera for a product review collaboration with Foxeer. Although the product was a gift, all thoughts in this review remain mine, and the sponsor did not influence me.

At a glance (Design and Accessories)

In the box, besides the camera, I found a micro USB data/charging cable, FPV out cable, Velcro band, and user manual. No GoPro-compatible mounting accessories are included, nor is the silicon protective case shown on some advertising spots.

Holding it in my hand feels robust and well-built. The camera measures 42.5 x 65 x 23 mm and weighs about 69 g. It is visibly shorter than its predecessors, which is nice because it can be attached to smaller drones, too.

On top of the camera are located the OLED status screen and 3 status LEDs: Charging indicator – RED, Working mode (Video – Blue, Photo – Green), and WiFi status – Yellow.

You can find the 7G Aspheric lens with a 155-degree FOV and microphone in front. Both sides have venting holes.

The 1000 mAh battery is loaded from the back. Behind the battery door is also located the micro SD slot – no accidental “catapulting” of the memory card during crashes.

Unfortunately, unlike the Foxeer Box 4K, the Legend 3 is not waterproof and doesn’t even have a compatible waterproofing case.

Connectivity and mobile APP

Micro HDMI out and Micro USB (FPV AV-out / Data / Charging) connectors are located on the camera’s rear, right above the battery compartment’s flap.

Thanks to the HDMI out, you can use an HD 5.8G VTX, which offers much better quality than the conventional VGA FPV.

To find tune the Foxeer Legend 3 settings, you will need to install on your smartphone the FOXEER APP (available for both popular mobile OS). The APP allows to set:

• Photo resolution (16Mp, 14MP, 12MP, 8MP or 3MP);
• Video resolution (4K@30fps, 2.5K@60fps, 1080P@120fps, 720P@240fps, 4K@25fps SuperVision, 2.7K@30fps SuperVision, 1080P@60fps SuperVision or 720P120fps);
• Quality (sFine, Fine or Normal);
• Stamp (Off, Date, Time, Date+Time);
• Microphone volume;
• Toggle EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization);
• Metering, Sharpens, White Balance, EV Comp;
• Video ISO limit (Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1600) ;
• Scene mode (Normal, Flash, Night, Sports, Landscape, Portrait or Sunset);
• Effects (Normal, Art, Sepia, Negative, BW, Vivid or 70film) ;
• Enable/Disable TV out for FPV;
• Toggle Buzzer and OSD;
• And many more…

Another feature of the APP it allows you to display the camera’s live video feed on your mobile device. The WiFi range is limited, so this feature is unsuitable for FPV flights.

Through the APP you can change the WiFI SSID and password.

Foxeer Legend 3 review – First Usage / Test

The FL3 camera has only two control buttons, both illuminated. While the Power button is on the left side, the Shutter / Select button is on the right.

By long pressing the “Power” button (for 3 sec) you can power ON the camera. The same button allows toggling between Video, Photo, and Settings modes. By long pressing the “Shutter” button, you can enable the WiFi connection.

The 12 x 23 mm OLED display is very handy. Always show the actual working model, resolution, and battery level.

Because meteorologists have announced a windy week, my plan to test the Foxeer Legend 3 with my Eachine Racer 250 Pro was ruined :(. Finally, I opted to test the camera handheld and installed it on my bike.

Outside was cloudy, and the Legend 3 performed beautifully. 4K@30fps is amazing, colors are sharp and vivid. Even in direct sunlight, the camera performed decently, which is very important when is being used on racing quadcopters. Six minutes of video occupies about 2.7 GB.

Although the Foxeer L3 was not built for photos, the image quality is pretty good (check the image below).

The Legend 3 has an electronic image stabilization system (EIS), which probably can’t beat optical image stabilization. It can be enabled on every resolution but starts working only on 1080@60fps and 1080@30fps.

If you are seriously into racing quadcopters, you can order this camera from the manufacturer. You can also download the latest firmware for the Legend 4K.

Till I manage to show something recorded from the sky with the Foxeer Legend 3, here is outstanding aerial footage captured by Andberge.

Foxeer Legend 3 vs GoPro Hero 5 Session