FPV Cameras, Mobius to GoPro - TIPS

by FliteTest | March 4, 2014 | (24) Posted in Tips

There are a few options when looking at FPV cameras. We took a look at the good old board camera, the Mobius, and the GoPro

The board camera is the best for someone just getting into FPV. They range from $15 up to $200 depending on what you are looking for. The dynamic range of the sensors on the board cameras allow for cool things like IR perspective and night vision. Obviously these options will be on the more expensive range of cameras but this is something that the action cameras lack. On the flip side, board cameras can not record your video out of the box.

If you are looking to record your flights and have great quality footage, the action cams are the way to go. 

The Mobius is a great affordable way to record and get fantastic looking footage. We have started to use the Mobius more and more on the show since we pick up a few and were extremely impressed with the quality. They come in a narrow angle view and a wide angle view. Keep in mind, with the action cameras, you will also need to pick up a video-out cable that is NOT included when you get the camera. 

 Now the top-dog when it comes to action cams is the GoPro. These are used for pretty much everything in the sports and cinema world and they also make fantastic FPV cameras. This is the best quality footage that you will be able to get out of your recorded flight, but that's if you don't mind paying for it. Same thing with the Mobius, this does NOT come with a video-out cable, so make sure you get that as well. 

We did a few tests to see how the Mobius stacked up with the GoPro. Here you can see the dynamic range between the two cameras. They react to light differences in their own way. Watch the episode to see more!

Another difference was the angle of view. The GoPro does have a wider field of view but the Mobius does offer a wide-angle version that brings it a little bit closer to the GoPro. Here is the GoPro next to the narrow angle Mobius

 

Regardless of what you choose, this is only a small portion of the FPV setup. Goggles, transmitters, etc. will also be part of your purchase so shop around to see which fits best into your budget. 

We hope this episode gave you some insight! You don't have to break the bank to get what you are looking for, just take your time and look at all the options.

 

Have a different camera that you absolutely love for FPV? Let us know! Chat it up in the forums!

COMMENTS

tophe75 on March 5, 2014
I use the Liquid Image Ego 727 (http://www.liquidimageco.com/collections/ego/products/model-727-the-ego-1)

Really nice videos with it, specs, almost as the same as the GoPro.

Check this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l8JD_lGYrg).
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eddiek94 on March 6, 2014
Did you have Wide Dynamic Range turned on with your Mobius? I have turned it on with mine and found it improves it a lot.

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Zwoobz on March 5, 2014
Great job! Very informative! :)
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Fatherfox on March 7, 2014
wish i saw this a half hour ago. just ordered a mobius off ebay. was comparing and reading up for the last couple days, mainly between the 808 #16 and the mo, but after a couple vids of mo vs gp, and a good dynamic light test, i went w/ the mobius. good to hear about the lag. i got a 420 board cam for low light/night flight, just wanted an onboard recorder instead of having to add a dvr while i'm noobin around. tried one of the $8 808 clones a couple days ago. trust me, don't waste the effort it takes to throw it in the trash. there's a difference between inexpensive and "cheap". ^-^`~
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casehatter on March 5, 2014
Some one said the latency on the Mobius was to slow for FPV////???? That's the only reason I haven't got one....????
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zev on March 8, 2014
not true. it is about the same as a gopro. nether are as good as a board cam, but still good.
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casehatter on March 8, 2014
Thanks I've heard several things and That makes the most seance..!!

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Zach Scott on March 9, 2014
Go over to bruces channel Rcmodelreviews and check out his video on the mobius. You will see the latency and lag everyone is talking about. In my opinion its unusable for fpv. It is usable if you wanna end up in the ground.
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mcv on November 10, 2014
Mobius has about the same latency as GoPro. They are both laggy, but still good enough for basic FPV high in the sky. If you want to do races, you should use neither.
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ikem on March 5, 2014
Finally, this will be great for new people getting into fpv. Also with a gopro, it has a little wider use range.
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BanditMr2 on March 5, 2014
Good video...
I wish you touched on latency a bit. It makes a big difference when flying FPV.

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RedBaron1 on March 5, 2014
Finally a direct or side by side comparison of the Mobius vs. GoPro! Thanks so much.

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Trippey on March 5, 2014
How reliable is the Mobius and GoPro for fpv live video feed? I believe that a few people have been having problems with the GoPro locking up.
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danallen82 on March 6, 2014
You didn't talk about the types of GoPros, or at least I didn't see it. There is a massive difference between them. IMO its GoPro Black or nothing. Any other GoPro is a waste of money, and that's where the Mobius cam shines. Another thing about the Mobius is that the sensor can be detached from the body, which allows for so many possibilities. Such as a super light gimbal which has yet to by widely available, or other tight applications.
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Zach Scott on March 6, 2014
Not sure why they didn't talk about why you would use a board camera. The mobius is know to have a laggy output so you wouldn't wanna use it for fpv and the gopro is know to drop out and have other issues from its output stream. Most folks fly a board cam and record with something else because those other cameras can't always be depended on. Not sure why this was glossed over. Love the show. Keep up the good work.
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Crashpilot1000 on March 7, 2014
Hi! Since I don't have a gopro or moebius it's hard to comment but I have the CamoneInfinity and it really sucks for FPV because you can't get 4:3 Video format on live out. So having a decent BoardCam (ca 30$, with 2,1mm or 2.5 mm lens, I prefer 2.1mm for widest FOV) giving you 4:3 on you goggles is much more immersive. Also nice to put that cam on a stick to see the full copter from behind, it's so funny, like in PC racing games where you see the whole car. So check for the aspect ratio and provided Field of view (FOV humans: 130 degree I think but you can google that..) when you try to buy an "all in one" cam it makes THE difference concerning the immersive flight feeling on 4:3 glasses.
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jamesb72 on March 23, 2014
I setup a test rig to compare latency between gopro and mobius, also fatshark pilotHD and 600tvl camera's (all 4 I have), and was surprised by result - mobius is almost identical to gopro, pilotHD is noticably worse, which shocked me as it is sold specifically for FPV !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp4tU69Oehc
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danallen82 on June 9, 2014
I second everyone on the latency issues. IMO you won't replace the board cam anytime soon for FPV. My rig has a video switch between the board cam (PZ0420) and the GP3 black on a gimbal, and I simply can't fly comfortably with the GoPro. Obviously the gimbal removes any orientation, which is a factor.
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BerlinFPV on November 19, 2015
Please add the "Xiaomi Yi" to the comparison !
Its slightly thicker as the GoPRO but has 2,7k Resolution for 70$ (http://www.banggood.com/Original-XiaoYi-Ambarella-A7LS-BSI-CMOS-WIFI-Sports-Action-Camera-p-969228.html) you just need to fix the Focus for FPV and set it to 2,7k with a Script :)
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FPV Cameras, Mobius to GoPro - TIPS