Kalakshar US

In a break from tradition, GoPro hasn’t announced a new Hero Black camera this fall. Instead, this year’s flagship is the much-rumored Max 2 360 camera ($500). The Max 2 lands at a time when spherical video is having a mini renaissance, taking on Insta360’s X5 ($550) and DJI’s Osmo 360 ($550). Perhaps surprisingly, GoPro’s Max 2 is the most affordable of the three, suggesting that the company might be looking to gain ground on its rivals and, hopefully, make the creatively warped world of 360-degree video more accessible.

With a mix of pro features like Timecode, GP-Log (with LUTs) alongside mobile-focused editing, GoPro clearly hopes the Max 2 will appeal to demanding and casual users alike. The company has also focused heavily on improving the user experience rather than going for pure technological advances and after a week or so of testing, that feels like a sensible move.

Design and features

The Max 2 brings a decent resolution bump from its 5.6K predecessor, offering full 8K with 10-bit color. This puts it on par with the DJI Osmo 360 and Insta360 X5, but GoPro claims that Max 2 is the only one of the three with “true” 8K. That’s to say it doesn’t count unusable pixels on the sensor or those that are used in overlapping for stitching the footage from the two lenses together. GoPro goes as far to say that this results in somewhere between 16- and 23-percent higher resolution than its rivals.

You can now shoot 360 video at 8K/30 fps, 5.6K/60 fps and good ol’ 4K at 90 fps in 360 mode. When you shoot in single-lens mode (aka, non-360 mode), the max resolution available is 4K60, up from 1.4K/30 on the original Max. But pure resolution isn’t the only quality gain this time around, the Max 2 now joins its Hero siblings with 10-bit color and a top bit rate of 120Mbps, which can be increased to 300Mbps via GoPro’s experimental Labs firmware.

Other hardware updates include a gentle redesign that matches the current Hero and Hero 13 cameras with heat-sink style grooves over the front face and centrally-placed lenses (rather than in a left-right configuration as before). The physical size and shape of the Max 2 otherwise matches the OG Max. There is one new, and much appreciated change, though. With the Max 2, the lenses twist off for easy replacement. As there’s a lens on both sides, it’s always going to land “butter-side down” when dropped. The probability of scuffing or breaking one is therefore much higher, but with Max 2, replacing them is a trivial matter and a solid quality of life improvement. The Insta360 X5 has replaceable lenses too, but DJI’s Osmo 360 requires sending the camera to the company for a refresh.

As for audio, the six-mic array is directional, with sound focusing on where the action is taking place. As with the Hero 12 and 13 Black, you can also connect AirPods or a Bluetooth microphone (such as DJI’s Mic 3) to the GoPro directly for narration or extra-clear shrieks of fear. There’s no doubt this makes the Max 2 more appealing to vloggers and social creators.

There’s no onboard storage here, which is true for all GoPro cameras, but worth mentioning now as DJI’s Osmo 360 ships with 105GB of storage. Given the amount of times I’ve headed out with my camera only to find I left the memory card in my PC, I’d really love to see GoPro make it a standard addition to its cameras too.

Video and photo

After years of testing action cameras, I’ve learned that while some models excel in one area or terrain, they can struggle in others. I live near a huge park with a variety of colors, trees and pockets of water, which makes it a perfect testing ground. The Max 2 fares well across the board, with vibrant, natural colors and generally balanced exposure. You’ll notice transitions in the exposure as you move from direct sunlight to shadow, but that’s fairly typical.

When you review and reframe your footage, you’ll instantly be reminded you’re working with a 360 camera. The minute you drag your finger over a video to rotate it or zoom out for that drone-like “floating” footage, you’ll also introduce some warping. Sometimes it’s a bit frustrating trying to find the right balance of warp and pleasant framing, other times it actually makes for a good effect. If you zoom out fully, for example, you’ll end up with one of those “tiny planet” videos.

It’s also worth talking about stitch lines. Where the two lenses overlap, you’ll sometimes notice where the video is being stitched together, often via some slight wobbling or a break in a street markings and so on. Again, it’s a fact of life with current 360 photography, and you will notice it with the Max 2 from time to time.

Conversely, 360 video allows for extremely good stabilization, especially in single lens mode. I tried recording myself with a long selfie stick, precariously perched on my bike’s handlebars (not locked in with a mount) and despite the camera moving like a fish on land as I rode over uneven ground and potholes, the footage still came out impressively smooth. In friendlier conditions — such as walking with the camera — footage is even smoother and immediately ready for sharing.

New additions this year include 8K timewarps and a new (for Max) “HyperView” which is a 180-degree ultrawide FOV that just uses everything the sensor captures for extra immersive footage. As with HyperView on the Hero cameras, it’s a little extreme with lots of warping but it feels like you’re being sucked into the image, perfect for point of view footage.

Which brings us to the aforementioned Selfie Mode and POV mode; both are more about removing friction than adding any new creative tools. As you don’t need to have a 360 camera facing you while shooting a selfie, the video isn’t always oriented with you in frame when you open it in Quik. With Selfie/POV mode, it will load up framed correctly, so you can go right into sharing your clip.

Think of it as a hybrid between 360 and single-lens mode. You will still capture everything in 360, and can move the shot around to show different things, but if your POV or your face talking to camera are the main focus, you don’t need to do any reframing to get there. The camera also applies the optimal stabilization, reducing the amount of editing needed to get from camera to export. The first Max would always open videos from the front camera point of view regardless, leaving you to dig around for what you actually wanted to focus on.

Photography with a 360 camera is both simple and complicated at the same time. On the one hand, you don’t need to worry whether you’re in shot, as you’re going to capture everything, but likewise you’re going to want to make sure you catch the right moment or the best angle. A new Burst mode alleviates some of that concern by taking a bunch of photos for a set period of time (one to six seconds). giving you the ability to strike a few poses or make sure you catch the best shot if the subject is moving. You can then edit and reframe in Quik as with any other media.

GoPro Quik editing

Unlike a regular camera, with 360 video you can’t avoid at least some editing. At minimum, you’ll need to confirm framing for exporting to a flat (dewarped) video. That said, editing is where all the fun is. Being able to shoot one video and make it dynamic with panning and zooming is one of the major benefits of this type of camera. Quik is where you’ll be doing most of this, and unlike DJI, which is a relative newcomer to the category, GoPro has a few years’ headstart on the app side of things.

The result is an editing experience that’s intuitive that strikes a good balance between creative possibility and ease of use. For a simple punch out video where you set the framing and zoom amount and then export, it’s just a few button clicks before you have a video you can share. You can of course go back and re-edit and export in another aspect ratio if, say, you want an Instagram Reel in portrait alongside a regular 16:9/widescreen version for YouTube.

Quik also includes some filters that may or may not be to your taste. Much more useful are the preset effects, including a variety of spins, rolls and pans that are clearly aimed at action footage, but can be used creatively for any type of video. You can also track an object automatically via AI. It’s perfect for keeping your kid or pet in the shot while they run around with one click and an easy way to make your video dynamic. Overall, editing in Quik feels like a solid pipeline for posting to social media, but it is still a bit cumbersome for anything longer. Desktop editing options are Adobe Premier and After Effects via the GoPro Reframe plugin. The company also recently announced a beta plugin for Davinci Resolve.

Battery life

The Max 2 ships with a 1,960mAh “Enduro” battery, which is designed to last longer even in extreme cold. GoPro claims that it should last “all day” but that of course depends what you’re doing with it. When I took the camera out for a day of filming, visiting different locations and pulling the camera out when I found something interesting, the battery lasted for the whole six-hour excursion. That’s not actual recording time, obviously, and I maybe grabbed about 30 minutes of actual footage. But that’s me walking around with the camera on, or in standby, and hitting record sporadically over that period. In fact, there was still about 15-percent battery left when I went to export my footage the next day.

That’s more of a real world test with me connecting the camera to the phone and transferring files, which will yield less recording time than if you just set the camera down and press record. This is about on par with what I’ve experienced with regular GoPros that can usually record for about an hour and a half in a “set and record” scenario.

Wrap-up

A reasonable amount of time has passed between the Max 1 and Max 2, so if you were hoping for a top-to-bottom spec overhaul, you might be a little disappointed. But with 360 video, source resolution is the main upgrade and Max 2 can output 4K/60 video, which is by far the most important thing. That improved resolution has filtered down into all the important timelapse and video modes, and that makes the camera feel current and mostly complete.

I do think it’s about time that GoPros have onboard storage, at least as an option, as that removes a really simple pain point. The fact that DJI is doing it might well give GoPro the nudge it needs.

A lot of what sets the Max 2 apart from DJI will be in the editing experience. It’s simple and well thought out, with some useful tools and effects that make getting footage into something you want to share pretty straightforward. Although DJI’s onboard storage and higher maximum frame rate will be tempting for many. Insta360’s app is generally considered easy to use, too, so with the X5, GoPro’s advantage is the price (at least for now). What really sets these cameras apart, are the videos you end up sharing, and in that regard GoPro’s bet on “true 8K” and the app experience might just be enough.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/gopro-max-2-review-theres-a-new-360-camera-contender-in-town-130058942.html?src=rss 

DJI might be an innovative company, but it has been playing catch-up to rival Insta360 in the action cam world. A perfect example of that is its latest product, the Osmo Nano ($299). It follows a path Insta360 paved with its tiny Go Ultra and Go 3S, which let you separate the cam from the display to shoot with the least weight possible. Like those, the Nano’s tiny camera can be detached from the screen and easily worn to record activities ranging from extreme watersports to cat cam videos.

The Osmo Nano isn’t quite a copy-paste of its rival, though. Rather than inserting the camera into the flip up screen housing like the Go Ultra, the Nano’s screen magnetically clips to the bottom of the camera so you can point it forward to capture action or backward for vlogging. While it still lags behind its rival in some areas, DJI’s Osmo Nano is a solid first attempt at a mini-sized camera thanks to its excellent video quality.

A small size designed for daily activities

With its lightweight detachable camera that can be clipped to your head or worn on your body like a pendant, the Nano can be used in everyday activities like hiking or swimming — with the latter possible thanks to its 33 foot (10 meter) underwater rating. It’s also small enough to be attached to kids and pets to create a visual journal of their activities. At the same time, when attached to the Vision Dock that houses the screen, the Nano functions like a normal action camera.

With that in mind, size is key. The Osmo Nano camera is built from lightweight translucent plastic and weighs just 1.83 ounces (52 grams) by itself. That’s about the same as the Insta360 Go Ultra but a touch heavier than the Go 3S. Its capsule-like shape is similar to the Go 3S (but a bit bigger), while the Go Ultra is more rounded. All of that is to say that the Nano is incredibly small and light compared to a GoPro Hero 13 or DJI’s Action 5 Pro — I barely felt it when using the new headband accessory

They attach together in two ways, with the screen facing either forward or backward, using DJI’s magnetic mount that it’s used for a few years now. Together they weigh 4.37 ounces, still less than a regular action camera. The Vision Dock can wirelessly control the camera without being connected, to a distance of 33 feet. The mount also allows the Nano to connect to DJI’s family of accessories, including a new hat clip and lanyard.

During my testing, the camera and module were easy to connect in either direction thanks to the magnets and latches. To switch from vlogging to the front view, though, you need to detach and reconnect the Vision Dock. Insta360’s system is better, as it just takes a flip of the X5’s screen to change modes.

The difference in camera module sizes can be explained by the sensors. Where the Go 3S has a small 1/2.3-inch sensor, both the Nano and Go Ultra have larger 1/1.3-inch sensors that take up more space but work better in low light. As for optics, the Nano uses an ultra wide angle lens with a 143-degree field of view, giving you the ability to switch between ultra wide and dewarped (square) video. The Go Ultra is slightly wider at 156 degrees, while the Go 3S’s FOV is 125 degrees. I found the Nano’s field of view to be an ideal compromise between the two.

Controls and features

The only physical control on the Nano is the record/power button, with the Vision Dock holding everything else. DJI’s typical screen swiping and tapping actions are used to select things like voice control and screen brightness, along with video resolution, frame rate, RockSteady stabilization and D-LogM capture. Once you get used to swiping and tapping on such a small display, these menus are responsive and let you change settings quickly. However, the navigation isn’t particularly intuitive so settings require some time to learn.

As with other recent DJI products, the Osmo Nano has generous built-in memory, with 64GB (transfers at 400 MB/s) and 128GB (at 600 MB/s) options. Note that those speeds don’t affect video quality; they’re only the rates at which you can transfer footage to your PC. This internal memory is convenient as it means you don’t need to dig around for a microSD card and it makes offloading faster. That said, it’s nice to have a microsSD slot as well — the Go Ultra only has a microSD storage option, and the Go 3S only has internal memory.

Each module has its own non-removable battery with 530mAh and 1,300mAh capacities for the camera and Vision Dock respectively. Those allow operating times of up to 90 minutes for the camera alone, or 200 minutes when paired with the screen module, according to DJI. In comparison, Insta360’s Go Ultra camera can run for 70 minutes or a maximum of 200 minutes when docked to the display.

Note that those specs only apply when recording in 1080p at 24p. When shooting with the Nano at a more typical setting of 4K 60p, I found that battery life was less than half that, around 35 minutes for the camera alone. However, that rose to 49 minutes when using DJI’s endurance mode, with RockSteady stabilization enabled but Wi-Fi turned off. I also noticed that when I shot in 4K at 50p or higher with the camera alone, it shut down after 20 minutes of continuous recording due to overheating.

The Nano’s camera has no USB-C input so it must be connected to the docking station for charging. However, the docking station alone can fast charge the Nano camera to an 80 percent battery in 20 minutes. It takes about 20 minutes to charge both devices together to 80 percent, and 60 minutes for a full charge — 20 minutes more than the Go Ultra.

Other key features include voice and gesture control (tapping or nodding) to start recording, timelapse and Pre-Rec to save footage taken just before the record button is pressed. Insta360’s Go 3S does have a couple of features not found on the Nano, namely Find Me for iPhone if it’s lost and Dolby Vision HDR support.

The Nano can also be controlled using the DJI Mimo smartphone app, though the Vision Dock’s remote control makes that unnecessary most of the time. That app also lets you edit video, but Insta360’s Studio app is superior for that thanks to its more complete editing toolkit and Shot Lab AI module that lets you do some neat effects with little-to-no work required. DJI is definitely well behind its rival in this area.

Video and image quality

A big selling point of the DJI Nano is that it produces high-quality video with faster frame rates than rival cameras. You can capture 4K at up to 60 fps, or 120 fps in slow motion mode, compared to just 4K 30 fps for the Go 3s. It also supports full sensor 4:3 4K video at up to 50 fps. The Go Ultra maxes out at 60 fps at 16:9 4K and 30 fps at 4:3 4K.

Thanks to the big 1/1.3-inch sensor, video is bright and sharp straight out of the camera when shooting in daylight. DJI has improved the color performance compared to its older products, with hues that are more natural. Where sharpening was overly aggressive on models like the Action 5 (which makes video look artificial) DJI has toned that down on the Osmo Nano. And if you don’t like the default application, you can change it in the settings.

Like the Action 5 Pro, the Nano can shoot video with 10-bits of color in both D-LogM and regular modes. The latter gives users extra dynamic range without having to mess with tricky log settings. My preference is still to shoot D-LogM then apply DJI’s LUT in post. That yields more natural colors and gives you up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range in challenging lighting conditions, like tree-lined trails on a sunny day.

The larger sensor also makes the Osmo Nano superior to the Go 3S and about equal to the Insta360’s Go Ultra in low light. When I shot nighttime cityscapes and in indoor bars, it delivered clean video with relatively low noise. For even lower light situations, both the Nano and Go Ultra have night shooting modes called SuperNight and PureVideo, respectively. Both work well if you don’t move the camera too fast, due to the fact that they combine multiple frames into one. If I moved the camera too rapidly, it caused motion blur and other issues. The Insta360 Go Ultra is slightly better in this regard.

DJI’s RockSteady 3.0 reduces camera shake in normal daylight shooting conditions, though it’s not quite up to GoPro’s canny smoothing algorithms. When I tested it while walking, stabilization fell apart a bit in night shooting due to the lower shutter speeds, with noticeable blur and pixelization over sharp jolts and bumps. To avoid that, it’s best to boost the ISO level and shutter speed manually. The company’s HorizonBalancing, meanwhile, reliably corrects tilting up to 30 degrees to keep video level.

As with DJI’s other recent action cams, the Osmo Nano connects to the company’s Mic 2, Mic 3 and Mic Mini via its proprietary OsmoAudio direct connection. That offers higher quality and a more reliable connection than Bluetooth, while allowing you to use two mics at the same time for interviews or multiperson action scenarios. The Nano also has dual built-in microphones for stereo recording, but in my testing, the tinny audio was only good enough for ambient sounds and not voices.

Wrap-up

It’s interesting to watch DJI try to catch up to another company for a change. With the Nano, it leaned on its camera experience and mostly matches or beats its main rival in terms of video quality. However, the company is still lagging behind in a few areas, particularly its editing app — something that’s important for many creators.

DJI seems to be aware of that and priced the Nano much cheaper than rivals. In Europe and the UK, the Nano costs €279 (£239) for the 64GB combo and €309 (£259) for the 128GB combo, both of which include the Vision Dock, magnetic hat clip, magnetic lanyard, protective case, high-speed charging cable and dual-direction magnetic ball-joint adapter mount. That compares to €429 for the Insta360 Go Ultra, which has no built-in memory and includes fewer accessories, and €400 for the Go 3S with 128GB of internal storage.

As with other recent DJI products, the Osmo Nano isn’t officially coming to the US just yet. However, the company is featuring it prominently on its US site, so there’s hope that it will be sold on Amazon and other sites soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-osmo-nano-review-high-quality-video-in-a-truly-tiny-action-cam-120040319.html?src=rss 

After the proclamation of a TikTok ban, which fizzled out, during President Trump’s first term, the idea of a TikTok lockout across the US was back on the table when he returned for a second presidency.

Now, after too much will-they-won’t-they, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a TikTok deal is expected to be signed “in the coming days.” This follows President Donald Trump posting an update on Friday that did little to clarify what the deal actually is.

Trump said both that the two had “made progress” on “approval of the TikTok Deal” and that he “appreciate[s] the TikTok approval.” Trump also told reporters in the Oval Office “he approved the TikTok deal,” according to Reuters.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Saturday in America” the following day, Leavitt added the deal would mean that “TikTok will be majority owned by Americans in the United States.” She added: “Now that deal just needs to be signed, and the president’s team is working with their Chinese counterparts to do just that.”

The proposed terms reportedly include a brand new app for TikTok’s US users, which will continue to use ByteDance’s technology for its algorithm, US investor control and a multibillion-dollar payday for the Trump administration. But several days later, nothing is yet official.

— Mat Smith

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