SJCAM C400 3-in-1 handheld action cam a scroll stopper

Three-in-one. Handheld. Action. The title of this camera is stuffed with what marketers call “scroll stoppers”. Translated, these signal (respectively) value, portability, and performance, and I’m a fan of them all. So, let’s see how the SJCAM C400 stacks up.

First, here’s why you might not buy one. SJCAM doesn’t currently have an Australian distributor, so if something goes wrong, how do you get the product fixed? You can get a C400 from Kogan or Amazon and return it, but buyer beware.

Then there’s pricing. At the time of writing, Kogan was selling the C400 for $253 and Amazon for $462. The US dollar conversion from the SJCAM website for the C400 is $358. At JB HiFi, you can buy a DJI Action 4 for $359 or a Zero-X ZX50 for $249, and you can be confident you’ll get support.

SJCAM C400 key specs

Now that’s out of the way, the C400 is a pretty nifty camera if you are into adventure sports and vlogging. The camera itself is 7 x 3 x 2 cm and weighs 54 grams – I can hide it in the palm of my hand – and it records 4K video. The camera has a six-axis stabilisation system that electronically stabilises movement, and it works quite well.

Camera separated from handheld controller. Image: Angus Jones

The camera works standalone with a single button: press it to turn it on or off and to control recording. A 1.3 inch forward-facing screen allows you to see yourself, as performs as a touch screen to allow you to change the settings. Battery life is impressive at 172 minutes.

SJCAM C400 handheld controller

The C400’s first trick is the handheld controller, which has a rear-facing 2.29 inch screen that rotates. The camera plugs into the controller, creating a tall, thin camera unit. By changing the rear screen orientation from portrait to landscape, you also change the aspect ratio for recording.

A magnetic mount holds the camera and enables remote control.

The controller also acts as a remote control, allowing you to view the images being captured and to operate the camera from up to 8 meters away. The controller has its own battery, and with the camera inserted, it boosts your total recording time to 7 hours, which is amazing. You will run out of SD card storage before you run out of power.

Like the camera itself, the handheld controller has a touchscreen. An additional button is added to power the unit on and off. If you are filming in landscape, the camera will turn off if you do not touch the screen when returning to the stowable portrait position. When stowed, the whole setup will easily fit in your pocket or a handbag, so you are always ready to capture some footage.

Zoom and accessories

The camera has an 8x digital zoom and supports both video and photo capture, with standard modes like time-lapse, slow-mo, and burst shooting. The C400 can also be used for live streaming or as a webcam.

We mentioned cost earlier, and a big benefit of this camera is the standard accessories. There is a host of mounts, including a waterproof case rated to 30m and a handy magnetic mount with a lanyard that you can attach to the front of your shirt. Other brands make you buy all this stuff separately.

The SJCAM C400 is a handy starter video pack, and for 90% of users, it will do everything you could want. If SJCAM takes Australia a little bit more seriously from a distribution perspective, this video setup will go that extra mile when you don’t want to risk using your smartphone to record.

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