In case you discover the GoPro or DJI Motion cameras too costly or heavy to your micro FPV drones, the RunCam Thumb 2 might be an important various. This tiny digital camera affords 4K recording and Gyroflow compatibility at a budget-friendly value of simply $99. RunCam Thumb 2 goals to offer important options for FPV flying with out the excessive value sometimes related to premium motion cameras like GoPro. Let’s take a better take a look at the options, efficiency, and total worth of this compact digital camera.
New to FPV drones? Try my purchaser’s information on Motion cameras: https://oscarliang.com/action-camera/
The place to Purchase
You should purchase the RunCam Thumb 2 from:
Within the field, you’ll discover:
- The Thumb 2 digital camera
- USB-C cable for management, video output and energy
- JST1.25 3-pin energy cable
- 3D-printed mount
- Guide leaflet
An ND filter set (ND8, ND16, ND24) are non-obligatory at buy for an additional $10.
An non-obligatory ND filter set (ND8, ND16, ND24) is out there for an additional $10. Moreover, Banggood affords a suitable 128GB SD card for $12. In case you’re shopping for your individual SD card, make sure that it’s not less than U3 Class and A2 Velocity-rated for 4K recording. Right here’s my SD card information: https://oscarliang.com/sd-cards-fpv/#GoPro-DJI-and-Different-HD-Cameras-4K-Movies
Specs
The Runcam Thumb sequence has come a great distance from the unique 1080p 60fps mannequin to the Thumb 2, which now data in 4K at 60fps. Right here’s a fast rundown of the specs:
- Picture Sensor: IMX586 (4800MP)
- Resolutions: 4K at 60/30fps, 2.7K at 60fps, 1080p at 120/60fps
- Subject of View: 160°
- Video Format: MP4
- Gyro: Constructed-in
- Micro SD Card: As much as 512GB
- Energy Enter: 5V DC (USB-C or JST 1.25)
- Management Interface: PWM/UART
- Energy Consumption: Max 700mA at 5V
- Dimension: 26mm*27.5mm*55mm
- Weight: 27.8g
Construct High quality and Design
In comparison with its predecessors, the RunCam Thumb 2 contains a extra refined design with vent holes for cooling and Gorilla Glass safety for the lens. This improve enhances sturdiness and makes it splendid for tough situations. The lens cowl is replaceable, and the digital camera helps ND filters, that are essential for capturing cinematic FPV footage. You possibly can take a look at my cinematic FPV ideas right here: https://oscarliang.com/cinematic-fpv-drone-video/
Whereas the Thumb 2 is bulkier than the Thumb Professional, weighing almost 28g (in comparison with the 16g Thumb Professional), it stays comparatively compact and light-weight. The added weight might have an effect on the flight efficiency of smaller drones, so be aware of this when you’re flying weight-sensitive fashions.
The USB-C port, a big improve from earlier fashions, permits for handy firmware updates and video output, and may energy the digital camera through an influence financial institution. It additionally has a UART port, permitting you to attach it on to your drone’s flight controller for distant management. This implies you can begin and cease recording with a easy swap in your radio. It eliminates the necessity to contact the digital camera mid-flight, which provides to the general comfort.
The digital camera helps micro SD card as much as 512GB, double the capability of the earlier model, which is great for lengthy recording periods. Take into account that recording in top quality 4K can rapidly eat up space for storing, with every minute of footage consuming nearly 1GB.
Picture High quality
For the value, the picture high quality is spectacular. RunCam has made important enhancements, particularly in sharpness and readability. The 4K decision delivers detailed pictures, and the built-in gyro helps easy out footage, although it’s not flawless.
Evaluating to DJI O3
When in comparison with the DJI O3, the Thumb 2 holds its personal when it comes to picture element, although the colour profile is noticeably hotter. This may be corrected in post-processing by adjusting temperature and tint, as defined in my coloration grading tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/color-grade-fpv-videos/. Personally, I would cut back the temperature, and add extra magenta tint to it.
The colour can be not as vibrant because the O3 in comparison aspect by aspect, and appears a bit extra washed out. Growing saturation and distinction would possibly assist.
When recording in 16:9 facet ratio with out stabilization, the FOV (area of view) of the Runcam Thumb 2 is barely smaller than that of the DJI O3.
The Thumb 2’s dynamic vary is akin to the DJI O3, although its default publicity is barely excessive, inflicting some overexposure in vibrant skies.
Total, the picture high quality is spectacular for its value vary, although the DJI O3 nonetheless edges out the Thumb 2 in coloration profile, FOV, and 4K 60fps recording in 4:3. Additionally the default temperature and tint settings nonetheless want a little bit of tweaking. And the DJI O3 is less complicated to make use of as a result of you possibly can change settings and verify your publicity within the goggles, which may be very handy.
Resolutions and Bitrates
I examined the digital camera in all resolutions, the decision enhance does add extra element and readability, which is confirmed by the upper bitrate too. That is typically a pitfall for cheaper cameras that declare 4K however merely upscale from decrease resolutions. On this case, the RunCam Thumb 2 affords real enhancements as you enhance the decision.
Listed here are the obtainable resolutions and bitrates for the RunCam Thumb 2:
- 4K 60FPS – 100Mbps
- 4K 60FPS XV – 100Mbps
- 4K 30FPS 4:3 – 80Mbps
- 4K 30FPS – 80Mbps
- 2.7K 60FPS 4:3 – 80Mbps
- 2.7K 60FPS – 80Mbps
- 1440p 60FPS – 60Mbps
- 1080p 120FPS – 60Mbps
- 1080p 60FPS – 50Mbps
- 1080p 60FPS XV – 50Mbps
For comparability, the DJI O3 affords 130Mbps on 2.7K 60fps, 150Mbps on 4K 60fps.
XV is much like GoPro’s Superview, it offers you barely extra FOV, are likely to stretch and distorted the edges of the picture, which can not look nice throughout yaw spins or panning photographs.
Stabilization
The Thumb 2 features a built-in gyro and is suitable with Gyroflow, an open-source stabilization instrument. Nevertheless, in contrast to high-end cameras that document gyro knowledge inside the video file, the Thumb 2 saves it in a separate .gcsv file. You’ll have to load this file in Gyroflow throughout post-processing. Right here’s my information on how one can use Gyroflow: https://oscarliang.com/gyroflow/.
As of now, Gyroflow doesn’t work optimally with the Thumb 2 because of the lack of a lens profile, hopefully it’ll get higher when a lens profile is added.
For now, you should utilize the onboard stabilization, although it’s not as efficient as Gyroflow. It is available in two modes—Regular and Tremendous—with the Regular mode being the higher alternative resulting from much less aggressive cropping and zooming.
ND Filter
On a sunny day, I sometimes use ND16 filters on my motion cameras with ISO at 100 and the shutter pace set to double the body price. Nevertheless, with the RunCam Thumb 2, ND16 appears to trigger underexposure, so I switched to the lighter ND8 filter.
In case you want a lighter ND filter for overcast situations or dawn/sundown, you received’t have one, because the lightest obtainable ND filter is ND8. I’d counsel RunCam take into account changing the ND24 with an ND4 for extra versatility.
Extra on ND filters right here: https://oscarliang.com/nd-filter-fpv/
Audio High quality
The built-in microphone is a pleasant addition, however the audio high quality remains to be fairly poor. Nevertheless, it’s higher to have audio than not, particularly in a budget-friendly digital camera.
Consumer Expertise
Right here’s my expertise utilizing the RunCam Thumb 2.
Powering the Digital camera
To save lots of on weight, the RunCam Thumb 2 doesn’t include a built-in battery. As an alternative, it requires a 5V energy supply. Importantly, it solely accepts 5V, so watch out to not provide another voltage. There are two methods to energy this digital camera, through the USB-C port, or the 3-pin JST connector on the again.
Throughout testing, the digital camera drew as much as 0.65A of present when recording 4K 60fps. In case your flight controller’s 5V BEC is rated for 2A or extra, it ought to comfortably energy the Thumb 2 alongside different widespread 5V units like an ELRS receiver or FPV digital camera. Nevertheless, when you’re utilizing different power-hungry 5V parts like RGB LEDs, or in case your 5V BEC is rated beneath 1.5A, you could wish to take into account a devoted regulator to soundly energy the digital camera, similar to this one: https://oscarliang.com/3a-voltage-regulator/
Right here’s a breakdown of the facility consumption at numerous resolutions:
- Powered off: 0.00A @ 5V (might be drawing a tiny quantity, however undetectable by my instruments).
- Powered on, not recording: 0.45A @ 5V
- Recording 4K 60fps: 0.65A @ 5V
- Recording 2.7K 60fps 4:3: 0.5A @ 5V
- Recording 1080p 60fps 4:3 XV: 0.5A @ 5V
At the moment, I’m utilizing an adapter from Flywoo, which powers the digital camera from a LiPo stability lead and steps the voltage all the way down to 5V. This eliminates the necessity for soldering onto the flight controller and I can simply use the digital camera on totally different drones. You possibly can take a look at the adapter right here: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_DEHH2jb
Getting Began
The included 3D printed mount just isn’t suitable with my drones, however I managed to someway apply it to my Sub250 Oasisfly25.
One of many digital camera’s largest strengths is its plug-and-play nature. There’s no want to fret about charging batteries or navigating difficult menus. As quickly as you join it to energy, the digital camera activates. Throughout initialization, the inexperienced LED flashes, and when it’s prepared, it switches to a strong crimson. If the SD card is lacking, the crimson LED flashes quickly, offering clear, intuitive suggestions.
Right here’s the included mnaual:
Altering Digital camera Settings
To alter the digital camera settings, you’ll want the RunCam app, obtainable on each iOS and Android. The app generates QR codes, which the digital camera scans to use your settings.
With the app, you possibly can regulate settings like decision, body price, stabilization mode, ISO, shutter pace and plenty of extra. After producing a QR code, you merely energy on the digital camera, go into QR scanning mode (press the button twice), and level the digital camera on the code. It’s an easy course of when you get used to it.
Whereas not so simple as altering settings instantly on a GoPro or DJI Motion digital camera, it’s nonetheless comparatively simple. Nevertheless, the shortage of a display screen or preview performance means you’ll want to check the settings and overview footage on a pc earlier than flying to make sure every little thing is about accurately, particularly when adjusting publicity and lighting.
Limitations and Areas for Enchancment
For me, the principle promoting level of the Thumb 2 was its capability to document in 4K at 60fps. Nevertheless, the shortage of a 4:3 facet ratio at this decision means stabilization causes extra cropping and a smaller area of view (FOV).
The app and handbook additionally lack explanations of what the settings do. It might be useful in the event that they added tooltips or transient descriptions for every setting.
At the moment, there’s no official lens profile for this digital camera in Gyroflow, so stabilization doesn’t work correctly with it in the meanwhile. This can be a important disadvantage, particularly for many who depend on Gyroflow for post-processing stabilization.
One other limitation for superior customers is the shortage of a flat coloration profile, which restricts flexibility in coloration grading in publish.
Utilizing ND filters additionally presents some challenges. With no solution to preview the footage, you’ll have to document pattern movies and overview them in your pc to verify the settings—requiring you to both carry a laptop computer to the sector or put together below comparable lighting situations beforehand.
A minor however notable challenge I encountered throughout testing was the digital camera randomly shutting off, which resulted in corrupted video information. Fortunately, reinserting the SD card and powering the digital camera again on mounted the information, although I did lose the gyro knowledge. I’m not positive if it is a widespread challenge as I’ve not been capable of replicate it on the bench.
Whereas the onboard microphone is a pleasant function, the audio high quality leaves room for enchancment, with wind noise typically drowning out different sounds.
Closing Ideas: Is the RunCam Thumb 2 Value It?
Whereas it doesn’t match the standard of a GoPro or DJI Motion digital camera, and even the onboard recording of the DJI O3 Air Unit, the RunCam Thumb 2 nonetheless has its place available in the market.
Most individuals would purchase this digital camera for its affordability and flexibility. At slightly below 28g, it’s mild sufficient to be mounted on nearly any FPV drone, together with micro drones. Whereas the video high quality doesn’t attain GoPro or DJI ranges, it’s completely wonderful for many customers, particularly these seeking to add to platforms like Instagram or YouTube. And at $99, crashing or shedding it received’t harm as a lot as shedding a GoPro.
You should purchase the RunCam Thumb 2 from:
For many who need the most effective video high quality in a compact type issue, a unadorned GoPro is the superior alternative: https://oscarliang.com/flywoo-naked-gopro-v2/
In case you’re flying with the DJI O3 or Walksnail Moonlight, there’s little profit to utilizing the RunCam Thumb 2.
Nevertheless, when you’re nonetheless flying analog, particularly with a micro quad, the RunCam Thumb 2 is a wonderful, budget-friendly choice for recording FPV flights in HD. It affords options sometimes present in a lot pricier cameras, together with 4K 60fps video, handbook shutter pace, distant management, and light-weight design. Whereas it could not meet skilled requirements, it’s greater than ample for the typical hobbyists. Nevertheless, the present lack of Gyroflow assist is a big draw back for me, and I hope a lens profile could be added quickly.