Holiday Gadgets: operating experience Nikon CoolPix AW120 and Sony Action Cam AS100V Bashny.Net

Until recently, my "park" underwater gadgets included only one unit - the camera Kodak EasyShare C123 Sport. Last summer she went with me to the first "battle" tested in Montenegro. In the process it became clear that this "Soap" I have a number of claims. Yes, the fish in the Adriatic Sea, I took off a few fairly brighter pictures rafting also brought. The quality of images is, in principle, was quite satisfactory - complain was not much to see. But any other nuances. Most frustrating lack of optical zoom - it seemed to me that when shooting underwater world without him is very difficult. Plus uncomfortable buttons, plus a very peculiar system of governance, plus a strange cover design, which is located beneath the flash drive, plus a small screen that fades almost completely under water ... In general, this year I'm going back to Montenegro, and for this case it was decided to expand "park" underwater gadgets have a couple of devices.




Kodak EasyShare C123 Sport i>

To begin with, what to find in a small Ukrainian town camera for underwater shooting almost unreal. You can certainly order from the online store (which I did), but the pre-twist it in your hands before buying - alas. Retail gradually abandons photographic equipment in any of its manifestations, as the vast majority of consumers takes on smartphones. Are usually inexpensive bar of soap or some entry-level SLR still can be found without too much trouble, but as a niche product, as the sealed chamber - no.

Meanwhile, reports of such models in the network also not very much - all, again, switched to gadzhetopisatelstvo about smartphones tablets yes, but the cameras, especially on specific, prefer to keep quiet. It is, in principle, is clear: to talk about the benefits of Qualcomm or MediaTek AMOLED over IPS easier than right to talk about the intricacies of a particular camera. Incidentally, I do that also do not know how, so this post will tell more about their feelings, not in terms abstruse terms.

In short, the choice fell on the Nikon CoolPix AW120


Nikon CoolPix AW120 i>

In addition to the Nikon CoolPix AW120 purchased Sony Action Cam AS100V . Generally hand reached for GoPro Hero3 + Black Edition, but at the last moment stopped on "Japanese". Perhaps because the youngest model range GoPro - Hero3 White Edition - once pleased medium. Manage illogical, firmware update, sorry, after the fifth point, to press the button in the box is required to make a very noticeable effort. In general, do not want to get this whole "bouquet" of almost $ 500, so it took Sony for 400-plus.



Sony Action Cam AS100V i>

And the courier brought a couple of boxes. The first thing that surprised in « Nikon », - dangling piece inside the housing. I remember, in the comments on "of Yandex.Market" many complained at the nuance, so apparently this design feature. Another note wryly inscribing on the front panel. The Japanese, you generally watch on the quality of its Indonesian factories? Or both? This is not a budget "soap box" for $ 50, but something much more expensive ...

The interface will not talk much - I note only that the control I liked all the buttons on hand and have a clear course. This is important because the same "Kodak" ditched me a lot of potentially interesting shots of wacky rubber keys. You press on it - and then it turns out that in fact not doge. On the AW120 this does not happen.

We have several generations of Nikon cameras Series AW - AW100, AW110, now here AW120. They take off about the same (I could be wrong, but rare pictures online confirm this conjecture), and to distinguish between different kinds of small buns, not directly related to photography. That Nikon CoolPix AW120, in particular, has received OLED-screen, slightly stretching the truth altimeter support GLONASS in addition to GPS and even some rudiments of navigation abilities. It has a card that supposedly can navigate the terrain. Frankly, this option is not specifically tested. A couple of times to run a map, realized that using it frankly embarrassing, and scored. It seems to me that this option is similar to FM-transmitter in the old phone, like it is, but anyone nafig not needed. I kept it to this: like the AW120, but sympathetic pricey? Take the AW110, nothing really to lose.

Here are a few interesting moments. Firstly, I was underwater optical zoom is not useful at all. I am not a serious diver - I prefer just to fasten the mask with a tube and float on the surface of the pond. So much body water is pumped, and when you try to bring anything (shoal of fish, a fragment of rock - not important), these "vibrations" extremely negative impact on the quality of images. Roughly, 90% obtained a marriage. So as spectacular photos Nikon CoolPix AW120 bypasses old Kodak EasyShare C123 Sport on several "shells", but one of the main reasons for the change of the latter (no optical zoom), in practice, was, we say so far-fetched.

The second point - the infamous OLED-screen. Revealed that it looks exactly as TFT-matrix in most compact digital cameras. Maybe the reason is that Nikon does not have access to the "organic" displays the last generations, and can deal in a very large air gap between the cover and the screen actually last. It-it is clear that the matrix thus protected from damage, but the water on this display almost can not see anything. Photographed again had to "touch": there is floating fish - yeah, point the camera in that direction and we hope that it will get into the frame. And it can not get ...



Third - shock protection. It would seem that what she underwater camera? But personally, I like it a few times in handy. First, once I carefully knocked on the rock - bathed in a small storm. The result is that one arm fell exactly on the sea urchin (fortunately without any consequences), the second with "Nikon" - put her into stone. I would venture to suggest that the "Kodak" in such a situation would go out of order, but the Japanese unit survived. Plus rafting on the camera hanging on his arm and dangled from violent shaking from side to side - that of the knee with all the dope hits, then a paddle, something else about anything. And again - no effect.

Fourth - the battery. She's weird, once managed to make pictures 200, the day after recharging unit issued about 300, and in a day of utter devastation, said the battery after about 150 shots, although the indicator shows a third charge. Hard to say - what is the reason for this behavior. But the fact was the place to be.



Fifth - Wi-Fi. Handy thing: putting on a smartphone app, and with a wireless module into the chamber of her pictures are downloading. All is good, but sometimes hard programm reports that shots in the "Nikon" no. But five minutes later finds them. Detect any causal relationship I could not, so that is reported as is.

Should I take the Nikon CoolPix AW120? I still think that the main characteristics of any camera - it's the quality of the photos, not the curvature of the inscriptions and the presence of questionable utility buns. Not being a professional photographer, I was pleased with the quality, and so on do not regret buying. While 100% "lick" my machine does not seem to. Examples of the photo below:















On the Sony Action Cam AS100V I too have a story to tell. To begin with, that this model is available in several trim levels. I have a version with a waterproof box (up to 60 meters) and a remote control in the form of a bracelet on his hand, called Live-View. It has a small screen and a set of keys - the first can be used as a viewfinder, and the second to control the camera and switch modes. The idea is great, but the practice ...



Practice has shown that the water Sony Action Cam AS100V in conjunction with Live-View can not work. The connection between the two devices is carried out on Wi-Fi, and immediately after the dive (at least for 20 centimeters, at least for a meter - all the same), it breaks. One has only to raise his hand with a bracelet and a camera above the surface of the sea - all in openwork again: communication is restored. The effect is strange, considering that both the gadget sealed and designed for water.

Although - as intended? Shoot video and photos under water using a Sony Action Cam AS100V unrealistic: solid soap. High quality was not achieved, even after trying all the extensive arsenal available in the camera settings. Apparently, the element of Sony Action Cam AS100V - not water, and confirmed that the descent of the river Tara, on the border of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this "discipline" the device to show their best side. The set includes two platforms with scotch 3M, one for flat surfaces, the other curved - for helmets. Last I mobilized:



The first part of the way the camera takes pictures in the "one in 2 seconds." Examples:







Sometimes, however, the distortion at the edges of the frame were much more pronounced than we would like.



And then I activated video recording - in Live-View, which is very convenient, because I did not have to switch the mode to the touch in the camera itself, or shoot for this helmet.



Speaking of switching: the keys at the Sony Action Cam AS100V canceled - they pressed very easily and clearly, unlike the aforementioned GoPro Hero3 White Edition. Yes, boxing and removed very simply, what I also did not have enough in the product GoPro.

What I do not like Sony Action Cam AS100V? The absence of the LCD screen, and even a small way. Alas, the displays are extremely rare in the extreme cells. Well, of course, would like better shooting underwater. Although, in truth, in these extreme cameras have many applications on land and in the air that can not complain. For underwater shooting as I have a Nikon CoolPix AW120, maybe that is enough.

PS One important point - do not forget to wipe the camera lens at the rafting and others near-water during extreme. Just once in a few minutes raises his hand to his helmet and whisked drops on the lens - otherwise the photos will be here such:





Source: habrahabr.ru/company/smartgadget/blog/229321/