quality; but most of all, it includes motion stabilization. This is extremely important for an action camera, and not just for the obvious reason that it makes the video more stable. Even more important is that all action cameras have a "rolling shutter" and this can cause vertical structures to "lean" back and forth as the camera moves, and can introduce the dreaded "jello effect" if you use the camera on a motorcycle or other vehicle that vibrates. While some of this can be removed in post production using Mercalli, or similar stabilizer, the better way is to not allow the shake or shimmy to be recorded in the first place.

This camera's motion stabilization does just that, and it works very well.

I found both the enclosure and the mounts much easier to use than those that come with the GoPro.

The menu organization and function is very similar to the GoPro.

The only downside I see to this camera compared to the GoPro is that it doesn't have as much third-party support. So, if you want to control the camera through the expansion connector, like you can do with the GoPro, you won't be able to do that. As a result, this Sony camera would not be a good choice if you want the camera to be part of some larger, custom image capture system.

So, except for those small caveats, the camera is really good.

However ...

The "Live View Remote" is an absolutely terrible product. Save yourself some money and instead get just the bare camera, without this viewer. Use a smartphone, or some other device instead.

What is wrong with the viewer?

1. You can't see it in sunlight. Let me repeat that: you cannot see anything in the display when viewed in direct sunlight, or even bright shade. The attached picture shows the problem (and yes, the viewfinder IS turned on in the outdoor picture). This flaw pretty much makes the LiveView Remote not fit for its intended purpose. If you want to use the viewfinder to help frame the picture while you are filming outdoors in full sunshine, you simply will not be able to do that.

2. You can't easily get it onto your arm. The wrist band strap must be completely opened in order to get it over your hand, if you happen to have large hands. If you are a man, and are over 5' 11", you will not be able to get it over your hand. You can, however, completely un-do the strap, and then attempt to get the velcro back through the opening of the buckle, using just one hand. However, because the end of the velcro strap is doubled over and therefore barely fits through the hole, I found that even after several tries, this took over one minute each time I wanted to use the view finder. I have a few old watches that have old-fashioned leather straps that you have to put on in this way, but on those watches, the leather end easily slips into the buckle.

3. You can't see the video on your wrist without putting your arm at a strange angle. To see what I mean, try this: if you wear a watch on one arm, hold a camera with the hand on your other arm, and then, while filming, hold the arm with the watch so you can read the time. Now imagine having to hold your watch-hand in that position while filming for a few minutes. Not pleasant, eh? The mounting for the viewer should have included ways to mount it at an angle to your wrist, or to wear it on other parts of your body, or to allow the video to be shown in portrait mode as well as landscape. Even if your are wearing the camera (e.g., on a helmet), the "watch reading" approach to viewing the video is awkward.

So, while the "Dick Tracy 2-Way TV" is initially appealing, for those of us old enough to remember that comic strip, it is actually a lousy way to view video while simultaneously participating in some sort of activity.

4. You cannot play back recorded video!! Yes, that's right, you cannot review anything that you have recorded. This is actually quite unbelievable. So, you cannot use this to edit and delete your videos, from within the camera.

5. The range of the Live View Remote is less than ten feet. You will see this mentioned in other reviews. I tried it indoors, and as soon as I took even a few steps, the video froze. I realize that this remote viewer is not designed for watching the video while the camera is mounted in a quadcopter, but it sure would be nice to be able to step into a group on the other side of the room and still at least turn the camera on and off, or snap some still photos.

Unfortunately, you cannot do this because the range is so limited.

6. The free Sony PlayMemories software (download from the Sony site) is completely useless for anything, and does not help you manage the photos on the camera, so that is not an alternative for managing and deleting videos.

So, here's the bottom line: I would highly recommend the camera, but the Live-View Remote is a terrible product, and I don't see how anyone could be happy with its features and performance.

Get the camera; forget about the Live View Remote.

[edit]I've now used this camera for over a year and I have a few important things to add.

First, it is really difficult to mount this camera on your body for a face-forward view. This is due to having the lens on the end of the camera, like most traditional video cameras. By contrast, the GoPro has the lens in the middle of the body of the camera. which makes it really easy to strap to the front of your chest, hat, head, or helmet.

Second, I have now used the PlayMemories Mobile on an iPhone 6 Plus to view live video and control the camera. I was hoping for an increased range compared to the Live-View Remote that I reviewed above. However, there was no increase in range, and no improvement in functionality. I could not play any videos stored on the camera, so you still cannot review video you've taken while still in the field. Also, if you change modes on the camera while connected to the iPhone via Wi-Fi, the Wi-Fi disconnects. Basically, all you can do is see the video you are taking, with a slight delay, and start and stop recording. Very disappointing.

[edit]I have now owned this camera for over a year, and one downside that I can't get around are the problems of mounting this camera. The GoPro has the lens on the side of the camera, and this has the lens on the end of the camera. This causes problems. The best example is a chest mount. Basically, this design makes such a mount almost impossible. Even if you can find a mount (I haven't been able to find one), the camera is going to wiggle and wave back and forth, increasing the amount of unwanted motion. Many other mounting positions are equally compromised. In addition, I haven't been able to find many mounting options for this camera compared to what is available for the GoPro. A good example is the Zemuse gimbal for the DJI Phantom quadcopter. GoPro yes; Sony Action Cam, no.

So while I still prefer the quality of the video this camera takes, compared to the GoPro Hero 3+ Black (I haven't tried the GoPro 4), the mounting options could be a real show-stopper for some people, and you need to consider this before you buy.