Among cyclists the HTC RE action camera is quite popular because of its form factor. Lesports now released their Liveman M1, which has a similar form factor. Because of the bent design you can easily put it in your back pocket and when getting it out you easily feel the position of the camera. Now Liveman M1 has a special gimmick. It has either the bent design or you can use it as a tube. This way it’s aerodynamic. Will it overtake HTC to be cyclists first choice?
Lesports Liveman M1 – folded vs unfolded
Lesports Liveman M1 Specs
Sensor
Liveman M1 offers a 12 MP Sony sensor, currently I don’t know which type. I suspect the IMX078 similar to Liveman C1.
In contrast HTC RE offers a 16 MP Sony sensor, the IMX 206 also used in Yi Action Camera and Git2.
Processor
Lesports Liveman M1 is using the Ambarella A12S75, which can be found other cameras, such as EKEN H8 Pro, Andoer C5 and Thieye T5.
Lens
M1 offers a 140° wide angle lens, f2.7 aperture.
HTC RE offers 146° and f2.8 aperture – a little wider view.
Video and Frame Rate
- 1080p – 1920 x 1080 – 60 / 30 fps
- 960p – 1280 x 960 – 60 fps
- 720p – 1280 x 720 – 120 / 60 / 30 fps
Here Liveman M1 beats HTC RE – Whereas HTC only records 30fps in 1018p, M1 does 60fps.
Video Format
.mp4 – h.264 codec
Photo Resolutions
16MP (4608 x 3456) / 12MP (4000 x 3000) / 8MP (3200×2400)
As the sensor is 12MP, this should be the preferred selection as the 16 MP image is upscaled.
In contrast HTC RE holds a 16 MP sensor and therefor offers a higher resolution picture.
Display
Lesports Liveman M1 doesn’t feature a display. You can change all settings via app, the LEDs indicate current settings.
Battery
Battery capacity is 1300 mAh, which is a lot. Liveman C1 only offers 1050 mAh, YI 4K (1400 mAh) and GoPro Hero5 (1220 mAh), but all of them feature a touch screen that consumes a lot of power! Therefore it is made for long time recording, 2.5 hrs are stated! Recording time! Unfortunately the battery is built-in.
Another win for Liveman M1 – HTC RE holds a 820 man battery for 1h 50min of continuous recording.
Storage:
microSD card support for cards up to 64GB; Class 10 is recommended.
Connectivity & Ports:
Wifi & Bluetooth:
Liveman M1 has Bluetooth and WiFi, and a very nice feature: Live Broadcast with 720p at 30fps.
Ports:
M1 is equipped with micro USB which sits next to the microSD card slot and the wifi button behind a cover on the bottom. This is needed as the camera itself is splash-proof. A nice feature, the cover is fixed with a 1/4″ thread, so without cover you can use a standard photo tripod screw to mount M1.
Lesports Liveman M1 – Ports
Dimension & Weight
Size: 10.8 x 3.5 x 2.5cm / 4.3 x 1.4 x 1.0in
Weight: 93.5g / 3.3oz (with Battery)
Accessories
Unfortunately Lesports Liveman M1 doesn’t com with accessories. As being said the camera is splash proof without case, a 40m underwater case is available. The unique form factor requires special mounts that have to be purchased separately. Well maybe it is done that way so you get the camera at a lower price and if you just need it for cycling you can buy the bar mount separately, without purchasing a bunch of mounts you’ll never need.
Lesports Liveman M1 – Accessories
Special Feature
Lesports Liveman – Live-Broadcasting
You can broadcast your footage live to the internet (via phone) in 720p with 30 fps!
Body, Buttons & Ports
Design
Lesports Liveman M1 looks quite unique. You can use it bent like HTC RE or as a long tube. You can fold / unfold it with one hand. M1 is splash proof itself, a 40m underwater case is sold separately.
Buttons
There is just one large button visible on the camera. The wifi button sits under the cover on the bottom. So how to use this one button camera?
The two LEDs above indicate the cameras status (the hole below is the microphone).
Lesports Liveman M1 – LEDs
Liveman M1 powers up in video mode when you long press the button. Fast press the button twice, you change to photo mode. To start recording / take a picture press the button.
The upper LED is the power indicator. It’s white when above 20% power, between 20% and 5% it is light up red (shown in the pic above) and when below 5% it starts flashing. During charing the light is red and changes into white when fully charged.
The lower LED is the mode indicator. When lit up white (as shown above) the camera is in video mode. During recording the light flashes slowly. When the light is off, the camera is in photo mode. When you press the button to take a picture, the LED flashes twice.
Ports
Behind the cover on the bottom you’ll find micro USB port as well as micro SD card slot. There is no battery door, as they are built in. As already stated with 1300 max it has quite a huge capacity (considering it has no display) and recording time is stated with 2.5 hrs.
How to connect wifi?
Once you have downloaded the app (available for iOS and Android) you can connect with M1. First connect your phone with the camera’s wifi. The name is “LIVEMAN…..” the password “lesports”.
Price
In contrast HTC Re is available for 
on Amazon US.
Conclusion
On the Spec side M1 has the edge on HTC. It offers a higher recording frame rate and a larger battery for longer recording time. In contrast HTC holds a better sensor for higher resolution photos.
Regarding design HTC is always in its bent form, whereas Liveman M1 can be transformed into a longish camera for better mounting. But HTC as an ace in the hole: A grip sensor which automatically turns on the camera when you pick it up. Tap it for a photo, press it for video recording.
Demo
Below are some unedited demo photos taken with Lesports Liveman M1.
Lesports Liveman M1 Photo
Liveman M1 – Demo Photo
Liveman M1 – Demo Photo
