Hero12 Black

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The GoPro Hero12 Black doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does add tons of subtle improvements — and it’s the best action cam out there.

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Rating: 4.5 Stars

Skip To Our Expert Review

Pros

• Rugged design
• HDR video
• Vertical video mode
• Good quality images
• Standard camera mount

Cons

• A little pricey

Buy From	List Price	Sale Price
	$399	$399	See It

GoPro has long been synonymous with action cams, but like in many areas of consumer gadgets, the dust has settled a little — and for the most part, innovation seems to have stagnated a little. GoPro, however, continues to soldier on, and its latest release comes in the form of the GoPro Hero12 Black.

The GoPro Hero12 Black does have a few tricks up its sleeve, though. The camera, like most new GoPros, adds a number of extra camera tricks, plus it continues to build on the battery life and adds some professional-level features like timecode syncing. Is it an iterative update? Sure, but those new features could make it an easy buy for those who need them.

We’ve been using the GoPro Hero12 Black to find out just how great it really is.

GoPro Hero12 Black design

The overall design of the GoPro Hero12 Black isn’t much of a surprise if you’ve seen a GoPro camera in the past. That’s not a bad thing — GoPro has spent years perfecting the action cam design, and it shows. Modern action cams offer a durable build, and they offer features like both a front-facing and rear-facing display.

On the back of the Hero12 Black can be found the main touchscreen, which is about as big as previous-generation GoPro cameras. The same can be said for the Hero12 Black’s front-facing display — which is still a great way to get a preview of your footage when you’re filming yourself. On the top can be found the main shutter button, while on the right side is the power button.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

There are some super helpful changes to the Hero12 Black’s design though. Perhaps the best of these is the addition of the standard 1/4-20 camera mount on the bottom, which adds a ton of flexibility to mounting the camera. Using GoPro’s own mounts will still make for a more stable experience — but being able to use standard gear is a huge bonus.

The model of Hero12 Black we’re reviewing also came with the Max Lens Mod 2.0 accessory, which can replace the main lens, and means that you can film at 177 degrees in 4K. We’ll get into the quality of that footage later, but swapping the lenses was generally easy — and done simply by twisting the old lens off and twisting the new one back on.

The GoPro Hero12 Black may not reinvent the wheel in terms of design, but that’s not a bad thing. The design here is tried and true.

GoPro Hero12 Black interface

The software on the GoPro Hero12 Black also remains largely unchanged, but that’s also not a bad thing. If you’ve used a previous GoPro camera before, you’ll find it relatively easy to navigate the interface here.

On the main screen, you’ll see information like the speed of recording, the zoom level that you’re using, and so on. You can swipe through photo, video, and time-lapse modes, and tap on the buttons around the screen to change things like framerate and resolution.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

Accessing more advanced settings is done by swiping down from the top of the display, and here you can do things like customize presets, see your storage, and more.

Overall, you’ll find it very easy to navigate the software of the GoPro Hero12 Black. I recommend spending a few minutes familiarizing yourself with the software when you first get the camera, but that won’t take long.

GoPro Hero12 Black Quik app

The Quik app is pretty easy to navigate too. Through the Quik app, you can do things like change settings, start recording, and more — plus, you can access the media that you’ve recorded on the device itself. This means that you don’t have to constantly take the MicroSD card out of the camera.

As you might expect, the Quik app also lets you automatically upload your footage to the cloud, and there’s a setting to be able to automatically wipe the SD card after the video has been uploaded. Of course, this will require a subscription fee, which currently costs $49.99 per year.

Like the interface of the Hero12 Black, the interface of the Quik app is easy to navigate overall. You may or may not integrate it into your workflow — but if you do, you’ll find that it’s feature-packed and quite easy to use.

GoPro Hero12 Black Video

The GoPro Hero12 Black both adds and removes a few features to make the overall experience of using an action cam better. Notable, GoPro has removed the GPS from the Hero12 Black. According to GoPro, GPS isn’t a feature that many people used anyway, and it’ll contribute to a better overall runtime. I find this to be a worthy trade-off — though some users may disagree.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

There are plenty of big upgrades to recording in the Hero12 Black though. Perhaps the biggest of these is the fact that the camera can now record HDR video — rather than just being able to take HDR photos like it could in the last-generation model. HDR video can be shot at 4K/60 and at 5.3K/30. Generally, I found the results to look great — with much more depth to the colors than SDR content. The Hero12 Black supports 10-bit color, and GP-Log encoding with available LUTs — so it’ll be a better choice for professionals looking to alter the colors of the footage after recording. And, there’s now wireless timecode syncing, which you’ll use by scanning a QR code in the Quik app, and that will sync all of your Hero12 Black cameras.

The Hero12 Black is also better for vertical video creation. Now, you can shoot vertical video without having to tilt the actual camera — so you can mount the camera and still shoot vertical video, which is super helpful. In vertical mode, you can shoot a 9:16 video at 1080p or 4K, with both offering 60 frames per second.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The Hero12 Black even makes it easier to use your earbuds as microphones. GoPro devices have long offered Bluetooth connectivity, but now you can connect wireless earbuds to your camera and use the microphones in them. It’s a pretty neat trick that will instantly make your audio better, and GoPro didn’t even have to actually include better microphones to enable it.

The Hero12 Black is a great camera, and it makes shooting high-end content even easier. It still does generate some heat though — especially when you record at a higher resolution. Eventually, the camera won’t be able to keep recording — but with the extended continuous recording times, I think most will be happy with what’s on offer here.

Conclusions

The GoPro Hero12 Black is an excellent example of the types of updates that make GoPro devices such great products. Do you need one? Probably not, especially if you have another recent-generation GoPro product. But if you’re in the market for a new action cam, the GoPro is still the best choice — and it’s that much better than it was just a few weeks ago, thanks to improvements like the addition of a standard camera mount and HDR support when recording video.

The competition

GoPro remains the best action cam company. The GoPro Hero12 Black is the best camera that the company has ever released, thanks to things like HDR video and vertical video options. There is some competition — but even if you don’t want to spend the cash for the GoPro Hero12 Black, just get a used older-generation GoPro instead.

Should I buy the GoPro Hero12 Black?

Yes. It’s the best action cam out there right now.

The post GoPro Hero12 Black review: The best action cam appeared first on BGR.

Kodak and HP are attending IFA 2023 with some unreleased products. Both companies have been focusing on instant cameras/printers for the smartphone era, and they are planning to expand their territory in that business. Kodak has an update to its Smile product – the Smile+ – and HP is readying the launch of its Sprocket Panorama Printer. Below are the details and our hands-on experience with these products.

Starting with Kodak Smile+, this classic-camera-inspired device has a 5MP resolution and offers three different lenses: regular, starry, and retro, with fixed focus and auto flash functions. You just aim at your subject – or select a photo – and the camera prints the image in 2 x 3″ size.

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

It has microSD compatibility, and you can also customize your smartphone photos with the Kodak Smile app. Kodak Smile+ looks really good in hand and could get some love from Gen Zs, but the 5MP camera doesn’t convince much. At IFA’s light, the photos didn’t look very good, but, most likely, in an outdoor scenario, they could look nicer. In addition, these prints are made with a sticky material so you can put them in your fridge, notebook, etc.

Photos taken with retro and neutral filters. Image source: José Adorno for BGR

This camera will be available in blue, green, white, red, and pink, costing 129.99 euros, and a pack with 10 photos costs 15.99 euros. Kodak is aiming at a Q1 2024 release.

For HP Sprocket Panorama Printer the company is releasing this product later in November 2023. It looks like a receipt printer but prints sticky-backed photos from 0.5″- 9″ in length. You can add or create stickers, add your own photo, and use your smartphone for up to four shots.

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

Printing stickers or words looks better than selecting photos, as the image quality doesn’t look as good in an indoor environment – but it could also have to do with the smartphone used at HP’s booth at IFA.

Image source: José Adorno for BGR

This Sprocket Panorama Printer is nice for those looking for a sticker-maker or even your own photobooth device. It will cost 149 euros, and a 5-meter-long printing material costs 39 euros.

BGR will let you know once Kodak and HP release these products.

The post IFA 2023: First look at Kodak Smile+ and HP Sprocket Panorama Printer appeared first on BGR.

Insta360 has been pushing the action camera space forward for a while, making a big splash with the company’s 360 cameras, action cameras, and gimbals. The newest release, the GO 3, pushes it even further with a potent, but tiny, new model.

Image source: Jonathan S. Geller

Here’s how Insta360 is positioning the new GO 3:

• ✅ Everyday hobbyists: GO 3 makes it fun and easy to capture and share memorable moments. From parents to outdoor enthusiasts, anyone can capture family memories, pet videos, travels, vlogs, and sports including biking, running, hiking, and more.
• ✅ Video creators & action sports enthusiasts: GO 3 is a versatile sidekick for capturing unique perspectives without adding extra weight to your gear bag.

Hardware

Measuring even smaller than your thumb and weighing only 1.2oz, the GO 3 is ultra portable to take or use anywhere. I have not used a lot of action cameras or devices previously — no GoPro or DJI action — so I went into this review from the perspective of someone who is seeing and experiencing this kind of product for the first time. I have used the Insta360 app before with the Insta360 Flow, so it’s nice that the same app is what you connect and control the GO 3 with.

Featuring a magnetic body, you really can mount this camera anywhere offering unbelievable angles and creative flexibility. I have used the included magnetic mount attachments to put the action camera on my kid while we’re riding electric scooters, on the brim of my hat while we were on a safari tour of a local zoo, and on a shirt for a splash pad excursion.

In addition to the included and flexible mounts, more impressively, the GO 3 also comes with what is called the Action Pod, a 2.2-inch flip touchscreen that charges the unit and also lets you control it without the need of a smartphone.

The screen can be used to control the camera and preview shots remotely, a feature that turns out to be extremely useful for any hard-to-reach camera positions. Additionally, it extends the camera’s battery life to up to a whopping 170 minutes, allowing for extended shooting periods. The Pod, in addition to the camera, is compatible with all magnetic mounts for quick setup. I frequently would film without the Pod, stick the GO 3 in it to charge and review some of the content, and start filming more. 

Basically similar to how I charge and use AirPods with the charging case.

Accessories

Included magnetic accessories in the box are a:

• Magnet Pendant: A circular magnet that can be worn around the neck and sits beneath clothing, allowing GO 3 to be seamlessly worn on the chest for first-person POV filming.
• Easy Clip: An accessory designed for hats, snugly fitting GO 3 above the head for a hands-free, high-angle shot.
• Pivot Stand: A reusable sticky mount with an adjustable design that allows for tricky angles to be shot with ease. Completely redesigned, the stand also unscrews to reveal a 1/4” mounting point for attaching to a selfie stick or tripod.

As far as the technical specs, the GO 3 supports up to 2.7K video capture, no limitation on clip length, and a 310mAh battery capacity. The built-in dual microphones offer clear and crisp audio quality without lots of wind noise.

Since Insta360 is known for action cameras and devices, the stabilization and gimbal-like features offered on here called FlowState Stabilization and 360 Horizon Lock are very compelling and offer great, smooth, video capture. The unit is also IPX8 waterproof-rated for up to 16ft, so no issue with those river waterfall jumps or surfing Reels.

Image source: Jonathan S. Geller

Software

When you’re recording on the unit, you can choose between Pre-recording, Loop Recording, and Timed Capture modes, and Voice Control 2.0 gives a hands-free control option over the camera, another improvement that sets it apart from its competitors pretty clearly.

The power of the GO 3 doesn’t stop at the camera. The camera integrates seamlessly with the Insta360 app that I mentioned, providing a ton of editing tools that make sharing your captured video very easy. The AI-powered editing features and creative modes like TimeShift, PureShot HDR, and more make it almost effortless to get good quality edits and footage regularly.

As far as the storage options, the Insta360 GO 3 comes in three models starting at 32GB, to 64GB, and topping out at 128GB, priced at $379.99, $399.99, and $429.99 respectively. 

Included in the package is the Action Pod, a Magnet Pendant, Easy Clip, Pivot Stand, and a Lens Guard for the camera.

FreeFrame Mode enables you to modify the aspect ratio of your footage after shooting, so you can edit the same clip for a 9:16 Instagram Reel as a 16:9 YouTube video. Where other action cameras force the user to pre-select the aspect ratio before shooting and only save the content within that aspect ratio, GO 3 saves all the content for sharing in any aspect ratio, offering unmatched flexibility.

Insta360’s famous features automatically curate your best clips and edit them into custom reels. The app’s intelligent features and user-friendly interface allow you to focus on your creativity while the technology handles the rest.

There’s also a whole host of creative modes to create inspiring content. TimeShift for hyperlapse montages, AI-powered PureShot HDR for photos with enhanced dynamic range, slow motion up to 120fps and stunning timelapses are all possible with GO 3.

Conclusion

I had a lot of fun using, recording, and sharing footage from the GO 3, and it unlocked a crazy amount of creativity based on how capable, portable and innovative the device and included mounting options are.

Whether you’re a seasoned content creator or just a casual user who wants to share snippets of your content, Insta360’s GO 3 is an easy choice, especially at only around $400 for the package.

The post Insta360 GO 3 Action Camera Review appeared first on BGR.

A Ring doorbell with Wi-Fi and a camera for less than $35? That’s honestly one of the best deals we’ve ever seen on a Ring. That also isn’t even the only deal you can get that protects your house from porch pirates right now. I personally installed a Ring security system at my house and there’s no way I could live without one now.

You get to see what happens in front of your doorbell right from your phone, which, if you’re like me, you’re probably never without. The footage is right there for you to watch in the app. Plus, you can talk to anyone at your door with two-way audio.

Right now, Ring Video Doorbells and other security system items are discounted immensely at Amazon. This isn’t always the case, so read on for more details about the sale below.

Certified Refurbished Ring Video Doorbell 3

Certified Refurbished Ring Video Doorbell Wired

Certified Refurbished Ring Alarm 7-piece kit (2nd Gen) – home security system with optional 24/…

Certified Refurbished Ring Spotlight Cam Battery HD Security Camera with Built Two-Way Talk and…

Ring Video Doorbell offers

If you just want to cover your bases, the Ring Video Doorbell Wired is the best place to start. It takes no time to install and it provides you with a 1080p HD view of what’s happening outside your door. It shows in night vision, so there’s never a time of day when you can’t see what’s happening. It’ll send notifications straight to your phone whenever there is motion detected.

Because it’s hardwired, it uses your pre-existing doorbell kit. Also, it works with Alexa and can sync up with your other Alexa devices. If you choose a certified refurbished option from Amazon right now, you can get it for only $34.99. If you’re wondering what certified refurbished means, it means it was used previously, but has been tested, refurbished, and checked to make sure it works just like a new one.

Certified Refurbished Ring Video Doorbell Wired

But you can also get other certified refurbished options on sale right now too if the baseline model isn’t what you had in mind. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is discounted to just $99.99 and gives you a live view of what the doorbell is currently seeing. There are also customizable privacy zones and audio privacy. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is just $159.99 today. It delivers head-to-toe HD+ video two-way talk with Audio+, and shoots at 1536p. There are advanced motion detection settings with this one. 

Certified Refurbished Ring Video Doorbell Pro, with HD Video, Motion Activated Alerts, Easy Ins…

Certified Refurbished Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

Finally, you can get the Ring Video Doorbell 3, which is a step above some of the original models and has a rechargeable battery pack, for only $119.99. But we are advising against that, as the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus has a bigger discount and is the same price today. It lets you see what happened before the motion was triggered with a Pre Roll setting. 

Certified Refurbished Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus

More security features

A man installing a Ring Alarm system Image source: Ring/Amazon

As I mentioned, I just recently installed a Ring Alarm system in my home and it has delivered some fantastic piece of mind each and every night. The Ring Alarm 9-piece kit (2nd Gen) was a breeze to set up and allowed me to put sensors on multiple doors and a motion detector in the house. Any time one of the sensors is triggered, an alert is sent to my phone.

Plus, with the included keypad, I can arm and disarm the system. But I can also do that from the Ring app on my smartphone, which is helpful. For a certified refurbished one, you can save $70 today. You can also get one with eight pieces or seven pieces, meaning they have fewer contact sensors in the kit. 

Certified Refurbished Ring Alarm 9-piece kit (2nd Gen) – home security system with optional 24/…

You can also just get a set of contact sensors if you want to add more to your kit. Add them onto windows or doors, so you’ll know if someone is trying to get into your home. Also, you can add even more eyes outside with a Ring Spotlight Cam. It works with your Alexa devices to launch the video feed, letting you see what’s going on in real-time. The spotlight cam is down $40 today.

Certified Refurbished Ring Spotlight Cam Battery HD Security Camera with Built Two-Way Talk and…

All of these are fantastic deals, and trust me, you’ll feel a lot better with them installed at your place. But the deals won’t last long, so hurry.

The post Get a Ring Video Doorbell for less than $35 right now appeared first on BGR.

At the end of 2022, YouTuber Marques Brownlee, known as MKBHD, performed a blind camera test to select the best smartphone camera of the year. With over 600,000 people joining and 20 million votes, the YouTuber used an Elo-style power ranking system hosted on a dedicated website to discover the best smartphone camera of 2022.

With 16 participant smartphones, MKBHD took three different shots: a standard one but with light coming out of the window, a Night mode photo, and a Portrait photo. Then, he combined each smartphone position to select the general winner.

In 2022, the winner was the Google Pixel 6a, followed by the Pixel 7 Pro. The iPhone 14, on the other hand, ranked 7. But, in another video posted a few days later, MKBHD awarded what he thought was the best smartphone of the year, including awards for specific sections.

While Google Pixel 7 was his choice as the overall best smartphone of the year, the YouTuber awarded the iPhone 14 Pro as the best camera of the year, granting Apple the same position for the fourth time in a row.

With that, people started wondering: does the iPhone have the best or worst camera?

In a 16-minute video, the YouTuber talks about how photography changed with smartphones, as it’s not about the sensor but the software each company uses. Comparing photos taken of a person on a Pixel phone and an iPhone, MKBHD shows that Google preserves where the light comes from on people’s faces, while Apple opts for an inexistent light to bring light and avoid a part of the face with a shadow.

He says the new 48MP sensor also offers software limitations, as it’s not fully optimized. This is why he explains that people voted for the Pixel 6A as the best smartphone camera for photos, as it has used the same sensor for over three years with optimized software for this type of lens.

That said, MKBHD wraps up by saying he prefers iPhone cameras better because it offers general stability, better video recording quality, different file formats, important camera tweaks, etc.

You can watch his video with the full explanation below.

The post Is Apple’s iPhone camera getting worse? MKBHD weighs in appeared first on BGR.

Many people don’t realize this, but Depstech’s wireless borescope cameras are often some of the most popular gadgets on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You might not even know what a wireless borescope camera is, but Cyber Monday is the perfect time to find out.

These nifty little devices consist of a long semi-rigid “snake camera” and a little black box. They connect to your smartphone wirelessly. Then, you can snake the camera into just about anything, and it’ll beam a live view back to your smartphone.

And for Cyber Monday 2022, several popular models are on sale at the best prices of the year!

Featured deals in this article:

Depstech WF010 Wireless Borescope

Depstech WF070 Wireless Borescope

Depstech WF028 Wireless Borescope Camera

Waterproof DS580 Borescope Camera

Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know what a wireless borescope was. Most people out there probably have no idea what they are.

Rest assured, however, that once you try out one of these awesome little gadgets, you’ll love it, and you’ll be so mad that you’re only learning about it now!

Wireless Borescope Camera Cyber Monday Deals

Right now, Depstech is offering fantastic deals on several different wireless borescope models for Cyber Monday. They have all been quite popular with our readers in the past so you should definitely check them out.

The deals start as low as $31.99 for the best-selling Depstech WF010 wireless borescope camera!

That matches this model’s lowest price of 2022, so it’s a deal you won’t want to miss. This might be the best wireless borescope camera deal we’ve seen all year!

DEPSTECH Wireless Endoscope, IP67 Waterproof WiFi Borescope Inspection 2.0 Megapixels HD Snake…

The Depstech WF010 borescope is a wildly popular snake camera. It connects to your iPhone or Android handset and it can see inside just about anything. It also connects wirelessly, so you don’t have to worry about any cables or physical connectors.

All you need to do is snake the semi-rigid tube into any tight space. The WF010 beams live video back to your phone. You can record that video feed if you want, or you can capture still photos along the way.

Also, you can use attachments like a little hook to help fish jewelry or keys out of tight spaces.

On top of that, if you don’t mind spending a little more money, two other top sellers have huge Cyber Monday discounts right now. The ultra-thin Depstech WF070 is on sale for $38.69, and the Depstech WF028 wireless borescope is $39.99!

The WF028 has always been our readers’ favorite model throughout the years, and we’ve never seen it at a better price. And the WF070 is an ultra-thin version of the WF010 we covered above.

Wireless Endoscope, DEPSTECH 3.9mm Super Slim borescope for Automotive Inspection, 1080p HD Sna…

Wireless Endoscope, DEPSTECH Upgrade 5.0MP HD Inspection Camera, Scope Camera with Light,16 inc…

These deals are all scheduled to end at midnight on November 28, so you don’t have much time left to save.

More deep discounts

The WF010 might be a best-seller, but there are a few upgraded models that you might want to consider instead. Also, they’re not all wireless — some models have their own displays so you can use them without a smartphone.

Depstech’s $80 DS300 DL dual-lens borescope is down to just $63.99 when you clip the coupon on the Amazon page. This is the most popular model among our readers who choose a borescope with an integrated display instead of one that connects wirelessly to your smartphone.

This borescope retails for $110, so you’re getting an amazing deal on one of Depstech’s premium models.

Next up, the hot new Depstech DS580 is a professional-grade model with an upgraded design. It’s even waterproof, so you can use it practically anywhere. It normally goes for $200, which is a pretty hefty sum. Thanks to these Cyber Monday wireless borescope camera deals, however, it’s only $105.99.

DEPSTECH 5.0MP Dual Lens Borescope, 5'' IPS Screen Endoscope Camera with Light, Industrial Vide…

These Cyber Monday deals will only be around until the end of the day on Cyber Monday, November 28. That means you’ll need to hurry up, or you’ll miss out on a great opportunity to save.

#1 best-selling Depstech WF010 Borescope

Depstech WF010 Wireless Borescope Camera

Depstech WF070 Ultra-Thin Wireless Borescope (new model!)

Wireless Endoscope, DEPSTECH 3.9mm Super Slim borescope for Automotive Inspection, 1080p HD Sna…

Depstech WF070-DL Wireless Borescope

DEPSTECH 0.197inch Wireless Endoscope,1080P Dual Lens Borescope Inspection Camera with Light,2.…

Depstech WF028 Wireless Borescope Camera

Depstech WF028 Wireless Borescope Camera

Upgraded WF028 Dual-Lens Borescope

Depstech WF010 Dual-Lens Wireless Borescope Camera

Depstech DS300 Dual-Lens Wireless Borescope

Depstech DS300 Dual-Lens Wireless Borescope Camera

Depstech DS350 Borescope

Depstech DS350 Dual-Lens Borescope Camera with 4.3-Inch Display

Brand-new Depstech DS380TL triple-lens borescope

Triple Lens Borescope, DEPSTECH 2.0MP Endoscope Camera with Light, 4.3'' Digital Video Inspecti…

Depstech DS580 waterproof professional-grade borsecope

DEPSTECH 5.0MP Dual Lens Borescope, 5'' IPS Screen Endoscope Camera with Light, Industrial Vide…

More Cyber Monday 2022 deals

The Cyber Monday deals we covered in this article are fantastic. But we’ve barely scratched the surface because there are hundreds of thousands of great deals out there this year.

If you’re looking for all the best deals for Cyber Monday 2022, you’ll find them in BGR’s extensive coverage. We’ve rounded up all the hottest products on sale ahead of the holidays this year. Plus, you’ll find all the deepest discounts from top retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon.

Check out the following Cyber Monday roundups and you won’t miss any of the most popular deals of the season!

• 🚨 Mega-roundup: All the best Cyber Monday deals of 2022 🚨
• Best Cyber Monday 2022 Walmart deals
• Best Cyber Monday 2022 Best Buy deals
• Smart home deals for Cyber Monday 2022
• Best Cyber Monday 2022 TV deals
• Best Cyber Monday 2022 Apple deals
• Computer deals for Cyber Monday 2022
• Best Cyber Monday 2022 headphone deals
• Best Cyber Monday 2022 video game deals
• 🎅🎄 Don’t miss BGR’s big Christmas 2022 gift guide with 100+ gift ideas! 🎄🎅

Go here to see this month’s best deals online!

The post Your phone can see inside anything with Cyber Monday borescope deals appeared first on BGR.

The iPhone 14 Pro has been out for more than a month now. While first reviewers got impressed by the new camera system of this iPhone – and even traveler photographers praised this smartphone –, Halide creator Sebastiaan de With just shared his long-term review of the cameras found on the iPhone 14 Pro. In this comprehensive and extensive analysis, BGR highlights this camera review made by a photographer expert.

Front-facing camera

For Halide’s creator, the iPhone 14 Pro front-facing camera offers “far sharper shots with vastly superior dynamic range and detail.” With autofocus, this camera also delivers a higher resolution, even in mixed light or backlit subjects.

While the sensor is larger and there is now variable focus (…) you shouldn’t expect beautiful bokeh; the autofocus simply allows for much greater sharpness across the frame, with a slight background blur when your subject (no doubt a face) is close enough. Most of the time it’s subtle, and very nice.  Notable is that the front facing camera is able to focus quite close — which can result in some pleasing shallow depth of field between your close-up subject and the background

Ultra-Wide also got better on iPhone 14 Pro

While Apple significantly upgraded with the iPhone 13 Pro Ultra-Wide lens, the company also offers a much larger sensor, a new lens design, and higher ISO sensitivity. Although the aperture took a step back, the larger sensor covers this downstep.

De With calls the shots on the iPhone 14 Pro “far more detailed and exhibited less visible processing” than its predecessor.

I believe that both Apple’s new Photonic Engine and the larger sensor are contributing to a lot more detail in the frame, which makes a cropped image shot possible. The ‘my point of view’ perspective that the ultra-wide provides puts you in the action, and a lack of detail makes every shot less immersive. 

Is it all perfect? Well, comparably, with the main camera getting ever-better, it is still fairly soft and lacking detail. Its 12 megapixel resolution is suddenly feeling almost restrictive. Corners are still highly distorted and soft at times, despite excellent automatic processing from the system to prevent it from looking too fish-eye like. 

He also discusses low-light photos and Macrophotography improvements.

The main camera changes the game with a 48MP resolution

Although regular users can’t shoot in 48MP, professionals can take advantage of Apple’s ProRAW to take advantage of the larger 48MP sensor in the main camera. Here’s how Halide’s creator describes shots with this new iPhone 14 Pro camera:

I did not find a tremendous boost in noise or image quality when shooting in 12 MP. I barely ever bothered to drop down to 12 MP, instead coping with the several-second delay when capturing ProRAW 48 MP images. But above all, I found a soul in the images from this new, 48-megapixel RAW mode that just made me elated. This is huge — and that’s not just the file size I am talking about. This camera can make beautiful photos, period, full stop. Photos that aren’t good for an iPhone. Photos that are great.

And yes: 48 megapixel capture is slow. We’re talking up to 4 seconds of capture time slow. While slow, the 48 MP image rendering and quality is worth the speed tradeoff to me. For now, it is also worth noting that iPhone 14 Pro will capture 10-bit ProRAW files only — even third party apps cannot unlock the previous 12-bit ProRAW capture mode, nor is ‘regular’ native RAW available at that resolution. 

Telephoto lens is a work in progress with iPhone 14 Pro

Hardware-wise, the telephoto lens on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro are the same. The new Photonic Engine processing feature greatly improves the experience with this iPhone.

While these two cameras ostensibly pack the same size sensor and exact same lens, the processing and image quality on the iPhone 14 Pro is simply leagues ahead. Detail and color are far superior. On paper, Apple has the exact same camera in these two phones — which means a lot of praise here has to go to their new Photonic Engine processing that seems to do a much nicer job at processing the images out of the telephoto camera and retaining detail. 

There’s also the bad with this new camera system

Sebastian de With spends most of the time praising the new camera system on the iPhone 14 Pro, but it doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

“For those hoping that iPhone 14 Pro would do away with heavily processed shots, we have some rather bad news: it seems iPhone 14 Pro is, if anything, even more hands-on when it comes to taking creative decisions around selective edits based on subject matter, noise reduction and more,” he writes.

In addition, Pro users still can’t take full advantage of the camera system, as Apple blocks access to a few features, as explained by the reviewer:

(…) Our app couldn’t focus nearly as close as Apple’s camera app could. The telephoto lens would flat-out refuse to focus on anything close. We never fixed this — despite it being even worse on newer iPhones. We have a good reason for that.

The reason for this is a little cheat Apple pulls. The telephoto lens actually can’t focus that close. You’d never know, because the built-in app quickly switches out the regular main camera’s view instead, cropped in to the same zoom as the telephoto lens. 

(…)This starts being a bit less magical and more frustrating as a more demanding user. Apple seems to have some level of awareness about this: the camera automatically switching to the macro-capable lens led to some frustration and confusion when announced, forcing them to add a setting that toggles this auto-switching behavior to the camera app.

You can read Halide’s creator’s full review here, and check all the fantastic photos he took to write the analysis.

More iPhone coverage: LG joins Samsung and will provide OLED panels for iPhone 14 Pro models.

The post Halide creator reviews iPhone 14 Pro cameras in long-term analysis appeared first on BGR.

Xiaomi is pushing boundaries. There was a time when it seemed like the only thing about smartphone cameras that mattered was “how many megapixels” they offered. These days, things are much more complex — but a high camera resolution can still be impressive. The new Xiaomi 12T Pro, for example, boasts a camera with a massive 200-megapixel resolution.

But a phone still has to do more than just offer a high-resolution camera to compete. Does the Xiaomi 12T Pro do enough to justify a relatively high price?

Well, it depends what you’re looking for in a phone. Here are our thoughts after using the Xiaomi 12T Pro for a while.

Xiaomi 12T Pro

Rating: 4 Stars

The Xiaomi 12T Pro boasts a great display, good performance, and some pretty excellent camera tech — but it’s no perfect.

BGR may receive a commission

BGR may receive a commission

Pros

• Excellent performance
• Some cool camera features
• A good price
• Great display

Cons

• 2MP macro camera is bad

Xiaomi

$749

Xiaomi 12T Pro design

The first thing to notice about the Xiaomi 12T Pro is its design, and design is perhaps the least interesting thing about it. That’s not because it’s ugly — on the contrary it’s actually pretty sleek and stylish. But it’s far from unique.

On the front is a 6.67-inch display with a small hole-punch cutout. On the back is a relatively bare design with a rectangular camera module. On the right side you’ll find the power button and volume rocker. And on the bottom cam be found the USB-C port and SIM tray.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The phone is available in a few colors — black, silver, and blue. We’re reviewing the black model, and it looks good. The device feels pretty good in the hand too, though the back is a little slippery, so you’ll need to be careful not to accidentally drop it.

Xiaomi 12T Pro display

The 6.67-inch AMOLED display on the Xiaomi 12T Pro offers a 1220 x 2712 resolution, with a 120Hz refresh rate. It looks excellent.

The resolution isn’t quite as high as you’ll get on some other screens, but that’s not a huge deal. I’ve long thought that refresh rate was far more important than resolution, within reason. And, this phone still delivers 446 pixels-per-inch, which I think is more than enough.

The high refresh rate ensures that the phone feels smooth and responsive. And, it gets bright enough for most use too. At 900 nits peak brightness, the phone is bright enough even for outdoor use, and I never found myself having to squint to see it properly.

Under the display can be found an optical fingerprint sensor, which works fine. It can be a little slow, and occasionally failed to properly read my fingerprint, but most of the time it did the job.

Xiaomi 12T Pro performance

Under the hood, the Xiaomi 12T Pro is no slouch. The device comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which is easily the most powerful non-Apple mobile chip out there. That’s coupled with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. Our review model offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

In day to day use, the phone excelled. It was easily able to handle heavy multitasking and mobile gaming, loading games nice and quickly, and never stuttered or freezed up. I never found myself wishing I had the 12GB RAM model, which was nice.

Benchmarks confirm the excellent performance on offer by this phone.

• GeekBench 5: 1291 single-core, 4235 multi-core
• 3DMark Slingshot Extreme: 2804

These results are excellent, and while they don’t quite match the performance prowess on offer by the Asus ROG Phone 6, they still show a phone that can easily hold its own.

Xiaomi 12T Pro battery and charging

The Xiaomi 12T Pro comes with a 5,000mAh battery, and I found that it was easily able to get through a full day of even relatively heavy use, and into the next day. Even those that game a lot should find that the Xiaomi 12T Pro will get them through a full day, which is always helpful.

Even when the device does eventually run out of juice, you can charge it quickly. Like, really quickly. The device supports Xiaomi’s 120W charging, thanks to HyperCharge. The result? You’ll charge from 0 to 100% in less than 30 minutes. This tech has been out for a while, but it never ceases to amaze me. And, it supports wireless charging, in case you’re not in as much of a rush to get out the door.

Xiaomi 12T Pro camera

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The camera, of course, is the main attraction. The device comes with a triple camera array, which is made up of one 2-megapixel macro camera, one 8-megapixel ultrawide camera, and the headline feature, a 200-megapixel main camera.

Lets get the boring cameras out of the way. I really dislike the fact that manufacturers are still shipping poor-quality 2-megapixel macro cameras. They look bad, and that on this phone is no exception. The ultrawide camera is fine, but pretty underwhelming most of the time.

Then there’s the main camera, and it’s pretty cool. The 200-megapixel camera offers optical image stabilization, and generally produces vibrant colors with excellent detail and a good amount of contrast. Overall, the main camera is reliable, especially in well-lite environments. By default the camera outputs a 12.5-megapixel image, but you can change that to 50 megapixels or even 200 megapixels.

Main Camera

Main Camera

Main Camera

0.6X Zoom

1X Zoom

2X Zoom

10X Zoom

Honestly, though, I find the 50-megapixel mode to be the best. It produces excellent sharpness, while still mostly retaining the same clean, high-contrast image. The 200-megapixel mode mostly just makes the file size of images larger without really improving quality. Despite the lack of telephoto, the camera is still able to produce good images when zoomed at relatively low levels. At 2X, photos mostly looked the same at 1X, which was great to see.

The device is able to capture great low-light shots too. They still offer plenty of detail without really increasing noise, and overall images looked pretty natural. Even dark ultrawide photos turn out pretty good — though don’t bother taking low-light macro mode shots. Sometimes, the device automatically switched to Night Mode, however other times you may want to switch to it manually.

The front-facing camera, which is a 20-megapixel camera, also produced great shots, though they’re not particularly all that special. In general, they offer good color reproduction with a decent level of detail.

Xiaomi 12T Pro software

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

The Xiaomi 12T Pro comes with Xiaomi’s MIUI 13, which is built on Android 12. The general interface remains the same as previous-generations of MIUI, which is heavily inspired by iOS. For the most part, things are where you would expect them to be if you’ve used an Android phone in the past. I don’t love the look, and heavily altered version of Android in general, but it works perfectly fine.

Conclusions

The Xiaomi 12T Pro is an interesting device. It performs very well and boasts some pretty cool camera tech, but doesn’t generally impress when it comes to the non-200-megapixel cameras and the overall software experience.

The competition

If you’re interested in the 12T Pro, it’s worth considering the standard Xiaomi 12T too. That device replaces the 200-megapixel camera with a 108-megapixel one, offers a MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Ultra processor, and doesn’t have Dolby Vision support. It’s slightly worse in most ways, but also a fair bit cheaper — so it’s worth considering.

It’s also worth considering the OnePlus 10T, which is priced similarly and also offers a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. It doesn’t have the 200-megapixel camera but the camera is still quite good, and the display is slightly lower-resolution.

Should I buy the Xiaomi 12T Pro?

Yes. It’s a great-performing phone with some awesome camera tech.

Xiaomi 12T Pro

Rating: 4 Stars

The Xiaomi 12T Pro boasts a great display, good performance, and some pretty excellent camera tech — but it’s not perfect.

BGR may receive a commission

BGR may receive a commission

Pros

• Excellent performance
• Some cool camera features
• A good price
• Great display

Cons

• 2MP macro camera is bad

Xiaomi

$749

More coverage: Read our Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro review.

The post Xiaomi 12T Pro review: A camera rollercoaster appeared first on BGR.

With macOS 13 Ventura now available, people can use the iPhone as a webcam for the Mac. If you want to know everything you can do by combining both products, here’s how to take advantage of your iPhone camera as your Mac webcam and step up the game on video conference calls.

Apple has published everything you need to know about Continuity Camera in a new support document (via MacRumors). With your iPhone in iOS 16 and your Mac with macOS Ventura, you can enable Center Stage, Portrait mode, Studio Light, and Desk View for a superior webcam experience.

The starters

First, you need to mount your iPhone with a compatible mount and stand available. Make sure your iPhone is near your Mac, locked, stabled, and positioned with its rear cameras facing you and unobstructed.

The iPhone needs to be in landscape orientation to allow apps to choose the iPhone automatically, or in portrait orientation. Continuity Camera works wired or wirelessly to make your iPhone a webcam for the Mac.

Choosing the iPhone as webcam and microphone on the Mac

With the iPhone properly mounted, you can choose it to be your Mac webcam and microphone. You just need to open FaceTime or another app do choose from the app’s video menu this option. The same is worth it for the microphone.

Apple says you don’t need to choose your iPhone mic unless your Mac has no built-in or external mic. Your app might then choose your iPhone mic automatically.

Continuity Camera: What do you need to use Center Stage, Studio Light, Portrait Mode, or Desk View

Continuity Camera feature with macOS 13 Ventura and iOS 16 lets you expand the capabilities of your video calls with Center Stage, Studio Light, Portrait Mode, and Desk View. Here are the requirements to make your iPhone your Mac’s webcam.

Portrait mode blurs the background to keep the focus on you. It requires an iPhone XR or later

Center Stage uses your iPhone 11 or later (excludes the iPhone SE) Ultra Wide camera to keep you centered in the camera frame as you move around.

Desk View uses the Ultra Wide Camera to show your desk and your face at the same time. It requires an iPhone 11 or later, excluding the iPhone SE.

Studio Light dims the background and illuminates your face without relying on external lighting. It requires an iPhone 12 or later.

How to use Desk View with Continuity Camera?

Here are the steps to use Desk View with Continuity Camera:

1. If on FaceTime, start your video call, then click the Desk View button in the upper-right corner of the video window. On a different app, click Control Center, click Video Effects, then Desk View;
2. To zoom out or zoom in on your desktop, drag the onscreen control in the Desk View setup window. If you can’t get a good view of both face and desktop, try again with your iPhone in portrait orientation;
3. Click Start Desk View, then share the Desk View window. If using FaceTime, the Desk View window should already be shared. If using a different app, use its screen-sharing feature to select the Desk View window for sharing.
4. To stop Desk View, close the Desk View window. Or click the screen sharing button in the Desk View window.

More Apple coverage: iOS 16.1 now available, here’s why you should update

The post How to use your iPhone as a webcam for Mac with Continuity Camera feature appeared first on BGR.

One of the newest features of the iPhone 14 Pro is the Action Mode. With that, it lets you capture “incredibly smooth-looking video that adjusts to significant shakes, motion, and vibrations, even when the video is being captured in the middle of the action.” CNET decided to make some real-life tests to see how iPhone 14 Pro Action Mode compares to the GoPro Hero 11. Here are the results.

Last year, the most important iPhone camera upgrade came with Cinematic mode. This feature applies a blur to the background of the video while focusing on the subject. More interestingly, users can switch the subject focus in real-time or during video editing.

Now, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro series, Apple is adding the Action Mode, which could be a nicer way to record videos while on a bike, running, jumping, etc.

To activate Action mode, there’s a toggle on the upper left corner with a person running. Users can record at a 2.8K resolution. CNET tried this feature against the GoPro Hero 11, which its main use is to record these kinds of videos. The publication tried a few different scenarios such as running around Central Park, climbing, and cycling on a cobblestone road.

Here’s CNET’s conclusion:

The GoPro’s 4K footage looks sharper and the color is significantly more saturated than the 2.8K video from the iPhone. Stabilization was comparable between the two, which was surprising, especially since the iPhone and GoPro were against my chest during such intense running and jerkiness. The GoPro’s stabilization was definitely better when I jumped off the boulders.

(…) When I hit big bumps on the ground, the iPhone’s video had noticeable blur and appeared more unsteady. The GoPro handled the bumps so well that you’d never know they were there. 

While the $1,000 iPhone 14 Pro was able to deliver a good performance, in every test, the $500 GoPro outdid the newest iPhone. This doesn’t mean Action mode is bad on the iPhone, but it’s not as good as a dedicated device.

iPhone 14 Pro Action Mode tips & tricks

Just like Cinematic Mode, it’s very easy to use Action Mode. The tips to master this feature are the following:

• Shoot in good light conditions. This mode won’t work at night or in dark places. Prefer outdoor lighting;
• Move faster. The more you’re in action, the best this feature will work;
• If you’re just slowly walking or filming with steady arms, use the regular video capability, it will do a better job.

If you want to know more about the iPhone 14 Pro and if it’s worth the price, you can read our in-depth iPhone 14 Pro review.

The post iPhone 14 Pro Action Mode videos put to test against GoPro Hero 11 appeared first on BGR.