I spend DAYS looking through the internet for my first action camera. I wanted something good, but I didn’t want to pay for the name. My intended use with the camera is for vacations where I can make small recordings during diving or hiking. Initially I was going for one of the $70 cameras but the more I read into it, the more it seemed like it wasn’t worth it, even considering the low price. I went to the midrange price category and I finally decided on the SJ7 Star from SJCAM.Since it is my first action camera I can’t make a comparison but boy am I happy I chose this small guy!It exceeded my expectations by millions. The picture looks so clear and sharp and for a first-time user like me it’s the perfect camera. The menu on the camera is easy to walk though and the LCD screen on the back response fast.The camera is in an aluminum frame, which makes its feel a lot smoother than just plastic.It comes with a ton of mounting equipment, which can easily add up to a lot of $ if bought separately. The camera is not waterproof, but it also comes with a housing making it waterproof to 30 m. I’ve only tested it in a pool so far, which worked perfectly, but I’m taking it to the ocean in a week and then ill update the review.The camera has WIFI so it’s both possible to send pictures/videos to your phone, and also to control the camera through the app on the phone (I have a Samsung S6).Some people have stated that the camera gets superhot during use. For me it only got warm, like a phone, after long time use, but never something you would consider hot or burning. I think this also have to do with the type of SD card you get. I got one of the recommend SanDisk cards.Other users have said that it’s hard to figure out the camera when you hold it the first time and that might be right. But there is both a small manual included in the package and a very thorough and detailed manual available on the SJCAM homepage. That’s also another great thing about this camera - there is a good community forum where both private persons post their experiences with the camera but also SJCAM personnel post updates and take care of questions or concerns.I had my doubts when I was buying the camera. Especially because every review or YouTube video said something different. But in the end, I found out it is like that for every camera, so I am so happy!!! I ended up with the SJ7 star. If you are looking for your first action camera, but don’t want to pay $300-500 then this is the one you want!