Tag Archives: Xiaomi

GoPro Hero 6 What will it Take?

GoPro Hero 6

It is no secret that GoPro had a pretty bad 2016 in terms of sales performance and the Karma Gate battery off incident. The company is loosing money but still shows signs of life. In the 4th quarter of 2016 GoPro was profitable on a non-GAAP basis with income of $42 million.  With the stock closing price today of $8.90, a far cry from the nearly $90 it was worth in October 2014, there needs to be a change of epic proportions if the company is expected to remain viable.

There are threats from new technologies like AR, VR and Snapchat Glasses among others that threaten to impede the company going forward. How can a camera company evolve overnight to survive in such a market.  We believe the answer is by innovating it’s way out of the whirlpool that it finds itself in. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Yi 4k+ Leaves Slowmo Unchanged in HD!

Yi 4k+

The Xiaomi Yi 4k+ Camera announced today at CES is revolutionary just barely by it’s 4k 60fps spec which is ahead of all other action cameras in the market. However 1080p and 720p resolutions have not seen a bump in frame rates with the cameras still doing the same specs as last year’s Yi 4k camera which is in turn the same spec as the GoPro Hero 4, 5 and Sony X3000 Action cameras.

The YI 4K+ uses the newest Amba H2 SOC, the first 14nm video processing/encoding SOC part which is quite fast and on the spec list fast enough for 120fps at 4k on AVCHD encode.  This pixel rate is fast enough for 240fps at full 1080p or  480fps at 720p without maxing the system.  Yi 4k+ however has remained conservative due to hardware limitations in other areas like imaging sensor and memory allocation to just 4k 60p recording. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Yi 4k+ To make debut at CES Improved Specs!

Yi 4k+

The Xiaomi Yi 4k Action camera was one of the biggest breakthroughs in quality over price when it came to action camera clones. It is literally a direct GoPro Hero 4,5 and Sony Action Cam rival with very close specs and performance but with a price tag of $199 it really is in a category all by itself.

The current Yi 4k camera is no slouch in the specs department but recently leaked information shows that the Yi 4k+ will have at least twice the processing power for 4k video and some hint at even faster frame rates. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Xiaomi Yi II New 4k Camera Boosts Frame Rates!

XiaomiYi24k

The Xiaomi Yi Camera offered most of what the low end GoPro Hero cameras brought to the table but for much less money. Now Xiaomi is releasing the Xiaomi Yi II which is a 4k capable action camera sporting the Ambarella A9 chip with a Sony IMX377 sensor and an f2.8 lens.

For the price of $249.99 which is extremely low for a camera of this caliber; you get a 30p 4k capable imaging body with the added benefit of 240fps at 720p resolution, 120fps at 1080p and 960p and the 2k 60fps spec to boot.  For giggles there is also a pink version of the camera that might appeal to the female users. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Xiaomi Mi5 and Other Phones Rumored at MWC!

MWC2016

MWC – Mobile World Congress in Barcelona which takes place next week from February 22 to 25th has been heating up the rumor mill when it comes to phone announcements. CES was kind of a weak show for mobile announcements but the MWC Barcelona event will correct all that with many new phones announced.

As we only cover gear that is capable of shooting high frame rates for slow motion video there are some rumored phones that just jump out.  It seems that 120fps at least at 720p is now commonplace enough not to warrant a lot of scrutiny but now the trend is 120fps 1080p and 240fps at 720p as a new standard for flagship phones started by the iPhone 6s and cemented by the Huawei Nexus 6p of 2015. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Xiaomi YI Action Camera Has a Slowmo Feature!

YiCamwraXiaomi

The Xiaomi Yi Action Camera formerly only marketed in China is now reaching the US via Amazon with Prime delivery. The camera is an ultra cheap clone of what the GoPro Hero is with funky colors for the body and subdued in features compared to the Hero Black.  It is more of a Hero Standard for under $100 USD for a basic camera and kits for not much more with waterproof  casings, selfie sticks and a blue tooth remote.

The camera has a slow motion feature set and while it is not earth shattering it is pretty respectable for what an under $100 USD device can deliver. → Continue Reading Full Post ←