Action cams: Price cracker! The Lamax W9.2 in a test for water sports enthusiasts

Lamax wants to offer a favourable alternative to GoPro & Co. The W9.2 camera is available online for as little as 120 euros, which is only a fraction of the price of some competitor models. Nevertheless, the cam makes a good initial impression, the locking mechanisms of the charging and battery sockets appear solid and can be operated properly. The favourable price seems even more attractive in view of the extensive scope of delivery - including various mounts, small tripod, remote control for the wrist, microphone and the water housing. However, the latter is only necessary for dives deeper than 12 metres; in the near-surface spectrum, the waterproof Lamax W9.2 can also be used without an additional housing. All you need to buy is a micro SD memory card.

The action cam can be operated quite easily and intuitively via a touch display on the back. The smaller display on the front does not have a touch function, but can be helpful when taking selfies. At first glance, the selectable photo and video options also appear promising: the cam can record high-resolution 4K videos at 60 frames per second, which allows slow-motion recordings at half speed without jerking. Super slow motion at 120 frames per second is also possible, although this is accompanied by reduced video quality (1920x1080p, i.e. Full HD). In water sports use, the video quality was quite impressive, especially when the image stabiliser is activated. This visibly removes vibrations, but also slightly restricts the field of view. The battery performance is reasonable, but the promise of a runtime of 120 minutes could not quite be achieved in our test on the wintry Baltic Sea (3 degrees air). In warmer temperatures, the battery life should be significantly longer.

In photo mode, the camera shoots crisp, sharp images with up to 20 megapixels. If you mount the cam on a mast or wing and want to take continuous shots, there is no getting round the continuous shooting function ("Time Lapse"). This is available - but only with a maximum frequency of three seconds. When freeriding at a leisurely pace, this also produces great pictures, but capturing the exact right moment during a jump or manoeuvre is like playing the lottery. For comparison: a GoPro Hero can take a picture every 0.5 seconds in continuous shooting mode, so the hit rate for fast manoeuvres is of course much higher. However, the supplied remote control, which can be attached to the wrist, worked well in the test. This allows you to switch between photo and video mode and start and stop continuous shooting while surfing.

Lamax W9.2 Actioncam - the conclusion

From a water sports perspective, the Lamax W9.2 Cam does not quite match the top models from GoPro & Co in terms of its functions and image stabiliser, but it does offer good value for money. The video quality is absolutely impressive, but in photo mode the slow continuous shooting mode spoils the fun somewhat.

Information is also available on the manufacturer's website