Tag Archives: Hero 5

Ambarella H3 Paves Way for Portable 8k Video!

Ambarella H3

Ambarella has introduced two new SoC chipsets for portable electronics that shoot video.  The H3 capable of up to 8k video or dual 4k 60fps streams for 360º VR video and also the H22 which is a souped up version of the H2 found on cameras like the Yi 4k+ that will be shooting 4k 60p and up to 120fps 1080p video.

No real leads were given into what specific cameras will be incorporating the new chipset but from indications of past releases it is safe to say that the best action cameras, some high end phones and drone centric cameras will be sporting this new SoC in their specs by the end of this year.  If we had to bet we will probably see a Hero 5+ using the H22 before the H3 as 8k video seems a huge jump for a refresh model. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Barnacle Action Camera 2.0 with Slowmo!

Barnacle Action Camera 2.0

The Barnacle Action Camera 2.0 is a Kickstarter project from Canberra Australia, that aims to democratize good quality action cameras for every one.  They have just 14 days left in their funding goal with just under 1/3rd of the required pledge total.  This is an unconventional camera that aims to go toe to toe with the best action cameras out there.

The shape and tiny size is different with everything controlled from Apple or Android devices besides a basic power and record buttons on the top of the camera.  It however aims at the professional market with features that are usually twice the cost on other brands. It is a decent camera for very little money in the end. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

DJI Mavic Pro vs GoPro Karma Slowmo!

DJI Mavic Pro vs GoPro Karma

There has been extreme excitement over the last month for both the GoPro Karma Drone and the DJI Mavic Pro being the first truly portable and collapsible drones that offer professional features and a quality camera. However when we focus on the video quality it is clear that by several measures the Mavic Pro seems to be a step down compared to the DJI Phantom 4 and here lies the main issue between these two competing platforms.

GoPro has not been a quality champ ever since the DJI Phantom 3 came out. The Hero Camera with much more wide angle distortion and less sharpness was a letdown by being pretty much the same since the last refresh of the GoPro Hero 3+ several years ago. The GoPro way has been footprint reduction and feature addition instead of image quality hikes. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Nikon KeyMission 170 4K Does 240fps!

nikon keymission 170 4k Action Camera

One of the Photokina announcements that peaked our interest was the Nikon KeyMission 170 Action Camera which aims to disrupt the already crowded space of all weather sports segment.  We have a plethora of options from the leader GoPro and close competitors like Sony, Xiaomi, Olympus, Garmin and even Panasonic.  So another entry by Nikon seems to go by unnoticed however this hardware looks to be very capable and can go head to head with the best.

The slow motion capabilities are the standard for high end action cameras here with 120fps at 1080p and 240fps at 720p.  While these are becoming standard frame rates for the most part; there is a clear distinction on quality between cameras with Sony Action Cam being clearly superior in compression with XAVC S to GoPro for example.  ProTune on the Hero 4 and 5 does make a difference but Sony has the edge with an overall better codec that is low artifact. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

GoPro Hero 5 Black and Karma Drone Lift Off!

karmagopro1

There was probably no other camera out there with more expectations to raise the high frame rates threshold than the GoPro Hero 5 Black.  Disappointingly they stayed the same as what we had in the Hero 4 Black of last year.  However there is a lot to like in the new update and the Karma Drone might be the real upgrade for the camera line by using a handheld stabilizer that works in your hand and in the air within the same bundle.

The Hero 4 Black and Silver are still relevant and usable in the new Karma drone with no adjustments. It is good of GoPro to still support their camera line but it is hard to fathom why the GoPro 3 Black and 3+ are not supported since they basically are very close in shape and design to the Hero 4. It may be time for some creative people to come with a way to use these cameras in the drone. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action Cam Update!

Sony FDR-X3000

In a very quiet update last week Sony released a low end action camera to cater to the lower end crowd that wants better performance than the current GoPro options but with a limited budget resource. In comes the Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action Camera that brings 4k and impressive image stabilization to the $399 USD action camera bracket.

The big deal in this camera is the Balanced Optical SteadyShot (or B.O.S.S.) which uses the entire optical lens path to reduce vibration and motion. Previous systems only moved an element inside the lens to alter the light path. The new system is  more effective at reducing rolling shutter artifacts and wearer induced motion to produce stable and less jittery video even at 4k. → Continue Reading Full Post ←