Quelima SQ12 - Sub $20 HD Action Camera

[Bama3Dr]

I picked up one of the tiny, cube shaped Quelima SQ12 HD action cameras and put some flights on it. Overall I think it’s really impressive given the sub $20 price point and its size and weight. It does seem very prone to some jello when flying in bright sunlight. I think if you’re flying at sunrise, dusk, or on an overcast day it wouldn’t be too much of a problem though. The picture quality seems decent with good colors and detail:

-Dustin

 

[sumone]

Very good quality for a 20 dollar camera.
I'm sold

 

[Bama3Dr]

Very good quality for a 20 dollar camera.
I'm sold

I think so. This camera seems perfect to just have something super cheap to stick onto a plane or small quad to get some decently usable HD footage. It would be good for those high risk flights where there's a good chance it might get lost or destroyed also.

-Dustin

 

[Bama3Dr]

This is the same video uploaded to AirVuz. I think this looks much closer to the video straight off the SD card from the camera. AirVuz seems to do a LOT less compression than YouTube and the videos always look less grainy:

-Dustin

 

[PsyBorg]

I don't so much think they are susceptible to jello as the write speed or write size is to slow or small which causes that wave in the later part of a write cycle. Could be something as simple as a cheap SD card that was to slow. Anything over 720 p requires minimum class 10 or U3 to keep up properly and reliably. All in all for 20 bones that's good enough for new to average pilots just to see what the are doing as you will be crashing a LOT. I have killed 3 cheapie action cameras so far and not able to afford something worthy of good videography.

 

[Bama3Dr]

I don't so much think they are susceptible to jello as the write speed or write size is to slow or small which causes that wave in the later part of a write cycle. Could be something as simple as a cheap SD card that was to slow. Anything over 720 p requires minimum class 10 or U3 to keep up properly and reliably. All in all for 20 bones that's good enough for new to average pilots just to see what the are doing as you will be crashing a LOT. I have killed 3 cheapie action cameras so far and not able to afford something worthy of good videography.

That could be. The card was a new Class 10 16GB though. Last night while changing props I realized one of the arms on the frame is cracked, so that could have had something to do with it as well. I'm gonna keep playing with it.

Also, it was pretty windy at the one spot with the garden and pavilions, so some of the jello may have been from the copter getting knocked around.

I feel your pain. I have a Runcam 3 that's been crashed several times, but is still holding together. Once I kill that replacing it's going to be painful!

- Dustin

 

[foamtest]

This seems perfect for when I get into race quads here this summer, the footage is not great but I'll feel a lot better losing $20 over loosing how ever much a new session costs...

 

[Bama3Dr]

This seems perfect for when I get into race quads here this summer, the footage is not great but I'll feel a lot better losing $20 over loosing how ever much a new session costs...

I think it would be perfect for that. Another good thing is that it's tiny and only weighs 16g.

-Dustin

 

[Bama3Dr]

I watched the DVR footage from those flights last night and the broken arm on the frame was definitely flexing in flight. The left front propeller looks like it rises up about an inch pulling out from the dives. The only reason it stayed together and was still flying is because it was wrapped with electrical tape where the break was. A new bottom plate is on the way, so I'll try to get some more footage once it's put back together. Hopefully that will take care of at least some of the jello.

-Dustin

 

[foamtest]

Ouch, I'm surprised it held together so well! Do you have a link to the camera itself?

 

[rockyboy]

Interesting. I just put a pair on order so they should be at my house before next fall.

 

[Bama3Dr]

Ouch, I'm surprised it held together so well! Do you have a link to the camera itself?

I picked up mine from the US retailer Drone Racing Parts. They don't call it the Quelima SQ12, but the manual that came with it verifies that it is the SQ12:
https://www.droneracingparts.com/products/micro-1080hd-cam

They also carry a 3D printed TPU mount for it. This mount only has about 10 degrees of tilt though, so I used 3M double sided adhesive to basically shim up the front to get about 30 degrees of tilt:
https://www.droneracingparts.com/products/micro-hd-cam-3d-printed-tpu-mount

Another option for the mount is this 30 degree angle TPU mount I found on Banggood and just received. It seems to be very well made and is available in a few different colors. It says it's for the SQ11, but the SQ12 fits perfectly:
https://www.banggood.com/3D-Printer...on-Angle-7_2g-p-1180071.html?cur_warehouse=CN

-Dustin

 

[RMDC]

I'm wondering about something weird on the video - anytime the sun is in frame, there's a black spot in the middle. What's that about?

 

[Bama3Dr]

I'm wondering about something weird on the video - anytime the sun is in frame, there's a black spot in the middle. What's that about?

The everlasting eclipse. I think that's pretty common with these super cheap HD cameras as I've seen it in other videos. Not sure what causes it.

-Dustin

 

[PsyBorg]

There is a setting in some of the cameras that allows you to black out certain areas as well as have it do that to a certain brightness as well. some actually invert the signal and can make like a negative effect. Others change that with aperture and ISO manipulation. I should check the mail and see if mine arrived yet from DRP link you posted. Will be nice to have some higher res video again to tune by so thanks for puttin this up as a cheap option for better video. I don't expect super videos as you get what ya pay for but its better then DVR I am sure hehe.

 

[PsyBorg]

I picked up mine from the US retailer Drone Racing Parts. They don't call it the Quelima SQ12, but the manual that came with it verifies that it is the SQ12:
https://www.droneracingparts.com/products/micro-1080hd-cam

They also carry a 3D printed TPU mount for it. This mount only has about 10 degrees of tilt though, so I used 3M double sided adhesive to basically shim up the front to get about 30 degrees of tilt:
https://www.droneracingparts.com/products/micro-hd-cam-3d-printed-tpu-mount

Another option for the mount is this 30 degree angle TPU mount I found on Banggood and just received. It seems to be very well made and is available in a few different colors. It says it's for the SQ11, but the SQ12 fits perfectly:
https://www.banggood.com/3D-Printer...on-Angle-7_2g-p-1180071.html?cur_warehouse=CN

-Dustin

Did you have any issues with these guys getting the camera? I ordered mine a week ago and had to send an email to them asking the status of it. It took them a whole day to accept the order and email it had an order number. I expected to have it for the week end to test during the few good days we had. Nothing. I checked status of it Sunday night and no other notifications. I waited for Mondays mail and when it had not arrived as some companies will not confirm an item was shipped I emailed them. This evening I find that it has a label but may or may not have actually shipped yet as of 3:30 pm. Kind of glad I did not put in for other parts that were needed in this order.

 

[rockyboy]

Uh-oh. Drone Racing Parts no longer has this available on their website. Hopefully they took it down when they zeroed out their stock, and not when they were already at negative stock.

 

[PsyBorg]

That would not make Bill a happy person. Bill not happy for wait already!!. Bill get email saying item in the mail!!! Bill not get item in mail Bill get angry (you wouldn't like Bill when angry (probably don't like him when happy either but hey its a meme))BILL SMASH!!!!


(edit for Foamtest)

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(gah I tried but stupid formatting sucks it all over to one side.)

Phew I feel better now I let that out...

 

[foamtest]

After "BILL SMASH" it would have been funny to just put a bunch of random keys, but oh well lol.

 

[Bama3Dr]

Did you have any issues with these guys getting the camera? I ordered mine a week ago and had to send an email to them asking the status of it. It took them a whole day to accept the order and email it had an order number. I expected to have it for the week end to test during the few good days we had. Nothing. I checked status of it Sunday night and no other notifications. I waited for Mondays mail and when it had not arrived as some companies will not confirm an item was shipped I emailed them. This evening I find that it has a label but may or may not have actually shipped yet as of 3:30 pm. Kind of glad I did not put in for other parts that were needed in this order.

It did take a few days from the time I placed the order to when it actually shipped. I tried emailing them in between to check the status and never got a reply.....figured it was a fluke and they must have just been out at an event or something. Hope this isn't a common thing with them since I recommended them. This camera is also available from Gearbest and I think Banggood. Shipping from those guys always takes at least a week and a half though from my experience.

-Dustin