Travel is always a lot of vivid impressions and unique moments that you want to remember and share with everyone. It would seem that there is nothing more accessible in a world with many ways to record video. But countless times, we returned from traveling with absolutely unimpressive shots, with vague long-range plans or unbearably shaking pictures. In order for video filming and subsequent video viewing to be fun, you need to choose a video recording device in advance, based on your wishes. Determine this and help our review.
Best Devices for Video Travel
GoPro HERO6
Camera for lovers of active and extreme recreation.
GoPro among action cameras like Xerox among copying machines – many don’t even suspect that there are devices from other manufacturers on the market. GoPro HERO6 combines the capabilities of previous models and the achievements of the latest technologies. After testing the camera, we made sure that GoPro is still largely ahead of the competition.
The main advantage of the camera is that it can be installed anywhere: on a helmet, bicycle, surf, motorcycle and so on. The camera will remove everything that you see with your own eyes. In GoPro HERO6, you can change the viewing angle, that is, apply a digital zoom, but the usual super wide-angle mode is still best suited for most cases. You can record video in Full HD format, and in 4K. You can control the camera from your smartphone or voice. With GoPro HERO6 you can dive to a depth of 10 meters even without an underwater camera. A myriad of accessories is available for this camera, from mounts anywhere to stabilizers. The main disadvantage of the camera is the lack of the ability to work with close-ups and zoom, which is more likely than not. Exciting shots with GoPro HERO6 are good, but for a holistic video story about the journey, they need something to compliment.
Sony FDR-X3000R
Unusual approach to action cameras. Lovers of speed and extreme entertainment. Advanced features for a nice price.
More and more manufacturers are turning to the release of action cameras. For example, Sony, which distinguishes its own approach to devices of this kind. A feature of their cameras is a more streamlined body shape, which attracts fans of extreme speeds. Indeed, due to less resistance in water or air when mounted on a helmet, the camera becomes less noticeable in use and its effect on the movement and speed of the operator is minimal. In addition, the Sony FDR-X3000R has the ability to remote control using a remote screen, which we highly appreciated in our test.
The main difference from competitors lies in the integrated optical stabilizer. This is a very significant advantage: the picture is smooth even under very unfavorable and unstable shooting conditions, the jitter in the frame does not distract from subsequent viewing. In addition, there is the possibility of recording 4K and slow motion.
LG V30 +
Smartphone, sharpened for shooting video. Convenient for outdoor enthusiasts traveling light.
LG V30 + can be called the most modern and advanced smartphone for video shooting. It would seem that the photographic component of the top-end LG smartphone looks pretty standard for a modern device: a set of wide and extra wide corners, and the ability to shoot in manual mode, and in RAW format. But on the possibility of a smartphone in terms of video, manufacturers have placed the main emphasis.
Previous versions of LG’s smartphones could offer only a manual video mode, and the new LG V30 + has as many as 15 filters that can give specific cinematography to your videos. They were divided by genre: you can shoot a video in sepia, in black and white, or choose one of the proposed film filters, for example, a melodramatic movie. Each filter sets its own unique style and mood. In addition, video professionals will be happy to work in the LG-Cine Log format, which offers ample opportunities for post-processing.
It is worth noting the function Point Zoom, which allows you to get closer to the object of shooting and move away from it using the digital zoom (previously fixed by simply pressing on the display). They also approached sound quality in a very responsible manner: recording in hi-res format will enable accurate transmission of both an organ concert in a Catholic Church and music performances in the middle of a tourist cacophony.
Experience has shown that the LG V30 + smartphone is good at traveling for both the photographer and the sophisticated videographer. Shooting in manual mode on two lenses in raw format opens up many possibilities for the photographer. In the process of testing, we were impressed with the quality of the photos we received. When shooting a video, you can switch between two lenses while simultaneously recording excellent sound – a 3.5 mm jack allows you to connect an external lavalier microphone. And the advanced video features are listed above. Everything together turns a small device into a whole video studio. If you install additional video editing applications on your smartphone, it becomes a full-fledged video studio. So the travel set of the videographer can consist only of a small box of LG V30 +, and all bulky and expensive toys like drones, action cameras, and cameras with mirrored lenses can stay at home.
The disadvantages of the device include its front camera, the resolution of which is only 5 megapixels, which by modern standards is a little. Errors occur when automatically determining the white balance. It will also take time to master the user interface of the device with such rich photo and video capabilities.