Welcome to my Akaso V50X review! The V50X is the latest action camera by Akaso and was released in the summer of 2019.

Following the success of the V50 Elite and V50 Pro, Akaso have then released the Akaso V50X which is more of an entry-level camera.

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While many action camera enthusiasts like myself are somewhat attached to GoPro, I love testing cameras from brands like Akaso, ThiEYE and others, simply because they offer cameras with a lot of nice features for a price much lower than GoPro.

After the release of the GoPro Hero 8, brands like Akaso had to do a lot of work to catch up on the quality and features.

On the V50X, Akaso promises its customers with native 4K resolution at 30 frames per second.

A lot of claims have been made in the past by some action camera companies about their cameras’ ability to shoot 4K videos.

However, those cameras had interpolated 4K with MJPEG compression.

This type of compression is low quality and shoots the bitrate into the roof and that can sometimes result in corrupted video files.

Will Akaso deliver good quality 4K on the V50X?

Read this Akaso V50X review to find out..


Akaso V50X Specs (on paper)

SpecsAkaso V50X
Video resolution and frame rate4K 30fps, 2.7K 30fps, 2K 60fps, 2K 30fps, 1080P 90fps, 1080P 60fps, 1080P 30fps, 720P 120fps, 720P 60fps, 720P 30fps
Photo resolution20M / 8M / 5M / 3M. SONY IMX458 sensor
Slow MotionYes
Image stabilizationYes
CodecsH.264 & H.265
Burst photoYes
ISO VideoAuto, 100, 200, 400, 800
ISO PhotoAuto, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Exposure Value (video & photo) -2, -1.7, -1.5, -1.3, -1, -0.5, -0.3, 0, +0.3, +0.5, +1, +1.3, +1.5, +1.7, +2
Video time lapseYes, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60 seconds
Photo time lapseYes, 3, 5, 10, 30, 60 seconds
Micro SD card64GB class 10
FOV/Angle170, 110, 90, 70 degree
Loop recording3, 5, 7 minutes
Photo formatJPEG
Delay timer1, 3, 5, 10, 30 Seconds
TouchscreenYes. 2inch IPS
Voice controlNo
WaterproofNo, housing needed
WiFiYes
BluetoothYes
RemoteYes

Akaso V50X Design & Components

Design

The Akaso V50X design has slightly improved over its predecessors the Pro and Elite. The edges are more rounded which gives it a more sporty look.

Akaso V50X design front

The body is made of plastic and looks a bit rugged. It has a mode button at the front, up and down buttons on the right and a shutter button at the top.

The camera weighs around 80 grams.

Touchscreen

The Akaso V50X has a 2.0 inch IPS touch screen on the back side.

A touchscreen makes a huge difference when controlling the camera and changing modes. It takes less time and effort unlike when only using the buttons.

Akaso V50X design touchscreen

The Akaso V50X touchscreen works really well, you can swipe up and down to go through the different menus then tap with your finger to select the resolution or setting you like.

Lens, Sensor & Chipset

The Akaso V50X lens is a 170-degree super wide lens. The angle is adjustable in the camera settings. There are four options you can choose from: 170, 140, 110 and 70 degrees.

Lens aperture is f/2.8.

The image sensor is a Sony IMX458 with a size of 1/3.06 inches capable of a maximum of 13 megapixels, it supports 4K at 30 frames per second as per the product information sheet.

This means that Akaso’s claims are true. The V50X is truly capable of native 4K resolution at 30fps and still shots at 12 megapixels.

It has a Hi 3559 V200 chipset which supports both H.264 and H.265 codecs and 4K. I will talk about the codecs in the video section later on.

Ports and Slots

On the left side of the camera, you can see the ports and the micro SD card slot.

The Akaso V50X has two ports, a micro USB for charging and for transferring data to a computer. And a micro HDMI out port that is used to output your video footage and photos to a TV or monitor.

Next to these is the micro SD card slot. The V50X supports micro SD cards up to 64GB in size. Make sure the micro SD card is class 10, I personally prefer U3 micro SD cards like this SANdisk.

Always format your newly bought micro SD card using the camera. There is a format option in the settings.

Microphones

The Akaso V50X has one microphone located at the top. The microphone quality is average, it does do a bit of wind noise reduction but not much.

The audio will sound very muffled when using the waterproof housing which is normal on a lot of other action cameras.

Akaso have released an external microphone which works with the V50X. It connects to the camera’s micro USB port and can enhance the audio quality, especially when doing vlogs or live streams.

This external mic can’t be used with the waterproof housing.

Waterproof

The camera itself is not waterproof but it comes with a waterproof housing included in the box for free.

This housing is great for scuba divers or anyone who likes to shoot underwater videos and still shots.

It can protect the camera up to 131 feet or 40 meters of underwater depth.

Akaso V50X waterproof

Akaso V50X Controls and Buttons

Accessing Menus and Modes

Accessing the menus and changing modes is really straight-forward thanks to the touchscreen.

At the bottom-middle of the screen, you will see which mode you are currently using. Just tap on it and you will go to the modes menu.

The Akaso V50X has 9 shooting modes: Photo, Self Timer, Burst Photo, Time Lapse Photo, Video, Slow Motion, Time Lapse Video, Still Photo and Driving.

Akaso V50X Modes

I will talk about each mode in detail later on.

Now, you can just tap and select the mode that you want to use. You will notice that the icon at the top left of the screen will change to match the mode you selected.

If you are in the Photo mode for example and want to change the photo resolution, just tap on the wheel on the bottom right of the screen and a new menu will open where you can change the resolution, set a timer or choose burst photos.

Akaso V50X video settings

Alternatively, you can also use the buttons at the front, top and side to access the modes and settings menus. Can be useful if the camera is inside the waterproof housing.

Remote Control

A remote control is included in the V50X’s box. It is unfortunately not waterproof so it cannot be used underwater. It is only splash-proof as per Akaso’s manual.

The remote pairs with the camera using Bluetooth and has a good range.

Akaso V50X remote

There are two buttons, a photo red button used as shutter button to take still shots and a video gray button to start/stop video recording.

You can’t change modes using the remote, so make sure you are in the correct mode.

The remote’s battery is a Lithium 3V CR2032 and it is replaceable. To access the battery, use a 1.8mm Philips screwdriver to remove the remote cover screws.

Akaso V50X remote battery

Akaso V50X Video

Video Resolutions

The Akaso V50X can shoot video in different resolutions, 4K, 2.7K, 2K, 1080p and 720p.

Here are the width and height in pixels for each resolution:

  • 4K: 3840 x 2160
  • 2.7K: 2704 x 1520
  • 2K: 2560 x 1440
  • 1080p: 1920 x 1080
  • 720p: 1280 x 720

All videos are saved in .MP4 format on the micro SD card.

Video Quality

In action, the 4K resolution looks really good on the V50X thanks to the image sensor. It is a native 4K unlike other action cameras like the ThiEye T5 Pro.

Day time

You might see some slight noise during daytime video shooting, however it is not very noticeable and won’t affect the quality of your footage.

All other resolutions deliver good quality as well. I also liked the full HD 1080p resolution, the video quality looks amazing.

Night time

Low-light video recording is ok, you will notice that the footage becomes a bit grainy. However it’s not as dark as other action cameras, so can be acceptable in some circumstances.

I also noticed that color adjustment when going from light to dark scenes is a bit slow as the camera takes time to adjust to the new light.

I honestly prefer day time recording on the Akaso V50X.

Here’s a 4K video at 30 fps with Image Stabilization:

Frame Rates

The maximum frame rate on the Akaso V50X is 120 fps. This frame rate can only be used with the 720p resolution mainly for slow motion shoots.

Other frame rates available are 90, 60 and 30 fps. The 90 fps is available with the 1080p, the 60 fps with 2K, 1080p and 720p.

The 30 fps is available with all the resolutions.

Codecs

There are two codecs on the Akaso V50X, H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC).

H.265 is more advanced than the H.264 since it offers better video compression which results in smaller video files.

Older computers might suffer a bit if the videos are recorded with H.265 codec.

The good thing is that the H.265 works well with the 4K@30fps resolution and so I will be able to get more video footage for less space.

If you have an old PC, you might want to record your videos with H.264 instead. It will be easier to edit during the post-production stage.

Slow Motion

Slow Motion is one of the 9 modes available on the Akaso V50X and can be selected in the modes menu using the touchscreen.

As you might already know, in order to record videos in slow motion, the frame rates must be at least 60 or 90 fps.

60 fps for example, can slow down the video 2 times, and 90 fps 3 times.

Slow Motion mode on the V50X is available with two resolutions (1080p 90fps and 720 120fps).

Meaning that using the 1080p, you can slow down your video 3 times and using 720p, you can slow down your video 4 times.

Image stabilization can’t be used with Slow Motion mode, so it must be turned off first.

Important note: After the firmware update last November 2019, slow motion mode will shoot slwo motion videos in 30 fps.
A workaround would be to record videos in 90 or 120 fps, and then do the slow motion effect later during editing. Hopefully Akaso will fix this in their next firmware update.

Stabilization

This is another thing I really liked on the Akaso V50X. The image stabilization works really well on this camera, I was actually surprised.

It’s like your using a gimbal, that’s how good it is.

I set my camera to 4K at 30 frames per second and turned on image stabilization and tested it while running and while riding a bicycle and the results were very satisfying.

Akaso V50X Image Stabilization

The footage was very smooth with no shaking whatsoever. You usually expect this quality from brands like GoPro.

A job well done by Akaso. They really upped their game here, as this is a really important feature that can make or break an action camera.

Field of View (FOV)

Field of View called ‘Angle’ on the Akaso V50X. There are four angle options that you choose from:

170-degree: Super Wide, it captures the largest angle of the scene.
110-degree: Wide
90-degree: Normal
70-degree: Narrow, it captures the smallest angle of the scene.

Akaso V50X FOV

Loop Recording

If you don’t know what loop recording is, loop recording is when the camera overwrites old video files with new video files as soon as the memory card is full.

Which means that the memory card will never be full since old files are automatically overwritten.

This feature can be enabled and a loop recording time must be set. There are four options: off, 3 minutes, 5 minutes and 7 minutes.

If for example you choose 3 minutes recording time, the camera will create 3 minutes video files and will start overwriting old files once the memory card gets full.

ISO Video

By default ISO is set to Auto but it can also be set manually in the ISO setting.

High ISO value is useful in low-light shooting and will result in a brighter footage.

Make sure you test the best ISO option before shooting in low-light as a higher ISO can sometimes result in a grainy/noisy footage.

ISO can be set to: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.

Audio Record

A cool feature that enables you to turn audio off or on during video recording.

Still Photo

This feature falls under the Video section because it works during video recording.

Once enabled, still photo option will take a still shot during video recording at a time interval that you select: 3, 5, 10 or 30 seconds.

This feature only works with 4K @ 30fps.


Akaso V50X Photo

Photo Resolution & Formats

As mentioned earlier, the Akaso V50X SONY CMOS image sensor is capable of 13 megapixels.

The default maximum photo resolution on the camera is 12 megapixel, but can be also be set to 8, 5 or 3 megapixels.

Same as in video, day time still shots are really good, exposure looks on point with no noise whatsoever.

Check these daytime shots:

Akaso V50X daytime photo quality
Akaso V50X daytime photo quality_2

Night time shots are ok, can be grainy depending on how dark the scene is.

I tried to play a bit with the ISO settings but it didn’t really make it better. I think unless you’re shooting night time lapse photo, I would avoid shooting still photos in very low-light situations.

Here’s a shot taken at sunset:

Akaso-V50X-low-light-photo-quality

RAW & JPEG

There is no RAW format on the Akaso V50X, photos are only saved in JPEG format so compressed.

RAW shots can be useful for people who want to do post-production on their photos, it helps with editing and color correction since the camera will save the shot un-compressed.

Burst

Photo burst is when the camera takes multiple shots in a small amount of time. It is useful when capturing moving objects.

By default, it is set to take 3 shots in one second. This can be changed to 5 shots in 1 sec or 10 shots in 1 sec.

The maximum the camera can take is 30 photos in 8 seconds.

Exposure Value

Exposure Value is useful when you want to change the exposure of a certain area in your photo.

You can simply select the area where you wish to change the exposure level using your finger on the touchscreen.

Once you select the area you wish to over or under-expose, you can play with the value, here are the available values: -2, -1.7, -1.5, -1.3, -1, -0.5, -0.3, 0, +0.3, +0.5, +1, +1.3, +1.5, +1.7, +2.

Exposure Time (Shutter Speed)

The Akaso V50X exposure time or shutter speed is set to auto by default. It can be set manually to 2, 5, 10 or 30 seconds.

Exposure time is when the sensor is exposed to light for a certain amount of time, the time that you set in manually.

ISO Photo

ISO can be either set to Auto or to one of those four values: 400, 800, 1600 and 3200.


Akaso V50X Time Lapse

Time Lapse Video

Akaso V50X can shoot time lapse videos at different intervals: 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds. By default the interval is set to 0.5 seconds.

Time lapse video is when the camera captures frames at the specified interval and then compile them into one video.

Let’s say for example that you are shooting time lapse in 4K at 30 frames per second and you set the interval to 1 second.

You will need to record for 30 seconds to get a 0.5 second video. It is also interesting to know that audio is not recorded during a time lapse since it is useless anyway.

If you’re planning to shoot a video time lapse in low-light for a night sky for example, make sure you modify the ISO settings to get a brighter image.

Time Lapse Photo

Unlike the video time lapse, the photo time lapse captures photos instead but also at a time interval you can specify when you are in that mode.

You can set it to: 3, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds. The nice thing about the time lapse photo is the ability to check each of the captured photos and delete the ones that you don’t like. You can also edit them using your favorite video editor.


Akaso V50X Battery

Two rechargeable batteries are included in the box with a capacity of 1350mAH each. A dual battery charger is also included which allows you to charge both batteries at the same time.

The battery door is located the at the bottom of the camera.

Akaso claims that each battery can last up to 90 minutes of video recording.

Akaso V50X battery

During my test, the battery lasted around 60 minutes when shooting in 4K and around 80 minutes when shooting in 1080p.

This is normal since 4K needs more processing power which in turn will consume more battery.

If you plan on recording videos for more than 180 minutes then it would be useful to get extra batteries.

Akaso V50X Audio

The recorded audio during video shoots is average, not too bad but not too good either. It really depends on the situation.

The audio is recorded with the single built-in microphone located at the top of the camera. I think Akaso should focus on how to improve the microphone and audio processing in their next release.

Maybe they can also add another microphone for better sound capture.

Akaso V50X External Microphone

Akaso have released an external microphone that can be connected to the micro USB port of the camera for better audio capture.

This microphone must be ordered separately as it’s not included in the box.

It is a nice option to have specially if you are recording vlogs and need a better sound quality.

This microphone is only compatible with Akaso V50X and Dragon Touch Vista 5 action cameras.

I haven’t personally tested it so I can’t say if it works or not. It also looks like third party mics won’t work with the V50X.

Once you plug the external mic, you must turn on “external microphone” in the settings to make it work. Only then the internal mic will switch off.

<<<Check the Akaso V50X Microphone on Amazon>>>

Other Features

Here’s a few other features and settings available on the Akaso V50X:

White Balance: Available in both video and photo modes. It basically adjusts the color temperature of your shots. It can be set to: Auto, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Daylight, Cloudy and Dawn.

Meter: Available in both video and photo modes. This is the way the camera determines exposure. It is set to Average by default and can be changed to Center or Spot.

Color: Available in both video and photo modes. This setting acts like a filter, it can be set to Natural, Black & White or Sepia.

Scene: Available in photo mode. It can be set to Auto or Light Painting.

Sharpness: Available in photo mode. Sharpness controls the quality of details in the photos. It can be set to Strong, Normal or Soft.

Photo Quality: Available in photo mode. This controls the photo quality which in turn affects the size. It can be set to Fine, Normal or Economy.

Distortion Calibration: This settings corrects distortion in images.

Diving Mode: This mode is useful for underwater shots. It electronically compensates for the red color so you won’t need a filter.

Driving Mode: This mode is useful if you would like to use your Akaso V50X as a dash camera. When connected to the car cigarette lighter socket, the camera will turn on automatically when you start the car. You still have to hit the record button to start/stop recording.

AkasoV50X dash cam

WDR (Wide Dyamic Range): Available in video mode. This option ensures that the shot is properly exposed in both dark and bright scenes.

Auto Power Off: You can set a timer for the camera to turn off automatically in case of inactivity. 1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes.

Screen Saver: You can set a screen saver after a certain amount of time of inactivity. It is used to save battery life. Can be set to: 30 seconds, 1 minute and 3 minutes.

Akaso V50X App

Akaso has an app called “Roadcam” that is available for IOS and Android devices via the Apple Store and Google Play.

The app will connect to the Akaso V50X via WiFi and will let you control the camera remotely.

You can take full control of the camera, you can record videos, take stills, change modes and settings and watch your recorded footage.

The app works for now and I haven’t noticed any glitches yet.

You can also use the app to transfer your video and photo files from the camera to your phone.

Akaso V50X app

Just connect to the camera, click on “Add Recorder”, click the icon in the middle of the screen, click “HD Photo” icon then click on any file for 3 seconds, you can also select a group of files.

Tap the download button to transfer files to your phone.

Akaso V50X app_2

Items Included in the Box

  • Akaso V50X camera
  • Waterproof Housing
  • Handle bar /pole mount
  • 7 different mounts
  • Remote control
  • Helmet mounts
  • Protective backdoor
  • Micro USB to USB cable
  • Dual battery charger
  • 2x batteries
  • Tethers
  • Lens Cloth
  • Quick start guide
Akaso V50X in the box

Problems Encountered by Users

  • Poor app performance. App freezes when transferring files.
  • Poor low-light performance.
  • Low quality audio.

To Conclude

All in all, the Akaso V50X is a good camera especially when used in daylight. The camera delivers native 4K quality and I was impressed with the result.

Other resolutions like the full HD 1080p work really well and deliver high quality video. You can also shoot slow motion videos and video and photo time lapse.

Photo quality is also good in 12 megapixels. There are many cool features like diving mode and driving mode.

The camera however doesn’t really perform very well in low-light. The audio isn’t great either.

But for the cheap price tag, is this camera worth the money? I would definitely say yes.

So if you’re looking for an entry-level camera for daylight use that can shoot 4K videos, the Akaso V50X is a good option.

I bought my Akaso V50X on Amazon because of their excellent customer service and return policy. The price might change over time so click the below button to check the current price.


I hope you liked my Akaso V50X review, please share it if you found it useful.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me in the comments section below. šŸ™‚