Xiaomi Yi is a big action star!
Alternatives for GoPro are running around aplenty, making the market for action cameras a little bit too crowded. Thankfully, we at the Manila Bulletin TechLab, love action cameras and we tend to check out a few gizmos time to time.
This time around we have the Xiaomi Yi Action Camera, a tiny device that packs a lot of heat with its 16MP camera. Image quality is actually decent, which really surprised us when we’ve tested in. The details are razor-sharp, mind you, but it is good enough to catch a slew of epic moments on camera.
There isn’t much to point out about the Yi cam’s appearance. It pretty much looks like a GoPro. It sports a microUSB and micro HDMI ports, an SD card slot up, and a removable battery. We’ll let you know the battery isn’t as long as a standard GoPro Hero. But the mere fact that it’s removable, gives you the option to buy two or three spare batteries to take with you on your treks. It’s a good tradeoff if you ask us, especially the battery being near weightless.
The Yi cam lacks a decent screen to review your videos with. It does however have an Android app called Yi Action. This app will turn you your phone into a screen. There is a fraction of a delay in the streaming process, which is normal.
It’s a bummer that GoPro accessories won’t fit into the Yi cam. That’s not an issue though if you’ve never owned a GoPro. g However, scavenging around, we found that KingMa accessories were able to provide snug fits for the Yi camera.
Also, we’ve got a chance to play with the SupTig Waterproof Light. It’s a small LED light that has three light modes.
Ranging from a weak brightness, to medium, and a very bright mode, which can be used for underwater adventures. It has a fourth mode, where the lights blink on and off, it’s used for distress signals.
The Xiaomi Yi Selfiestick is a cool monopod that holds the Yi cam rather well. It has a shutton button that starts and stops recording any time.
The combination of these Xiaomi Yi accessories make up for some flexible video recording no matter where you go. Latch the Yi cam on the stick and use the Yi app as a screen, you’ve got your own periscope (the technology, not the app) and get better vantage points in certains areas.
In a time where outdoor adventure videos are becoming a trend through social media, having an action camera is indeed a must-have for those who want to follow the trend and record their most thrilling or exciting visits around the country or the world.
Having the Xiaomi Yi is a good entry point for those who wants to try recording action videos because of its simple controls and affordable price.
The action cam is also a gadget for those adventurous people who want to show clips of the place they visited without having to bring large and bulky digital cameras.
We’re not saying the Xiaomi Yi cam and all the things that make it a pretty cool device is the best all around, but it is considerably more affordable and an option worth considering to check out. (Jonathan Kevin Castillo)