SJCAM M20 Action Camera User Manual

: June 12, 2024
: SJCAM

SJCAM M20 Action Camera

USER MANUAL

Meet M20. First SJCAM action cam to support remote control.

Multi-function remote control (aka SJ Remote).
M20 has an adjustable FOV allowing you to shoot Wide (166°) Medium and Narrow.
Multiple Video File Formats: MP4 and .MOV for videos, .JPEG and .RAW for photos
Distortion Correction and record beautiful, realistic videos with the widest field of view option ON.
Gyro stabilization rounds out bumps in the road. Turn Gyro on when shooting video. Gyro is useful when shooting video when there is upwards and downwards motion. Whether you are recording using M20 while biking, FPV or dash cam, Gyro will make your video that much more smooth.
SJCAM Zone for M20 supports wireless connection with iOS and Android. Preview Control capture and share videos and pictures remotely.
Dive up to 30 meters (90 feet) with the M20. The M20 has a very sleek and sturdy waterproof case.
Connecting SJCAM to the TV has never been so simple thanks to the HDMI TV-output mode.
2160p Recording. M20 is a 2.5K action camera. 4K is supported via Interpolation.
SJCAM M20 with aerial capabilities. Are you a drone fan? Do you own a drone with limited recording capabilities? M20 is perfect for aerial video- and photo- recording. No built-in drone camera on the market offers such great video image, wide field of view, and great audio quality.
M20 supports taking pictures in RAW. Raw means that the m20 does not edit the photo quality. There is no loss of image quality. RAW is only for photography. M20 also supports mp4 and .mov.

CAUTION!

1. This is a high-precision product. Do not drop.
2. Do not expose the unit to strong magnetic fields, such as magnets, electrical motors, and machinery that use strong radio waves.
3. Never leave the unit in high temperature areas. Electronics and optics can be damaged under prolonged exposure to heat.
4. Do not submerge the camera without putting it in the included waterproof case.
5. Avoid extended periods of battery charging. Keep it away from children and pets to avoid accidents.

M20 SPECIFICATIONS

16.35mp Sony IMX206 sensor
4K @ 24fps (28802160) *4K is interpolated, 2K(2560 x 1440)30fps / 1080P(1920 x 1080) 60fps / 720P(1280 x 720)120fps, WVGA@240fps
Built-in Gyro Anti-shake Stabilization Sensor (Hardware)
Slow Motion: -2X, -4X, -8X
Adjustable Wide-Angle View Lens – Adjust between wide, medium, narrow
1.5 inch LCD Screen
RAW for taking photos
Anti fish-eye mode (Distortion Correction)
FPV Mode
Time lapse Video / Picture Record
Burst Mode – Take up to 3 pictures per second (for rapid shutter action)
Latest NTK96660 Novatek CPU
AV-Out – Instant AV-out supported
Underwater Record mode
Dashcam mode
Motion Detection
HDMI-out – Real-Time Video Record
18 supported languages: SJ5000x Elite adds OSD support for: Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Danish, Dutch, Turkish
Android & iOS Wireless mobile connection via Wi-Fi – preview / shoot videos & pictures remotely
Image Sensor 16.35 Mega Pixel Sony IMX206

Image resolution:

16 Mega Pixel (46083456) | 12 Mega Pixel (40323024) | 10 Mega Pixel(36482736) | 8 Mega Pixel (32642448) | 5 Mega Pixel (25921944)
3 MP(20481536)/ 2MHD(19201080)/ VGA(640480)/ 1.3MP(1280960)
Video resolution 4K (28802160) @ 24fps (Interpolated), 2K (25601440)@ 30FPS, 1080P(19201080)@ 60FPS, 720P (1280 x 720) @ 120FPS, WVGA @ 240fps (Slo-Mo)
Default resolution Video:1080P / Picture:40323024
Video format(s): MP4 or MOV / Image format(s): JPG or RAW
Waterproof Up to 30 meters (requires waterproof case)
Lens Adjustable wide-angle fish-eye lens Adjust between Wide Medium Narrow
Memory Slot for Micro SD card up to 32 GB Selected 64gb & 128gb Cards (Class 10)

SJ SMART REMOTE (Optional)

To pair your remote to your M20 : Go to Main Menu > Remote Control. Select “On” then choose “Remote Control Pairing”. A picture instruction will appear. Press the Video and the Photo buttons on the Remote simultaneously. “Pairing Completion ID” will show.

Once your Remote is paired, you will never need to pair it again. Everytime the M20 is turned on, your Remote can send instructions to your camera.
The Remote is tested to work at a maximum distance of 30 feet (10 meters).
The battery on your Remote will last you a long time as it only uses power when you press any of the buttons.
If you need to replace the battery, you will need a coin to open the battery door and a Lithium CR2032 button-cell to replace the old one.

VIDEO / PHOTO MODE : Record videos or Still Photos.

Playback Mode : Displays the recorded Videos or Photos. Choose an item using Up/Dwn button; Shutter to play.

VIDEO LAPSE : Time-lapse photography stitched on-cam to produce a video.

SLOW REC : For recording video in slow motion.

PHOTO LAPSE : Time lapse, with each frame saved as its own picture file.

BURST MODE : Fast multiple succession of snapshots, choose the number of photos desired (Max: 10 consecutive shots).

TIP : You can access the quick menu by pressing the DOWN BUTTON when you are inside a Mode. Each set of menus will vary depending on what Mode you are in.

UNDERWATER MODE : Adds red to images to eliminate the need for a red- filter when using the camera underwater.

FPV MODE : Enables live real-time analog video to be fed through the USB out (Requires AV-out cable).

MOTION DETECTION : Starts recording when motion is sensed in front of the camera.

CAR MODE : Automatically starts the camera and begins recording once the engine is started (Car Charger Cable Accessory required).

REMOTE CONTROL : Enables or disables remote control coming instructions. Also for pairing the Remote.

SETUP : For making changes to camera settings regardless of mode.

SETUP SCREEN 1

Resolution > Changing to a higher resolution will have more detail in your video at the expense of file size. A lower resolution has a smaller filesize but will have less details in your video. Conversely, a higher resolution will contain more detail. Available only in Video modes.

Note : FPS (Frames Per Second) is part of the options in video resolution:
The higher the FPS, the more images will be displayed per second, and the smoother the movement in the video is, at the expense of filesize.

Loop Recording > Auto-saves your video in small sections, depending on selected length. It will record over your oldest video once there is no more space on your memory card.
FOV > Field Of View / Field Of Vision (also known as “Focal Length”) The higher the setting, the wider the angle of the recorded scene becomes.

TIP : Use the Up / Down buttons to navigate through the menu. Use the Shutter button to select an item. To exit an item in the Setup menu, or to get back to the main Icons, press the Mode button once.

SETUP SCREEN 2

WDR > Automatically adjusts the range of brightness-to-darkness that the camera will record. When turned on, it will help balance your pictures by adjusting the contrasts. Many scenes do not require WDR to be activated, use according to your preference. Available only in Photo modes.

Gyro Sensor > Enables active video-stabilization to eliminate shake.

Audio > Enable or disable recording of sound together with your video.

TIP : For a more stable video or photo, turn on the Gyro Sensor. You will know if it’s active when you see a blinking hand on the upper right hand of the Display.

SETUP SCREEN 3

Volume > Adjusts how sensitive your camera’s microphone becomes. Settings for how soft or how loud sound is recorded with your video.

Time Stamp > When enabled, will display the date and time of your recording.

TV Mode > Options are NTSC or PAL. The color encoding and Frame rate for video recording. Users in the US and Asia use NTSC (60Hz), most other countries is PAL (50Hz) and is the camera’s default. Please check what you use in your country.

TIP : Time Stamp is best used when using your camera as a dashcam. The date and time of the recording will be superimposed on your video or photo on the lower left hand of the display.

SETUP SCREEN 4

OSD Mode > On-Screen Display. When enabled, information and icons will be displayed on the screen indicating what features are activated, current mode,recording, elapsed time, number of photos left, battery status, etc.

Video File Format > Choose between .MOV or .MP4. If you are unsure which to use, choose MP4, as it is more commonly used.

Bitrate > Changes how much information is included in each frame of video. Higher bitrates give more de:nition to your video at the expense of file size.

SETUP SCREEN 5

Double File > While connected through the SJCAM mobile app, 2 copies of your recording/shots will be saved, one on the camera’s MicroSD and one on your mobile phone’s storage.

PowerOn Record > Recording starts immediately when the device is powered on.

Image Size > Changes the size of still photos that will be recorded. Of course, the bigger the size the more detailed your pictures are, at the expense of file size. Available only in Photo modes.

TIP : Pressing the Up button while recording or framing a scene will initiate the zoom function. Use the Up/Down buttons to adjust electronic zoom level.

NOTE : There are 8 zoom levels. To use the zoom function, FOV must be turned OFF.

SETUP SCREEN 6

Quality > Refers to how much compression the output image will have. The higher the setting the bigger the file is, and will contain more detail.

Sharpness > Changing the sharpness setting will make your images either crisper or smoothly, adjust according to your preference.

White Balance > Adjust the color temperature of the snapshot / recording to compensate for ambient lighting.

TIP : Status lights are easy to read. The front amber status-indicator will blink when recording, steady when on standby.

The Blue LED will blink slowly when the WiFi is connected to a device. Blue LED will Qash continuously when it is trying to connect.

SETUP SCREEN 7

Color > You are given 5 preset choices: Normal, B&W (Black and White), Retro (aka: “Sepia tone”), Warm (slight reddish hue), and Cool (slight bluish hue).

ISO > The image sensor’s sensitivity to light. Choose “Auto” on your camera if you are not familiar with this setting. Depending on the lighting conditions, use the lowest ISO whenever possible, as higher settings will introduce more noise while pixel sensitivity also goes up. Adjust depending on your preference.

EV > Exposure Value – Changing EV compensates for the amount of light that is allowed in. You can change this value to a lower setting if the scene is too bright, to compensate. Or higher, if it is too dark, but still depends on your desired effect. A higher EV will take longer for a photo to be taken, and will add blur to videos as each frame takes longer to expose.

SETUP SCREEN 8

RAW > When turned on, an uncompressed file separate from the JPG image will be written on the card for the purpose of editing later. Use an external photo editing software to make adjustments before saving to your intended filetype. Available only in Photo mode.

Distortion Correction > Since the lens of your action camera has a very wide FOV (Field of View), your camera will try to fit everything in, and will result in the center appearing to be distorted or bulging. Turning on Distortion Correction will force the image to make it appear “flat” as compared to having a “fisheye effect” (bulging in the middle).

License No set > Displays your preset License Number at the bottom of your video. Use when your camera is mounted as a dashcam.

SETUP SCREEN 9

Date/Time > Make adjustments to the camera’s system date and time.

Auto Power Off > Automatically turns the camera off at a preset time. Works only if the camera is on standby and not recording.

Keypad Tone > Beep sound when navigating and selecting items on camera. Best for outdoor use.

TIP : Enable Keypad Tone when using the camera outdoors to get auditory clues if you’re shooting or not.

SETUP SCREEN 10

Light Set > To change the number of LED status-indicator lights that are active. OPTIONS: 3 is to activate ALL LIGHTS (Front, Top, and Back indicators), 2 is for Top and Back, 1 is for Back indicator only. Off turns off all status-indicator lights.

Screensavers > Options for how long the LCD display stays on.

Frequency > For adjusting the frame rate frequency (50Hz or 60Hz). May be used to counter flicker-effects of fluorescent lamps or jello-effect of fast moving objects.

TIP : Save battery by using a shorter duration ScreenSaver. The screen will appear blank while recording but you save as much as 20% more battery power.

SETUP SCREEN 11

Rotate > Flips the recording 180-degrees. Turn this on when mounting the camera in an upside-down position.

LOGO Watermark > Adds the SJCAM logo at the bottom of your recording.

Language > Options for system language.

TIP : When using your camera as a dashcam, use a car charger cable and remove the internal battery to make sure it does not die out while you travel.

CAUTION : Operating your camera while driving a vehicle is potentially dangerous. It is strongly advised to set up your camera before your trip.

SETUP SCREEN 12

WIFI SSID > For changing the WiFi name of your camera.

WIFI Password > For changing your camera’s WiFi password.

Delete > Erased currently selected item, or all photos and videos.

TIP : You can also delete items when in Playback mode while an image or video is displayed. Just long-press the Down button, and you will be presented with the delete options.

SETUP SCREEN 14

Format > Completely erases everything on the memory card then sets it up as a new drive (in FAT32 filing system).

Default Setting > Restores the camera unit to its factory setting including WiFi Password. Does not erase any data on the memory card.

Version > Firmware update version.

TIP : When updating your firmware, keep a backup copy of your current firmware version so that you have something to return to in case anything goes wrong.

FILE MANAGEMENT

You can transfer files from your camera by using any of these 4 methods.

1. Via USB cable connected from your camera’s microUSB slot to a Windows or Mac computer:

a) Connect the USB cable, choose “Mass Storage Device” on your camera.

b) Your device will show as a drive on your File Manager (Explorer on Windows; Finder in OSX)

2. Via WIFI through the SJCAM App:
a) Connect your camera to your phone: Device Settings >WiFi > Choose your camera
b) Go to the app, tap the Gallery icon, then download the files you wish to transfer by tapping the Down arrow icon next to each file.

3. By using a microSD card adaptor:

a) Power off your camera and remove the microSD card.
b) Insert it to a card adaptor and plug it to your computer.
c) Your card will show as a drive on your File Manager.
d) When you’re done transferring files, right-click the drive > choose “Eject” before removing the card from your computer.

4. By transferring the microSD card to your smartphone with removable storage:
a) Power off your camera and remove the microSD card;
b) Insert the microSD to your mobile device; your microSD card will show up as a drive on your mobile device’s file manager;
c) Transfer the files you choose to your mobile device;
d) When you’re done, “eject” the microSD card by choosing “Unmount”