Mountain Bike Reviewed Best Mountain Bikes Under $1000
There are a lot of great things about being an avid mountain biker, but if you have a limited budget, it’s not always the best hobby to have, especially when there are dozens of “must have” accessories that you might want.
If you’ve been thinking about purchasing an action camera, the cost may be the one thing keeping you from owning one. We will discuss the basics of an action camera and a few reasons why you might want to own one. Then we will take an in-depth look at a budget-friendly action camera by YI Technology, to help you decide if it’s an ideal choice for you.
A Few Good Reasons To Own An Action Camera
Are you on the fence as to whether or not purchase an action cam to take with you when you go biking? There are a lot of good reasons to buy one and here are a few.
Compact, Lightweight, and High-Quality
If you’ve ever tried to take video footage of your ride with your smartphone, you probably found it to be less than easy to do, and the video was blurry and noisy. While smartphones are compact and lightweight, they are hardly made for an ideal action cam.
While action cameras seem like a relatively new device geared toward outdoor and extreme sports enthusiasts, they have been around for decades. Today’s action cams are significantly smaller and are easier to handle, especially with the mounting options.
Even though the cameras have become smaller and lighter, the quality has not. Most action cameras continue to improve, and the quality of video and footage surpasses that of many cameras just a few years old.
Durability
Most action cams are designed to handle the dirt, moisture, and wear and tear of the outdoors. Whether you’re planning on hitting the smooth trails or venture out on rocky terrain, an action camera will continue to function despite the wind, rain, and other types of weather.
Versatility
A good action camera should be multipurpose. Not only should it perform well on your trail ride but you should be able to use it on road trips or when hanging out in your backyard. Many people use their action cam for training purposes to see how they’ve progressed over a period of time. Others will use it as a helpful piece of information, in the event of an accident.
Great Way To Share Your Experiences
When you use your smartphone to take video, you’re limited by the length of video and the quality is typically lacking. An action camera, whether it’s mounted to your helmet or on the handlebars of your bicycle, can usually record at least up to an hour of high-quality video.
Your video and photos look more professional and are a great way to promote yourself or simply share your experiences with other mountain biking enthusiasts.
Ease Of Use
Most action cameras are easy to use, and once you set them up and have them running, you rarely have to worry about anything else. Cameras with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make it even easier to upload and edit your photos or video.
Not only are YI Technology action cameras budget-friendly, but they also fit all of the categories we just discussed. Let’s take a closer look at YI Technology and their action cameras.
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Who Is YI Technology?
YI Technology is a China-based company that was founded in 2014 and according to the company’s website their advanced video, imaging, and computer technology is useful and easy enough for everyone, from professional to kids, to use.
Not only does YI make action cameras but they are known for the YI Home App, their dash cameras, and other smaller cameras.
YI Technology Cameras
While YI Technology has made a variety of cameras, we will focus on the action cameras that are best suited for mountain biking. We will give you some of the basic details of each of the action cams, but for all the details and for a look at some demos check out each product on the manufacturer’s website.
YI Action Camera
Even though the YI Action Camera is the one of YI’s most basic Point Of View (POV) cams, it’s full of features that are ideal for active users.
Specs & Features
The camera is 2.4 x 1.6 x 0.8 inches and weighs 1.28 ounces. The camera runs on one Lithium Polymer battery (which is included with the camera) and has a battery life of about 90 minutes when using 1080p video.
There are four photo modes, 16MP/13MP/8MP/5MP and the resolution is 2304 x 1296. The camera has a 155-degree wide-angle lens, 16MP Sony Exmor R image sensor, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, microphone, and is not waterproof. You can purchase a waterproof case separately to use the YI camera in up to 131 feet of water.
YI Lite
The YI Lite has many of the same features as the Action Camera but has a few advanced features.
Specs & Features
The camera is 2.4 x 1.7 x 0.8 inches and weighs 2.88 ounces. The camera runs on one Lithium Polymer battery (which is included with the camera) and has a battery life of about 130 minutes when using 1080p video; this camera also 4K video. Advanced stabilization keeps stills and video footage clear.
There are nine photo modes, which include Burst, Lapse, and Slow Motion. The camera has a 150-degree wide-angle lens, Sony Exmor R image sensor, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, microphone, and is not waterproof.
The two-inch LCD “Gorilla Glass” touchscreen, makes the camera easier to use but is also durable. Like the Action cam, the Lite is not waterproof without the case.
YI 4K
The YI 4K, with no other accessories like a case or selfie stick.
Specs & Features
The camera is 2.6 x 1.7 x 1.2 inches and weighs 3.36 ounces. The camera runs on one Lithium Polymer battery (which is included with the camera) and has a battery life of about two hours when using 4K video. Voice command options keeps the camera hands-free, and the YI Camera App makes uploading and editing easy and instantaneous.
Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) has a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer; this helps keep images clear and still during position changes and action shots. EIS is an ideal feature for the rough terrain of mountain biking because with every bump and shake the camera feels; it’s continuously “overcorrecting” and stabilizing.
The camera has a 160-degree wide-angle lens with seven layers of glass, Sony Exmor R image sensor, built-in high-speed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, microphone, and is not waterproof.
The two-inch LCD “Gorilla Glass” touchscreen, makes the camera easier to use but is also protected against damage. Like other cameras by the company, the 4K is not waterproof unless you use the waterproof case.
YI 4K+
The YI 4K+ with no other accessories like a case or selfie stick.
Specs & Features
Slightly smaller and sleeker in design than the 4K, the 4K+ has many of the same features but is the “best action camera” that YI Technology currently manufactures and distributes.
The camera runs on one Lithium Polymer battery (which is included with the camera) and has a battery life of about an hour and a half when shooting 4K video; battery life may vary depending on the video mode you select.
Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) has a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer; this helps keep images clear and still during position changes and action shots. EIS is an ideal feature for the rough terrain of mountain biking because with every bump and shake the camera feels; it’s constantly “overcorrecting” and stabilizing.
The lens has seven layers of glass, Sony Exmor R image sensor, built-in high-speed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Live Streaming capabilities and a microphone. Voice commands such as Take Photo/Shoot Burst/Start Record/Stop Record/Turn Off make the camera easy to use so you can focus on your ride and keep both hands on the handlebars of your bike.
The two-inch LCD “Gorilla Glass” touchscreen, makes the camera easier to use but is also protected against damage. Like other cameras by the company, the 4K is not waterproof unless you use the waterproof case.
Extra Accessories To Consider
Before deciding on which action camera to purchase, you will want to make sure that you have all the added accessories that you need, such as a memory card, an extra battery, a waterproof case, or mounting equipment. Most YI accessories are compatible with one another, but it’s best to double-check before you buy them.
For an even more professional look to your photos and video footage, check out YI’s Action Gimbal or Handheld Gimbal.
Keep in mind that any “extras” may increase the price of your camera, so be sure to read the fine print of “what’s included” before you purchase online.
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Last update on 2023-07-30 at 10:07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
