Read First Before Buy Polaroid Extreme Waterproof Mounting Included
The Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition is the perfect camera for the active person. For its size, the benefits of buying one are demonstrated in the shear quality of the footage captured. Polaroid has really created much deserved excitement about this camera.
Durability wise, Polaroid has created a well-built camera. Designed for use in extreme sports, the camera can go anywhere including underwater (waterproof up to 30-feet). Good slim design, combined with balance of light weight and rugged durability make it most desirable.
In the package you will find a number of accessories: mounting kit for a bike, mounting kit for a helmet, adhesive pads and more. This camera uses the same mounting hole as most digital point and shoot and DSLR cameras making it great for use with any tripods you may currently use for photography.
I really like the specs on this camera. You can independently slide switch on the back to change from High Definition (HD) recording to Full HD recording. Within the camera's settings software you can adjust FHD between 1080P and 960P and HD between 720P @ 60 FPS and 720P @30 FPS. This camera can also take pictures in 16MP, 5MP, 3MP, or VGA quality. You can also have the photos taken in single shots, bursts or time lapse (time lapse supports 5, 10, 30 and 60 second options).
All of these options can be adjusted within the included software. After plugging a microSD into the camera and then hooking the camera up to your computer, you can run the Polaroid.exe file to adjust the settings, no software installation required.
This camera does lack a video display, but has a rated battery life of nearly 2.5 hours. The lack of an LCD display certainly is what adds to the extended life of this camera but can be both a mixed blessing. The camera does have a mini HDMI port on the back, and included in the accessories, you will find an HDMI mini to HDMI cable so you can hook it up to a TV or other video display.
Overall, the Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition is a rugged video and static image camera designed for the extreme sports minded. This makes it a superb option for capturing your extreme sports activities or just an afternoon with the family in the backyard. The extended battery life and waterproof design will allow for nearly unlimited uses, making it a great choice for an active lifestyle.
Disclosure: I received a sample product from the manufacturer for the purposes of providing this review. A review in exchange for the review sample was not promised. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the manufacturer or vendor.
This is a small but packed with fun camera/video camera that is great for outdoor action shots in air, motion, or water.
BalasHapusThe camera has a curved lens for getting a wide angle shot. Controls for operation are on the top, two simple switches. An on and off which slides to turn it on and start recording. If you switch it back off, it stays on and can take still shots with the push of a button on top.
There is a waterproof cover on the back that houses all connections and the memory card. It takes a micro SD card. Connections include an HDMI output, mini USB port for charging (and transferring), and a switch to control FHD or HD. Additional controls for video quality and other features are available when you connect the camera to your computer. There is an executable file that offers your options.
The video quality is good, not super but good enough, especially for this price range. It handles bumps and rolls well, with little blurring. Sound quality is good. Indoor, low light quality is pretty grainy so outdoor, well lit shots are much better.
There is no way to play it back without hooking it up via the HDMI cable or the USB cable (both provided) since there is no on board screen.
This is fun to play with, small and easy to handle with a great selection of mounting options for helmets, bikes, or other vehicle handlebars. The mounting bracket locks in place securely and can be removed with a quick release clip. It is waterproof so I'm looking forward to trying it out this summer in boating and lake activities. You just have to make sure that the back cover is rotated and securely locked to provide a waterproof seal of the ports.
Videos come in two formats when transferred - the full resolution version and a thumbnail version in a low file size for quick uploading.
Still shots are again pretty good, not as good as a higher end stand alone camera but fun for those in the air moments.
Overall, a very nice package for amateur capturing of your stunts, action shots, and outdoor activities. Would make for a great gift for the active friend in your life!
I was provided a sample of the product for testing and an honest review.
My husband and I are adrenaline junkies...we go rappelling, caving, ziplining and more...This allows us to share some extreme trips whenever we are in the mood to do it.
BalasHapusThis camera was at Cabella's as we picked up some extreme sport equipment and new caving boots. Upon holding it, we knew it was perfect for some adventures because it's so lightweight (only 4.8 oz!!) that strapping it to helmets or bike handlebars or even on the gator (not the animal kind) as we go into the woods just makes it easy without extra weight. IT EVEN COMES WITH A HELMET AND HANDLEBAR MOUNT!
That said, caving can kill electronics from the get go with them hitting against all the sharp formations when we fall...which you do all the time trying to traverse shallow areas of water caves in murky water when you can't see the uneven flooring. I killed my husband's nice new camera on our first date in a cave. The fact that he was so calm about it was a good indication of him being a real catch...so I said yes when he proposed to me a month later.
Now he has an adventure girl for a wife and we beat up cameras together. This one, however, just keeps on working. And we are really putting it to some tests.
This is made to be a sports camera and it works like one. It's 1080p, it has an ultra wide angle lens, 16MP, it auto rotates which is important considering sometimes I"M rotating while filming and it has to keep going. it's waterPROOF (not just water resistant) to 30 feet
SPECS FOR OPTICS:
1/2.5" 5MP CMOS image sensor
F2.8 fixed focus ultra sharp glass lens
light sensitivity greater than than 1.4 v/lux-sec
dynamic range: greater than 65db
white balance, ISO, scene, auto
170 degree ultra wide angle lens
file format video H2.64 mpeg4, photo-jpeg
VIDEO
HD RESOLUTION
1080p
photo mode
microphone/audio
storage recording time:32mb internal memory
2.5 hrs of battery time
g sensor auto rotation
anti-shake
high impact and shock proof
What you get:
camera
hdmi cable
usb cable
mount lock
mount lock key
secure string
carrying pouch
helmet mount
handlebar mount
quick start guide
With minimal buttons, this is a snap to use and figure out.
This is their extreme edition...we looked at several cameras, but this one is up to par with our big sports action. The clarity is excellent and the reduction in vibration imperative as we are ALWAYS moving.
The Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition is the perfect camera for the active person. For its size, the benefits of buying one are demonstrated in the shear quality of the footage captured. Polaroid has really created much deserved excitement about this camera.
BalasHapusDurability wise, Polaroid has created a well-built camera. Designed for use in extreme sports, the camera can go anywhere including underwater (waterproof up to 30-feet). Good slim design, combined with balance of light weight and rugged durability make it most desirable.
In the package you will find a number of accessories: mounting kit for a bike, mounting kit for a helmet, adhesive pads and more. This camera uses the same mounting hole as most digital point and shoot and DSLR cameras making it great for use with any tripods you may currently use for photography.
I really like the specs on this camera. You can independently slide switch on the back to change from High Definition (HD) recording to Full HD recording. Within the camera's settings software you can adjust FHD between 1080P and 960P and HD between 720P @ 60 FPS and 720P @30 FPS. This camera can also take pictures in 16MP, 5MP, 3MP, or VGA quality. You can also have the photos taken in single shots, bursts or time lapse (time lapse supports 5, 10, 30 and 60 second options).
All of these options can be adjusted within the included software. After plugging a microSD into the camera and then hooking the camera up to your computer, you can run the Polaroid.exe file to adjust the settings, no software installation required.
This camera does lack a video display, but has a rated battery life of nearly 2.5 hours. The lack of an LCD display certainly is what adds to the extended life of this camera but can be both a mixed blessing. The camera does have a mini HDMI port on the back, and included in the accessories, you will find an HDMI mini to HDMI cable so you can hook it up to a TV or other video display.
Overall, the Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition is a rugged video and static image camera designed for the extreme sports minded. This makes it a superb option for capturing your extreme sports activities or just an afternoon with the family in the backyard. The extended battery life and waterproof design will allow for nearly unlimited uses, making it a great choice for an active lifestyle.
Disclosure: I received a sample product from the manufacturer for the purposes of providing this review. A review in exchange for the review sample was not promised. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the manufacturer or vendor.
The unit is solid and well built and easy to use. Once I figured out my PC software and editing the videos the quality is great. Mounted on my helmet for inline speed skating, outdoors and indoors. The outdoor videos are very crisp and clear, indoor was good with a little tweak of increasing the bright. The audio could be better but works well. This unit is very easy to use with only two buttons, it really is dummy proof. This is my first sports action recorder, so I can't compare to others but for me it works very well. It came with everything minus the memory card, so with the purchase of a good memory card, the price is close to most of the other units.
BalasHapusLength:: 7:13 Mins
BalasHapusThanks to YouTube there has been an explosion in the number of "Action Cameras" that are on the market. They all have several things in common... they are rugged, at least water resistant, and are made for capturing fast paced action. The Polaroid XS100 certainly has all of those features... and several more. Any many ways the Polaroid XS100 is the perfect action camera - it is easy to use, takes high quality video, is versatile enough for a wide variety of sports.
In the video portion of the review you can see the you can see the Polaroid XS100 in action. Please note - strapping a camera on the top of a remote controlled vehicle is a pretty challenging application.
Notes
- Self adjusting rotation on the camera which helps to keep the picture permanently upright despite the orientation of the camera. This is allows the camera to flip in any direction while maintaining an upright view.
- The Polaroid XS100 comes with a variety of mount, straps, and adhesive patches that will allow you to mount your XS100 to nearly anything... helmets, canoes, handlebars, remote control cars, and etc.
- Does come with a handlebar mount that allows you to mount ton any tube that is less than about 1" in diameter.
- Uses (but does not come with) a micro SD memory card.
- With a push of the button you can take snap shots.
- Completely rechargeable and offers nice battery life (2.5 hours)
- Water resistant to 10M (33 feet)
- Ultrawide lens offers 170 degrees of view
- One word of caution if the winged mounting system breaks (not that it will, but you do need to use some caution) then the camera will be much harder to mount to anything
Final Verdict- The Polaroid XS100 is a solid option for anyone who is looking for high definition action camera. In the video portion I show the video quality in a very demanding application (while strapped to a remote control vehicle). There really is a lot to like with this camera.
4 1/2 Stars
Please Note- I was provided this product for reviewing purposes
YES. You read that right. This camera is far better then the new Sony action cam and the GoPro Silver. The image quality is the same as the Silver but better than the Sony. The design is better than any of the other two for my uses. It is more heavy duty. It comes bundled with all the accessories I need. They are very good quality, by the way. Not some cheapo accessories. The price is amazing. I think Polaroid should be proud of what they were able to accomplish at such a low price. This is professional quality camera, not a toy.
BalasHapusLength:: 2:36 Mins
BalasHapusI've used a few other sports cameras similar to this Polaroid in the past for various activities. My husband has one that comes with mounts similar to this one. He uses the cameras mounted to his bow when out hunting, to his boat when he's fishing and to his hat when he's out hunting with a shotgun or riffle. This Polaroid is design with the same all-in-one main power button design, with a large main power button that is made so that one can easily find it by feeling for it, to take photos and videos, without actually being able to see it. Because these kinds of cameras are designed to be mounted to something like your hat or helmet, the large button is even made so that you can find it and use it with large thick gloves on.
Like most sports cameras, it takes footage in a fisheye type view. However this camera stands apart from others I've owned in three aspects. The first, it not only takes video, but also still photos. Also, it's very simple to switch between the two. You slide the button one way and the camera immediately starts recording. You know you're in record mode because the camera produces one long vibration (not beeps, which is good for hunters who want to use this camera). When you slide the button the other way, it notifies you that you're successfully in still-photo taking mode by producing a sequence of a few short vibrations (again, no beeps or chimes). To take photos you just press a single button that's located in the front of the sliding power button. You know you've successfully taken a photo by a small vibration after each image is captured.
The second big difference between this camera and the others I've used is that it's waterproof. Many cameras are water resistant, but this camera can be fully submerged in water for taking photos.
The third big difference is the photo quality, especially in low light. In bright light, colors are vibrant and everything is extremely detailed for a waterproof sports camera. These kinds of cameras usually sacrifice image quality for other things, like the included mounting kits and such. Not only does this camera take great bright light images, but it even works in low light, something not one of our other sports cameras can do. Low light is the enemy of mounting sports cameras like these, but this one takes great video even in low light conditions. Most of the video and still photos shown in my attached video review is taken on cloudy and even dark rainy days. Footage taken with these kinds of cameras on rainy days is usually very grainy and not worth even bothering, but this Polaroid handles it like a champ, and the images are still clear and detailed.
This camera comes with a ton of accessories. Lots of mounts for everything you could want to put it on, a neoprene case for carrying it (that even has a metal clip to attach it to bags and belf loops) and a thin nylon wrist strap for keeping a hold of it. It comes with everything you will need except for a Micro SD card. I've used several of these kinds of cameras and so has my husband, and this one by far takes the best photos and video. For the hunters, just a few shots of spray paint over the white glossy casing and it's good-to-go for using in the duck blind, your tree stand or anywhere else you might need to knock down the white color of the casing.
A sample was provided for reviewing purposes.