Action cameras are a great way to capture a first-person active experience, like biking, skateboarding, skiing, or driving. But you're basically shooting a one-hour video in one take -- albeit hands-free, from your head or from a vehicle. So you need to think about plannning your action along a path so that the final video works for the viewer, and take care to avoid jarring actions like suddenly turning your head.
As a result, action cameras may not work well for capturing an event like a birthday party or a craft show where you want to explore a space. And they do not make sense for longer explorations, like a day-long hike through the woods or wandering along the shoreline.
Which brings us to two rather different takes on action cameras:
The VOXX 360Fly is a panoramic video camera that shoots the entire 360-degree scene.
You then can play back the video from the iOS or Android app, pan around in the video as it plays, or view the unwrapped scene.
It should be available around mid-year, at a price around $400 to $450.
There's also a 360MicroFly model, which is a 360 degree optic lens attachment for Apple and select Android smartphones, to be priced at around $99.
The Autographer intelligent wearable camera shoots a sequence of still photos, so, you can capture your experience over a long time, with on the order of 2000 photos over a 12-hour period.
The Autographer intelligently uses five sensors to decide when to automatically take photos, based on color, temperature, acceleration, compass direction, and IR motion. Plus it has built-in GPS to geotag your images with location information.
You then can use the smartphone or desktop software to create stop-motion videos with music before sharing online.
The Autographer is priced at $399, and is available in black or trnaslucent cases, along with rugged cases and mounts.
See the full article at Videomaker -- Action Cameras at CES 2014 - a Different Point of View
See my Holiday Gadgets & Portable Accessories 2013 coverage for more on portable audio and other fun devices.
Find the Autographer camera on Amazon.com