EKEN H9SE Review: $50 and Improved 4K Recording Compared to H9

Probably the most popular action camera is the GoPro. Its Hero line cameras are role models. So many action camera manufacturers try to make devices similar to them. This can be a great option for those who like the GoPro action camera, but can’t afford themselves to get their hands on it. The standard GoPro camera costs around $400, while its clones are priced lower. For example, the Thieye i60 is available for $80; miCam Sports Power is sold for $111 and so on. As of now, we have grabbed an impressive unit dubbed as the EKEN H9SE.

We have already got acquainted with other products from this family – the original H9 and the H9R. The first one is priced at $40, while the second camera is available for $80. It seems these price tags are quite acceptable, but if you want a camera with a few advanced features, possibly you have to prepare more, or you can acquire the EKEN H9SE. Honestly, I don’t know what stands SE for, but we can make some assumptions. For example, it can be Sports Edition or Special Edition. But to find out for sure, we have to dig deeper. Let’s start.

EKEN H9SE Appearance

The EKEN H9SE looks almost identical to its sibling the original H9. It comes at dimensions of 6*4*2.5cm and weighs 64 grams that mean it’s very compact and can be held by one hand, even we can operate with it via two –three fingers. In this sense, we haven’t said anything new, because almost all action cameras come with similar dimensions. If you remember, we have reviewed the ThiEYE V5e also that looks subtle, but it has almost the same dimensions.

We can see the lens itself and the power on/off button located on the front. There is also a small round led that turns into different colors for different actions. The manufacturer has also written two key features of this camera – 4K and WiFi merely hinting at two specs. But I guess it’s tough to wow anyone with these features because many cameras are coming with similar options.

The top of the EKEN H9SE has a capture button and a bit bigger round led for other purposes. The right side comes with a mini HDMI port (Type D), a USB 2.0 and an SD card slot. There are two round buttons for different operations like choosing something from the list. As a reminder, you have to use the capture button for claiming the operation. And finally, you can find a 2-inch screen on the back. At last, there is a special hole for the battery.

The EKEN H9SE is available in four colors – black, white, blue, and yellow.

EKEN H9SE Features

The first thing we have to mention when it comes to action cameras is the images sensor. The H9SE comes with an OmniVision OV4689 with a 4 MP native sensor. This is the same image sensor seen on the original H9. Moreover, this sensor is also used in the SJ4000. This sensor is the way smaller than the others used on the Firefly 6S and SJ5000X Elite (12,4 MP Sony sensor) and Git2 and Xiaomi Yi (16 MP Sony sensor).

The EKEN H9SE comes with a 155 degrees ultra-wide angle fisheye lens, though some sources mention 170 degrees. Probably, they confuse this model with its predecessor that came with 170 degrees lens. It sports a 12MP lens at Full HD resolution. Thus this camera is capable of providing high-quality images max up to 12MP.

The SoC has not been changed as well – the EKEN H9SE is powered with a Taiwan Sunplus SPCA6350 CPU. However, the EKEN H9 was mentioned to come in with Sunplus 6330M chipset. But later it was disclaimed. In this sense, the EKEN cameras are unique, as the most of the cameras rely either on Novatek 96660 or Ambarella A7.

This model is packed with a removable 1050mAh battery, which is larger than many of its competitors. Say, you can find only a 1010mAh battery on the Xiaomi Yi or a 900mAh battery on the SCAM. But I don’t think this model can compete with the GoPro Hero 5 that is packed with a 1220mAh battery. Unfortunately, you won’t see any difference if compared with its predecessor.

As I said, there is a 2-inch screen with a resolution of 320×240 pixels. It’s a bit larger than SJ5000+ 1,5-inch display. But the GoPro comes with a touchscreen that is inconsistent with the one we are currently reviewing.

Video recording

As we know, this camera is capable of recording 4K videos. But it can do it at other resolutions as well.

• 4K 25fps
• 7K 30fps
• 1080P 60fps/30fps
• 720 60fps

The videos are recorded in MOV format. Here we see a little difference between this model and its predecessor. As you remember, the H9 was capable of recording 4K videos at only ten fps and 2.7K videos at 15 fps. So we can say, the manufacturer has improved video recording options for the H9SE.

As for capturing, there are different shooting modes such as Single Shot, Continuous Shooting, Self-timer, and Burst Photo (3 photos in 1 second). The photos are taken at JPG, and finally, the picture resolutions are the following:

• 12M (4000×3000)
• 8M (3264×2448)
• 5M (2592×1944)
• 4M (2304×1728).

EKEN H9SE Box Content

• H9SE 4K WiFi Sports Action Camera
• Waterproof Housing
• Handle Bar
• Helmet Mounts
• Bandages
• Battery
• Lens Cloth
• Tethers
• Metal Tether
• Protective Backdoor
• USB Cable
• Two Clips
• Seven Mounts
• English Manual

Conclusion

The EKEN H9SE comes with a respectable list of cases. One of them allows photographers to put the camera into the water for up to 30 minutes and take amazing underwater photos and record videos. Plus, this camera has an electronic anti-shake feature and a built-in WiFi connectivity. So we can say this is the same EKEN H9 action camera with a bit improved 4K video recording capability. And all you have to pay for this camera is $35.55. Cool!