Over recent years, the action sports camera market has excelled in the electronics industry, providing substantial hand-held video quality at affordable prices.
Market-specific brands such as GoPro, Contour and Drift Innovation have built sizable reputations for producing quality cameras that now offer so much more than standard video recording.
And now it seems the electronics powerhouses have taken note, and taken action.
Stalwarts of the camera cosmos, JVC, have brought their own action camera into the fray with the announcement of the new JVC ADIXXION.
With competition ever-increasing, new entrants into the world of POV cameras must entice audiences with features that set their product apart from the action cameras elite.
And based on initial revelations, it seems JVC have strived to provide a unique camera to take on the pre-established.
The JVC GC-XA1, or ‘ADIXXION’, offers what they are billing as a ‘Quad-Proof’ design, essentially making it water/shock/dust and freeze-proof. This waterproof capability, up to 5m (16.4ft) deep, combines with a rugged shell that can apparently withstand being dropped from 2 metres.
Of course this means there will be no need for separate housing for the ADIXXION (other than for deep sea diving), so it retains its diminutive 126-gram weight, as well as capturing pure audio from its built-in microphone.
Also offering a built-in 1.5¨ LCD screen for view-finding and playback, the JVC ADIXXION shoots 1080p at 30fps, and 720 at 60fps, as well as possessing an image stabiliser for minimum video vibration.
The ADIXXION even comes with the latest action-camera must-have, WiFi capability. Similar to GoPro’s external WiFi BacPac accessory, the ADIXXION’s built-in WiFi allows instant connection with a Smartphone or PC, thus enabling the user to employ their phone as a handy viewfinder when the camera is mounted, as well as offering live streaming and uploading.
Scratchproof rubber body, 5MP still camera mode, wide-angle lens, 5x digital zoom, time-lapse, HDMI terminal, etc. etc. etc. etc., the JVC ADIXXION’s features are seemingly endless, indicating JVC’s determination to provide a camera that’s ready for action as soon as it’s out of the box.
This even extends to the range of mounting options and accessories that are available. Apparently having a Goggle Mount, Flexible Mount and Lens Protectors included in the basic pack, JVC will also be producing a Roll Bar Mount, Handle Bar Mount, Float Strap and more.
So by the looks of things, JVC aren’t entering the market on a whim, or to do things by halves. The ADIXXION at this stage marks JVC’s intent to disrupt the action cameras balance of power by providing a quality POV camera with a number of defining characteristics.
Expected to be priced somewhere around £250, and due for release sometime this summer, stay tuned to Action Cameras for more news on the JVC ADIXXION, as and when it comes. Sign up for the Action Cameras newsletter for all the latest news from the world of point-of-view cameras!
