Does the new music-geared, Apple HomePod, have what it takes to topple the balance in Cupertino’s favor for the worldwide smart speaker market? We’ll soon know. Considering that Amazon and Google have already captured the lion’s share of the market, with both companies collectively accounting for 92% of all smart speakers sales, it is certainly not going to be a walk in the park for the fruit-themed tech giant.
A couple years too late?
It’s been three years since Amazon rolled out the Echo lineup, its maiden venture into a then-uncharted territory of smart speakers. Google soon followed suit with its own alternative, Google Home, but as you could tell, Amazon had already carved out an edge for itself by then.
The result?
Amazon today controls an estimated 70% of the market.
Granted, Amazon’s dominance over Google is due to a combination of various factors. However, there is no denying that being the only smartspeaker in the market for nearly two years aided to Echo’s ascension to the throne .
If we assume that history will repeat itself, there’s hardly any doubt that the Apple HomePod is going to have a rather challenging beginning to its existence.
Is a music-geared smart speaker actually a good idea?
Now, this is a tough question to answer. Apple knows that being a new entrant will not be easy, as the company will be challenging Amazon and Google in a market they are already well established in. Certainly not unless it can offer something drastically different — something that draws from its strengths and an already established ecosystem of services that Apple users have become accustomed to over the years.
So Apple chose not to follow the footprints of Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant and Google’s Google Assistant, both having trained millions of tech-savvy consumers to view smart speakers as multi-purpose devices with the ability to respond to a wide range of questions and requests in an increasingly human-like manner.
Instead, Apple decided that going all in on music would be a smart way to appear more appealing. Apple is creating a market for itself by offering “premium” audio specs along with the ability to integrate with the Apple Music ecosystem that boasts tens of millions of users worldwide.
But can a smart speaker that’s (strangely) centered around the whims and fancies of audiophiles pay off? Well, we won’t have to wait long as the Apple HomePod has already hit the shelves in a select few countries including the United States.
So stay tuned as we keep an ear to the ground to figure out whether preferring the Apple HomePod over the Amazon Echo or Google Home will be a smart call.
We’re used to the fact that Chinese action camera manufacturer GitUp gets really quiet when they’re up to something. It’s been a while since they released a new model. They’re Git 1 and Git 2 cameras became the symbol of reliability and stability in the community, but enthusiasts were getting a bit nervous about the new model – Git 3. The reason for this is that nobody knew anything about it. There were some rumors on the forums, but nothing more than that.
Even though all of us expected that the new model will be called Git 3, manufacturer surprised us by announcing not one, but two brand-new models – Gitup F1 4K and Gitup G3 Duo.
We talked to their representatives and managed to get reliable information on the features, pricing, and specifications on both models. So we’re here to share pretty much everything we found out about these two cameras. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but we’ll review both as soon as we can).
GitUp G3 DUO
G3 Duo is considered to be the successor of the Git 2. However, it’s quite different. Not only is it aesthetically massive compared to the predecessor, but it’s also more feature-rich. The most innovative feature of the G3 is that it’s basically a world’s first dual 1080p action camera.
G3 Duo
Slave camera
Notable features of Gitup G3 Duo :
Dual camera : front + back (slave) camera (optional)
GPS logger (optional)
Bluetooth Wrist Remote Control (optional)
Touch screen
Built in WiFi and Gyro stabilization
External microphone support
1200mAh battery
2 different waterproof case designs
We’ve known for a while that the new camera will support a GPS, and now it’s confirmed. Honestly, everyone expected a GPS camera, but we were all quite surprised with the dual camera option.
G3 Duo Technical Specification
The specification below were provided by the GitUp before they even appeared fully on their website. Even though they might be a subject to a change, we’re pretty sure the specs won’t change, at least not significantly.
[go_pricing id=”gitup_g3_duo”]
G3 DUO Overview
So what’s so special about G3 DUO? Well, in short, G3 DUO is a combination of two cameras G3 and a Slave camera. When combined together via the USB cable, the DUO will be able to capture videos with two separate cameras, front, and rear. Imagine that Slave camera is actually an optional accessory to the G3.
G3 Duo
Slave camera
The main camera has Sony IMX117, which is an image sensor already used in some other popular models like Hawkeye Firefly 8S, SJCAM SJ7, Thieye T5E, AN7000 and Elephone Explorer Pro. The rear, Slave camera, utilizes the Sony IMX323 sensor which is a 2MP sensor. The biggest advantage of the rear camera is the f1.8 6G lens with 135° FOV which in combination with the lower megapixel sensor should provide quite good low-light performance.
We’re still not quite certain how the two cameras will synchronize themselves. One guess is that they will be combined into one video, where video from the Slave camera will be shown in PIP mode. What is PIP? The picture in picture, or better, video into the video, maybe in a corner like we can see in the photo above.
On the LCD screen of the G3, you will be able to see what’s happening on the Slave camera in PIP mode, that’s for sure. It should be pointed out that G3 is the first ever Gitup camera with a touch screen and GPS feature.
I personally do not like the fact that the GPS is external instead of the built-in. GoPro’s and Sony have a built in GPS. However, GPS is always a handy option. By browsing through this topic on dashcamforum, I’ve found an image of how GPS feature might display on the video.
Photo credit: DashCamTalk Forum
As you can see according to this image, besides the speedometer, GPS records the distance, altitude, elevation gain, time date and has a nice graphics for speed tracking.
The retail price of the G3 will be 129$ USD, where the Slave camera will cost 49$. So if you’re looking for a whole package, you’ll have to around 178$ to spend. Furthermore, the price of the total package will be increased if you’re looking to add an additional GPS module or the remote controller. For now, the pricing for the GPS module is undisclosed.
I’ve come across a few video samples of pre-production beta-testing model. Bear in mind, it’s a beta, meaning the quality of the output is subject to change.
GitUp F1 4K
While we were highly expecting a new camera from Gitup, nobody expected the second one – F1. Gitup F1 is their first ever true 4K action camera.
The notable features of this tiny camera are :
Native 4K resolution
Aerodynamic design
Quick capture
EIS Video stabilization
Gitup F1 4K Technical Specification
[go_pricing id=”gitup_f1″]
F1 4K Overview
We know that camera will support a native 4K resolution with an Ambarella A12 as chipset and have EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization). It is still unclear if image stabilization will be possible in 4K. It would certainly be a huge step up for the brand.
Like all Gitup models, this one will also support their wrist watch remote controller.
Design-wise, Gitup F1 has a similar appearance to famous Mobius. It’s quite simplistic and easy to use. There is no information if waterproof housing for this model exists. The retail price for the F1 is $129.99.
Summary
To sum up, Gitup certainly got us excited. Both cameras have their own pros and cons. We really like the innovative approach on the G3 Duo. It will be interesting to see how useful would all robust features of the camera be. Let’s hope that too many optional upgrades won’t ruin the simplicity of use since nobody wants complicated solutions once on a hike, bike or inside the water.
On the other hand, it’s good to see that GitUp released an easy to use native 4K camera – F1. Will its image and video quality be better than some of our best action cameras? We’re about to see.
Which of these two cameras would you like to have? Do you have a feature that you particularly like? Let us know in the comments. Until then, we’re eagerly waiting to test these two guys for you and show you our in-depth reviews.
Yi Technology released a new action camera – YI Lite. After the major success with budget YI and higher-end YI 4K and YI 4K+, the company decided to offer a mid-range solution which will bridge the gap between lower-end and their more expensive models.
YI Lite is the latest released camera by YI Technology.
YI Lite Overview
YI Lite is basically an improved Xiaomi YI wrapped up in a YI 4K body with a touch screen and EIS (electronic image stabilization). The camera uses IMX206 image sensor which means it will capture 16 megapixels still photos.
Resolution of the photos will be better compared to YI4K or YI4K+, but Lite won’t be able to record in 4K resolution over 15fps. And as explained earlier in my Eken H9 review, anything lower than 24fps is just useless.
The processor in YI Lite is Hisilicon Hi3556.
So the most notable features of YI Lite are:
2″ touch-screen
Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS)
4K resolution (only at 15 FPS)
16 megapixels still images
WiFi and Bluetooth connections
YI Lite Technical Specification
[go_pricing id=”yilite”]
YI Lite dimension and weight
Size：65mm x 30mm x 42mm
Weight：72 g (camera + battery)
Design and build quality
In terms of design, the manufacturer released 3 color options:
Black
Yellow/Green
Blue
Black model
Green(Yellow) model
Blue model
Black version is quite identical to the YI 4K and 4K+, where as the greenish one is made to honor the YI, the predecessor who made the brand famous. The new addition is the blue colored camera. This is the first time that YI Technology released the camera in such color. Earlier they had white and rose. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more color options in the upcoming weeks.
YI Lite body is made out of the plastic. On the bottom, there is a 1/4″ screw hole, so you can mount the camera to pretty much anything.
Touch-screen
If you remember my review of Xiaomi YI, I complained about the user interface and the lack of LCD screen. Even though a third-party manufacturer offered an external screen option for the YI’s oldest camera, it wasn’t nearly as user-friendly nor useful as first expected.
That is why the introduction of a 2″ touch-screen made out of Gorilla Glass is really a good feature. Compared to YI 4K and 4K+, the touch screen is slightly smaller (2.19″).
EIS Stabilization
Another notable feature is the Electronic Image Stabilization. The way the EIS works is that it crops the image slightly and uses software to stabilize the image. Opposed to the EIS, there is an optical stabilization, which so far is available only in Sony’s X3000.
An example of Electronic Image Stabilization in action (source)
The maximum resolution which supports the stabilization is 2K – 30fps.
Battery
This action camera uses 1200mah, removable lithium-ion battery. Below, you can see battery tests performed by the manufacturer with the screen and the WiFi turned ON.
4K (3840×2160) 15 fps 130min
1440p (1920×1440) 30 fps 130min
1080p (1920×1080) 60 fps 130min
The battery itself is slightly weaker compared to ones used in 4K and 4K+ models.
Accessories compatibility
As far as accessories are concerned, you will be able to use the same waterproof case for YI 4K or YI 4K+. Furthermore, the camera should be compatible with most GoPro like accessories. You can also read the article where we discussed best Xiaomi YI accessories, all of those can be used with Lite, except for the waterproof housing.
Retail Price
The price for the newly-released YI Lite should be around 130$. The official recommended retail price has not been released, but according to the listing on Amazon, it’s 135$.
Xiaomi YI vs YI Lite YI 4K vs YI 4K+ compared
The table below shows all 4 models of YI cameras compared.
[go_pricing id=”yicamerascompared”]
Which YI camera to buy?
If you read enough reviews or our action camera buying guide and you decided that YI Technology is your next action camera brand, here is my two cents on which model is the best.
Absolute newbies with a budget <100$ who do not mind the lack of screen and EIS, Xiaomi YI is the best option.
Those who consider electronic image stabilization and good user navigation a priority, but still don’t want to break the bank, newest YI Lite appears to be the perfect match.
Little more advanced users who have a mid-range budget should consider the YI 4K.
True action camera professionals, who want the best option should buy, the most advanced YI 4K+, which is at the time of writing this article, the only action camera which supports EIS in 4K. It also has a voice command and an external microphone, which the other models do not have.
Do you think that YI Lite is worth upgrading over basic YI? Do you own any of the YI cameras? If you do, let me know what is your experience with them. I hope that soon we’ll be able to review YI Lite and provide you with an honest and unbiased review.
In the summer of 2015, the tech blogs were buzzing about a great innovation in the field I’m really interested in – sports cameras. Sites like TechCrunch, the Verge, PetaPixel, and even the Forbes and the NY Times reported that a Brazilian startup called – Graava is about to change the way we use action cameras and video editing.
Proclaimed as the GoPro killer (not the first camera to get that name), this self-editing camera, picked up an amazing amount of mass media attention.
In 2015 Graava was one of the most hypped cameras
The idea behind self-editing camera
It would be silly of me to begin this article without clarifying to you what was Graava cam all about. Almost all of us hate video editing. It’s time-consuming. For some, it’s a really painful process. What if everyone can have a great video? Even if they have zero experience in video editing?
The idea of Graava was born after one of the founders, Marcelo, got hit by a car in 2012. The driver fled the scene, but thanks to the camera attached to his bicycle, Bruno was able to identify the license plate and file a police report. The driver has been arrested afterward.
After the incident, Bruno was on his bike again, but this time he forgot the camera. So that got him thinking, why I only carry the camera only on special occasions? The answer was – video editing. He did not have time nor patience to edit best moments from that day. The camera ended up in a drawer most of the time.
That got Bruno thinking. What if there was a self-editing action camera? He met his two partners Marcelo and Marcio via the Brazilian platform BayBrazil. On that platform, which connects startup owners from Brazil and US, they met each other and began developing the idea.
Graava features
The most prominent selling point of the camera was that it uses the artificial intelligence, to determine which parts of your long-recorded video are interesting. To do this, the camera used all sorts of data from GPS, heart monitor, proximity, audio and light sensors, accelerator, etc.
After detecting interesting parts, Graava automatically creates a video thanks to its app. The 8MP image sensor is also worth mentioning.
Graava Specs
Video Resolution HD 1080p 30 fps / 720P 60 fps
Hyperlapse video 4K, 1080p and 720p
Photo resolution: 8MP
Lens: 130° wide angle
Auto image rotation
Loop recording
Image Stabilization
Fixed focus
The design of the camera was quite impressive. The company even received an international runner-up award for the design. It was manufactured with simplicity and minimalism in mind.
So what happened to the Graava?
Today, while trying to remember some of the action cameras I really wanted to have I remembered the Graava. I went to their website to see how things are going. In my last email conversation with them, I was notified that the product is about to be shipped early 2016.
I was shocked when their official website gave a 403 error. I thought it was just on my end, so I used isitdownrightnow to see if the domain was unreachable only for me. The result was this
“Access to Getgraava.com is declined. The server doesn’t allow access to the page.”
Okay, so perhaps they’re having trouble with the hosting or a server. I then went to their Facebook page. Last activity was on January the 10th 2017. For a tech company that picked up that amount of coverage, it was quite strange that they do not take care of their website, neither any of their social media channels.
The camera became the App?
After further research, I noticed that there is no more camera in company social media post. Their latest posts were regarding the App. So I began researching. Somewhere in 2016, after the camera got discontinued, the Graava app was born. They launched iOS and Android self-editing video app.
After getting in touch with one of the founders, I realized that in early 2017 they discontinued the app as well.
Was Graava a scam? (Updated – Not it was not)
I only found one complaint that Graava camera might be a scam. According to Russian YouTube user company never delivered the camera he paid for.
unfortunately this is another method of fraud. Me, as many people sent money to this company and they deceived me. I ain’t got no camera, no money back. Be careful, do not fall for the deception! Opening case in international court it is not easy, but i do it! (source)
In this article, I will not be going into that allegation. There have been plenty of similar stories of crowdfunding projects on KickStarted or Indiegogo. That kind of startup stories who fail and disappear are nothing new. If however you paid for the Graava camera and never got it or the refund, please leave a comment below.
Important Update: One of Graava founders, explained what happened to Graava.
While there was broad positive response to the concept, we were unable to get enough funding for taking the hardware to production (manufacturing a consumer product requires a substantial amount of capital beyond the cost of each unit sold in pre-sales).
So the project refunded all pre-sales to customers early in 2016 and pivoted to SW-only. The SW app was introduced in 2016 and also got broad positive response, but failed to develop a sustained growth in user base and engagement. The project was discontinued early in 2017.
This conversation is not a public release issued by the company. It’s rather a private conversation between me and one of the founders. As he explained, even though the product discontinuing has not been publicly announced, all of their customers received emails about it.
Since the YouTube comment was posted a year ago, I assume that the customer accusing Graava of scam got his refund.
The future of self-editing action cameras
Personally, I was so excited to see action camera market making some interesting break-troughs when the Graawa was initially announced. The concept itself was quite good and it attracted tons of attention from the media. Unfortunately, as one of the founders explained to me in the email, they were unable to get enough financial resources to go past the concept and beta phase.
As an enthusiast who is tired of same sports camera products for a while now, I would really like to see either Graava or some other company developing something interesting and brave. Even though Graava was unsuccessful that does not mean that there’s no interest in self-editing cameras.
I admit. Lately, I’ve been in some scary dark places of the world wide web, trying to find an action cam which looks different.
If you’ve been following the industry lately, it appears that 80% of the sports cameras look like a GoPro. The majority of them have the matchbox or cubical shape. Kinda boring, right?
Today I woke up with a single mission in mind – to find the most unconventional, weird or simply ugly as hell action camera. So, I started digging. Boy, you won’t believe where I’ve been and what I’ve found. There are some scary places out there.
Enough. Lets cut to the chase already. In this article, I will present different, weird, funny or just ugly action cameras I’ve found. The cameras are listed in no particular order.
QX-02 (Y-66) bike camera + power bank
Targeted at bicyclists, the QX-02 caught my eye not only because of its shape but also because of the fact that it has a LED lamp and insanely long battery life.
3 in 1: The camera, LED flashlight, and power bank 3-in-1.
According to the technical specs, the camera uses 6600 mAh battery. That allows users to record up to 14 hours in video mode, 6~10 hours in LED mode and 4-5 hours when the camera is recording and using the flashlight. Speaking of the flashlight, QX-02 Y-66 utilizes 600 lumens LED light.
You thought that was all? Well, how about this: with a 5V 1A output, the camera can be used as a power bank.
QX-02 is quite heavy and weigths ~315g. The size is 114x69x34.5mm. It has a 1.5″ LCD screen and supports microSD cards up to 32GB. It uses 5MP image sensor and records in 1080p.
With all those features it sounds that you’re getting quite a lot for just 60-90$ price. However there are no tests of this camera, nor the videos online, so it remains a mystery whether or not it is too good to be true.
If you do not wish to break the bank and buy your kid a proper action camera, you can get them the Kidizoom. VTech made this camera with kids 4-9 years in mind. Simple user interface and quite colorful design will certainly look appealing to the youngsters.
The camera arrives in three colors: yellow, pink and green/camouflage. The accessories included will be more than enough to get your little angels up and running. With the waterproof case, they can go down to 6′ underwater.
From the technical point of view, it’s far from impressive, though I’m sure youngsters are not much interested in that. Maximum video resolution is a disappointment – 640 x 480. The camera takes only 0.3MP photos. It has the 1.4-inch screen and supports up to a 32GB memory card. The battery is not removable. Kidizoom retails at 49$.
Boblov 4K – Taking selfies to the next level
Plenty of people out there enjoy taking selfies with their action cameras. Problem with selfies and sports cameras is that it takes lots of practice to get that composition right. Boblov 4K camera solves a problem of capturing selfies by implementing a front LCD 1.5″ screen.
Frontal display for taking selfies makes this sports camera stand out from the crowd
With this cam you’ll be able to see yourself and take obviously better-composed selfies. Since the camera is not a dual screen camera, it has no back LCD, which makes it hard for all other photography, especially the landscapes.
Boblov 4K really has promising specs. Besides the frontal display, camera has impressive hardware: Ambarella A12s75 image processor, Sony IMX078 12MP image sensor, 128GB memory card support, WiFi, 1200 mAh battery. On top of that, it can record in 4K at 30fps.
A bit unpolished design of the Boblov 4K won’t be appealing to design freaks, including myself.
If you’re interested in detailed info on Boblov 4K, check this link out. We might even review this one soon. I also noticed that there’s a similar camera on the Amazon.
Soocoo G1 – Sticky action cam
The concept of a pocket camera that can stick nearly everywhere is not new. Company called PodoLabs launched their Podo camera in 2015 on Kickstarter.
Crafty Chinese began “borrowing” the idea somewhere in 2016 and launched few more similar looking cameras. Two one caught my eye is SooCoo G1. It looks exactly like the Podo but has better specs and an “awkward “arm” extension, which makes the camera look like Mike Wazowski from the Monsters, Inc. – Pixar’s animated movie.
Besides monstrous look, camera has 5MP image sensor, 125 degree wide-angle lens and a battery life of 90-120 minutes. One of the most interesting features is the remote controller support.
Headband camera
I first heard of Foream brand, when I had a chance to review their futuristic X1 camera. At that time this was one of the weirdest sport cams I have tested, so I decided to put it on the list here, as I’m sure many of you never heard of it.
Some of the notable features are 1080/30FPS, earphone plug, external mic support, voice hearing command and the fact it looks weird. You can read more about this wearable camera here.
Qlippie – wearable action cam
Not many action cameras on the market target female population. Qlippie is one of the exceptions. By having plenty of trendy colors to choose from, this wearable camera weighs only 45g. Sized at 48 × 48 × 19.6 Qlippie is certainly one of the smallest and most lightweight devices on the market.
The name Qlippie derives from the clip and go mechanism it has, which enables easy mounting to the clothes. This clip camera has 1/3.2 inch SONY CMOS R image sensor, 122°, wide angle lens, a dual microphone and a built-in WiFi. It can record videos in 1080p 30fps.
The main selling point of the Qlippie camera is the fact it looks stylish and can be easily clipped onto a piece of clothes.
This is the camera I discovered by browsing through AliExpress. It is advertised as a combination of sports and dash camera with a focus of a “black box feature”. It sounds quite cheesy, but the main selling point of the camera besides it’s form factor and ease of attachment is the fact it can serve as a “black box” in an airplane, which is to capture any accident. Ouch.
What I personally found interesting is that, thanks to it’s USB attachment, it allows you to view videos on your phone directly via the OTG. Furthermore, it has a 8GB built in storage, so it does not require you to buy a memory card. CAMSOY M1 arrives with plenty of accessories in the box. The angle of the lens is 90°, which some wide-angle lovers won’t like. The max video resolution is 720p.
I nearly forgot to mention the fact that camera has no buttons, it’s very simply designed. It starts recording when you attach it to the magnetic clip. It can also record while charging.
Submarine-looking camera
If there’s a camera that looks like a submarine, it has to be this one. It comes from a generic brand and I was unable to find much about who the manufacturer is. This metal-shell camera is built inside its waterproof case, and can’t be pulled out. It is therefore waterproof to 40m, according to the specs.
Besides really weird-looking design, there’s not much interesting about it. It has 5MP CMOS sensor, 120 degrees wide-angle lens, built-in 1500 mAh lithium battery, 2.0 inch HD 16:9 display (960*240). One weird-looking camera, I’m sure you’ll agree. I was only able to find it here, and it retails for around $79.99.
F66 Dual action camera
The (eBay link) F66 is very unique looking camera. It is basically frontal and back camera in one, which allows you to record in front and on the back.
(eBay link in image)
F66 has two image sensors Front: AR0330 Back: OV971. The max video res of the frontal camera is 1080p, and 720 of the back cam. The processor inside is Novatek 96655. I am unsure if there’s one or two chipsets. It could be that one chip is powering both sensors, or that each has a separate. Furthermore, the camera has a waterproof casing and no screen. The size of the F66 is 115 x 45x 40 mm. Camera weights 107g.
From what I see in the images, it apparently has a switch, so you can switch back from front to back. F66 appears to be a generic brand, but brands like Boblov and SooCoo sell it under their re-brand.
Eyewear action cameras
Since there are plenty of these out there, I do not wish to emphasize only one brand. Therefore there are several types of action cameras which can fall into this category. Whether they are weird, cool or really functional, I’ll leave it up to you.
Basically, these can be worn on your head and record. The difference is, some can be used for skiing, some for diving, snowboarding, etc.
Here are links where you can get them or just find out more :
Do you know of any other awkward-looking action cameras?
If you are aware of any other interesting, awkward, creepily designed sports camera, feel free to leave a comment. I hope you found the article amusing and that it helped you discover how action camera market isn’t that boring after all. If you are looking for conventional action cams, check out our reviews and best action cameras we tested list.
Paralenz is an action camera built by a Danish agency Moef, and in short, the divers have created it for diving.
“It is primarily a diving camera made to withstand anything”, says co-founder Kristoffer Kelstrup Sabroe.
Therefore, the camera is built to go down as deep as 200 meters and can withstand being knocked into a rock face without being broken.
“Our target group are specialists in the different sports” says Sabroe.
He goes on to explain that GoPro has developed a very good camera for the wider audience, but Paralenz camera is aimed at the more demanding athletes.
Omitting the monitor has allowed Paralenz designers to apply another form factor, one which is well-suited to resist pressure, as it exposes a minimum of flat surfaces. A Snap-Record function allows the diver to share the experience with a single click. This click is easily accomplished even with thick gloves on, because it was made with diving circumstances in mind. Still, there is a display of sorts, a 0.5” OLED screen.
The cam can go as far down as 200 meters depth as is (no extra casing), and it employs a pressure sensor to detect your ambiental depth. Pressure reading can be used for various purposes, such as ambiental color correction, for which some other action cam might require extra filters. The camera also has a temperature sensor, and combines all these extra data saved in a displayable dive log.
There is a wide range of settings which can be pre-programmed using its app. The app generates a dive profile by adding time and depth to the recorded photos and/or videos. The Paralenz thus acts in part as a dive computer. You can connect the device with the App by WiFi, or Bluetooth. There is an USB-C port, used for charging the battery.
The camera can capture 8MP still images or 1080p 30fps videos for impressive 3.5 hours, and 4K lengths for 2 hours and 15 minutes. All is stored on a 64GB microSD card.
An interesting detail can be gleaned from the view of the cam taken apart (below), and that is the blue selector ring. It seems to employ reed switches (magnetic switches on the inside, and a magnet within the outside ring). Position of such magnet selects/closes one of the switches in the camera, thus dialling its function. This principle has always been the most elegant way of selecting functions in an underwater casing. Avoiding mechanical commands through the case wall reduces water ingress risks – as well as a lot of fidgety maintenance. Same goes for the main switch, judging by its look; it seems to have a magnet on one end, and is probably spring-loaded and lockable in the pressed / activated position.
All in all, the concept is safe & sound, even the multiple o-ring sealing reveals the importance of water safety concerns within this design (as opposed to the majority of contemporary camera encasements). Good thinking, overall!
Crowdfunding
It is no surprise that Paralenz is crowdfunded project started on KickStarter. The creators of the camera had an idea to create a camera specifically for diving. They collected the capital via crowd-sourcing and their project has been backed up.
Technical Specifications
[go_pricing id=”paralenz”]
Accessories
Paralenz arrives with pretty much everything you need to get started. Here’s the content of the package:
Paralenz received a Red Dot Award in 2017 for the design of this product.
WiFi App
Temperature and pressure sensors which are implemented into the camera measure data which is being logged. Thanks to this kind of information, you will be able to see the diving depths, time and temperature.
Additionally, WiFi App will show you the average temperature, underwater time and maximum depth.
One more interesting feature is the “Overall stats” field that shows quite a lot of diving information, such as the longest dive, the lowest and highest temperatures, a number of videos and images taken, and plenty more.
Pricing
The Paralenz underwater action cam will set you back (or push you forward, depending) for €649 (or US$600). See more on Paralenz website, and maybe order one for your next dive!
Summary
Paralenz certainly belongs to a group of a higher-end action cameras. It is intended for divers, but do not be fooled. It can also be used as a regular action camera, only maybe able to endure even more of rough treatment than others.
If you are interested in its video quality, you can take a look at some of video comparisons published on the Paralenz YouTube channel. This camera certainly has lots of quite specific features and target audience, and we will see how the market accepts the product.
NOTE: In the meantime we have reviewed the camera in depth (pun intended!), so you can find out what we have discovered for you in more detail here.
If you are a diver, let us know your opinion on the camera, we’d love to hear your two cents.
