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AKASO EK7000 Camera Review

Tested using Methodology v0.12
Reviewed Mar 18, 2021 at 09:12 am
Latest change: Test bench update Dec 21, 2022 at 12:41 pm
AKASO EK7000 Picture
5.1
Travel Photography
5.9
Landscape Photography
4.4
Sport & Wildlife Photography
5.1
Vlogging
5.0
Studio Video
5.6
Action Video

The AKASO EK7000 is a compact camera that's designed for action video. With its included case, it feels pretty solid, and you can easily mount this camera on a helmet rig thanks to its lightweight design. Also, its good video stabilization performance helps to smooth out camera shake, even if you're moving quickly while filming. That said, its video quality isn't the best, and there's some visual noise present, especially if you're filming in low-light conditions.

Our Verdict

5.1 Travel Photography

The AKASO EK7000 is awful for travel photography. This camera isn't really designed for photography, as the camera doesn't let you adjust ISO, aperture, or shutter speed. It doesn't come with an autofocus system, either, which can be disappointing if you want it to automatically track moving subjects.

Pros
  • Portable, water resistant design.
Cons
  • No autofocus system.
  • ISO, aperture, and shutter speed can't be adjusted.
5.9 Landscape Photography

The AKASO EK7000 is poor for landscape photography. This camera isn't designed for this use, as it doesn't let you adjust ISO, shutter speed, or aperture. It also doesn't come with an autofocus system. While it's quite portable, its materials don't feel very robust without its included case.

4.4 Sport & Wildlife Photography

The AKASO EK7000 is poor for sport and wildlife photography, though it isn't really intended for this use. The ISO, aperture, and shutter speed can't be adjusted manually, and you can only shoot continuously in three-shot bursts, which is quite limiting. There isn't an autofocus system, either, so you don't have any assistance with tracking fast-moving subjects. On the upside, it has a high maximum shutter speed, which is handy if you want clear pictures of fast-moving subjects.

5.1 Vlogging

The AKASO EK7000 is disappointing for vlogging, though it isn't designed for this use. Though this camera has a lightweight, portable design, it has a fixed screen, so you can't turn it to face you while you record. It does a good job smoothing out camera shake; however, overall video quality is poor, especially in low-light settings.

Pros
  • Portable, water resistant design.
  • Good video stabilization performance in 4k and FHD.
Cons
  • Poor video quality in 4k and FHD.
  • Build doesn't feel very robust without the case.
  • Fixed screen doesn't rotate.
5.0 Studio Video

The AKASO EK7000 is disappointing for studio video. It isn't designed for this use, and video quality is poor in 4k and FHD, so your footage isn't very sharp or detailed. It lacks a video autofocus system, so there aren't any tools to help you track moving subjects. It doesn't have inputs for videography accessories like headphones or a microphone, either.

Pros
  • Easy-to-use menu system.
Cons
  • Poor video quality in 4k and FHD.
  • No autofocus system.
5.6 Action Video

The AKASO EK7000 is middling for action video. This small, lightweight camera can easily be mounted on a helmet rig. With its included case, it has a solid build, and it's even rated for water resistance when used with its case, though we don't currently test for this. It also does a good job smoothing out camera shake. That said, its video quality in 4k and FHD is poor, and it doesn't offer a lot of frame rate options for recording slow-motion footage.

Pros
  • Portable, water resistant design.
  • Good video stabilization performance in 4k and FHD.
Cons
  • Poor video quality in 4k and FHD.
  • Build doesn't feel very robust without the case.
  • Limited frame rate options.
  • 5.1 Travel Photography
  • 5.9 Landscape Photography
  • 4.4 Sport & Wildlife Photography
  • 5.1 Vlogging
  • 5.0 Studio Video
  • 5.6 Action Video
  1. Updated Dec 21, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.12.
  2. Updated Dec 20, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.11.
  3. Updated Oct 03, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.10.
  4. Updated Sep 02, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.9.
  5. Updated May 16, 2022: While this camera can only record 4k video at 25 fps, we've updated the '4k Video Frame Rate' box to show 'Yes' for '24 fps In 4k' and adjusted the score accordingly. Since these frame rates are roughly equivalent, the new score aligns more closely with user expectations.
  6. Updated May 16, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.
  7. Updated Jul 23, 2021: Measured screen brightness.
  8. Updated Mar 18, 2021: Review published.
  9. Updated Mar 16, 2021: Early access published.
  10. Updated Mar 03, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  11. Updated Feb 26, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The AKASO EK7000 comes in 'Blue', 'Black', and 'Silver'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly.

AKASO also produces the AKASO EK7000 Pro, which is very similar but comes with a touchscreen, in-camera electronic video stabilization, and 16MP photos. However, we haven't tested the Pro, so we can't confirm its performance.

If you come across another version, please let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
9.9
Design
Portability
Height
1.6" (4.1 cm)
Width
2.3" (6.0 cm)
Depth
1.2" (3.1 cm)
Volume
4.7 in³ (76.3 cm³)
Weight
0.13 lbs (0.06 kg)
5.0
Design
Build Quality

  • No hinge or retention mechanism for battery cover
  • No input or SD card covers
  • Materials for the camera itself feel okay, but it feels much more robust with the included case
  • Only rated for water resistance while using the included clear case, but the camera isn't advertised for water resistance on its own

Design
Body
Body Type
Action Cam
Water Resistance
Waterproof, with included case
Mirrorless
Yes
Rugged
Yes, with included case
Hot Shoe
No
Customizable Button
No
Command Dial
0
Tripod Mount
Yes, with included accessory
Lens Mount
No Lens Mount
Built-In Flash
No
Fastest Shutter Speed
1/4,000 s
Design
In The Box

  • AKASO EK7000 camera body
  • Camera case
  • Quick reference guide
  • Akasogo Club card
  • Micro USB cable
  • 2x AKASO PG 1050 battery
  • Battery charging cradle
  • Remote
  • Metal cable
  • Zip ties
  • Helmet mount straps
  • Helmet mount accessory
  • Handlebar mount accessory
  • Tripod mount frame
  • Shirt clip mount accessory

5.5
Design
Ergonomics & Comfort
Hand Grip: Small Hand
No Hand Grip
Hand Grip: Medium Hand
No Hand Grip
Hand Grip: Large Hand
No Hand Grip
Hand Grip: Extra-Large Hand
No Hand Grip

  • It's intended to be used as an action camera, but can be used to take photos/videos handheld
  • No touchscreen, so you can only change settings using the arrow buttons or the shutter button

Design
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Type
No Viewfinder
Advertised Coverage
N/A
Advertised Resolution
N/A
Advertised Magnification
N/A
1.9
Design
Screen
Screen Articulation Type
No Articulation (Fixed Screen)
Screen Max Brightness
315 cd/m²
Advertised Resolution
N/A
Size
2.0" (5.0 cm)
Touchscreen
No

Update 07/23/2021: Measured screen brightness and updated score accordingly.

8.5
Design
Menu System
Guide Mode
No
App Name
iSmart DV

  • Menu is simple and very easy to navigate
  • Limited selection of features, no image settings adjustments like focus or exposure settings
  • No Guide Mode to provide additional information about settings

5.6
Design
Built-In Lens
Maximum Aperture
2.8
Max Aperture (Full-Frame Equivalent)
N/A
Minimum Focal Length
N/A
Maximum Focal Length
N/A
Max Focal Length (Full-Frame Equivalent)
N/A
Optical Image Stabilization
No
Luminance
65.3%
Light Falloff
43.9%
Design
Sensor
Sensor Type
Unspecified
Advertised Effective Pixels
12 MP
Sensor Size
Unspecified
Processor
Unspecified
Extended ISO Minimum
N/A
Native ISO Minimum (Base ISO)
100
Native ISO Maximum
1,600
Tested Firmware
KM20.0703V1STB
6.5
Design
Battery
Battery Type
AKASO PG 1050
USB Charging
Yes
Use When Charging
No
Advertised Battery Life In Photo
N/A
Tested Battery Life In Video
100 min
Photo General
4.3
Photo General
Photo Shooting Speed
Low Speed Continuous
N/A
High Speed Continuous
3 fps
Silent Shooting Continuous
3 fps
Raw Buffer Size
N/A
JPEG Buffer Size
3 Photos
Buffer Empty Time
0 s
not tested
Photo General
Photo AF-C Tracking
Autofocus Tracking Shots N/A
Perfect Focus Hit Rate
N/A
Usable Focus Hit Rate
N/A
not tested
Photo General
Photo AF-C Center Point
Autofocus Center Point Shots N/A
Perfect Focus Hit Rate
N/A
Usable Focus Hit Rate
N/A
not tested
Photo General
Photo Image Stabilization
Minimum Shutter Speed Achieved
N/A
In-Body Image Stabilization
No
Photo Image Quality
not tested
Photo Image Quality
Photo RAW Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range At Base ISO
N/A
Dynamic Range At 1/500s Exposure Time
N/A
Dynamic Range At 1/2000s Exposure Time
N/A
Dynamic Range At 1/4000s Exposure Time
N/A
not tested
Photo Image Quality
Photo RAW Sharpness
Vertical Edge MTF50 At Base ISO
N/A
Horizontal Edge MTF50 At Base ISO
N/A
not tested
Photo Image Quality
Photo RAW Noise
SNR 18% At 1/8 Exposure Time (125 ms)
N/A
SNR 18% At 1/125 Exposure Time (8 ms)
N/A
SNR 18% At 1/1000 Exposure Time (1 ms)
N/A
SNR 18% At 1/4000 Exposure Time (0.25 ms)
N/A
Pictures Sample Gallery
Pictures Sample Gallery
The Skate Park Picture
JPEG Skate Park Picture Download
RAW Skate Park Picture N/A
Pictures Sample Gallery
The Polish Church Picture
JPEG Polish Church Picture Download
RAW Polish Church Picture N/A
Pictures Sample Gallery
The Studio Picture
JPEG Studio Picture Download
RAW Studio Picture N/A
Pictures Sample Gallery
The Stairway Picture
JPEG Stairway Picture Download
RAW Stairway Picture N/A
Video General
Video General
Video Features
Full HD Video
Yes
4k Video
Yes
6k Video
No
Clean HDMI Output
No
Advertised Max Chroma Sampling Over HDMI
Not Advertised
Advertised Max Bit Depth Over HDMI
N/A
Log Picture Profile
No
Recording Light
Yes
Video General
Audio
Audio Test Sample
Audio Recording
Stereo
Microphone Level Display
No
Video General
Video File Format And Compression
MP4 H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
No
MP4 H.265 / HEVC
No
MOV H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
Yes
MOV H.265 / HEVC
No
AVCHD H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
No
All-I Compression
No
4k Video
4.5
4k Video
4k Video Frame Rate
240 fps In 4k
No
120 fps In 4k
No
60 fps In 4k
No
30 fps In 4k
No
24 fps In 4k
Yes
4k Crop At Max Available fps
1 x

Note: The AKASO EK7000 can only shoot 4k video at 25 fps. Because we don't have a comparison for 25 fps, we've marked 'Yes' for '24 fps in 4k' since the two frame rates are roughly equivalent.

7.9
4k Video
4k Video Internal Recording
Bitrate Maximum In 4k
60 Mbps
Bitrate Minimum In 4k
60 Mbps
Chroma Sampling In 4k
4:2:0
Bit Depth In 4k
8 Bit
Record Time Limit In 4k
N/A
Overheat Recording Interruptions in 4k
0
0
4k Video
4k Video Autofocus Performance
Object Tracking In 4k
N/A
Face Tracking In 4k
N/A
Face Detection In 4k
No
Eye Detection In 4k
No
4.0
4k Video
4k Video Quality
Low Light Capability In 4k
4.0
Test Scene Extract In 4k
4.0
8.8
4k Video
4k Video Rolling Shutter Effect
4k Rolling Shutter
1.3°
Full HD Video
8.5
Full HD Video
FHD Video Frame Rate
240 fps In FHD
No
120 fps In FHD
No
60 fps In FHD
Yes
30 fps In FHD
Yes
24 fps In FHD
Yes
FHD Crop At Max Available fps
1 x
7.8
Full HD Video
FHD Video Internal Recording
Bitrate Maximum In FHD
16 Mbps
Bitrate Minimum In FHD
12 Mbps
Chroma Sampling In FHD
4:2:0
Bit Depth In FHD
8 Bit
Record Time Limit in FHD
N/A
0
Full HD Video
FHD Video Autofocus Performance
Object Tracking In FHD
N/A
Face Tracking In FHD
N/A
Face Detection In FHD
No
Eye Detection In FHD
No
4.0
Full HD Video
FHD Video Quality
Low Light Capability In FHD
4.0
Test Scene Extract In FHD
4.0
8.8
Full HD Video
FHD Video Rolling Shutter Effect
FHD Rolling Shutter
1.3°
Storage And Connectivity
Storage And Connectivity
Storage
Card 1 Slot
microSD Card UHS-I
Card 2 Slot
No 2nd Card Slot
4.8
Storage And Connectivity
Inputs / Outputs
USB
Micro USB
HDMI
Micro (Type D)
Headphones
No
Microphone
No Microphone input
Wi-Fi
Yes
Bluetooth
No