JVC ADIXXION GC-XA1 Action Camera

Action cameras are increasingly popular for capturing the essential footage from your latest and greatest day out on the bike. The likes of GoPro have been setting the standard for some time but here's a major electronics manufacturer entering the fray with the JVC ADIXXION GC-XA1.

First impressions out of the box are good. It has a compact feel to it, the small body is easy to handle and the controls are all set out on the top of the camera. This is the second version of the camera and there are numerous features to cover off.

Given its relatively small size, it still packs in a 1.5inch LCD screen. This gives you just about enough room to see adequately and edit your next Spielberg epic. To assist you in this process, the JVC is waterproof to 5 metres. I can't vouch for this aspect as even on my rides I have not crossed through any rivers.

You get a a 5 megapixel camera, that's an increase on the previous model. You get full HD mode and the range of settings is impressive. All that said the feature I did have problems with, was the built in wifi. Using the software preloaded on the JVC you should be able to control and view footage through a wifi network or directly but the connection proved to be a little flaky.

The JVC comes with two mounting positions, one on the bottom of the unit and another on the side. The range of fittings supplied with the camera include an adhesive plate, a goggle mount and an adjustable mount that I used on the helmet. As seems to be the norm for everyone except GoPro, there is no handlebar mount which is disappointing - particularly that when we started testing the JVC in the summer its retail price was £100 more than the Go Pro HD Hero.

Wearing the camera on the helmet does make a noticeable difference and causes a fair amount of wobble. This was reduced by tightening the fit but could be uncomfortable on longer rides.

Depending on the video resolution chosen in conjunction with a 2Gb SD card the length of recording time available is:

FHD 1080 x 30 gives 17m 47s

HD 720 x 60 gives 20m 06s

WVGA 848 x 480 gives 1hr 36m

Once you've decided on the quality of recording you're aiming for you're set to go. The battery life is sufficient to cover the record time, averaging between an hour and a half and two hours. How does the JVC ADIXXION GC-XA1 fare in the shooting stakes?

The ADIXXION GC-XA1 has a built in digital stabilizer that helps reduce the vibration picked up by the camera when recording. The 5x zoom gives plenty of scope to get the right focus and in short bursts there is plenty of capacity both on the card and with the battery. When you move the camera too quickly in record mode there is a slight lag as the lens adjusts to the change in light. When it does the picture is more than watchable for most uses, be they YouTube or your daily commute. Audio pickup is not great unless the action takes place in close proximity. Not a game changer as most people will probably prefer their own soundtrack rather than patchy sound.

The battery and card are housed in a secure area behind a cover but this can be accessed easily. The battery provided will be enough for short clips rather than an all day epic, certainly not without an upgrade.

Overall

Despite what we felt were it's limitation the JVC ADIXXION GC-XA1 will provide enough functionality at a high enough quality to tick a lot of boxes for many people especially now its price has dropped significantly

Verdict

An impressive range of functions but can start to feel heavy after a while when helmet mounted and the lack of other mounts in the box is disappointing.