The Sony RX0 just announced is an ultra-durable action cam with some very interesting features. Let’s take a look. Sony is certainly no stranger to action cams. Its FDR-X3000, for example, provides adequate ruggedness and image quality, and we’ve enjoyed using a few of them to shoot various episode of ON THE GO. The new Sony RX0, however, seems like a different kind of animal altogether. Here’s a quick look at its main features: With its 1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS sensor, the camera’s imager is a lot closer to a compact camera sensor than a GoPro. In fact, as its name gives away, it is the same sensor size used on the RX10 and RX100 line, and offers a resolution of 15.3MP. The sensor, the BIONZ X processor and 3.8cm LCD are housed in a tiny little 59 x 40.5 x 29.8 mm body weighing just 100g. Its duralumin build ensures ruggedness, and it is also water, shock and crushproof. The Sony RX0 offers a few nice bells and whistles, such as 16fps continuous RAW shooting in photo mode, anti–distortion shutter at up to 1/32000 sec, and up to 960/1000fps high frame-rate video (depending on system frequency). As always with these numbers, though, those are the very extremes – Sony claims that up to 240/250, or 480/500fps at a stretch, will maintain HD quality. Similarly, the Sony RX0 offers an ISO range of up to 12800, and 80 at the low end. While no one expects a7S-level low-light performance, this large ISO range in addition to the camera’s larger sensor should in theory make this camera perform better than other action cams in challenging light conditions. Sony RX0 – Your New Crash Cam? There are a couple of features that highlight the potential video uses of the Sony RX0. The first is the inclusion of various Sony Picture Profiles such as Cine1 and Cine2, but most importantly, S-Log2, making the image coming out of the RX0 not only more flexible for colour grading, but also easier to integrate into existing Sony workflows. Indie shooters using the FS7, FS5, or the a7S or a6500 can now add the RX0 to their arsenal as a crash cam and keep the image consistent. Additionally, features like focus peaking and manual focus add to the overall flexibility of the RX0. The RX0 is also being marketed for multi-cam setups thanks to its compact and symmetrical form factor. Whether in a 360 rig or in a multi-perspective arrays like the ones used for the promo video below, features such as S-Log and multiple camera remote control via a smartphone app – or the upcoming FA-WRC1M wireless control – can make the RX0 a valid option. Make sure you check out the BTS video HERE. Also interesting is the ability to output a clean 4K feed via the micro HDMI port, allowing you to use the RX0 in more complex recording workflows or to monitor the image on a larger display. That said, 4K is only available externally, as the camera maxes out at 1080/60p internal, which is a bit of a shame in this day and age. Sony will be releasing a range of compatible accessories to rig up the RX0, including an underwater housing that extends its waterproof capabilities from 10 to 100m, a cage with various mounting points, a cable clamp to protect the HDMI and USB ports, and even a lens filter holder. I am really intrigued by the Sony RX0. It takes what we have come to expect from action cams, but adds a whole layer of creative possibilities to make your shots more artistic. And judging by their promo video, it seems the included ZEISS 24mm f/4 lens is more on the rectilinear side of things (i.e. not that fisheye, GoPro look), making the camera a lot more usable in my opinion. The Sony RX0 will be priced at $699, and pre-orders will be open from the beginning of September. For more information, visit the Sony product page. Has the Sony RX0 tickled your curiosity? Let us know in the comments below!

Journalist Ammar Al Waeli is very lucky. While on assignment for Iraq’s Afaq TV in Mosul a sniper bullet almost hit him in the upper torso, but a simple GoPro saved his life. Video of the harrowing experience is below:  The bullet strikes Ammar Al Waeli’s GoPro mounted to his body armor at 0:17 and completely disintegrates the camera. CNN is reporting that he was uninjured during the encounter. The Iraqi city of Mosul has seen heavy fighting since late 2016 as the Iraqi military has attempted to regain control of this major city from ISIS fighters. Other photojournalists from several other news agencies have been on the ground reporting from Mosul over the last few months. Journalist Gabriel Chaim captured the devastation from the air using a small drone. You can view his footage HERE. Source: CNN

NAB 2017 saw the introduction of the Sennheiser MKE-2 Elements waterproof microphone for GoPro Hero 4 Action Camera. Curious as to how it is possible to make an waterproof external microphone for a GoPro? Read on for all the details!  Sennheiser microphones have proven to be one of the leading standards for audio recording, and now they are tackling the lack of good-quality audio for small action cameras, such as the GoPro Hero4. When a GoPro is housed in the waterproof casing, the audio suffers and sounds muffled, but the new Sennheiser MKE-2 Elements waterproof microphone aims to guarantee better audio even in the most action-packed sequences.   As Achim from Sennheiser describes it, the development of an external audio solution like this proved challenging as the camera itself is kept completely sealed in its housing. Situating the microphone outside of the sealed compartment, your are exposing it to dirt, dust, snow, ice and of course water, so obviously a waterproof solution had to be implemented. Sennheiser took their “sweat-proof” stage application technology one step forward, and created this “waterproof” solution. Here is a great “side-by-side” example, between GoPro’s internal microphone capabilities against the Sennheiser MKE-2 Elements: The unit is built into its own backdoor casing for the GoPro housing which accommodates the battery-extension from GoPro, it plugs right into the GoPro’s USB port and the audio is controlled by GoPro’s auto-level functions. The microphone itself is suspended on a soft mount to reduce rumbling noise and is covered by its very own waterproof windshield. The Sennheiser MKE-2 Element is waterproof up to 1m for approximately 30 minutes. Sennheiser MKE-2 Elements for GoPro Hero 4 is available now for $199.95. Sennheiser is also working on a GoPro Hero 5 solution, but pricing and availability for that product are yet to be announced. What do you think of the Sennheiser MKE-2 Elements? Would you use it to improve your GoPro’s audio? Please let us know in the comments below.

The new GoPro Fusion is a virtual reality camera capable of capturing 5.2K video. Content producers are being given the chance to enter a pilot programme to take the new product for a spin. Virtual Reality has already kicked off like a storm, with big companies such as The New York Times and DiscoveryVR at the forefront. The immersive photos and videos are a social media gold mine, and many have jumped to get their share of it. GoPro themselves introduced the Omni – a six camera array – a few years ago, while others have resorted to Back-Bone to modify their GoPros with 220-degree FOV lenses and additional 2, 3 or 4 camera arrays. According to GoPro founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman, GoPro Fusion has “the ability to capture every angle simultaneously… as though you had six GoPro cameras fused into one, whether filming for VR or traditional fixed-perspective content, Fusion represents the state-of-the-art in versatile spherical capture.” Have a look at the GoPro Fusion promotional video below: Content Producers can register for a pilot programme on their website. For everyone else, GoPro plans a limited commercial release of Fusion by the end of 2017, with details on pricing and other specifics provided at launch. We will be taking a closer look at GoPro’s new product at NAB this year, so be sure to tune in for more details. Do you want to get your hands on a GoPro fusion now? Will you be applying to the pilot programme? Let us know in the comments!

The GoPro Karma Grip Extension Cable and El Grande pole will allow you to capture even more extreme perspectives, while updates to the HERO5 family will improve performance. GoPro Karma Grip Extension Cable The GoPro Karma Grip Extension Cable for their handheld stabiliser allows you to separate the gimbal and camera section from the control handle. This means you can mount your GoPro and gimbal combination to a helmet, chest bracket, bike handlebars or any number of other positions, while keeping the remote control handy and out of the way. This way you don’t have to reach for the camera if you want to change settings in between shots. The coiled cable offers a total length of up to 89cm, which should be sufficient for most setups. It will be available from April 9th for $99. El Grande GoPro have also announced the El Grande selfie stick — or “collapsible pole” if you want to use the official name. With a total length of 97cm, it will allow you to get wider selfie shots, just be careful not to get it in the shot! It also offers a swivel head with 360 degrees of rotation to get the angle just right. When collapsed, it packs down to 38cm for portability. The El Grande pole will be available from April 9th for $59.99. Just… you know, make sure you’re not compensating for other… shortcomings. HERO5 Firmware Updates On the software side of things, GoPro has also announced firmware updates for their HERO5 generation of action cams. Performance improvements on the HERO5 Black include the ability to extract a photo from a multi-shot series and further photo mode shutter settings in Protune. The update for the HERO5 Session, on the other hand, unlocks 4K/24p video resolution, as well as enabling all fields of view in  the 1080/48p setting. Both HERO5 cameras will now also feature voice-control in Russian, Korean and Portuguese. For more information, head over the GoPro’s news page HERE. What do you think of these news from GoPro? Let us know in the comments section below.

GoPro’s leadership team may have hoped to turn things around in 2017, but so far the news coming out of the camera manufacturer isn’t good at all. The company is cutting an additional 270 positions, on-top of 200 layoffs that occurred late last year.  GoPro – Yet more job cuts in 2017 We originally reported on GoPro’s financial turmoil back in 2016, and their fortune just doesn’t seem to be improving after a year that saw the company lose a whopping $373 million dollars. They have struggled to innovate in an action-camera segment that has become increasingly crowded over the years. Furthermore, other missteps such as the Karma drone recall and missed earnings projections have clearly done very little to ease the fears of investors. Many of the job cuts will be affecting the virtual reality and media teams of the company. They say these cuts will amount to a $200 million savings on operating expenses in 2017. “We’re determined that GoPro’s financial performance match the strength of our products and brand. Importantly, expense reductions preserve our product roadmap and we are tracking to full-year non-GAAP profitability in 2017,” said CEO, Nicholas Woodman. Image: GoPro Karma drone. Their stock rallied significantly on news of their cost-cutting measures. On Thursday, GoPro CEO Nicholas Woodman appeared on CNBC and said the company didn’t capitalize on improving camera technology within smartphones. “Where we fell out a little bit in our post-IPO years was that we failed to make GoPro contemporary and failed to align with the smartphone movement.” – Nicholas Woodman. 2017 will be a make or break year for GoPro, so it will be interesting to see what they have up their sleeves on the product side. Could we expect them to release a 4K smartphone in partnership with Microsoft in the near future? 

Nothing screams “action cam footage” more than the stuttery, stroboscope-like motion caused by the high shutter speeds used to compensate for high exposure on sunny days, making it particularly difficult to match to other cameras. Read on to see how you can fundamentally change the viewer’s perception of your action cam footage with the use of some GoPro ND! One of the first things you learn as a filmmaker is to use the 180° rule for your shutter speed, a techinque based on the shutter mechanism of old film cameras which effectively means that you should always use a shutter speed equal to double the reciprocal numerical value of your frame rate in order to achieve a smooth motion sequence (e.g. a shutter speed of 1/48s when shooting at 24 frames per second). The resulting motion blur of moving objects in the frame creates a smoothness that is an intrinsic part of the “cinematic look”, and it has a huge impact on the viewer’s experience. This, however, poses a problem when using small action cams like GoPros: their fixed aperture (around f/2.8 in the Hero5 Black, for example) means that the only way to correctly expose the image is by adjusting shutter speed and ISO. F/2.8 on a bright sunny day in snow-covered mountains means the shutter speed can easily drop down to the neighbourhood of 1/2000 – 1/3000s, which translates to zero motion blur even for the fastest action scenes. To bring the shutter speed down, you need to use heavy neutral density (ND) filtration. In our example above, this would be a 5-stop or ND32 filter (32 = 2^5). This reduces the shutter speed from ~1/3000s to ~1/94s, which is close to ideal for a typical action sports frame rate of 50fps. Now, a quick online search for GoPro ND reveals that ND8 and sometimes ND16 filters are what’s mostly available, which is clearly not enough for our example above. PolarPro GoPro Hero5 Black cinema series filters Here’s where the PolarPro GoPro Hero5 Black cinema series filters come into play. The set includes an ND8, ND16 and ND32 filter as a replacement for the front lens element (the HB5 lens cover), using multi coated glass in an anodized aluminium frame. You basically unscrew the original front lens cover on your GoPro Hero 5 Black, and replace it with the PolarPro GoPro ND filter. The result is a nice, flare-free concept that works very well! I did have a little trouble, however, when fitting the GoPro ND as the tolerances are very tight, and you could almost break your fingers while attaching them. I have contacted PolarPro with regards to this problem, and they replied that all orders would be replaced with new filters automatically and free of charge, as there was indeed a tolerance issue. That is some really good customer service! For my skiing video above shot in Flachau, Austria, I mostly used the ND32 filter, and the ND8 on the cloudy shots, which was not enough to produce motion blur. For these scenes, I should have used an ND16 – see if you can spot it! As you can see, the filtration creates a nice motion blur, which in my opinion completely changes the character of the action cam sequences. The GoPro ND makes the footage look organic, helps the subjects stand out from a more blurred background, and on top of that the H.264 encoder has an easier job of distributing the limited bandwidth of ~60Mbit/s in the image to reduce macro-blocking. It certainly does not scream “action cam footage” any longer! Since there are no exposure aids on the GoPro, it can a bit difficult to decide which ND filter to use. I used the manual shutter option and set it at 1/100s in order to match my 50fps, and tried different filters until I got a nicely-exposed image, judging only from the LCD back screen. I then swapped the shutter option back to AUTO, and set the max. ISO to 800 to allow for some automatic exposure compensation by the cam. Using the linear field of view and the Karma Grip (which I reviewed in an earlier post here) offers the additional advantage of spending almost no time in post with image stabilization or optical correction issues. I did use the Protune flat settings, however, so I did add some saturation and contrast. All in all, I can highly recommend the use of ND filters on your action cam as it truly changes the viewing experience and makes it much easier to match action cam footage with other cams. The PolarPro ND filters are just one option, with others including filter sets from Freewell, Holaca, Sandmark and others. In any case, make sure you choose filters that use high-level multicoated anti-flare glass! Figure 1 and 2: Nice, cinematic motion blur created by the heavy ND filtration. A new world of GoPro imaging opens up! GoPro settings for the video above: 2.7K 50p, linear field of view (no fisheye!), max ISO 800, Protune flat, lowest sharpness. The cam was used in conjunction with the GoPro Karma Grip Gimbal, and the time lapse sequences were shot using my Sony A7S II. The PolarPro Cinema Series Filters are available here: US: LINK EU: LINK

The RTS 360 Clip action camera adapter is a new product claiming to make it easier and faster to mount action cameras and rotate the shooting angle. Changing the position of a GoPro or any other action camera usually takes some time. Changing the horizontal shooting angle, for example, often requires adding an extra 90-degree plastic part and dealing with multiple screws. This can sometimes be annoying due to a lack of time or inability to tighten those screws properly. The new action camera adapter from RTS aims at dealing with these kinds of problems. It uses a GoPro-type mount which has become a standard in the action camera field, so it should also be possible to use the adapter with the majority of other action cameras. There are GoPro-type mount adapters available for most action cameras, and some of them – like the Yi action cams – are using GoPro-type mounts accessories and housings exclusively. The RTS 360 Clip action camera adapter makes it easier to rotate the mounted camera by simply twisting the round adapter to face the desired direction and then locking it in position. With its simple lock and quick-release mechanism, the adapter should also make it easier to unmount the action camera and mount it elsewhere using only one hand. The adapter makes it easier to switch mounts. Source: RTS The idea is to have the lower mount component firmly screwed on all mounting equipment like chest harnesses, monopods or helmet mounts to be able to conveniently release the action camera, mount it on another piece of equipment, adjust the angle and shoot – all without the need to loosen and tighten any screws. Although I think it will still sometimes be necessary to adjust the vertical shooting angle using a screw, this mount will certainly help when repositioning your action camera. At this point, it is not clear whether the RTS adapter will ship with a few spare lower components to equip all your other accessories with, or if these will be available separately. There is no information about price or availability yet. For more details, feel free to check the product’s official website. Do you think there is a use for an action camera adapter like this? Or are the benefits not enough to buy one? Let us know and comment below.