Everyone probably knows that owl’s eyes are large to improve efficiency, especially under extremely low light conditions. This is why RunCam equipped their Owl Plus StarLight camera with a larger image sensor. While their other FPV cameras have smaller 1/3″ image sensors, the RunCam Owl Plus has a 1/2″ sensor. A larger sensor means bigger pixels, which results in better light sensitivity. Certainly, for night flights, you need a dedicated FPV camera that provides a fast response on light changes and extremely good light sensitivity. Of course, if you don’t want to fly blind :)
Over time, RunCam became a pretty popular quadcopter camera manufacturer among RC enthusiasts. They have two kinds of cameras: analog ones like this Owl Plus, which are dedicated for first-person-view flights, and digital ones with DVR functions like the RunCam2, which allows you to record the journey of your flight.
Although I already reviewed many FPV cameras, unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to test the RunCam Owl, which is the predecessor of this “Plus” edition. These two cameras have a few significant differences:
| Camera | Owl | Owl Plus |
| Lens filter | IR – sensitive | IR – blocked |
| Input power | 3.3V (5 – 24V external DC to DC) | 5 – 22V |
| OSD menu | No | Yes |
| Camera mounts | No | Two types |
| Dimensions | 19 x 19 x 25 mm | 26 x 26 s 30 mm |
| Weight | 9 g | 15 g |
| Price | $45.99 | $49.99 |
The Runcan Owl Plus camera is a tuned version of its predecessor in the shape and size of the RunCam Swift.
RunCam Owl Plus quadcopter camera review
The package was delivered relatively fast, considering that it was slowed down by the niggling of those from DHL. Anyhow, at least the box was intact, not as it had happened last time with another RunCam camera that I received for review.
RunCam added a security label on the box to ensure you get what you paid for. After you scratch it, you can check the 20-digit security code on the manufacturer’s webpage to get confirmation that you purchased a genuine product.
My first impression, peeking inside the box, was that the RC Owl Plus package is very generous. Besides the orange camera and its lens cap, I found inside the box the following: back cover, base bracket, hanging bracket, screws, OSD cable, 3-wire FPV cable, AV-out & power cable, user manual, and warranty card.
Unlike its predecessor, this new RunCam Owl Plus camera is encapsulated in a much nicer protective case and is delivered with two types of mounting accessories.
Instead of the usual RunCam logo, on the top of this camera, there is a cool owl face.
On the backside of the tiny camera, there are two small connectors. Through the two-pin plug (OSD and GND), the included OSD cable, allows the configure and fine-tuning of the Owl Plus camera. You can play with the settings without any worry because you can revert to the factory default at any time.
The second, 3-pin plug (VCC, GND, and Video out) serves to power the camera and connect a TX module, DVR or directly a display (CRT/LCD).
RunCam Owl Plus specifications
- 1/2″ image sensor;
- 700TVL horizontal resolution;
- Ultra-wide 150 degree FOV lens (2.4 mm);
- Wide input voltage range, DC 5V to 22V (suitable for 2s – 5s LI-POs);
- Extreme light senility, 0.0001 Lux/1.2F min. illumination;
- The electronic shutter speed for PAL video standard is 1/50 to 1/100,000sec;
- Digital Wide Dynamic Range (D-WDR);
- Digital Noise Reduction (2DNR);
- Automatic gain control (AGC);
- Backlight compensation (BLC);
- OSD menu;
- CVBS (RCA) video output for real-time image transmission:
- Compact design, 26 mm x 26 mm x 30 mm;
- 15 g net weight.
On Wikipedia, I have found that 0.0001 Lux means surface illumination in a moonless, overcast night sky (Starlight), I know, it sounds damn promising :)
Curious about what’s inside the camera, I removed the back cover. Inside I found a single PCB built around the NextChip NVP2040 CCD image signal processor.
I connected this RunCam Owl Plus camera directly to my Eachine LCD5802 FPV display via AV-in to test it. After two seconds of normal operation got a black screen and I thought that the camera died. After checking the cables, I found out that it was my mistake. I forgot to plug in the power adapter, and the camera worked only on the energy stored by the capacitors :)
The camera performed pretty well; I even closed it in the wardrobe to see how it worked in the dark. It was truly remarkable to see that is offering enjoyable video quality in very low light conditions.
Thanks to the 150° lens (2.4 mm), the RunCam Owl Plus has a wide field of view (FOV). Experts will probably say that the optimal lens size for FPV is between 2.8 and 3.6 mm.
Next week, I plan to mount the Owl Plus camera on one of my quads and test it during some night flights. Promise that I will update my review with the results.
Pricing and availability
Those interested in this StarLight FPV camera can order it from the manufacturer’s online shop. According to your taste, you can opt between orange and black, but I recommend orange because it is more visible in case you’re losing it during a crash.
RunCam Owl Plus unboxing and quick test video