Mount this 1.4” X 1.4” Cube on your helmet and take HD videos on the move. Link it to your smartphone through WiFi and share it with five of your friends, live!
Set for launch in December, the Polaroid Cube Plus could give a new twist to mobile photography now dominated by smartphones.
Action photography was always a tough task for amateurs outside the professional league. The likes of Go-Pro did enter the market but the price was steep. Only diehard adventure action buffs went for it. But the recent entry of the non-WiFi version, the Polaroid Cube, with its small size, changed the dynamics of how people capture action moments.
The Cube could record HD videos of 1080p / 720p quality for 1.5 hours. For travel buffs crazy about shooting every exciting moment, it does offer a decent visual avenue but is clearly not in the professional league. Still image resolution might be only 6 MP, but the market is maturing fast. The Cube Plus has an 8-MP camera and offers video recording at a higher resolution.
Unlike other expensive action cameras, the Cube lacks advanced shooting modes such as zoom control and manual composition. But more players in the market could boost the possibilities. For instance, with a waterproof case, the Cube itself could take underwater photographs and videos, a feature hitherto limited to specialised high-end cameras. The 124-degree lens allows for detailed wide-angle photos. The photos and videos could be saved in a 32GB card.
A raw image or visual could be finetuned later with a photo or video-editing software. But what makes the visual often stand out is the camera’s viewing angle. This is where the Cube’s accessories could make a difference. Here’s one list: Tripod mount, bicycle mount, suction cup mount, helmet mount and the waterproof case that promises to go as deep as 33ft. Since it has a magnetic base, it sticks on any metal surface.
India’s nascent action camera market is currently USD 16 million strong. But with more players expected to come in, this market – already growing at 23 per cent – could see a big boom.
Published 12 November 2015, 20:22 IST