Hasta La Gadget!

If you were thinking it’s about that time of year that we might see a new GoPro, then you’d be right. The king of the action cams has just announced the GoPro Hero3+. The flagship Black edition is now 20 percent smaller — no mean feat if you’ve seen the existing model. There are also improvements to the optics, which GoPro claims gives a 33 percent increase in image sharpness, while reducing artifacts by a factor of two. Feature-wise there’s a new 1080 “SuperView” mode which takes footage from 4:3 aspect ratio, and presents it in an immersive 16:9 view. Other improvements include a new auto-low light mode that will adjust the frame rate on the fly, revised audio internals, four times faster WiFi and wireless camera updates via your phone. Despite all of these additions, and the smaller form, it’s claimed that your new GoPro will potentially offer up to 30 percent extra battery life, too. The Silver edition gets some love, also, with 1080p now possible at 60fps, and 720 at 120 fps. So, all that’s left is for you to get 30 percent better at your daredevil activity of choice for 30 percent longer, and we’re all even. The Hero3+ will be available starting this week, with prices starting at $299 for the Silver addition, and $399 for the black. The previous flagships now retail for $329 and $249 respectively.

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Source: GoPro

Sony has released camcorders and cameras for a variety niches here at IFA, including a new HD action cam, the HDR-AS30V. It’s immediately noticeable that the second-gen model is 25 percent smaller and 35 percent lighter than the original, making it even less cumbersome when clipped onto a helmet — especially compared to a GoPro. As far as the layout goes, not much has changed; you’ll find USB, line-in and HDMI ports at the bottom, with the power and record buttons still on back. The rear panel also opens up to give you access to a microSD card slot and the battery compartment. The side features the same basic info LCD with two selection buttons, so you’ll still make need to make use of its onboard WiFi and a smartphone — or the new Live-View Remote (details in a bit) if you need a viewfinder.

You’ll find stereo mics and a fixed Carl Zeiss lens at the front with a 170-degree viewing angle, though you’ll only get a 120-degree field of view with SteadyShot enabled. Lastly, there’s the obligatory tripod mount at its underside. The new bits are essentially a backlit Exmor R CMOS censor, GPS and NFC. Full HD videos can now be captured at 1080/60p (last year’s model topped out at 30p), while 720/120p and 720/60p settings are available for slow-mo videos. As a bonus, it can also take 11.9MP images and shoot at interval timing. Using Sony’s PlayMemories Home app, you’ll be able to sync up video from two of the new Action Cams, rotate the orientation of your clips, and add overlays based on GPS data.

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Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Sony

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Source: Sony

For those who happen to already own the Sony POV Action Cam, you might want to carve a really, really wide smile across your face. We have a very good reason for asking you to do that, especially since the latest software update for your beloved Action Cam would let you record your favorite high octane memories in 1080/60p resolution, among others. For those who have yet to consider the Sony Action Cam as their next purchase, perhaps you might want to consider the following fun facts.

With PS Recording Mode (1920×1080/60p), you are able to shoot smoother video in fast moving scenes, and not only that, you can also play back 60p movies on your compatible PC and TV. With Water Scene Selection capability, you can capture underwater video in a clearer manner than ever before, as it will enable white balance adjustment automatically. Folks who prefer to film and control your POV footage in a quiet zone, you can now adjust sound levels individually, thanks to the on/record trigger and settings button. Of course, those who have already applied the update should be more than happy with it, right? [Press Release]

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock Now Available For $299, Instabeat Is The Google Glass For Swimmers,

It’s just a concept, sure. But if it means more dog’s eye view videos are destined for YouTube, we whole-heartedly support Sony’s Action Cam Pet Mount.

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Until now, Sony’s efforts in the element-stopping sports cam world had largely consisted of handhelds such as the Bloggie Sport HD and the waterproof Handycam. The $200 Action Cam, however, is an all-out hiking-boot-wearing adventurist, with a backpack full of tools and supplies by comparison, that frankly, makes the brand’s previous attempts look like they’re barely prepared for a school field trip.

A lot of technology can be broken down into numbers. PetaFLOPS, gigahertz and megabytes — the idea usually being, the more the better. And often that’s true. Sometimes, though, what you really need are a couple breaths of fresh air and a healthy shot of adrenaline. And that’s where something like Sony’s new HDR-AS15 Action Cam shines. It’s one of a growing breed of devices that allow us to get our fill of the great outdoors, while still satisfying our gadget fix. With plenty of other competitors lining up to be your sporting partner of choice, however, does the Action Cam have what it takes to keep up? Dive past the break to find out.

Continue reading Sony Action Cam review: a good rugged camera with a few software wrinkles

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Sony Action Cam review: a good rugged camera with a few software wrinkles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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