14 DAY TRIAL // The action camera market has expanded at a pretty fast pace in the last couple of years, and while GoPro continues to be the star of the show, not everyone wants to spend several hundred dollars on such a device.
This is why smaller companies, such as those based in China, believe they can succeed in this rapidly-evolving side of the technology business, promising to make no compromises in terms of performance, but keeping the price as low as possible.
This is the case of MGCOOL, the Chinese manufacturer that launched its flagship Explorer Pro action camera with a price that takes everyone by surprise. At $40, it’s one of the most affordable 4K action cameras on the market, and it’s available right now from a wide array of retailers.
The Explorer Pro was developed from the very beginning to be a low-budget action camera that doesn’t leave behind the essential technical capabilities, though there’s one important omission on the spec sheet that got our attention from the very beginning: image stabilization.
An action camera without an image stabilization system? Is that even possible? MGCOOL says it is, so its flagship product comes instead with a 2-inch LCD screen that supports video recording of up to 4K @ 30 fps. The camera runs on an Allwinner V3 processor and uses a Sony IMX179 16-megapixel sensor.
At first glance, it’s just the perfect choice for those who want to enjoy all the benefits of an action camera, but without actually spending a fortune on it, so let’s see what the MGCOOL Explorer Pro is all about.
BUILD QUALITY
The body of the camera is solid and gives you the impression that it can resists shocks and hits, though it’s worth mentioning that you get several accessories to help you in this regard, including a waterproof case. The device is offered in two different color options, black and silver, and despite being a low-budget model, it’s surprisingly well-crafted and feels nice to the hand.
The Explorer Pro features 3 notification LEDs, with one of them placed near the camera shutter and the other two on the rear just next to the display for the status of the battery.
The 2-inch TFT display lets you take a peek at the shot you’re about to take, or you can play back the recorded videos, while a micro USB port allows you to quickly transfer the files stored on the microSD card. There’s also a micro HDMI port that lets you connect the camera to a TV and we’ve found this to be particularly useful, especially because setting up the connection doesn’t take more than just a few seconds.
The main button on the camera has two different features: it turns on the device and lets you toggle between photo, video, and settings. On the side, there’s a microphone and two extra buttons for turning on Wi-Fi and browsing the menus when setting up the camera. When using the Explorer Pro for taking photos or recording videos, the two buttons let you zoom in and out.
The battery used on the MGCOOL Explorer Pro is replaceable, and while you might be tempted to believe that this affects waterproofing, it does not because the device comes with a waterproof case in the box. Charging the camera is possible with a micro USB cable, though we’d recommend using a different cable than the one coming with the device because MGCOOL’s is rather slow and often fails to connect.
There are lots of accessories coming right in the box and which allow you to mount the camera on your helmet, on a selfie stick, a bike or motorcycle, plus a waterproof case for filming under water. Here’s the full list of accessories that you get in the box:
| 1 x Explorer Pro with waterproof case |
| 1 x Camera Bracket |
| 1 x Clip |
| 1 x USB data cable |
| 1 x Bicycle stand |
| 2 x Helmet base |
| 1 x Adaptor |
| 1 x User manual |
| 2 x 3M Adhesive Tape |
HARDWARE
The Explorer Pro is MGCOOL’s flagship camera, and it’s equipped with an Allwinner V3 processor and a Sony IMX179 featuring 16 megapixels. While I’m not a big fan of Allwinner chips, the V3 seems to be running pretty well on this camera, despite that I expected 4K performance to be somewhat impacted by its limited capabilities.
On the other hand, the Sony sensor seems to be the right choice, and it offers video resolutions of 2K @ 30 fps and 4K @ 30 fps.
The camera features a 170 degrees wide angle, with a so-called SHARKEYE feature built-in, helping to remove the typical distortions that you get when shooting at an angle over 100 degrees. What’s worth mentioning is that despite the high-quality sensor, the camera lacks in terms of software, and it doesn’t come with any filters that can be applied to the recording as it’s the case of rival cameras.
When it comes to photos, the MGCOOL camera offers a maximum resolution of 4608x3456 pixels, with a bunch of basic settings like 5 white balance modes, namely Auto, Cloudy, Sunny, Incandescent Light, Fluorescent light. There are also manual settings for the exposure, as well as several modes for the automatic settings, as it follows:
| Single Shot |
| Timed: 3s, 5s, 10, 20s |
| Drama shoot |
| Tech Specs | Processor: Allwinner V3 Features: Wireless, range 13m Display: TFT, 2", screen resolution: 320x240 Battery Type: Removable Capacity: 1050 mAh Power Supply: 5V / 1A Charge way: USB charge by PC Working Time: About 100 minutes with WiFi off (at 4K) |
|---|---|
| Camera | Wide Angle: 170° 16 megapixel |
| Photo Video Audio | Decode Format: H.264 Video format: MP4 Video Resolution: 1080P (1920 x 1080) @ 120/60/30fps, 2K (2688 x 1520)30fps, 4K (3840 x 2160)@30fps, 720p @120/60/30fps Photo resolution: 16M, 12M, 8M, 5M, 2M Moduri camera: Video, Photo, Time-lapse Video Output: HDMI Image Format: JPG |
| Features | Wi-Fi: Yes Waterproof: Yes 30 meters Waterproof Rating: IP68 with waterproof case, 30m underwater loop-cycle recording: Yes Loop-cycle Recording Time: 2min, 3min, 5min, OFF HDMI Output: Yes USB Function: PC-Camera Delay Shutdown: Yes Interface Type: Micro HDMI, Micro USB, TF Card Slot Android 4.2 or up / for IOS 7.0 or up |
VIDEO TEST
It goes without saying that a low-budget camera can’t compete with the big guys on the market, but it’s still surprising that the Explorer Pro bets so big on 4K resolution.
Our test, however, was mainly based on shooting at 1080 @ 60 fps because this remains the most widely used resolution these days, though one of the videos below shows how the camera performs with 4K mode on as well.
Unexpectedly, the MGCOOL Explorer Pro offers stunning performance for the money, and the video quality is above the average, to say the least. Videos are clear, the white balance takes a little bit too long to adjust, but overall, there’s no doubt you’ll be fine with it. Detail quality and the colors that it offers in its recordings are both very good.
Just as expected, the 1080p video quality doesn’t match the one in 4K, but colors and details are still decent, especially when keeping in mind how affordable this camera is.
There’s one major drawback though, and we consider this to be a deal breaker, despite its price: there’s no image stabilization system on the camera, and pretty much every single video is kind of shaky, no matter the support you use. For example, one of the videos below was recorded with the camera on the car dashboard, and every single vibration of the engine was transmitted to the camera.
An action camera without image stabilization is like a cat without fur: you can live with both of them, but you’d rather not take them outside for someone else to see them.
PHOTO TEST
Even though it’s first and foremost an action camera, the MGCOOL Explorer Pro can also take pics, with a maximum resolution of 4608x3456 pixels thanks to the Sony IMX179 16-megapixel sensor.
And yet, performance isn’t really top-notch, and due to the fact that it fails to properly adjust white balance settings, it alters colors and brightness. Noise is pretty visible in most shots, especially if lighting is not the best.
As you can see below, in direct sunlight, the photos do look good, though they’re not the best. And since we won’t compare it to the more expensive GoPro, there’s no doubt that the MGCOOL Explorer Pro offers average performance for a camera that costs less than a genuine iPhone charger.
BATTERY
The MGCOOL Explorer Pro uses a 1,050 mAh removable battery that can provide a maximum of 90 minutes video recording in 4K resolution.
Recharging the battery from 0 percent level takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, but we recommend using a different cable than the one MGCOOL includes in the box, especially because we experienced several disconnects during our review.
This means that if you leave on a trip and want to record more than an hour and a half you need either an external battery to recharge it or a second battery pack that you can purchase separately.
What’s also worth mentioning is that the battery has one of the lowest consumption rates on the market right now, but this is also because the camera itself doesn’t provide as many features as its rivals.
| Power Supply: 3.7V / 3.885 Wh |
| Charge way: USB charge by PC |
| Working Time: About 100 minutes with WiFi off at 4K |
THE BOTTOM LINE
It goes without saying that you can’t expect a $40 camera to provide top-notch performance, but in the end, the MGCOOL Explorer Pro does provide good value for the money.
There’s one major setback, and once again, we can’t understand how come that an action camera lacks an image stabilization system. Mostly supposed to be used in the most extreme adventures, a camera needs to be strapped on your helmet or case, and it goes without saying that everything is super shaky all the time.
And without such a feature, the video quality is substantially impacted, even if you think you have a steady hand. The video you see above was made with the camera firmly supported on the car dashboard, but as you can see, every little vibration of the engine is transmitted to the camera and affects video quality.
On the other hand, you get the typical Android and iOS smartphone support, and a connection with the phone is made almost instantly with the dedicated app and the Wi-Fi feature.
Overall, the MGCOOL Explorer Pro comes with some pretty good features, starting with the 2-inch display that’s pretty large for an action camera and ending with the high-quality materials that feel good to the touch. The software side is also well optimized and user-friendly, making the configuration process a breeze.
Without a doubt, the MGCOOL Explorer Pro offers good value for the money, though there are features that certainly need improvements. But given its $40 price tag, it’s definitely worth a look at when checking out low-budget action cameras.
