A new competitor to the Runcam Split range has just been released, the Caddx Turtles! This unusually named FPV camera with HD DVR is a compact unit, which looks great for recording flights in good quality without the weight of an HD camera/GoPro. Importantly, the Caddx range of cameras have proven themselves to be good quality but cheap alternatives to the market leaders, RunCam. So will the Turtles continue this trend? Read on for my Caddx Turtles Review/First Look to see if it’s the right choice for you.
You can find the Caddx Turtles now on Amazon or Banggood.
For a limited time, get 10% off the Caddx Turtles! Use this link and then enter code c95dde
The Caddx Turtles allows both a live FPV feed and an HD DVR directly on your drone. This means no more heavy HD camera and is a serious improvement over the static filled goggle DVR we are used to when not using an HD camera.
Caddx Turtles release date
The Caddx Turtles release date is currently expected to be late July, and as normal pre-orders will ship first, so make sure you grab one here to avoid a long wait. These are expected to fly off the shelves, but hopefully won’t be out of stock for long. If they’re sold out, you can pre-order or click the alert on arrival button so that you don’t miss out.
Caddx Turtles Features & Specifications
I’ve had a look at the specifications and provided my thoughts below. The features include:
- 1/2.7″ CMOS sensor with 0.01lux minimum illumination – so although this camera doesn’t use a CCD sensor, the light sensitivity is pretty good.
- Recording in 1080P@60fps – a great improvement over goggle DVR and minus the static!
- Power Input: DC 4-20V, working current: 400mA@5V/190mA@12V – a large range means you can power it straight from a 4S LiPo, or via a voltage regulator and the low current means this is economical and won’t impact flight times compared to s standard FPV camera.
- FPV FOV : 155°, Recording FOV :170° – meaning you get a good field of view when flying, which is improved slightly for recording.
- Net weight: 12g – seriously light when you compare to the alternative of mounting a GoPro!
- Dimensions: SD Slot Module 28x29mm (with 20x20mm and 30x30mm mounting holes)/ Camera 19x19mm
Caddx Turtles Review – Cons
True performance will only be known after fully testing, but the only con expected vs a conventional FPV camera will be the latency. Historically this has been slightly higher than a standalone unit because the signal has that much further to travel (through the recording board) before reaching the FPV transmitter. However, with this said, the latency is very minimal and for most users will not be noticeable. For freestyle and gentle flying there shouldn’t be any disadvantage. For fast, close proximity flying such as racing, the slightly higher latency may be frustrating for the most experienced users.
Caddx Turtles Review – Pros
As well as all the benefits mentioned in the features section, the Turtles:
- Has a single board in the stack, not two
- Has a high quality DJI ribbon cable
- Supports a voltage display on the OSD
- Has WDR (wide dynamic range) to reduce image washout
Caddx Turtles price
The Caddx Turtles price is currently advertised at $64.99 on Banggood, competing directly with RunCam when it comes to pricing.
You can find the Caddx Turtles now on Amazon or Banggood.
For a limited time, get 10% off the Caddx Turtles! Use this link and then enter code c95dde
Caddx Turtles – Verdict
The Caddx Turtles would make a nice addition to any micro brushless quad, where adding a GoPro is simply not an option because of weight. Getting HD footage from micro drones makes for really cool video, so it’s pleasing to see another option in this market.
The small size and mounting hole options make the Caddx compatible with both 20mm and 30mm standard flight controller stack hole spacing, so mounting to practically any current frame should be possible.