Garmin VIRB Ultra 30
ALL ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM.
GARMIN EXCELS IN its GPS tech, and the VIRB camera is one part of the family of products. While many other cams record your location data, and even an accelerometer to measure the force at which you’re flinging yourself around, Garmin’s joyfully links up with its speed sensors for pushbikes, fitness watches to remotely control the camera, heart-rate straps for any adventure, and so on. We’d even go so far to say that the Garmin ecosystem is a great reason to pick up this camera if you really want to obsess over the particulars of your data.
It all comes to fruition once you’ve captured your video and transferred it to your computer to edit and export (the smartphone app merely reviews footage). Overlays show your route, speed, acceleration, rotation in the air and more metrics too numerous to list here — powerful stuff. All of this is then fed into the overlays for your video, and it’s easy to make something that’s truly impressive. The camera itself is a joy to use, combining its bright and breezy touch screen with physical buttons. A rocker switch turns the camera on and begins recording (albeit with a four-second delay) and the rocker’s button also takes stills. Or, you can control the VIRB with voice commands — GoPro’s unit is the only other camera to also offer this.
Video quality is excellent, with great contrast, and the image stabilisation is also on point. While you’ll always have to keep the camera in a case or optional cage to mount it, the included waterproof case is compatible with GoPro accessories.