If the GoPro or DJI motion cameras are deemed too expensive or cumbersome for your miniature first-person view (FPV) drones, the RunCam Thumb 2 could prove a suitable alternative. This pint-sized digital camera offers crisp 4K recording and seamless integration with Gyroflow at an unbeatable price point of just $99. The RunCam Thumb 2 provides vital features for FPV enthusiasts without breaking the bank, unlike high-end action cameras like GoPro that often come with a hefty price tag. Let’s examine the options, efficiency, and overall value of this compact digital camera in greater detail.
Within the field, you’ll discover:
- The Thumb 2 digital camera
- USB-C Cable for Multi-Functional Use: Power, Display, and Control.
- JST1.25 3-pin energy cable
- 3D-printed mount
- Guide leaflet
A comprehensive ND filter set (including ND8, ND16, and ND24 options) is available to purchase separately for an additional $10.
An optional, separately available ND filter set comprising ND8, ND16, and ND24 densities is available for a supplementary $10 fee. For just $12, Banggood offers a practical solution with its 128GB SD card, ideal for storing your digital memories. When selecting an SD card for personal use, ensure it meets minimum requirements of U3 classification and A2 speed rating to support smooth 4K video recording. Here are the details of my SD card:
The Runcam Thumb series has undergone significant advancements since its initial release as an 1080p 60fps model, with the latest iteration, the Thumb 2, boasting impressive 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. Here are the key specifications:
- : IMX586 (4800MP)
- Resolution options include 4K at both 60 and 30 frames per second, 2.7K at 60fps, and 1080p at either 120 or 60fps.
- : 160°
- : MP4
- : Constructed-in
- : As much as 512GB
- Powered by 5V DC, via USB-C or JST 1.25 connector.
- : PWM/UART
- : Max 700mA at 5V
- Dimension: 26mm*27.5mm*55mm
- : 27.8g
Compared to its predecessors, the RunCam Thumb 2 boasts a significantly refined design, featuring strategically placed vent holes for enhanced cooling and robust Gorilla Glass protection for the lens, ensuring optimal performance and durability. This enhancement boosts durability, rendering the product exceptionally robust for demanding situations? While the lens cowl is easily swapped out, its true value lies in working harmoniously with the digital camera’s capacity to seamlessly integrate with necessary neutral density filters – a crucial element in achieving high-quality, cinematic first-person view (FPV) video. Explore your cinematic FPV concepts with us today.
While the Thumb 2’s larger size, at nearly 28 grams, contrasts with the 16-gram Thumb Professional, its relatively compact and lightweight design remains a notable feature. When incorporating additional weight into a smaller drone’s design, consider the potential impact on its aerodynamic performance and adjust your approach accordingly to ensure optimal flight dynamics for weight-sensitive fashion applications.
The USB-C port, a significant improvement over previous designs, enables seamless firmware updates, video output, and even powers the camera via an external power bank. Additionally equipped with a UART port, this device allows seamless integration with your drone’s flight controller, enabling remote control capabilities from a distance. You can easily start and stop recording on your radio simply by adjusting the settings. With this design, there’s no need to interrupt the flight by contacting the digital camera, thereby ensuring a higher level of overall comfort.
The digital camera’s compatibility with micro SD cards has been significantly enhanced to support up to 512GB of storage, a remarkable doubling of capacity compared to its predecessor, making it an ideal choice for extended recording sessions. As a matter of fact, capturing video in high-definition 4K format can lead to significant storage requirements, with approximately one gigabyte of data generated per minute of footage recorded.
The image quality is truly exceptional. Cameras equipped with RunCam have undergone significant improvements, primarily enhancing their sharpness and legibility. The 4K resolution produces crisp, high-definition photographs, while the integrated gyroscope effectively stabilizes footage, despite minor imperfections.
Compared to the DJI O3, the Thumb 2 stands out for its image quality, but a noticeable disparity exists in colour profiles, with the latter exhibiting a significantly warmer tone. This correction can be refined during post-processing by fine-tuning the temperature and tint settings, as outlined in my comprehensive colour grading tutorial. I would recommend subtly tempering the shade to produce a nuanced balance of warmth and coolness, then introducing a hint of magenta undertones to elevate its overall vibrancy.
While the original O3 may appear less vibrant when compared directly, its subtle nuances are still worth exploring? Achieving optimal saturation and distinction could potentially yield more effective results.
When capturing footage in a 16:9 widescreen format without electronic image stabilization, the Runcam Thumb 2’s field of view (FOV) is remarkably similar to that of the DJI O3.
While the Thumb 2’s dynamic range compares favorably to the DJI O3, its default exposure setting can be overly aggressive, resulting in some noticeable overexposure when capturing bright sky scenes.
While the general picture quality of this drone’s output is impressive, given its price point, the DJI O3 still manages to surpass the Thumb 2 in terms of color accuracy, field of view, and 4K 60fps recording capabilities in 4:3 format. Although the default temperature and tint settings require some minor adjustments. The DJI O3 is surprisingly easy to operate, thanks to its intuitive design that allows for seamless adjustment of settings and live preview testing within the goggles themselves, a feature that proves incredibly convenient.
After examining the digital camera in various resolutions, I found that increasing the resolution adds a noticeable level of detail and clarity, as substantiated by the higher bitrate. It’s often a trap for budget-friendly cameras claiming to record 4K video when in reality they simply upscale lower resolutions. As your flying skills develop, the RunCam Thumb 2 delivers tangible upgrades in performance.
Here are the available resolutions and bitrates for the RunCam Thumb 2:
Resolutions:
1080p (30fps), 720p (60fps), 480p (120fps)
Bitrates:
10Mbit/s, 15Mbit/s, 20Mbit/s
- 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
The DJI O3 offers a significant boost in video transmission performance, with a maximum bitrate of 130 Mbps for 2.7K 60fps and 150 Mbps for 4K 60fps, allowing for smoother and more detailed footage capture.
XV mimics GoPro’s Superview by offering a minimal increase in field of view, albeit at the expense of peripheral distortion that can detract from the aesthetic appeal of photos taken during yaw spins or panning shots.
The Thumb 2 boasts an integrated gyro sensor, seamlessly compatible with the open-source Gyroflow stabilisation technology. While top-tier cameras embed gyro data within the video file itself, the Thumb 2 stores this information in a distinct .gcsv file. To effectively utilize the capabilities of Gyroflow, you’ll need to upload this file during the post-processing stage.?
Currently, Gyroflow’s performance falls short with the Thumb 2 due to the absence of a crucial lens profile, which is expected to improve once this vital component is integrated.
While onboard stabilization may be necessary for now, it’s far from being as effective as Gyroflow technology. Available in two distinct modes – Regular and Tremendous – the Regular mode stands out as the premium option, characterized by more conservative cropping and zooming techniques.
When the sun shines brightly, I often employ ND16 filters on my motion cameras, setting the ISO to 100 and the shutter speed equivalent to twice the camera’s native frame rate. Notwithstanding the RunCam Thumb 2’s tendency to induce underexposure when paired with an ND16 filter, I opted for the lighter ND8 alternative instead.
When seeking a lighter ND filter for use in overcast conditions or during dawn and sundown, it’s important to note that the lightest available ND filter is typically an ND8. Considering RunCam adopt a switch from ND24 to ND4 would enhance flexibility.
What do you know about Neutral Density (ND) filters?
While the built-in microphone is a welcome feature, the audio quality unfortunately falls short. While having audio might not be essential for every photo shoot, it’s still higher to include it in a budget-friendly digital camera.
Here’s my experience using the RunCam Thumb 2.
To minimize unnecessary bulk, the RunCam Thumb 2 does away with an integrated battery. Alternatively, it demands a reliable 5-volt energy source to function optimally. Carefully note that this device exclusively operates on 5-volt power, thereby necessitating vigilance against mistakenly supplying any alternative voltage. The camera can be powered via either the USB-C port or the 3-pin JST connector located at the rear of the device.
During testing, the digital camera consistently pulled up to 0.65 amps of current while capturing high-definition 4K video at a frame rate of 60 frames per second. If your flight controller’s 5-volt battery elimination circuit (BEC) is capable of handling currents of 2 amps or higher, it should easily power the Thumb 2, as well as other typical 5-volt devices such as an ELRS receiver or FPV camera, with no issues. If you’re employing power-hungry components such as RGB LEDs or a 5V BEC with a rating below 1.5A, consider using a dedicated regulator like this one to ensure secure power supply to your camera.
Here’s a detailed analysis of resource utilization across various display settings:
- At approximately 0.00A, the device appears to draw an imperceptibly small current at 5V, potentially below the detection threshold of my available measuring tools.
- : 0.45A @ 5V
- : 0.65A @ 5V
- : 0.5A @ 5V
- : 0.5A @ 5V
Currently, I’m using a Flywoo adapter that converts power from a LiPo battery’s stability lead into 5 volts, suitable for my digital camera. This design simplifies the process by eliminating the need to solder the flight controller, allowing for seamless compatibility with a range of drones that feature digital cameras. Take a closer look at this adapter right here.
Although the supplied 3D-printed mount wasn’t compatible with my drones, I successfully adapted it to fit my Sub250 Oasisfly25 drone through creative problem-solving.
The ease with which a digital camera can be used, one of its most significant advantages, lies in its user-friendly plug-and-play design. No need to worry about recharging batteries or deciphering complicated settings. The instant the power is applied, the digital camera springs to life. As initialization progresses, the novice LED flickers; once ready, it transitions to a vibrant red. When an SD card is missing or lacks capacity, the bright red LED indicator rapidly flashes to provide a straightforward and easy-to-follow suggestion.
Right here’s the included mnaual:
To adjust your digital camera settings, download the RunCam app, available for both iOS and Android devices. The app produces QR codes that are then read by a digital camera to apply your chosen settings.
With the app, users can customize various settings such as resolution, bitrate, stabilization mode, ISO, shutter speed, and numerous other options. Following the creation of a QR code, simply activate your smartphone’s camera, switch to QR scanning mode by double-pressing the power button, and ensure a stable alignment with the code. Once you become accustomed to it, the course proves straightforward.
While adjusting settings on a GoPro or DJI Motion camera may require more than simply tweaking parameters directly, the process remains relatively intuitive. Although lacking a display screen or preview functionality necessitates reviewing settings and footage on a PC before flight, ensuring accurate setup of exposure and lighting is crucial, particularly in cases where adjustments are made.
The Thumb 2’s principal selling point was its capability to capture footage in stunning 4K resolution at a smooth 60 frames per second. Despite a lack of 4:3 compatibility at this resolution, the need for stabilization results in additional cropping and a reduced field of view (FOV).
The application and instructional manual are further hindered by a lack of descriptions detailing the specific functions of the available settings. It would be invaluable to have tooltips or brief explanations provided for each setting.
Unfortunately, there is currently no official lens profile available for this digital camera within Gyroflow, which means that image stabilization is not functioning as intended at this time. A significant drawback, especially for those who heavily rely on Gyroflow’s post-processing stabilization capabilities?
A key constraint for premium clients is the absence of a consistent colour profile, hindering versatility in colour grading during post-production.
Despite offering creative possibilities, utilizing ND filters also presents some unique challenges. Without a preview technique, you’ll need to report and review pattern movies on your PC to test the settings – a process that requires transporting a laptop to the site or preparing under similar lighting conditions in advance.
Despite rigorous testing, a significant issue emerged: the digital camera would occasionally and without warning shut down, leading to irretrievable video data corruption. After reinserting the SD card and restarting the digital camera, the system successfully recovered all data, albeit with one notable exception: the loss of gyro calibration settings. While it’s unclear whether this issue can recur frequently, I’ve failed to reproduce it in controlled testing.
Despite the onboard microphone being a welcome feature, the audio quality requires refinement, as wind noise often overpowers other sounds, compromising overall clarity.
While the RunCam Thumb 2 may not rival top-tier action cameras like GoPro or DJI, it still holds its own significance in the market.
Many consumers opt for this digital camera due to its exceptional value and versatility. Weighing in at approximately 28 grams, this component is light enough to be easily installed on a wide range of FPV drones and even smaller micro drones. While the video quality may not match that of industry leaders GoPro and DJI, it still offers excellent results suitable for most users, especially those looking to share content on social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube. At just $99, damage from accidental drops or crashes won’t sting as much as losing a pricey action camera like a GoPro.
When seeking the ultimate video quality in a portable package, an uncompromising GoPro is the definitive choice for those requiring top-tier performance.
When using the DJI O3 or similar cameras, the benefits of employing the RunCam Thumb 2 are minimal?
In the absence of digital flight systems, pilots of micro quads may still find the RunCam Thumb 2 to be an excellent value for capturing high-definition footage of their FPV adventures. This compact camera offers advanced features typically found in higher-end models, including 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, adjustable shutter speed, remote control capability, and a lightweight construction. While it may not exceed expert standards, it is more than sufficient for amateur enthusiasts. The absence of Gyroflow assist is a significant hindrance, leaving me eager for a swift implementation of lens profiles to overcome this limitation.
