Long gone are those days at which we will just surf and kiteboard without letting others know of the various tricks that we did or the various waves that we conquered. With improvement of technology, it is possible to film those action down in HD video format rather than the grainy, pixelated years. What is more interesting, is that we are slowly moving away from the need for someone on shore to help us take the video. With the improvement in technology, now the filming is made possible with just a device on shore while it records down your glorious movement.
How does this technology work? Let’s find out!
Autotracking Camera: How Does It Work
I would recall, not too long ago, that my friends will help one another to record down our friend’s feat in the water. The person recording the motions will be on the shore while trying desperately to locate the friend who is surfing. To make things worst, it can get pretty sunny, and it is certainly not easy to spot your friend in those conditions. And to make things worse, what happens if there are many other surfers or kiteboarders in the water? Spotting your friend will not be easy. And that is when the autotracking camera comes into play.
Usually, an autotacking camera setup involves a camera on a tripod as well as a sensor (we call it a tag) that you should be wearing on your arm. As you move along with the tag, the camera will automatically track your location and take the video shot accordingly!
Sounds amazing, right? There are more and more of such devices in the market now, one of the particular one that caught our eye is the Soloshot3. The Soloshot3 is actually pretty famous in the kiteboarding scene as it really allows you to take solo shots without the need for a poor soul to accompany you to the location.
Let us do a quick review of the Soloshot3!
Soloshot3 Review
The SOLOSHOT3 Auto Tracking Camera is one the best of its kind. It allows you to take videos of yourself while you engage in various sporting activities. The Soloshot3 with Optic65 camera should be placed at a good vantage point, which will allow the camera to track your location while taking videos and photos of the action from as far as 2,000 feet away!
Features Of The Soloshot3
Here are some of the notable features that the Soloshot 3 has.
- 65x Optical Zoom with up to 12MP photos
- Auto pan and camera zoom
- Maximum of 4 hours run time (lower settings)
- Remote control via tag
Tracking Movement
When it comes to using this automatic tracking camera, it is actually very simple to use. All you need to do is to pair your camera to the tag, and off you go! Once you wear the tag, the base of the system will pan and tilt till it is able to get a good angle of you. Also, if you are far away in the sea, the camera will be able to automatically zoom to ensure that it gets a good image of you too.
Video And Picture Quality
In terms of quality, the Optic65 allows you to record in two different modes, which is the 1080p120 and the 4k30 resolution. Of course, there are various functions like the usual photo bursts to the unique Astro Photography mode, you will have many features for you to choose from. Perhaps the video below will be able to show you how clear the videos can be!
Look at how clear the video is, and how fast the camera can track the location of the surfer! You can have the same videos too!
Multi-tagging
One of the best features of this camera is that it allows you to track and record multiple tags at the same time. How is this even possible, given that all cameras should be able to record only 1 tag, right? Not quite for this Soloshot3!
Indeed, all you need to do is to activate the automatic multimode. Once it is activated, the camera will start to follow the tag that is either the fastest in speed, the shortest distance between tag and bae as well as the overall average point of all the tags. The camera can also pan to the tag that has requested for it to be shot at via the button at the tag itself.
How’s that for multiple videos taken in the same sitting!
Conclusion
We really like the ability to record high definition videos without needing anyone to help you with the controls. All you need to is to wear the tag and you are good to go already! Of course, you will need to power on the base before any recording can actually start.
Here is our quick verdict of the Soloshot3.
Pros:
- Great depth-of-field
- High quality videos
- Accurate tracking
- Auto zoom keeps subject in focus
Cons:
- Can lose tracking occasionally
- Camera move often in strong winds
For more reviews, you can check out the video below too.
