Latest news with #videography
Android Authority
2 hours ago
- Android Authority
If only this Android camera powerhouse was easy to buy, I'd recommend it in a heartbeat
OPPO Find X8 Ultra The OPPO Find X8 Ultra is one of the best Android phones for photography and videography, but it's ultra difficult for most of us to find and purchase due to its regional exclusivity. I've been waiting a long time for this, but finally, I spent some time with the OPPO Find X8 Ultra. I was a big fan of the Find X8 Pro that preceded it, especially its camera capabilities, and the Ultra builds on that, so I was eager to give it a spin. Unfortunately, this is the Chinese model so there are a few caveats to what I could test, as some of the AI capabilities won't work in other regions. But that also exposes this phone's biggest drawback — you can't buy it outside mainland China. Let's dive in and see what we're missing. The good Paul Jones / Android Authority The Find X8 Ultra ditches the retro two-tone vegan leather rear that the Find X7 Ultra had last year. I wasn't the biggest fan of this design, so it's an overall positive in my book. OPPO has also rounded the sides of this phone and added a nice matte finish on the back, which I vastly prefer. The flat display is another positive, with a 6.8-inch stretch, 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 2,500 nits. The colors really pop when watching content on the Ultra. The fingerprint reader takes a big step up with the introduction of an ultrasonic module. Another positive is the upgraded fingerprint reader. OPPO ditched the optical fingerprint reader on the Find X7 Ultra for an ultrasonic alternative that works really well. The Find X8 Ultra also packs an IP68/69 water resistance rating, which will protect your phone from hot jets of water. Let's talk internals. The OPPO Find X8 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the same chip you'll find on a gaggle of flagships in 2025. Regarding benchmarks, it's pretty much hitting the numbers you would expect from a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. Anything you throw at this, it's mostly going to handle with ease. My other big favorite feature on this phone is its battery, specifically the 6,100mAh silicon-carbon battery. Let me tell you, this phone is tough to kill. In the days I've been using it, there hasn't been a day where it has dipped under 30%, unless I'm really pushing it. The Find X8 Ultra is an immensely impressive smartphone considering the overall design and hardware package. The not-so-good Paul Jones / Android Authority But not everything is good news, and the obvious one is that pesky issue of availability. If you're looking to pick up the Find X8 Ultra, you'll find it incredibly difficult. I asked OPPO if it would launch outside China anytime soon, and the answer wasn't promising. I wouldn't hold your breath for a global release of this. Let me focus on another disappointment with the Find X8 Ultra: the missing alert slider. OPPO replaced it with a unique shortcut button, similar to Apple's Action Button. You can assign it to perform actions like muting, turning on the flashlight, and others. However, you can't set it to open any app you want, so you're limited to OPPO's default options. That falls well short of Apple's capabilities. OPPO replaced the iconic alert slider with an Apple-like shortcut button. It can also open the camera, which is odd because there's a dedicated button for quick camera controls. I wasn't a fan of this button on the Find X8 Pro, and I still find it lacking on the Find X8 Ultra. OPPO hasn't improved it, which is disappointing on this pricier version of the device. A double tap opens the camera, and it's a touch-sensitive button that lets you zoom in and out when taking photos. The zooming is decent, but it only works in landscape mode, not portrait. A single press takes photos, but you can't switch modes or change camera settings, even in pro mode. This button is ill-conceived, and its unrealized potential makes its addition so frustrating. The simply brilliant Paul Jones / Android Authority Button aside, and on a positive note, the camera performance on the Find X8 Ultra is impressive. There are four dedicated lenses: a 50MP ultrawide, two 50MP optical telephoto lenses (with 3x and 6x zoom ranges), and a standout 50MP one-inch sensor primary camera. This snapper has a 69% larger sensor than the S25 Ultra's and 63% larger than the iPhone 16 Pro Max's. The difference is noticeable, especially in low light. You can also take JPEG Max photos in master mode, utilizing the one-inch sensor. Yes, this primary camera is impressive. The details are accurate, and the dynamic range is fantastic. The photos look lifelike, with no oversaturation. This might be one of my favorite phone cameras in 2025. The AI zoom after 30x is surprisingly good, especially for buildings, creating usable details. The 50MP ultrawide is equally impressive, capturing great details despite some oversaturation. Andy Walker / Android Authority I also love the 6x optical zoom results. The details are some of the best I've seen in a long time. The photos are slightly over-sharpened and slightly too saturated, but I can overlook that. I've taken many shots with the 6x optical lens and love the results, especially with the telemacro ability. The details are great, and the over-sharpening doesn't occur in macro mode. The Find X8 Ultra's cameras might be the best Android has to offer in 2025. As for video, I still believe that the iPhone is the best, but OPPO has done a great job. It could potentially match the iPhone and be the best Android video phone. You can record at 4K60, with an update coming for 4K120, matching the frame rate potential of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The stabilization is almost gimbal-like, buttery smooth. Switching between lenses is usually rough, but OPPO has made it nearly seamless, with only slight color shifting. The video details are excellent, too. In daylight, it handles well, and in nighttime video, it performs excellently, with great shadows and minimal noise. This might be my go-to Android video option right now. Check out all the photo samples I took in the video embedded at the top of this review. OPPO Find X8 Ultra: The best Android camera phone you can't buy? Paul Jones / Android Authority You might have guessed it already, but I love the Find X8 Ultra, even with the silly button issues and quirks. The problem is that this phone is not available in the US. In fact, it's not available anywhere outside of China, at least at this point, which is a crying shame. To get your hands on one of these, you'll have to import it, and sometimes, due to price and carrier compatibility, that's just not worth the effort. I do have to give credit here to OPPO, as it has done what vivo and Xiaomi are also doing with their Ultra-tier flagships — keep pushing for what is possible, especially with their cameras. I hope that, in turn, this makes Samsung, Google, and even Apple take note and stop playing it safe regarding their flagship releases. OPPO Find X8 Ultra MSRP: $959.00 Camera champ. The OPPO Find X8 Ultra is one of the best Android phones for photography and videography. See price at Giztop Positives Brilliant main and tertiary cameras Brilliant main and tertiary cameras Video performance rivals the iPhone Video performance rivals the iPhone Silicon-carbon battery lasts and lasts Cons Many AI features limited to China Many AI features limited to China Half-baked, awkward camera button Half-baked, awkward camera button Not officially available outside China
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
This Action Camera Is Practically Free Compared to GoPro for Amazon Early Prime Day, Stock Is Limited
Whether you've got kids, pets, or just friends who are more than a little extroverted, it can be nice to have a really solid action camera. Not every camera can handle capturing action as it happens, let alone when things go underwater or especially quickly. That's where a good action camera really shines, but they can also be really expensive. They don't have to be though. See at Amazon Today, you can pick up the Akaso EK7000 Action Camera for just $53. That's 34% off the usual price of $80, and a great deal for those who are action-oriented or want to change things up and be a bit more creative. If that sounds like you, then we recommend the first leap you take is to pick this thing up before the deal runs out, because it won't be on for long. This impressive little camera packs an awful lot into a very easy-to-handle package. Let's talk about the picture quality first, as that's pretty darn important. The Akaso EK7000 can capture 4K quality images at 30 frames per second with its immensely powerful 20 megapixel lens. It's going to make every first step, every frisbee catch, and every random proposal look absolutely stunning. We do recommend against proposing too many times though, it really loses meaning after the fifth or sixth time. The pictures won't be affected by any shake or anything either, as it has built-in electronic image stabilization to make sure that your videos look like they were professionally shot, and you can then edit them as you please at home. It really helps everyone feel better at capturing video, and if you're someone with a tremor, it should help take the edge and stress out of capturing video. It can even be used underwater, as it's designed to withstand up to 131 feet of water pressure. This is amazing for going to the beach and knowing you can use it while surfing or bodyboarding without worrying about it getting damaged, or even for capturing stuff in the pool. The wrist remote means you can actually set it up elsewhere and capture your own stunts too, which is a lovely feature to have. This device is a steal at $53, and while the $80 isn't extortionate, it's always nice to save money whenever you can do so. This is a limited-time Amazon deal though, so keep in mind that there's no way of knowing just how long it'll actually last. See at Amazon
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Gizmodo
Insta360 Flow Gimbal Stabilizer Drops to Lowest Price and Amazon Has Never Offered It This Cheap
If you consider yourself a vlogger or YouTuber or aspiring influencer, you can get yourself something that can take your videos up to the next level. The Insta360 Flow is a portable and foldable gimbal stabilizer. Right now, Amazon has is discounted to just $80 — a 27% discount down from $110. We've all been here. Something cool is happening around, or we're walking through a museum, or just down the side of the road, or maybe we're trying to shoot something on video we think would be funny to post for our friends. Then you look back at the recording and realize the frame is constantly bouncing around and is almost nauseating to watch back. No matter how still you think you are holding the camera, with each step you take will be a drastic and noticeable shake in the final video. See at Amazon A gimbal helps eliminate all of that. Using a control algorithm, the Insta360 Flow is able to perform real-time compensation to reduce and remove the possibility of camera shake. You ever see a clip of a person holding a chicken? When they move them around, their body twists and contorts, but their head stays perfectly in place, eyes focused forward. That's kind of what it is like to use a gimbal stabilizer when filming. What you want to be in frame stays in frame. The Insta360 Flow even has tracking performance upgrade that can continually track your subject, even when it or they are obstructed from view. It's optimized for fast movements so you can run with the stabilizer or swing it around quickly while still recording an expert-looking shot. It's compatible with both iPhones and Android so you're not limited by which phone you have. The gimbal stabilizer has a lengthy battery life of up to 12 hours so you don't need to worry about having it die on your during a shoot. It can even be used as a power bank in a pinch to charge your phone battery. The Insta360 Flow is super versatile. When your shot isn't in motion, it can be used as a tripod or even a selfie stick. When not in use, the gimbal stabilizer folds up into an easy-to-carry, portable size and shape. So you can always carry it with you, and when something shot-worthy happens, you'll be prepared. Amazon has the Insta360 Flow gimbal stabilizer both in black and in white. Right now, it's going for 27% off as part of a limited time deal. You can get it now for just $80. See at Amazon
CNET
19-06-2025
- CNET
My Top 5 Ways to Give Your Old Security Devices a New Lease on Life
Buying new smart home security devices is exciting, especially if they bring hot new features that your old gear doesn't offer. Smart home tech continues to improve it's offerings with better features like AI detection and more. But that doesn't mean you need to give up on your old security tech just yet. I switch out a whole lot of home devices in my reviews, so I'm always tinkering with ways to reuse or find more value in these products. Before you throw out old technology, I've got some ideas. It makes good financial sense to reuse old tech, too. A recent CNET survey found that US adults feel pressured to buy new devices before they are impacted by tariffs, for example. So why not go for the double-win of avoiding a price increase and making good use of the tech you're replacing, too? Conversely, 27% of shoppers said that they are delaying big purchases. All the more reason to see if you can reuse something you already have to remove the need to purchase something new. CNET already has an excellent guide to turning an old phone into a security camera. However, there's a lot more you can do with your old smart home gear. Before you consider recycling or donations, check out these tips. Turn a cam into a birdwatcher Outdoor cams can serve many purposes, including watching wildlife once their main job is through. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Security cameras eventually reach the end of their current life, especially when you upgrade to a higher resolution, choose to stop paying for video storage or move to a different home. But that doesn't mean the camera is destined for the dustbin: These cameras generally still have working motion detections and apps that support live view. If they're wireless, you still have the option to put them in many different spots. One of the most popular new uses for old security cams is a bird or wildlife watcher. You can post these cameras in front of a birdfeeder or salt lick, for instance, to get up-close views of what wildlife comes near, along with (if you prefer) notifications about their movement. Open your live view to take a look and nab a screenshot if you want. Bring an outdoor cam inside as a nanny cam The end-gen Arlo Essential Indoor cam is an all-around nanny cam winner. Arlo Outdoor security cams can run into major problems, including broken mounts, scratched lenses, poor fields of view or even legal troubles. If its time as an outdoor monitor has run out, don't throw it away: Bring that camera inside for another task. One effective job, even for a damaged camera, is keeping watch over a baby's crib, pet bed or other nanny cam job. You can set up the old cam on a shelf or nearby table without needing a mount, and even a damaged camera can get a clear enough view and activate motion alerts to let you know about disturbances or changes in behavior that need your attention. Revive a smart display as a digital photo frame Old smart displays are perfect digital photo albums. Amazon Whether you're worried about privacy, upgrading to a new model or choosing a new method of home control, smart displays can reach the end of their useful lives, too. But even if you don't use them to control smart homes, ask voice assistants questions, or watch videos anymore, they can still serve a purpose even if they aren't a central hub anymore. One of the best ways to use an old smart display is by converting it to a digital picture frame. All it needs is access to an outlet, and you can put the display on a shelf or table to showcase a favorite album of pictures, like an eternal screensaver of happy moments. Echo Shows, Nest Hubs, and Lenovo smart displays all have the ability to tap into online photo albums like Google Photos or Amazon albums that you can manage and adjust whenever you want. Then, you can enable a photo mode on the smart display to show them off. That could give your display years of extra service at no additional cost. Recruit a smart plug as an energy monitor device You'd be surprised how many new purposes you can find for an old smart plug. Eve If you're switching around appliances, lighting solutions or entertainment setups, you may find a smart plug or two you no longer use. In these cases, there's another way you can use smart plugs even if you aren't scheduling or controlling devices from afar. Most smart plugs can still work as energy monitors, giving you an idea of how much electricity any plug-in device in your home uses. Passive energy monitoring can be useful for spotting ways to save money or finding the real energy hogs in your home, but that's just the start. Even basic on/off functionality can have its uses as well, especially when it comes to safety. Some people, for example, like to recruit a smart plug where they plug in their blow-dryers or curlers so they can always know for certain if they are turned off or not. Others like to put one on small freezers, so they know if it has unexpectedly shut off. Retrofit an old home security system Wired home security systems don't have to stay forgotten with remnants of an old security system, especially a wired system that can't be easily removed, is more common than you'd think for new homeowners and renters. While you must be careful accessing these devices, you can often retrofit them with a smart upgrade to make them functional again and play well with app controls -- if you have the patience. The key is using a solution like which offers kits that convert old security alarm systems (and other things like old smart garage doors) into versions ready for Wi-Fi and advanced smart features. You can then use popular platforms like SmartThings, Home Assistant and Hubitat to control the security system with updated features. The only downside to this conversion is that it will require some DIY work, including wiring in the new panel. It's not going to work well with modern wireless security sensors, although those may be supported through Zigbee connections for other types of workarounds. Can I remove components from my smart home devices and use those? As an option to tinker around and learn about electronics, sure; as a way to reuse smart home technology -- don't expect anything. Hobbyists with the right tools, parts and coding platforms may be able to make something functional, but again, this is mostly for fun. And, of course, it will void your warranties and make products ineligible for trade-ins, donations, and so on. For more information, visit our guide on how to start making your home smarter, how to reduce the number of smart apps you have to use and how specific smart home devices can save you money.
The Verge
17-06-2025
- The Verge
Peak Design Pro Tripod review: a leg up over the original
Whenever Peak Design releases a new product, whether it's a backpack, a camera strap, or even a wallet, I'm always looking forward to seeing what kind of genius engineering tweaks the San Francisco-based company came up with. And while there are some clever tricks here, the newly released line of video tripods is more about applying lessons the team learned from its first tripod release over six years ago. The legs are sturdier, there's an improved center column, a redesigned ball head, and many other improvements worth going through. First, the basics: there are three variants to choose from: the Pro Lite, Pro, and Pro Tall, all of which share the same core features but differ in max height and weight. The whole lineup of tripods is available on Kickstarter, but they won't be cheap — the Pro Lite, Pro, and Pro Tall cost $799, $899, and $999, respectively. Discounts for backing them on Kickstarter range from 23 percent off the Pro Lite to 27 percent off the Pro and Pro Tall. I had a chance to test all of them over a few weeks. The Pro Lite is the lightest model and weighs 3.7 lbs. You'll notice the added heft compared to the 2.81 pounds of the carbon fiber Travel Tripod — Peak Design's first and only tripod until now. A lot of that extra weight is justified and comes from the ball head. We'll talk about that soon. The Pro Lite is four inches taller than the original Travel Tripod with a sturdier and longer center column. That extra height is just enough for me to record my to-camera sections at eye level. (For reference, I'm 6 '1 or 187cm.) Then there's the Pro and Pro Tall. These tripods are heavier, taller and have a larger weight load than the Pro Lite. I mostly kept using the Pro and Pro Tall tripods indoors and have added things like sliders and my heavier cinema cameras rig. Each tripod is made from carbon fiber; there aren't aluminum options, and each is light enough to bring anywhere with me. Even the Pro Tall, at 4.5 lbs, gave my back a nice break compared to my usual video tripod — a decade-old 5.5 lb Manfrotto 055 with a 3.7 lb fluid video head. But, out of the three, I found myself using the Pro Lite the most, since I try to keep my gear as light as possible during hikes or long photo ball head featured on all three tripods has a new quick-release system that feels much more secure than the one found on the Travel Tripod. The camera easily snaps onto the Arca-Swiss compatible plate, and there's a separate locking mechanism flush against the side of the ball head. This lock, which the Travel Tripod didn't have, made me more confident I wouldn't accidentally release it and drop the camera by bumping into a tightening knob. I've been using Peak Design's first tripod since it launched in 2020. The ball head has deteriorated over time. It still works, but the lock often gets stuck and is hard to release once tightened. This new lock addresses that issue. I don't know how this new ball head will perform in a few years, but I expect it to be better. A dedicated lock toggle which wasn't present in the Travel Tripod means you won't have to overtighten the previous tightening system. Durability is one of the most important aspects of a tripod, and when you pay a premium price for one, you hope it lasts for years. That Manfrotto that I mentioned earlier, I've been using it for nearly a decade. One of my favorite new features is that it's much easier to switch to vertical filming. It can easily flip onto its side by unlocking the ball head. The Travel Tripod has that ability, but with limited maneuverability. The new head can move freely in any direction. I love it! The ball head panning was smooth, but there aren't friction adjustments. It's either unlocked or not, but it was able to handle my mirrorless Fujifilm XH2s and even my heavier cameras like the Canon C70 well. However, you'll need a separate $149 (MSRP) attachment if you want to add tilting capabilities. I assume most readers looked at the scorecard and saw that I added 'tilt module' under both the 'good' and 'bad' sections. Allow me to explain. On one hand, it's annoying to pay extra for this accessory and I wish it came with the tripod. On the other hand, I like that you don't have to pay the added cost if you don't plan to use it. One possible workaround is to use an L-bracket on your camera, flip the ball head for vertical filming and your built-in pan axis now becomes a tilt one. The tilt module snaps onto the ball head with its Swiss-Arca base, just like a camera would. The extendable handle magnetically attaches to the back of the tilt mod. It's super clever. But the tilt accessory wasn't ideal for everything. As with pan, there's no way to adjust the friction. That made it harder to keep my tilts smooth and steady with heavier gear, such as my Fujifilm XH2s with a 5o-140mm lens. There is also another option — you could use an different fluid video head, but you'll need to get a separate $129 (MSRP) Pro Leveling Base attachment. It replaces the included ball head and has a much shorter center column. You can still quickly and easily level it on uneven surfaces. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge There are lots of smaller improvements. They have better leg locks, sturdier concave center columns, a hidden hex tool (you don't need to attach one to the side, it's in the center column), and an easier way to disassemble and clean parts. Even the carrying bag is roomier; it's not a very tight-fitting sock like before. But are they worth the price? It depends on how you use your video tripods. Over the last few years, with better camera and lens stabilization, my need for video tripods has slowly diminished. During my review period, I ended up using the Pro Lite tripod more often as a photo tripod than a video and it slowly replaced my original Travel Tripod. While the other two in the lineup stayed in my studio for video work. But each of the new tripods addresses every pain point of the original Travel Tripod.
