Kodak's $200 Pixpro SP1, though not up to GoPro standards, still displays better image detail than the twice-as-expensive Virb XE does, though its color appears a bit too yellow – a common issue with the Pixpro SP1. The GoPro Hero4 Session, however, also doesn't require a case, and its audio sounds as good as the Garmin. The Virb XE has much better audio than the GoPro Silver, as the latter requires a waterproof case. ![]() Here's a clip from the new Hero4 Session (the Hero4 Silver clip looks equally good). For instance, a rock face I passed during a rafting trip flickered with blocky artifacts from overly aggressive MPEG video compression.īoth the GoPro Silver and Hero4 Session delivered far more nuanced video. Shot at 1080p and 60 fps, the clips were unexpectedly muddy. Having become enamored of the Virb XE’s's design and features, I was heartbroken to see its lackluster video. The Virb XE can also be controlled from some of Garmin's other gadgets, such as its navigation devices and smart watches. (I tested the app on my iPhone 5.) It provides a live preview and big buttons to start a recording or snap a photo. Garmin's smartphone app (for Android, iOS and Windows Phone) is one of the best out there, as extensive as (and rather similar to) GoPro's app. But adding a screen would have made the Virb XE larger, so the trade-off makes sense. Unlike the GoPro Hero4 Silver, the Virb XE doesn't have a color LCD touchscreen, the Silver's killer feature. This eliminates that uncertainty when you can't see the camera – say if it's on top of your bike helmet – and you wonder, "Did I hear the beep when I pressed Record?". The dial encircles a large shutter button that you can press any time to snap a still image - no need to change shooting modes from Video to Photo, as with some action cameras. Instead of pressing a record button, you start videoing by flicking a dial forward. MORE: Action Cams Tested: What's the Best Outdoor Camera?įurther to the right is my favorite part: the control section for shooting. The top of the device features a 1-inch, 128 x 128 pixel monochrome LCD that displays a logically designed menu tree, navigable by two buttons to the right. The Virb XE boasts a better set of controls than most action cameras. (A replacement sells for $20.) Usability: Logical Layout So if you lose or forget the special USB cable, you're stuck. Instead, the Virb XE comes with a USB cable that has a special attachment that clips onto a grid of gold-plated contacts on the side of the camera. What you don’t find here is a micro USB port. Flipping a latch on the side opens a door on the front of the camera, exposing the lens, microSD card slot and removable battery.
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