LIFETECH: What your smartphone doesn’t do, these cameras will

8 years ago - Published in Lifestyle

Let’s face it. Most smartphones today are equipped with a more-than-decent camera and video recorder. However, for a semi-pro or a specific professional job, even the best smartphones wouldn’t be enough. With a deep enough pocket and an eye for technology, here are some of the best gadgets the market has to offer.

“Limitless Possibilities” is the tagline 360fly uses to show its products’ potential: cut the 4K or the HD models of their video cameras that go one step beyond a GoPro. Just leave the camera standing somewhere to ensure a 360 degrees visibility horizontally and 240 degrees vertically. Which means, virtually all the action gets recorded. Dustproof and shockproof, they can be euipped with stands for helmets or many other support items. One function also allows a more traditional point-and-shoot approach.

GoPro is adding many different gadgets to its Hero cameras. The 5 series will soon have its own drone to be mounted on. Extra propellers, battery and stabilizer will be included in the package while of course the “compact, ultra portable” drone is the star. It reaches a speed of 35 mph and can fly up to 10500 feet, resisting to a 22 mph wind. It only weighs a little more than 1000 g.

Dangerous driving and fraudulent claims provided to insurance companies make many people who constantly deal with traffic wish they had their own in-car camera. NextBase makes a strong point with their dash cams, presenting the “most connected dash cam in the world”, the 312 GW. It has inbuilt wi-fi, allowing for immediate uploading to a favourite channel – be it the insurer’s email or a social media – or download to a smartphone. Its 140 degree wide angle view allows to record pretty much everything that happens on the road in front of the driver.

Not everyone will be satisfied with these cameras which, as good as they might be, are by no means professional. One example in the professional category is Canon’s XA35, with a dual-band wi-fi and a 20x zoom. It is aimed at professionals who, like journalists, who need quality images in all conditions including in the dark with a sensitive sensor. However, with a weight of around 1000 g it is also suitable for professionals outside of the media who like their videos to be state of the art.