Report on the Yi 4K+
 

The Yi 4K+ uses a new processor. It has four advantages due to its being more powerful and more energy efficient:

1. One can now shoot UHD (4K) video at 60 fps.
2. One can shoot UHD at 30 fps with EIS that is very sophisticated.
3. Battery life is longer.
4. No overheating.

Why do we care about 60 fps? Actually, I can never detect the difference between video shot at 30p and 60p. The key advantage is that you can slow down the video and still have 4K, using 30p as the rendered video.

Why is slowing down useful? You can smooth out camera moves - it smooths out pans and, most importantly, smooths moving with the camera (on a gimbal) - and subject action slowed down makes that action more interesting.

I decided to test out this new camera, taking advantage of its 60p in 4K. I had a gimbal, so I could move with the camera (it also produces motorized pans). To achieve the minimum weight (125 grams) for the gimbal (Feiyu Crane M) I put the camera in its waterproof case. So, I was going to shoot on the beach, temperature over 80 degrees (F) sealed in an airtight case! Will it overheat?

The results:

1. I shot for a period of 1 hour 31 minutes, never turning off the camera in the hot sun, until the battery ran out (first charge). This is longer than any small camera I have used.

2. I shot 50 minutes of 135 Mbps “footage” taking up 51 GBs on the micro sd card during that time.

3. No overheating - again, the camera was on the whole time, and 55% of the time the camera was recording. No other small camera I have used (Sony RX100 IV, GoPro Hero 4 Black and Hero 5, Samsung 360 Gear, Kodak 360 4K) could do that, not even close. Now, overheating can shut the camera down or it can cook the sensor (hello, GoPro and Kodak and Samsung), resulting in low-resolution results. Neither happened.

And here is the edited video, shot on the gimbal - with smooth slowed pans, and slowed moving with the camera and static shots, some slowed. You are seeing 4K, a dynamic video and slow motion!


Now, what about using the camera without a gimbal? How good is the EIS in 4K (30p) in eliminating shakes? Here is the 4K test video, all handheld (static shoots).


Pretty amazing, and I do not see much loss (if any) in resolution. Handheld, 4K, tiny camera - better than the Sony BOSS.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Concerning the first video there is a problem with skipping a frame every second or so.
How did you convert the 60p to 29.97p?

Also the video has superwhites,if you bring the superwhites into legal you can recover some highlights.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

I noticed that too. I used Vegas Pro 14: velocity envelope to 52%, then stretch, disable resample. The frame skipping (or whatever it is) ruins the idea that slowing down smooths! Allowing resample results in ghosting/

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

I do not know Vegas, can you reinterpret the footage as 29.976 in Vegas? That way it just renders the frames at a slower pace instead of changing/skipping them.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

"Reinterpret" is not a command. all the 60p frames were rendered at 30p, and the ones not slowed down are perfect.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Still there is something that went wrong.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Yes, I agree. Perhaps someone with experience with Vegas can also help. I may play around with some settings to see. Thank you for looking, and noticing.

The problem is fixed
 

I will be uploading the replacement video tonight (the fraction slowdown had slipped away from 50%).

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

very nice stuff
I've sworn off buying any new cameras but..
What about charging it if I don't have any usbc. I thought I did when I got a hp envy4k but it wasn't
That dramatic music blasting from some speakers somewhere around there? lol

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

The usbc port is on the camera, you get a usbc to usb A cable in the box. All a.c. adapters giving out at least 1.5 amps (5 volts) will work to charge, as they all have the standard usbc a port. The camera will work without a battery, just needs 2 amps from an external battery or ac. For $17 from Amazon you can get a charger and two extra batteries. So you can lose the cable...

Whenever people walk in slow motion there must be dramatic music :).

The fixed gimbal video is now on line
 

Same link (but I will repeat it here). Smoother motion in the slow motion segments from fixing my glitch in the software.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Thanks for your time,Mark
The footage looks good.

Does time-lapse in 4K (from 4:2:2 jpegs and raw!)
 

This was made from 4000x3000 4:2:2 jpegs.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

In and around water.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Impressive footage from an action cam, even though I can only watch it at 1080. I checked it out, but looking at the EU model it doesn't seem to have a 25/50p option. Shame.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

It does do 25p/50p. Same with 4k and others as well (EU model). Just change the video system settings from NTSC to PAL.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

OK, cheers! I couldn't find that info, so assumed it didn't.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Here are the specs:
https://www.yitechnology.com/actioncamera/specs/id/11

Yi 4K+ and Zhiyun Evolution Gimbal: Sound Test in Washington Square in 4K 60p
 

YouTube streamed in 4K60p:


Vimeo version streamed in 4K 30p, but the original 4K 60p video is downloadable:


Sounds from a saxophone, fountains, construction equipment, guitar.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

It looks to be quite an improvement on the GoPros, slightly cheaper here too!

Out of interest Mark, how did you capture the audio, internal mikes, external mike or separate recorder? I ask because it sounds pretty clean to me.

I begin to wonder if there is any great need for any other camcorder for general use!:-)

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

When one uses a lightweight gimbal dedicated to action cams the internal mic ends up right against a motor. So an external mic is necessary. I used the Sony ECM-CS3, clipped to the gimbal.

At the end of this short video I show the "rig" - camera, gimbal and mic.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Yi 4K+ on a the Zhiyun Evolution gimbal at the end of the day. Can be viewed in 4K 60p.

On gimbal and with external mic
 

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Mark, I thought that camera could not accommodate an external mic.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

This is the Yi 4K+. It supports an external mic through the usb-c port (same as the GoPro 5). Yi sells a cheap adaptor - analog port to usb-c.

One must use an external mic when the camera is mounted on most gimbals, because the internal mics are so close to the gimbal motors, and the motor noise is recorded. As you hear in the videos above, there is zero gimbal noise. I use the tiny Sony ECM-CS3 mic, attached with its clip to the gimbal bracket (not the handle, so there is no handling noise and no motor noise).

The rig is pictured at the end of this short video:

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Note the dynamic range of the audio at the end, when the real train (Amtrak Acela Express) comes.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Mark, got any suggestions on the batteries and cards? My intent is to set up a pair of these to cover me when I am moving.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

These batteries work fine, and you get a charger that works well too (I have this set):

https://www.amazon.com/Newmowa-Repla...QYYWZTSY2QHKG8

Yi has a list of microsd cards that work on their web site:

https://www.yitechnology.com/yi-4k-p...n-camera-specs

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

fantastic watching on a 4k 27" hp envy monitor and it's quite lovely.
Any focusing or is the depth of field everything out there?
Have you shot any stage stuff with it?

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

The wide-angle lens ensures a big DOF. See the close-ups of the telescope, with the distant vista still in focus.

No stage stuff yet - the camera does need a lot of light.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Have you defished the footage or is it unaltered?
Most cameras do well in daylight so it will be interesting to see some spotlit stuff

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

No alteration in post, except some gamma adjustments.

There is a spot meter mode, which will be very useful for spotlit scenes!

Joggers in slow motion in 4K
 

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

24p, 2:39 aspect ratio, shot flat color and color graded.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

I'm wondering if the Yi 4K +1 will employ the DSCRX0 1" sensor?
Have you any indoor footage to show? please and thank you :)

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Here is low-light 4K test footage - shot at 4K24P ISO 800. It was very dark - one light bulb in the ceiling. This was shot to imitate what the scene looked like, not to push to make it brighter than it looked to the naked eye.

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

Is there any control over the audio level or is it AGC like the GoPros?

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

thanks, that was illuminating :)
not to shabby at all and quite natural. I could get 2 of these for the price or a RX0

Re: Report on the Yi 4K+
 

I hate AGC, squashing dynamics and pushing up noise when there are low level sounds. However, in recent years almost all cameras use a limiter rather than aggressive AGC, and it is much better.

The Yi 4K+ allows setting two levels for audio, low and high. High is the "natural" setting. The dynamic range is large, with no pumping. 'Low' is for rock concerts, where the levels are very loud and constant.

At 2:34 in this video, a train passes by. You can hear the incredible dynamic range - from soft to very loud to soft again. That can only happen without aggressive AGC. I can see it on the audio waveform.


If you listen to some of the above posted videos with ambient sound, you will also hear large differences in amplitude depending on closeness to subject and subject levels.