Rollei Action One – Affordable Action Camera With 4K 60fps Video and 12MP Photos

Camera News

by Jakub HanApril 13^th, 2022

Rollei Action One is a new action camera with a 12MP sensor that can record up to 4K UHD 60fps or 1080p 120fps videos. It offers a 170° wide-angle lens, a waterproof body up to 5m, a USB-C port with PD, and a wide variety of accessories. The camera is available now for €249.

Rollei used to be a traditional German camera manufacturer (established in 1920) that not only changed its name, but also owners throughout its turbulent history. Today, Rollei mostly sells camera accessories such as tripods. The only cameras in Rollei’s portfolio right now seem to be a few very affordable action cameras. The latest one is the new Rollei Action One – a relatively affordable action camera with 4K60 video. Let’s take a look at its details.

Rollei Action One: overview

The Rollei Action One features a 12MP 1/2.3″ CMOS image sensor (Sony IMX377) along with a 170° ultra-wide-angle f/2.8 lens and the Ambarella H22 S85 chip. It can take photos up to a maximum resolution of 12MP (4000 x 3000) and it also supports timelapse, burst mode, and long exposure photos.

When it comes to video, the Action One maxes out at 4K UHD 60fps. For slow-motion clips, 1080p mode at 120fps or 720p 240fps is available. The videos can be saved in either H.264 or H.265 (HEVC) codec on the inserted microSD card. There is no information about the video bitrate, however. It seems that there is also no 4:3 video mode, unfortunately. According to Rollei, the Action One has a “6-axis gyroscopic image stabilization” (available only up to 4K 30fps).

Battery life, connectivity and design

With the included 1.300 mAh battery, the camera can record video for around 70 minutes at 4K 60fps. The USB-C port on the camera supports power delivery, so you can charge the camera and get extended recording time when connected to a power bank or another suitable USB-C power source.

There is a 2.33″ IPS touch display and a 1.3″ front display on the camera. Wirelessly, the Action One can be controlled either via the optional wrist remote control or via the Rollei Action One smartphone app – available free of charge for Android on Google Play or for iPhone at the App Store.

The Rollei Action One is waterproof up to 5 m (up to 30 m in the included underwater case). You can also set an underwater white balance to get better colors when diving. The camera weighs 116g (including the battery) and its dimensions are 6.45 x 4.45 x 3.06 cm.

Price and availability

The Rollei Action One is available now for €249. It is not clear whether it can be bought in the US at the moment. The camera comes with a removable battery, waterproof housing, cage, lens cover, base mount, two 3M adhesive labels, curved mount, straight mount, USB-C cable, and a mounting screw.

Honestly, I don’t quite see who this camera is for, as it seemingly lacks far behind the competition (GoPro, DJI, Insta360) in framerates, resolutions, and other areas. The price of €249 is quite affordable, though, but I would probably still prefer getting a second-hand GoPro or DJI Action.

For more information, you can visit Rollei’s website.

What do you think about the Rollei Action One? Do you use action cameras for your video work? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.