Panasonic HX-A1MD Wearable Action Video Camcorder, 3.54 MP, 1/3" MOS Sensor, Ultra Light, Full HD, Black

2017-09-06T20:00:00

The wifi is laggy, no live streaming directly from phone (who the heck carries a PC connected to the Camera to live stream outdoor?!) and poor battery life (less than an hour) and of course, the buggy Panasonic Image app. The extended battery is so expensive (defeats the purpose of having a portable camera, non- replaceable battery (contributes to higher carbon footprint) meant that it goes to the garbage dump after few years and not to mention the expensive accessories that are optional. Overall, stay away as I felt you can spend your money somewhere with better support.

Jimmy K.

Originally posted at

2017-01-05T19:00:00

Awesome little Action Cam. I was looking at all the action cameras and while in JB Hi Fi I noticed they stuffed up the pricing on the HX-A1. Bought it at a bargain price and its been great. 7 & 9 year old boys run around with it and upload to computer with ease. Great picture and sound, simple to use, light and compact. It's been strapped to a remote control car doing 100 km/hr, helmets and a baseball cap while playing backyard cricket. Really happy with it.

wildman

Originally posted at

2016-02-03T19:00:00

I have used this camera twice. Once on a hike with it clipped to the bill of my baseball cap, and once with the headband mount in a Spartan race. The camera performed great in both cases, and it is light enough to hardly notice I was wearing it. So far, I have not run into any battery issues. I power it on when I want to record a clip, and power it back off when I am done with that clip. With that method, it powered through a 4 hour hike and a 2.5 hour race and still had battery power in both cases. I have noticed two inconveniences. First, being completely round and bullet shaped, care needs to be taken when mounting, to be sure you have it level with the horizon. I'd rather have my shots straight when filmed, than trying to fix rotation afterwards. Second, and this is common to most action cameras when mounted out of direct sight, it's easy to forget if it's on or off, recording or not, etc. I was surprised at how comfortable the head mount was. Since it's hard plastic I was expecting some discomfort, but I never noticed it during 2.5 hours of rigorous activity. I was also happy with how it handled the elements. Given the weather during the race last weekend, it was constantly covered with rain, mud and sand. As I was working the buttons throughout the race, I expected some abrasion and issues, but when I rinsed it off, it looked good as new. The iOS app is reasonable, but I hope they get some updates out to it for stability and features. It does allow fairly easy transfer of photos and videos directly from the camera to the phone, via direct connect wifi. This is a great little camera, and solves my main complaint with most action cameras, that they're too big and bulky for comfortable body mounting.

GregT

Originally posted at

2016-02-01T19:00:00

I love my Panasonic A1 action cam because it's lightweight, waterproof, freezeproof, and shockproof. As a Spartan obstacle course racer, I appreciate that I can take it through the mud, rocks, and water of an obstacle course, knowing it will stay strong and tough right with me, without weighing me down. The A1 captures clear footage of my race, which allows me to share my race experience with my friends/family, and see ways I can improve my obstacle conquering techniques. Plus, someday soon, when I get a dog, I love the idea of placing it on his/her collar so I can see the world through my pooch's eyes.

mountainrunner

Originally posted at

2015-11-16T19:00:00

I have had this camera for several months now and have used it several times weekly during that time. It is a well built camera, it has survived some minor abuse with barely a scratch on it. I wouldn't recommend putting it through a lot of abuse, but it has held up well. I feel that the battery life could be better, but for its size, I suppose it is OK. Battery life can be extended somewhat by choosing lower quality recording than full 1080p HD. The 720p records good enough quality for what I need this camera for (bicycle commuting). I haven't tried lower quality than 720p, but going lower would probably eke out a little longer battery life. I have found this camera to be fairly user friendly. I am not an expert in techno gadgetry, but I'm not a Luddite either. I have not taken the time to get into all that this camera offers due to my lack of need to exhausting its features/options, but it didn't take long to get comfortable with the features I want to use most of the time. I purchased the extended battery and have found it very useful. The extended battery is an additional expense, and adds a significant amount of length when added to the camera, which could be an issue for some looking for something more compact. However, the extra recording time really makes it a benefit, particularly when out on rides for extended periods of time. I don't have anything to compare this camera to since this is my first action camera, but I do feel this was a good purchase and I am happy with it despite the limited battery life, having to frequently use the battery extender, and increased length and weight of the battery extender to make it more practical.

Sir B.

Originally posted at

2015-07-31T20:00:00

Good overall product, but I was expecting much longer battery life. The recording quality is great, the camera seems to be durable and of high quality, and it is easy to operate. I am disappointed in the battery life however. I'm lucky if I get more than 45 minutes of recording time out of it. I have friends who have GoPro cameras who can get 2-4 hours of recording time of the same content. I am planning on buying the extended battery for it, but I am not happy about basically feeling forced to purchase the extra battery since the one that came with the camera has such short run time. I recognize the camera is very compact, but so are GoPro cameras and they seem to have longer battery life. Having to purchase the battery extender brings up the overall price of the camera significantly. I would still recommend this camera though.

FlagCommuter

Originally posted at