Arrggh! The Intova’s Gone Pffttt. So We’re Gonna Need Another Action Camera And That’s Giving Us A Headache

Intova Edge X

The Intova Edge X was made for the water. It was the first completely sealed action camera, it was waterproof to 60 metres and was protected by a tough rubber armoured shell. It also had everything that any water fanatic or adrenalin junkie would want including GPS, WiFi and an array of other technical things to excite the amateur underwater photographer. It was great and we liked it so much we bought one. Now though, our beloved little armoured friend has developed the rather irritating problem of freezing up. Yep, just when that huge barracuda came into the view or that massive shoal of fish headed straight for the lens, the Intova decided to throw a wobbly and froze. Now, due to the fact that the camera’s warranty had expired, the only way to solve this problem was to open it up and carry out a reset procedure or hurl it hard against a wall. Neither though, are very practical solutions when in the water. So as we begin planning our trips for 2017 we’ve come to the conclusion that we are going to have to relegate the Edge X to a minor supporting role and give the lead to another camera but which one?

A few years ago buying an action camera was easy; you walked into a shop, asked for an action camera and were promptly sold a small box called a GoPro. Nowadays though, there is so much choice out there, it is hard to know which camera is best. Fortunately however, there is a font of knowledge within easy reach. Just a few clicks on the old trusty computer and hey presto the interwebby gods will present you with a cornucopia of reviews. In fact, there are so many reviews out there you might start to think that you are the only person on the planet who hasn’t looked at, compared, tested and studiously examined every inch of every camera that has ever been made. Which presents another problem. Which review do you believe? Is the reviewer really independent or are they being paid to review the camera, in which case was it an advertisement masquerading as a review? And, perhaps more importantly, does the review actually help the decision making process?

Well let’s put it the to the test. We’re going to look for a new action camera and buy the one the reviews say are the best. As we liked the Intova Edge X so much, we should probably start with the Edge X’s direct replacement the X2. The X2 is a striking looking camera and if looks alone were what we were going for then we would already have hit the add-to-cart button on this one. But looks aren’t everything are they? So what do the reviews say. All the reviews highlighted the X2’s inbuilt flash/video light and the fact that it can take 16mp photos as opposed to the 12mp that is common for this class of camera. The X2 also has a 2 inch LCD screen so you can see what you’re shooting, is waterproof to 60m and like the Edge X is surrounded by an almost indestructible rubberised shell. Priced at £300, give or take a few pounds, the X2 isn’t the most expensive camera out there and every review seems to be in agreement: The X2 is a small, rugged camera designed to go anywhere and capture that “adventure”. In short, everyone seemed to like it. Which doesn’t really help does it? Then there is the niggling thought that although Intova have added a light and made the camera better looking, the software issue that affects the Edge X may also affect the X2. And, it will probably affect it exactly one day after the warranty expires too. That said though, we like Intova and as all the reviews confirm, the X2 is a well-designed camera that seems to suit our needs. But, before we calm our niggling doubts over the software with some cold beer and part with £300, is there anything else out there that’s better?

 

Intova X2

Well Intova isn’t the only manufacturer we like. Last year we bought an Olympus TG-4 and we liked it a lot. Now Olympus has launched its own action camera onto the market. It’s called the Tracker and unlike most manufacturers in the sector, Olympus have not decided to follow the GoPro box design but have gone for a smaller version of a traditional camcorder design. Being part of the Tough range of cameras the Tracker is freezeproof, crushproof, shockproof and waterproof to 30m. The Tracker has an inbuilt light for shooting in low light and has an auto detect feature that automatically senses it’s underwater and switches to optimal mode for shooting beneath the waves. It also has a wide angle lens and one of the fastest shutter speeds of any camera in its class, which means it’s great for action shots. The Tracker looks good too. So what do the reviews make of this camera? Well, everyone liked it. They really did, it got a 5/5 in some ratings and depending on the retailer, you can pick up a Tracker for less than £270, which makes it cheaper than the X2. The Tracker also has 4k video resolution unlike the X2. However, the X2 has 16mp resolution whilst the Tracker has only 8mp. Now some reviews pointed out that the Tracker’s LCD screen only flips out rather than flipping out and rotating. Now if we had a problem with flipping screens not rotating then this could be deal breaker but we don’t. So there you have it. We are going to push the X2 aside and buy a Tracker. After all, the reviews all say it’s great. But then they said the X2 was great as well didn’t they? Err… This is getting confusing. Maybe we should look around a bit more. See what else is available.

Olympus TG-Tracker with pistol grip

After all, we haven’t even considered the elephant in the room yet have we? We are of course talking about the GoPro Hero 5 Black. The Hero 5 sits like a smug cat atop the ever-growing pile of GoPro imitators that exist in the action camera sector, according to some reviews at least. Now we have never really liked GoPro’s. We never liked the boxiness, the lack of a view screen, the unbelievably expensive range of accessories and the sense that if we ever bought one we’d have to grow our hair long, dye it blonde, take up snowboarding, start using the word “radical” in everyday conversation, change our name to Tristan Hansard-Faffyman and become friends with Gareth “I own a fairtrade coffee shop” Beardybloke. You know what we mean here. GoPros' were for Lycra-clad nutcases on overpriced bicycles or baggy trousered snowboarders that hurtle down the slopes knocking everyone else over. They were not for snorkellers, freedivers or bubble blowers. But GoPro seemed to have picked up on this and made the GoPro Hero 5 more appealing to people who don’t shout all the time. Firstly it has an inbuilt 2 inch LCD screen so you can frame the shot. It has 4k video resolution, shoots 12mp photos, has an easy to use touch screen menu and comes complete with all the usual accoutrements of WiFi, GPS, video stabilisation and the rest. What makes this model really appealing is the fact that it is waterproof to 10m without a separate housing, making it perfect for snorkelling. Anyway what did the reviews say? Well, rather disappointingly, they all loved the Hero 5. Praise was universally gushing and it even got 5/5 on some reviews. People even praised the box it came in. It’s like wanting a sports car isn’t it? If you can afford a Ferrari why buy a Porsche. Likewise, if you can afford an expensive camera, why buy anything other than a GoPro Hero 5. Unless of course you realise that the GoPro 6 is due out later this year and in the world of shouty Tristan’s and lycra-clad cyclists, owning a 5 when a 6 is available is like getting your coffee from McDonalds rather than Beardyblokes Shangri-La Native Coffee Emporium. It’s just not fashionable and not being fashionable means that Tristan’s sister Jemima, nor any of her friends, will want to sleep with you. Yet the Hero 5 is still very popular and there is no doubting the quality of the video or photographs that are produced, so maybe it’s time to swallow our pride and join the shouty set. After all, all the reviews recommend it don’t they? So it is the one for us.

Buy one of these and Jemima might sleep with you

But wait. Maybe our prejudices run too deep and maybe we’re happy to be the only people in the pub who haven’t slept with Jemima and her friends so surely there must be another camera out there that stands up to the GoPro? What about the SeaLife Micro 2 HD or the new DC1400 or the DC1200 elite? What about the Nikon KeyMission 170 and then there are the cheaper versions like the Veho Muvi series, the Garmin Virbin or even the iSaw Edge? What do the reviews say about them? Well, that’s the problem really. All the reviews like all of them. So we’re back to square one really. We want to buy a camera but are not sure which is the best so maybe we should ignore the reviews altogether and just set some parameters.

The camera should be waterproof without a housing. It should be easy to operate underwater. It should be able to take 12mp images or above. It should be compatible with Intova and GoPro clips and accessories and it should be less than £500. Right, that’s the Intova X2 then. Oh, but wait, that doesn’t have 4K! Well it’ll be the Hero 5 then… But wait, do we all want to change our name to Tristan? It’s the Olympus Tracker then. But wait that doesn’t do 12mp and the screen doesn’t rotate and maybe that will be a problem. Ohh…. This is becoming ridiculous… We’re going to need to read some more reviews. Visit some more photography sites and do an in-depth comparison. Barman, we’re going to need more beer… Or maybe… We can get the Edge X fixed.

Right… Camera repair shops; which is the best one?

Is this any good? How should we know?

What The Heck is That? Or How Do I Find Out What That Strange Fish Is Called?

 

Okay, So I Don't Know The Name Of The Fish. But! Don't Call Me Stupid

It's a common problem. There you are happily playing about in the water with your new all-singing, all-dancing underwater camera when you catch sight of an exotic marine dweller. You snap away madly and are pleasantly surprised to find that one of the twenty images you’ve taken is actually in focus and captures that exotic specimen in all its glory. Now, you want to show this brilliant picture to other people, you want to explain how, in order to get that perfect shot you had to learn all about apertures, lenses, white balance, strobes, up-lighting, down-lighting, ISO, filters and well, just about everything. But no matter how expert in the field of underwater snapology you sound, you know that someone is going to ask you those killer questions. What is it that you've actually photographed? What's it called?

Clearly, if you've bored everyone to death about the finer points of underwater photography but have no idea what the yellow fish in the photograph is actually called, you're going to look a complete spoon! Worse still, concerned about your lack of knowledge in marine life identification, someone might begin to challenge your photography knowledge as well. Which of course means that you going to have to admit that your new camera does everything for you at the click of a button and your only real role in capturing that brilliant image was to make sure that the lens cap was off and the camera was pointing in the right direction.

In normal circumstances this is a disastrous situation but in the pub with your mates, where such expertise is normally spouted, this can easily become social Armageddon. Before you know it you've gone from the David Bailey of the underwater world to Nobby-no-mates faster than you can say “mine's a pint”. So how do you avoid this horny dilemma. Well, years ago, if you wanted to know the name of every fish in the sea and be capable of telling the difference between a Gastropod and a Cephalopod, you had to become a marine biologist. This meant spending an awful lot of time sitting in stuffy lecture halls and worse still, having to talk to sociology students in the University bar. Neither activity can be called interesting and of course it took three years and who has the time for that? After all, you've got 500 friends, you've never actually met, on facebook and they need to be kept up to date with what you had for breakfast this morning. Fortunately we now live in a wonderful cyber-age where if you don't know anything about anything you can still appear to be the font of all knowledge by simply pulling whatever Internet enabled device you have from your pocket, holding it high in the air and shouting, “I'll google it”.

Obviously, if you do this, you'll find there are a whole host of resources available to you via the Internet but how useful are they? Firstly the most comprehensive and authoritative site on the web is the World Register of Marine Species or WoRMS for short. The aim of WoRMS is to provide an authoritative list of names for all marine species globally and is primarily aimed at experts (real ones, not those you meet down the pub) who want to identify and catalogue every marine creature that exists or existed for that matter. To use this site you really do need to have a solid foundation in the field and you'll also need to have a masters degree in Latin just to know how to use the search feature. Not that useful then for those of us who want to know what that yellow fish is in our photograph. 

If you live in the UK there is the British Marine life site run by photographer Jason Gregory. This site has some excellent image files and a search feature is available, however the use of Latin in the description without the common and garden names means that although interesting, this site is not going to be of much use to you. Saying that it's a picture of Piscus Yellocus Finnius to your mates is always going to illicit the response “yeah but what does that mean”? Answering “yellow fish” is not going to improve things either. Fortunately other individuals have decided that they don't know Latin either and have created sites that use common names. There is Jason Flower's (why are they all called Jason?) Mediterranean marine life ID. This site is, as the name suggests, specific to the Mediterranean and has a limited number of pictures but does provide a reasonable starting point for those looking for the name of that critter they snapped off the coast of the Greek Islands etc. Another area specific site is the excellent Snorkel St John which covers the Virgin Islands but obviously is a good resource for the whole Caribbean. The site uses common names and currently has 5000 photographs broken down into easy to navigate galleries. For Hawaii and the pacific region there is the Marine Life Photography site run by Keoki and Yuko Stender. Although the site does concentrate on the species indigenous to the pacific it also has a number of galleries that feature species from other areas. The Galleries are easy to navigate and both Latin and common names are used. This is a superb site and has a huge number of images of fish, coral and other marine life and is well worth a look.

Of course not all of us have the time to leave our facebook page and go searching through all those location specific sites. So are there any comprehensive sites that cover the world? Well, thankfully there are. First there is the What's That Fish site. This is a huge site that allows you to search by colour, species or region. Galleries can also be searched alphabetically although this isn't very helpful if you don't know the bloody critters name in the first place. This is a community based site where anyone can join and upload their photographs to get the information they need. The galleries are fairly comprehensive and the site provides some interesting background information on individual species. There are a few issues though. The site is a little cumbersome and navigation is quite poor which makes it rather irritating to use. There also seem to be a lot of poor quality images on the site which doesn't make identification easy.

Fortunately though, there is another site. ReefID is the brainchild of the guys at the Underwater Photography Guide online magazine and they have hit upon the idea of making the process of searching the images as easy as possible. Which is nice. You start by searching the region, then by whether the critter you want to find is either a fish, an invertebrate or a mammal. Then you are presented with sub menus in each category. In the fish category for instance, you continue your search based on whether the fish is flat, slender or standard bodied etc. Results can then be filtered by colour, size, markings or all three. This is also a community based site that relies on members to upload their own pictures and as it has only been up and running for a year it is hardly comprehensive. However the simple navigation and the ability to filter by specifics means that as more and more pictures are added this will almost certainly become one of the best ID sites on the web. If you haven't joined ReefID we recommend you do and get uploading.

Of course there are other ways of identifying those exotic creatures you might come across beneath the waves. You could buy a book for instance and do some background reading before you actually visit the snorkelling or dive location. That way you'll know exactly what you've seen when you see it. This is also a good way of knowing what can be harmful to you before you find yourself screaming in pain and trying to access the web from a deserted beach in order find out what to do when an orange slimy thing stings you. Preparation, preparation, preparation really is the key here. Another way is to go and buy some simple Hinchcliffe marine identification slates which you can carry with you. These are region/ocean specific cards that show between 40-50 of the most common species in the location and are relatively inexpensive. Most good dive and snorkelling stores always have a good selection of these or you can get them online.

So there you have it. Now you'll never have to worry about not knowing the name of that fish, you saw and photographed, ever again. And, your mates will once more think of you as the local Jacques Cousteau and start buying you beers again....

You're welcome.

Olympus TG-4 Camera – Designed For Untidy, Accident Prone Nudists Who Live In A Freezer, But Great For Snorkellers Too

The first camera that we took underwater was an Intova IC-14, which was marketed as a simple point and shoot camera for snorkelling. The IC-14 wasn't waterproof and utilised an underwater housing. This wasn't a problem as the housing was small and lightweight. What was a problem however, was that The IC-14 was quite simply awful, in almost every way. The next camera that took our fancy was a Canon G16. which although a brilliant camera, needed a very heavy and cumbersome housing. The G16 also suffered from shaky results when shooting video. So we were looking for a reasonably priced camera that was simple to use, preferably didn't need a housing and could cope with getting banged about underwater. We could have bought a Nikon Coolpix but anything that has “cool” in its title is always, always, uncool. Also the Coolpix only seems to be sold in the UK in a horrendous camouflage colour, which makes it even more uncool Our attention was therefore drawn to the Olympus TG-4. 

 

Not that the TG-4 doesn't have its own advertising issues. The blurb on the Olympus website claims that the TG-4 is designed for rough-nature explorers. We'll let you think about that for minute.... If that description conjures up in your mind an image of extreme skiers hurtling down mountains, a vapour trail of powdery snow trailing in their wake or surfer dudes weaving beneath a curling wave while scantily clad surf-bunnies wave adoringly from the shore, then the Olympus advertising team have earned their money. If however you think like us, then you are probably imaging a pot-bellied German nudist rolling around in stinging nettles yelling “Ja, Ja, Ja”. Seriously. Rough-nature explorers! What were they thinking? Anyway, bad advertising aside, let's get to the camera.

 

Lizard Fish Shot With The TG-4

The TG-4 is the latest in the Tough range and to be honest it hasn't changed much from the original TG-1 version which was released in 2012. There are however some new improvements. The TG-4 can now go deeper, it's waterproof to 15 metres without needing a housing and has dedicated underwater modes. It also now supports RAW and has a higher resolution 16 megapixel sensor. The TG-4 also boasts a rather neat microscope mode (macro) which allows you to focus on subjects 1cm away. Like its predecessors the TG-4 is freeze proof to -10 degrees, drop proof up to 2.5 metres, crush proof up to 100 kg and dust proof. Which is nice to know if you live in a dusty freezer and consequently your frost bitten fingers are prone to dropping things. If you're the type who gets all hot and bothered over specifications, then we recommend you google one of the many photographic websites or go to the Olympus website, where you'll find all the specifications you need to get your knees and other things trembling. We however, are now going to concentrate on whether the camera is any good for snorkelling. 

 

Coral Shot With TG-4 In Microscope Mode

There are of course two types of snorkelling. There is the face down, Easybreath full-face mask wearing, bobbing about on the surface type and then there is the breath-hold, dive-down, bottom-skimming, rock-weaving type and if you do either, the TG-4 will meet your needs. The TG-4 is all about speed, it locks focus in less than 0.1 seconds and starts, focuses and fires in less than a second and can shoot full resolution J-PEG images at 5 frames per second. So if you're floating like a drowned rat on the surface, you should still be able to capture images of all those other snorkellers having a much better time below you, as well as the odd fish that flashes past your face. The speedy operation will also allow dive-down snorkellers to capture the far more interesting marine life that dwells on the seabed and amongst the rocks.

The microscope mode is also great for getting those close up shots of coral polyps, starfish and all the other things that lurk in the nooks and crannies that surface snorkellers probably don't even know exist - if you can get your buoyancy right of course. The TG-4 also lives up to its “tough” moniker. Ours got battered against rocks, was dropped down some steps (not deliberately mind) and easily coped with depths of 10 – 15 metres for up to two minutes at a time without any issue. The TG-4 can capture video up to 1080p quality and gives pretty sharp results, although we'd recommend that you fit it to a stabilising grip handle to prevent jittery results, particularly if snorkelling in anything other than dead calm conditions. If you want to go deeper or are looking for a camera that can be customised then the TG-4 can be fitted with an underwater housing for depths up to 50 metres and Olympus manufacturers various interesting accessories than can be added. 

 

Anemone Shot With TG-4 In Microscope Mode

There are of course some downsides. The buttons, like all Olympus cameras, seemed to be designed for people with very thin fingers and can be a bit fiddly when wearing gloves. Some may also consider the lack of a stand alone charger an issue, the company only supply a USB cable, but we didn't find this an issue. We did find though, that the TG-4 does suffer from condensation forming inside the lens when switching from sea to beach. The condensation does clear but it can take some time and can be irritating if you want to quickly switch from sea to land shots. There are, of course, better cameras on the markets but these are also much more expensive and much more bulkier. If you're a professional photographer then you'll probably shrug your shoulders at this rugged little offering from Olympus and move on. If you're one of those fanatical photography hobbyists, with a photoshop course under your belt, then you'll probably take delight in pointing out all the flaws with the TG-4 and would no doubt bore everyone in ear shot with pontifications on ISO, compression, zoom characteristics, noise and muddying of edges et al. If you however, are the type of person that believes a photograph is less about technical settings and more about the story it tells, the adventure that lays behind the image, the memory of the moment that it evokes then you'll probably not be bothered about all the technical downsides the TG-4 has. Besides your hobby is not photography is it? Whether you're a SCUBA diver, freediver or snorkeller, you have enough to think about when you're in the water than which ISO you should have selected. Photography is just a way for you to freeze that adventurous moment in time, to record a reasonable image of that strange creature you, and no one else saw, and occasionally to allow you to pull out your laptop in the pub and bore your mates senseless about the trials and tribulations you underwent to get that interesting snap of the barracuda that just attacked your fins.... To do that you don't want, or need, to be dragging around a camera the size of a small child, along with the accompanying six hundred page user manual. No. What you'll need is a smart, quick, point and shoot camera that doesn't mind getting knocked around. In short you'll need a TG-4. A stylish, tough,easy to operate camera that you can use anywhere – even if you live in a freezer and like whipping yourself with stinging nettles. 

 

Dive Down

As we write this, Olympus have a new camera on the market called the Tracker. Intova have released the new Edge-X 2 and there are new offerings from Nikon and Sealife. Which means of course that the TG-4 has probably already become old hat sigh... However this will probably mean that the TG-4 will drop below the current price of £280, which is another reason to go buy one.... We did.

We Bought An Intova Edge X And Surprisingly, We Weren't Embarrassed

But That's Not A GoPro!

If you wander into a camera shop, wave a few hundred pounds in the face of the guy behind the counter and say “I want to buy a camera that works underwater”, chances are he'll smile knowingly and sell you a GoPro. Just as the BMW is the must have car for estate agents, insurance salesman and Red Bull fuelled investment bankers, then in the world of the selfie-taking underwater geek the GoPro is the king, the benchmark by which not only are all other cameras to be judged but how you, as the owner, are judged. Own a BMW and you must have made it. Own a GoPro and you're a cool, radical thrill-seeker with a degree in media studies and no extraneous body hair. Walk into the same shop however, wave the same amount of cash and ask to see the new Intova, then chances are that counter guy will laugh in your face. In the minds of many, owning an Intova camera is akin to owning a washing machine made by Cadbury or buying a house because you want to live in it rather than as an investment or for that matter, naming your daughter Michelle rather than Apple Blossom Perky Boobs. It's just not the thing trend-setters do. It's just not cool. Of course the parents of Miss Perky Boobs are completely wrong just as the the guy in the camera shop is. Intova is, and has been for some time, a leading name in underwater cameras. So successful are they in fact that someone you know probably owns one, they just haven't told you.

 

Not that this road to the success hasn't hit some large bumps. The Intova IC 12 and 14 were pretty awful cameras with the nasty habit of turning themselves off and returning to factory settings at the most inconvenient moment. A problem that still exists with the IC 16. The video quality was also dreadful and the whole appearance of the camera was reminiscent of a cheap Chinese import.

The Intova Edge X is a little different. Being self contained in a rubber armoured housing the Edge X dispenses with the need for a separate housing. It also benefits from a small LCD screen with anti glare hood so you can actually see what you're shooting, something that the GoPro lacks. A professional photographer we know once told us that any camera is only as good as the lens. Well the Edge X has one of those, in fact it is a super wide-angle lens at 160 degrees and the camera has a video fisheye correction system, so that's alright then. It shoots up to 12mp photos and has 1080p@60fps HD video resolution. The whole thing is waterproof to 300 feet/100 metres and is capable of all the little tricks you'd expect from any camera. Manual white balance, burst mode, slave strobe function, wifi, 60x digital zoom, time lapse, motion detection etc, etc. The Edge X can also be fitted with various external lighting systems, mounts and accessories to create a complete film and photography system. There are some downsides however, the buttons all seem to have dual modes, which means that it can feel like you're trying to play a flute underwater rather than take a snap. The 12mp photo resolution is also little disappointing but is no different to other action cameras. 

 

What sets this camera aside is the LCD screen. Although small you can at least visualise what you're aiming at. The GoPro is designed to be bolted into one place and is usually used to show the owners face, feet or front tyre as they do something wild and trendy, the Edge X is designed to shoot what you are looking at. That, in our opinion, makes it worth braving the smirks of shop assistants and the disdain of men who wax their chests everywhere. So if you're not an estate agent, you don't want to burden your child with a silly name, are happy with your hairy chest and don't want all of your holiday videos to be of your face, dispense with flock mentality trends and buy an Intova. Yes Miss Perky Boobs and the GoPro crowd will still laugh at you, but they all have silly names and work in banks so what do they know!