Keecoo quadcopter camera review

There are several small cameras on the market, so why Keecoo and not GoPro or other similar action cameras?

I want it something cheap, lightweight, with good video quality and decent battery life. My plan was to use the same camera for hobbyist aerial filming and first-person view flights. Of course, for FPV, I needed a camera with AV-out.

GoPro cameras have the best image quality and are very reliable, they are ahead of other ones but are also expensive. Because of the price, I took them out of my options. Some models are even more expensive than the quadcopter itself and, as I’m a beginner flyer, never know what can be damaged during crash lands.

I broke my smartphone’s display twice without flying with it :), therefore I wanted a camera without a live view display, and I excluded one of the most popular quadcopter cameras, the SJ4000. Besides this, I took into consideration that the display consumes a lot of power which means shorter battery life. The Keecoo camera can work up to 150 minutes with a single battery charge, so you won’t be afraid that the camera will remain without power while you record some spectacular aerial videos with your quadcopter.

Searching on several online stores, including eBay, I found the Keecoo camera on Geekbuying. Regarding the features and specs, it was the perfect camera for my needs. The Wi-Fi connection was not necessary for me, but, eventually, I’m glad it has this feature too.

Keecoo camera review. Is it good for anything?

The camera comes in a beautiful transparent box, a common presentation mode for such products. So you can see on the first bite what you paid have paid for :).

After removing the camera form the waterproof case, you will find actually how small and lightweight is this Keecoo camera. The design of the camera is simple with a rubber touch finish and is available in 3 different colors: silver, gold, and black.

Under the camera, there is a box with a lot of accessories you need to mount the camera on your bicycle, helmet or tripod. To install this camera on your quadcopter or gimbal, you will need some additional materials like velcro tape.

The camera has only 3 buttons: one for the Wi-Fi mode (On/Off), one to take pictures or start/stop video recording, and one multifunctional on/off button.

You can power the Keecoo camera on/off and switch between the function modes with the power button. The camera can work in video, photo, burst photo and time-lapse photo mode. Also, through this button, you can access the settings menu of the camera.

On a tiny grayscale character LCD you can review the current camera mode, battery status and the settings menus. Frankly, I’m to old or the display doesn’t have the best quality. I had to focus very well on it in order to make the first setup (like time, video, and photo resolution).

Cameras with wide-angle lenses provide a very large field of view, so practically, you will be able to capture the entire scene from the front of your quadcopter without making too much side-to-side rotation.

The video resolution of the Keecoo camera can be set to full HD 1080P with 30fps or 720P with 60fps if you need higher frame rate.

Certainly, the video quality of a camera is the most important aspect. The AIT 8427 32-bit 500Mhz CPU, which is the heart of the Keecoo KO, does a decent job. Maybe a bit over-saturated and sometimes noisy on fast movements, but overall, it provides a very good video quality for its price range.

If you zoom the image and watch the photo in its actual 4000×3000 resolution, you will be a bit disappointed. The photo is not too sharp but this is normal in the case of wide-angle lenses.

As mentioned, the camera can be connected via Wi-Fi to any Android and iOS device (smartphones and tablets). Just push the left side button that enables the Wi-Fi connection on your camera look on your device for the “SPORTDV_WIFI” network and select connect using this password “0123456789”. To control the camera via your smartphone, you must install the “AIT WIFI Cam viewer” tool from Google Play.

The Keecoo camera is powered with a 3.7V 1050mAh Li-ion battery that allows 150 minutes of work time. Spare batteries cost around $7. It’s well worth having at least one spare when you are on holiday.

Keecoo camera features and specs

• AIT8427 32-bit 500 MHz main CPU (Alpha Imaging Technology);
• micro SD slot for up to 32GB memory cards, remanded Class 6 or above;
• Grayscale character LCD;
• Image sensor: 12MP CMOS;
• Lens specs: F2.8 , f=4.93mm, M12, 7G+1IR, 170 degree wide angle;
• Image resolutions: 4000×3000(12MP), 2592×1944(5MP), 2048×1536(3MP), 1600×1200(2M);
• JPEG image compression;
• Video resolutions: 1080p with 30fps and  720p with up to 60fps;
• H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec;
• Auto white balance and sensitive mode;
• micro HDMI video out;
• AV out (PAL / NTSC) via USB port for FPV;
• Built-in microphone and buzzer speaker;
• Connectivity: Wireless Wi-Fi and USB;
• Waterproof up to 30m (with case);
• 3.7V 1,050mAh Li-ion Battery (replaceable);
• Working tine: up to 150 minutes;
• Size: 59 x 41.5 x 21.4 mm;
• Weight: 77g with battery and without a waterproof case;

Keecoo camera package includes:

• The quadcopter camera it self;
• 30meter waterproof case;
• 220V to 5v USB power adapter;
• USB charging and data cable;
• 3.7v 1050mAh Li-Po battery;
• Bike holder;
• J-Hook buckle (for helmet);
• 2pcs Helmet bandage;
• 3pcs of screws;
• 4pcs of cable tie;
• 2pcs of 3M adhesive tape;
• Flat camera mount;
• Mini tripod mount adapter;
• Tripod mount adapter;
• 3-way pivot arm;
• Curved camera mount;
• Lens cleaning wipe;
• Keecoo camera instruction manual.