Casio launches rugged action camera line, starts with GZE-1

Casio is getting in on the rugged action camera market with its new line called G’z EYE. Kicking it off, the company launched in Japan the GZE-1.This action camera takes inspiration from the company’s G-Shock series. It makes use of the similar cylindrical guard structure as the watches and has urethane resin material to handle the shocks and impact it might incur. As you can see in the video above, it looks like an armoured GoPro. Its body is dust-, water-, shock-, and low temperature-resistant. It can work underwater for up to 50m or in temperatures as low as -10°C without needing an extra case.

In terms of its camera specs, the GZE-1 has a 6.9-megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor that can take 6-megapixel stills and 1080p30 video. It has a 13mm f/2.8 wide angle lens. If you want to record slow motion videos, you have the option to do so in 240fps at 384p or 120fps at 480p. You can control the camera using Casio’s smartwatch or move images to the mobile app using the built-in Bluetooth connectivity of the camera. It launches in Japan with a price tag of 46,000 yen (around CA$525).

Source: GSMArena

Sony announces new flagship 4K and HD Action Cams

Sony Electronics announced three brand new products that push their imaging capabilities to the next level.

The FDR-X3000R 4K and HDR-AS300R Full HD Action Cams are Sony’s first-ever POV cameras to feature the innovative Balanced Optical SteadyShot (B.O.SS) image stabilization technology. Being the flagship feature of both devices, B.O.SS is an advanced form of image stabilization. Internally, the lens and sensor work together to compensate for shaking, which allows the footage captured to be smooth and stable, even in 4K. To learn more about these Action Cams read the full release here.

Along with the new POV Action Cams, Sony added a new lens to the family, with the 18-110mm Super 35mm / APS-C lens with power zoom capability (model: SELP18110G). This lens uses Smooth Motion Optics (SMO) allowing users to minimize unwanted focus and image shifts while focusing or zooming. To learn more about the lens read the full release here.

Review: 360Fly Action Camera

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The emergence of VR and the sudden desire to create immersive action cam videos has hit another level with the 360Fly action camera which captures 360' video that can be shared online.

Action cameras have been all the rage for a number of years now and while they offer the ability to recird HD video in various conditions including underwater and while partaking in extreme sports, the next level is ultra-immersive 360' video which can be viewed on VR headsets or a Google Cardboard-compatible headser that uses a smartphone's high resolution display.

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TomTom enters the action camera market with Bandit for $499

TomTom's entry into the connected action camera market is the TomTom Bandit. The TomTom Bandit is the first ever camera to come with a built-in media server, eliminating the need to download footage before editing it.  The camera works with a companion app, making it possible to create and share videos in a matter of minutes, simply by shaking a smartphone.

“We know that the biggest frustration people have with action cameras today is the time and effort it takes to edit,” says Jocelyn Vigreux, President of TomTom, Inc. “With TomTom Bandit we’ve cut the editing time down from hours to minutes - all it takes is a shake!”

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