Shooting in extreme conditions: first-hand details. Go Pro - the best extreme camcorder

Until recently, action cameras were considered an attribute of extreme people. Time passed and the advantages of miniature video cameras were appreciated by ordinary users. It is not necessary to go in for extreme sports to become the owner of an action camera, it is worth buying it anyway. After all, with no camera and mobile phone it is not possible to achieve such an angle and image quality that a tiny camera for extreme shooting will provide. They are not afraid to get wet, which significantly expands the range of application.

Someone will object what to buy action camera not everyone can afford. And it is. Rather, it was so while American extreme cameras dominated the market. The modern niche of miniature camcorders designed for shooting in difficult conditions is filled with many options for gadgets from different manufacturers. An inexpensive action camera is available under $100.

At one time, the world was excitedly discussing the “GoPro killer” - the Yi action camera from the Korean company Xiaomi.

Singapore-based company MIXBERRY LABS has released a line of mini cameras for everyday life and extreme shooting. For the model and other extreme cameras, many proprietary applications are offered. For example, Selfiemania App is a program with which the camera can be controlled remotely. The Wi-Fi module allows you to pair the camera with other devices and synchronize content with cloud storage and social networks.

International distributor XRide Electronics sells action cameras for non-professionals under the motto: Turn it on, take it off, turn it off. The model comes with a box for underwater shooting and a remote control.

In the arsenal of the Japanese company JVC is action with an ultra-protected body and the possibility of live video broadcasting. The camera, weighing just over 100 grams and the size of a pack of cigarettes, has a 5-megapixel camera, a 1.5-inch monitor, a digital image stabilizer, and a fixed focal length lens. She is not afraid of shaking and vibration.

Polaroid is true to its traditions. The 50-gram action camera, in full accordance with the name, is made in the form of a miniature cube with an edge length of 3.5 cm. A 5-megapixel camera that shoots video at a speed of 30 frames per second is in a sealed, waterproof case. With it, you can swim and shoot underwater at a depth of up to 5 meters. But the main highlight is a powerful magnet on the back of the case. With it, the camera firmly sticks to any metal surface.

The ubiquitous Chinese did not doze off either. Today, Chinese-made extreme cameras are on sale, whose parameters are comparable to, and in some cases even surpass them.

The Chinese firm Shenzhen AEE Technology has been working for its government for fifteen years, developing electronics for the professional military. Therefore, their cameras withstand not just extreme, but super-extreme conditions. Tiny action cameras, as if from the arsenal of the famous spy James Bond, the size of a match or . They shoot in HD in conditions far from studio lighting, are equipped with shock sensors and the ability to remote control. They can be attached to clothes, a helmet, a bicycle, used as a DVR in a car. For several years in a row, the AEE action camera has been in the top sales. In addition to FULL HD video at 120 frames per second and the ability to shoot underwater at a depth of up to 100 meters, the buyer receives a removable monitor, mounts for all occasions, ground-in plugs for charging slots and microphone holes, and a set of cables.

Insta360 literally broke into the market for electronic equipment for photo and video shooting in 2014. The model shoots in 2k, 3k, 4k formats at 30 frames per second and is equipped with a powerful 5000 mAh battery. Owners of apple smartphones will surely appreciate the mini camera. The camera connects to the iPhone, shoots 3k video in 360-degree range, streams it to the Internet, takes 8-megapixel photos, sends the footage to social networks. The box in which the camera is sold is not a simple cardboard container, but real virtual reality glasses.

Another one Chinese company SICAM is extremely popular with extreme sportsmen of all stripes. Produces action cameras of the SJ line. One such camera is the SJ4000 SJCAM. Belongs to the budget segment. It costs the same as the GoPro from five years ago and is three to four times cheaper than the latest models. American company. Unlike GoPro, action SJCAM camera The SJ4000 has a 1.5-inch 4:3 screen. Captured photos and video clips can be immediately viewed and re-shot if you do not like it. This is definitely an advantage. To view the material, for example, in the model, you will have to purchase an external connected monitor. Or, using the Wi-Fi module, synchronize the camera with a smartphone and use it as a screen.

The GoPro camera has three control buttons, while the SJCAM SJ4000 has four. It would seem that there is one more key, but the convenience of control for the user increases significantly. Both cameras are shooting with a wide viewing angle. GoPro has a variable 170-degree field of view. The SJCAM SJ4000 action camera also offers a 170-degree FishEye lens and 4x optical zoom. The American camera has a 5-megapixel matrix, the Chinese one has a 3.5-megapixel Aptina matrix with interpolation up to 12 Mp. Both action cameras provide HD format, but not without nuances.

GoPro shoots Full HD video at up to 60 frames per second, and in HD resolution at up to 120 frames per second. The SJCAM SJ4000 specifications state the same 60 frames per second, but in practice, Chinese manufacturers cheated and called double 30 frames 60 frames. The camera simply duplicates each frame, as a result, 60 frames “honestly” appear in the file information. In practice, the action camera shoots in Full HD quality at 30 frames per second and in HD quality at the same 30 frames per second.

The GoPro action camera was originally designed for extreme athletes, whose somersaults are extremely difficult or impossible to film with a regular video camera. Just because the GoPro shoots better doesn't mean the SJCAM SJ4000 shoots badly. For the average user, whose sporting "exploits" involve a beach holiday, outings in the company of friends or keen on skiing, the capabilities of the SJCAM SJ4000 will be more than enough.

GoPro shoots video, takes photos and photo series up to 30 frames per second and time-lapse (time-lapse - slow motion). The SJCAM SJ4000 action camera can do the same, plus high-contrast HDR photos. It also has a motion sensor. This function allows you to expand the basic potential and use the gadget as a security camera for home security, a car recorder, take pictures of what pets and children do in the absence of their owners. SJCAM SJ4000 does not turn off and quietly continues to shoot while charging. Paradoxically, the battery in the American camera is weaker than in the Chinese one. The action camera SJCAM SJ4000 is equipped with a 900 mAh battery, which provides an hour and a half of shooting in FullHD video mode, and GoPro can withstand 40-50 minutes at the same load.

The undoubted advantage of SJCAM SJ4000 is that additional GoPro accessories are suitable for it. The mounts and covers of the "American" will fit the Chinese camera just right. And SJCAM is an extremely equipped action camera, the price of which includes a full set of accessories. The set includes a lot of mounts for all occasions and an aquabox with a special bracelet to secure the camera on your wrist. And in the SJCAM SJ4000 kit there is a latch-clothespin for fixing the camera on the cap visor, chest pocket, backpack strap. Whereas a GoPro with one single mount and a waterproof case will cost 2.5-3 times more.

Both cameras have advantages and disadvantages. GoPro - Worldwide famous brand. This camera shoots faster and at a slightly better resolution. But SJCAM SJ4000 interrupts the dignity of the American rival at an affordable price.

If you have pets, if you are going on vacation, if you have a small child, if there is a significant event ahead, but you are still wondering if you need an action camera… Buy, buy and buy again. This is a gadget that is worth every penny invested in it. The cost of it is more than paid off after the first use, thanks to its simplicity and many options for use. If you are thinking about purchasing a DVR, wouldn’t an action camera be better - its price is several times cheaper, and the possibilities are wider. Many minicameras are already in the factory settings have a "video recorder" mode. In it, video recording is looped to a memory card exactly as regular car DVRs do.

And then everything else. AT last years GoPro hasn't always been at the top of the world's action cameras, but more and more names - famous and not - have been pointing their cameras. different sizes and forms to fight. This level of competition has created several suitable niches for cameras and recording devices to move quickly.

From underwater cameras to space-capable cameras, consumers have been introduced to record their adventures. With so many offerings, the market can be saturated with promises of high resolution and incredible frame rates.

Determining the right action camera is a lot of practical experience, isn't it a banal reading of the specification. In which the company may claim that their camera works for 18 hours using 60 frames per second, but in the hands of a real person, all these numbers are nothing more than a lie. Since you probably don't have the time or money to test every one of the hundreds of cameras, here are 4 of the best action cameras for extreme shooting.

Price: 4976 rub.
If we evaluate the structure and operation of the camera according to GoPro standards, then the SJ4000 can be thrown away with a clear conscience as an unsuccessful imitation. But if you check its capabilities, it turns out that this "smart" and durable baby was created for survival, and for a novice extreme operator with a limited budget, it can be an excellent first tool. Working at maximum load, when recording video with a resolution of 1080p, it can only do 30 frames per second, but at any lower resolution, including the minimum for HD 720p, it clicks at 60 frames.

This is quite enough for clear action shooting - only the wings of a hummingbird will turn out blurry. In addition to video, the camera can take regular photos with a wide range of settings, and the noise during its operation is minimal. Easy GoPro mount allows you to easily mount the camera to drones, special grips and helmets with a single screwdriver or with minimum set tools.

Price: RUB 17,990
Those who consider GoPro cameras too similar to banal boxes, the Session will certainly calm down - the lack of a specially protected box makes it the smallest in the GoPro family, but does not interfere with being completely waterproof. The more compact size reduces the chance of the camera being twisted or lost when mounted on a helmet and special grips. At the same time, however, the functionality compared to other GoPro models has also been reduced in favor of compactness.

Due to the small number of built-in functions, connecting the camera to an Android or iOS device is almost mandatory. The degree of control is higher than other all-in-one cameras, but only when combined with the above device. You can go anywhere with the camera and shoot video from 1920x1440 at 30fps to 1280x720 at 100fps, as well as take photos in normal and high-speed mode with amazing sharpness for its size.

Price: RUB 34,790
It is difficult to consider this camera as a separate independent device, since it was created for joint work with other Garmin products or devices with ANT+. In terms of tasks, Virb XE handles full HD at 60fps. - Pretty good for research and personal video. “Down” to a resolution of 720p, we will see that the camera comes to life and shoots everything in a row at 120 frames / sec. even if the subject is fluttering in the frame like a ballerina across the stage.

Access to GPS proved to be a very useful and convenient feature for determining the speed and position of objects when shooting georeferenced. Syncing stuff through vívosmart or other Garmin products is about as user-friendly as it gets. If the original Virb Elite was as disappointing to you as it was to us, Virb XE is a complete rehab.

Price: RUB 22,745
Bandit's video resolution is clearly ahead of action cameras

GoPro cameras for extreme shooting are no longer curiosities. A wide range of accessories and mounts for an extreme camera allow you to mount it on your chest, install an action camera on a helmet, directly on skis or a snowboard. Mounting on tubes for an extreme camera will be useful for cyclists or, for example, windsurfers. A special box will protect the camera for extreme shooting not only from snow during a snowfall or when falling into a snowdrift, you can also shoot video under water with it. You can also buy a telescopic stick for a GoPro camera, from which you can shoot not only the environment, but also yourself. The camera for extreme shooting will be able to capture you from the most incredible angles, everything is limited only by your imagination. The starter kit for the GoPro action camera already comes with a basic set of mounts. Some craftsmen are completely limited to them and irreplaceable adhesive tape.

Many fans of extreme video even before the trip think over the scenario of the future video for participation in various contests, choosing the optimal mounting systems for their extreme camera and coming up with an original plot. By the way, we strongly recommend that you stock up on an extra battery for your action camera. Time flies quickly, and in cold conditions, the battery can run out pretty quickly.

Extreme camera for all occasions

Extreme GoPro cameras are very compact! Such a camera will definitely not weigh down your backpack, but if you wish, it will simply fit into the pocket of your ski jacket. With this camera, you can take photos and videos of different formats. Perhaps the disadvantage of the extreme camera is the lack of a screen for viewing taken photo and video. However, this problem is also easily solved by installing a camera application on your smartphone to view the footage on it.

If you buy a camcorder for extreme sports - it will come in handy for home family video. You can safely entrust an extreme camera to your child without fear for its safety.

By mounting the action camera on a tripod and setting the Time Lapse mode, you can capture the awakening of the camp, getting ready for the trip, as well as sunrises and dawns and everything that your imagination has enough for!

You can also buy an extreme GoPro camera in order to analyze your skating technique or just not to ask your friends to film themselves this way or that way. Buying an action camera you can do it yourself!

Extreme Sports Camera Features

You can come to the decision that you need to buy an extreme camera quite quickly after analyzing all its advantages compared to a conventional video camera.

• Extreme camera compact and lightweight
• The action camera is very easy to use, just a few buttons that anyone can figure out. This is very important factor especially when you ask your friend to take a picture of you.
• The action camera is reliable and durable, it is always ready for extreme falls, takeoffs, diving.
• The quality of shooting is practically not inferior to classic video cameras. You will be surprised what extreme cameras are capable of.
• A wide range of various extreme camera mounts will open up new perspectives for you.
• Another good thing about an extreme camera is that the price is not so high compared to classic camcorders.

"Sport-Marathon" offers to buy extreme cameras in Moscow on Saykina, 4, or place an order for an action camera in the online store on our website.

As part of the annual international exhibition Photoforum 2015 at the Nikon booth hosted a presentation by the master of extreme photography and brand ambassador - Kirill Umrikhin.

–– Extreme shooting is, first of all, travel, and travel is a dream. Through sport I get to know the whole world. I was in Cairo when there were motorcycle jumping competitions, I was in Rome, I flew to Mauritius. I had never been windsurfing before, and when I started filming this sport, the guys offered me to try it. And now it has become one of my favorites. I tried a lot of things: I jumped from a bridge with a rope, and recently I jumped from a bungee from a height of 200 meters - it was very scary. Extreme sports have created my whole life and myself, marked the circle of my relatives and friends.

Dynamics is present not only in Kirill's life, but also in his work. A photographer who shoots action sports is always changing points of view, he does not stand still. For example, during the closing of the Olympic Games in Sochi, during the entire ceremony, the photographer had to run around the entire stadium more than once in search of a new interesting angle.

Kirill visits Sochi quite often, he has been shooting winter sports there for four years. The photographer recently returned from Krasnaya Polyana, where he worked at a snowboarding camp. There he tested Nikon's new AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens. It is the first model to combine a compact and lightweight design, large focal length and high image quality, which makes it possible to blur the background very beautifully, despite aperture 4. The lightness and compactness of this lens model made it possible for Kirill to take photos and ride by himself.

In extreme photography, professional sports lenses are indispensable. When preparing for a trip, I choose what equipment I will need for each specific task. If I need lenses that I don't have, I take them through the NPS (Nikon Professional Services) program. I often need 300mm or 400mm sports lenses, which are very expensive lenses. I am grateful to the Nikon representative for always helping me out.

The photographer has always been fascinated and fascinated by the opportunity to shoot from a height, so his new hobby appeared - shooting from a quadrocopter. Kirill's plans for the near future are to try to launch a Nikon camera into the sky in order to get higher quality pictures.

The most difficult thing in shooting from a quadcopter is not even shooting itself, but learning to fly. Here I advise you to buy some toy helicopters and train on them. And when you crash 2-3 helicopters, you can safely buy a quadcopter. Now there are ready-made solutions already with built-in cameras. You can buy and fly right away. But in general, you need to learn, and in good conditions A: no wind, no rain, open area. And I have never read the instructions so carefully! A quadcopter provides an amazing opportunity to see the world from above without ordering a helicopter for this. Each launch of a quadrocopter for me is like a small flight into space.

If we talk about shooting in rainy weather, then, according to Kirill, all professional Nikon equipment is not afraid of raindrops and water splashes. And this is very important for extreme photography.

Kirill is sure that professional equipment is not so important for a beginner photographer, you can start shooting with ordinary cameras. For example, a series of mirrorless Nikon cameras 1 is great for this, and to learn how to photograph, you need to shoot a lot.

According to Kirill, there is one rule, the observance of which will help to achieve excellent results - you need to shoot not just a person flying in the sky, but show where and where he flies and what he is doing. The main secret A good photo is based on three simple things - the location, the weather and the rider. If all of them are present, the frame will definitely turn out.

To make it easier for you, we attached 4 cameras to the helmet of Red Bull motocross team member Elliot Banks Brownie and asked him to take a good ride through his favorite gullies. Look how it was:

Tested on people

Rider Elliot Banks Brownie is the British motocross champion

Director Ed Warren specializes in making motocross videos

Techie Matt Taylor - Specialty Action Camera Expert actioncameras.co.uk

Fan Kel Verbiest is editor of Europe's leading extreme sports website mpora.com

Great for slow motion, faded picture

Resolution: 1080p HD
Viewing angle: 170°
Weight (g): 126
Dimensions (mm): 74x53x35
Battery life: 1 hour 10 minutes
Price: 12 990 rubles.

Pros: "Adixxion is intuitive to use and video editing is easy too" says Warren. Unlike other cameras in our review, the JVC has an LCD screen on which you can immediately see the footage, and it can also stream the picture live to a computer via Wi-Fi. “This camera has a high frame rate (30 per second at 1920x1080 and 60 per second at 1280x720), which means that when shooting in Full HD and HD, it collects more visual information per unit of time than other cameras in this review, Taylor says. - The result is a smoother image, making the Adixxion perfect for slow motion shooting.”. In addition, it - the only one tested - has a built-in image stabilizer: it helps to get a clear picture when driving on uneven terrain.

Minuses: The picture is clear, but faded, says Warren, bright orange ground looks gray, many details are lost". Banks Brownie adds: “It feels like the mount of this camera is fragile, it twitches on any bumps”. "The wind distorts the sound recording", says Verbiest. All in all, it's not worth the money.

Image 5/10
Simplicity 7/10
Capabilities 8/10

Verdict: Lots of features, but the main issue is image quality.

Low price, poor focus

Resolution: 720p HD
Viewing angle: 170°
Weight (g): 520
Dimensions (mm): 162x141x82
Price: 6200 rubles.

Pros: This device has two built-in cameras, and you can immediately shoot what is in front and behind or above and below (if you install it flat). And Chameleon is cheaper than competitors.

Minuses: “The image is out of focus, especially when the speed of movement increases (the problem is the lowest frame rate among the tested cameras)” says Warren. "The video combines pictures from both cameras, and it's just confusing", - says Banks Brownie.

Image 3/10
Simplicity 5/10
Capabilities 6/10

Verdict: Poor image quality and clunky design.

WINNER

Clear picture, sturdy camera - great for off-road adventures

Resolution: 1080p HD
Viewing angle: 170°
Weight (g): 74
Dimensions (mm): 40x58x30
Battery life: 2 hours
Price: 12 700 rubles.

Pros: “The image quality of the GoPro Hero3 is the best we've tested. says Warren. - The picture is clear and smooth, without jerks. Good contrast - you can see any lump of dirt flying out from under the wheels". Wind noise has almost no effect on the quality of the recorded sound. "It attaches with one click and is easy to control even when mounted on a helmet", says Banks Brownie. For such a small GoPro camera, it's pretty solid: “Once it fell off right on the go, but not a scratch was left on the body”.

Cons: This camera can connect to an iPhone app via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and broadcast live. But during our testing, we never managed to get this feature to work. For useful accessories (such as a remote control or a plug-in video finder) you will have to pay extra separately.

Image 9/10
Simplicity 9/10
Capabilities 7/10

Verdict: Everything about this camera is top notch: blur-free images and intuitive controls.

Easy to use, flimsy looking

Resolution: 1080p HD
Viewing angle: 135°
Weight (g): 68
Dimensions (mm): 41x31x64
Battery life: 2 hours
Price: 7990 rubles.

Pros: “When you shoot on the go, passing some bushes, they come out blurry, but the colors are bright and the image is Full HD” says Warren. - The EGO camera is lighter than the rest of the models tested, and although it looks like a child's toy, the build quality is surprisingly high.. Installing it is also easy: “No need to fiddle with fastening and setting”, says Banks Brownie.

Minuses: “It is so small that it is inconvenient to wear it on a helmet, says Banks Brownie. - It seems that if even a small pebble hits it, it will immediately fly off.. In addition, there is no stabilizer.

Image 8/10
Simplicity 7/10
Capabilities 6/10

Verdict: Vivid colors, reliability, affordable price.

We caught one of the main gurus in shooting extreme videos - five-time Emmy Award winner cameraman Gordon Brown (you could see his films about conquering giant waves, exploring caves, expeditions along rivers and high mountain climbs in IMAX). Here are Gordon's tips for making an extreme video.

1. change angle
Even a home video with Paris Hilton is boring to watch from one angle. “Use breaks: insert shots with something else into long plots, preferably with an object that is mentioned in one way or another)”. For light editing use Apple iMovie (there is also a version for iPhone / iPad), for more serious - professional Final Cut Pro.

2. tell me a story
“Just a video of some kind of bungee jumping into an abyss or other sporting feat is what we call sports porn.” Brown laughs. - Show preparation, obstacles and difficulties on the way, in short, think over the scenario ".

3. hide the wind
“Nothing is more annoying in an extreme video than constant wind noise on the microphone. Buy a windscreen (that fluffy microphone case)" Gordon advises.

4. Don't pull
Did you know that some viewers got sick while watching The Blair Witch Project? No, not from horror - they were just seasick from shaking the camera. Do not repeat the mistake and buy a tripod (for sure, not everything in this life you will shoot hand-held and in the thick of things).