I'd love to use a bunch of these to build a "bullet time" camera array. Can anybody think of a cheaper/easier method?
You could go with a good-sized pile of Raspberry Pi's with camera boards. $35+$25 for the Pi and camera board, plus the cost of sd cards and networking gear, probably still keeps you a bit under $100 per camera. Plus it's fully programmable, and easily sync'ed over the network.
Polaroid Cube
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Re: Polaroid Cube
#92Wonder how strong the magnet is. For example, would it fling off if you swung a driver it was connected to? Wondering since they show it on a putter.
NdFeB magnets can resist very strong pulls perpendicular to the surface they are attached to, but shearing forces along the surface tend to pull them away (and off). I would expect the camera to go flying off a driver if you gave it a hard swing. If they (or you) applied a high-friction coating it might do better.
Re: Polaroid Cube
#93This seems exactly what I need. I wanted to buy a camera for my snowboarding ventures as long as my track days. The GoPro was kinda expensive, so much that I came close to buy the cheap model three times but never did. But 100€ is a price that I can accept without thinking twice. :-)
Re: Polaroid Cube
#94I'd love to use a bunch of these to build a "bullet time" camera array. Can anybody think of a cheaper/easier method?
You could go with a good-sized pile of Raspberry Pi's with camera boards. $35+$25 for the Pi and camera board, plus the cost of sd cards and networking gear, probably still keeps you a bit under $100 per camera. Plus it's fully programmable, and easily sync'ed over the network.
Give me the Polaroids any day. The RPi stuff wouldn't survive a day in the field unless you put every one of them in an expensive enclosure, and it's just a ton of extra work that has been done for you in this case. You don't need sync, a regular slate will do that job and the rest can be done in software.
Re: Polaroid Cube
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think the fact that it's tiny, cute, and inexpensive will help them carve a niche out from under GoPro. I can imagine something like this being used in places where you wouldn't really want a "hard core" action cam.
agree with that. this just seems more user friendly to get started with. much more of a fun impulse buy than a GoPro IMO. I thought the video quality was extremely high, compared with a lot of the other stuff I see on YouTube. also worth noting that there are a ton of retail outlets in the USA which is an added benefit to their distribution strategy.
"I thought the video quality was extremely high"
Actually the video quality looks terrible. Compare the bits actually shot with the Cube (most of the promo video isn't... you can clearly see when they switch to the shots the Cube itself took at ~0:22-0:26 and ~0:42-0:44, notice how they switch away from the Cube video pretty damn quickly, probably because it is so terrible... doesn't even look actually 1080p as a source, looks like they are interpolating it up from something lower, frame rate looks bad, massive chromatic aberration).
Compare Cube (switch YouTube player to 1080p if it doesn't auto select that, note that most of the promo video is not Cube footage, pay specific attention to ~0:22-0:26 and ~0:42-0:44):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePO6OKYyOec
To, say, the Mobius (switch YouTube player to 1080p if it doesn't auto select that):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlSvoKlIaPk
Mobius costs less than the Cube ($80 vs $99), video quality is miles better even when capturing a much faster-moving scene.
I can see reasons why people might buy the Cube... it is cute, the monkey stand is pretty cool; but in terms of price vs image quality it is a clear loser, IMO.
Re: Polaroid Cube
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some of you seems to know the market quite well - here is my question: I would like to have a GoPro alike Cam for mostly indoor usage (low light) with exchangeable lenses (for interviews). I have used a GoPro3+B in the past and like its size and app based control. But for low light indoor settings it delivers sub par quality. What would be a better camera for such a setting?
You're seriously wearing a head-mounted camera during interviews? That would creep me out. I'd probably cut the interview short.
Not sure if he meant "job interviews" -- that would be awesomely weird.
But if it's just documentary-style interviews, seems like a cheap approximation of this, the gold standard: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663105/errol-morriss-secret-wea...
Re: Polaroid Cube
#97I think it's going to be amazingly difficult for Polaroid, or anyone for that matter, to take on GoPro. For whatever reason, GoPro has captured the imagination of the video/photo creating public in a way that few brands have. For several years after the iPhone came out, competing phones could match or exceed its specs, but were largely viewed as toys by comparison. In the same way, GoPro will enjoy a near monopoly on this market segment until their competitors have outmatched them technologically for enough years that the media catches up and makes it socially acceptable to buy an alternative to GoPro.
Re: Polaroid Cube
#98I remember when polaroid cubes were indexable disposable flash bulbs.
Yes, I still have some but they don't work any more alas.
Re: Polaroid Cube
#99I'd love to use a bunch of these to build a "bullet time" camera array. Can anybody think of a cheaper/easier method?
You can get semi decent USB webcams for $3 US shipped. Get a box load and some USB hubs. Done.
Re: Polaroid Cube
#100No WiFi. No remote control. Not bad for $99 though!
$99? That's well in to "shut up and take my money!" territory. I've long wanted to buy a GoPro for the occasional kayaking / climbing / skiing footage but there was no way I could justify the price tag. $99 (+$40 waterproof kit) really changes the equation for casual shooters like myself.
Walmart has a GoPro kit right now for $50.
Vivitar DVR 787HD 12.1MP Action Full HD Camcorder with Universal Car Kit, Surf Kit and Waterproof Kit.
The Polaroid Cube is more compact which might make it much more useful -- but just so you know there are options under $99, even.