QBIC Video Camera Review

By George Harding

Anyone with a smart phone has a video camera at his/her disposal. So what makes QBIC so different?

Well, first of all, it’s small, about 2” X 2” X 1.5”. It doesn’t make calls and can’t text. It doesn’t require a cell or any other type of subscription.

Here’s why it’s so different and why you will want one: it has its own Wi-Fi network and it can cover from  135 to 185 degrees of horizontal visual space.

It can be used to cover sporting events, travel, landscapes, field trips, family gatherings and more. It records in full HD (1080p) at up to 60 frames per second with high quality stereo sound.

It can take photos as single shot, interval mode, self-timer mode or burst mode. Burst mode is what you would use for fast moving sporting events. QBIC takes 10 shots rapidly in a burst.

The Wi-Fi network is generated by the device itself. You connect with it using either iOS or Android by downloading an app from the App Store. You connect the QBIC directly to your smartphone or tablet by way of this network and are not tethered to a static network.

You can use the photo or video function, record to QBIC on the SDHC card (not included) and view it simultaneously on your smart phone or tablet. It is possible to control QBIC from this application, so you need not hold it in order to use it. You can also download the recorded files to a computer through a cable connection (micro-USB to USB).

The device is very light, only 3.5 oz. It is also water-resistant. One other feature that’s interesting is the ability to take a close-up picture, as near as 1 inch.

There are various types of mounts available that make it possible to mount the device on your head, your bike, your water ski or just about anything else.

The kit comes with the camera, a cable (micro-USB to USB), a Start-Up Guide and a small metal holder for the camera to attach to your smartphone. The Guide is very small and has correspondingly small type – almost too small to read. There is a downloadable PDF of the Guide, which is much preferable. You need to have  a SDHC disk in order to store any files.

I tried both the iOS and the Android app. The iOS app works very well and did everything I wanted to do. It is responsive, with the only limitation being the size of my iPhone screen. I was able to download pictures and videos to my laptop, though it’s not a speedy process.

The Android app was not as efficient, although I could take pictures and videos. My tablet would not allow me to download pictures or videos, but that’s the fault of the tablet, not the app. My video was abruptly stopped and the app exited without warning, but the video file was saved. I also found that the Android app was not as responsive as the iPhone app.

This is an interesting and useful tool for taking videos and pictures in situations where you are not able to physically hold the device.

QBIC by Elmo                     
 www.elmousa.com                         
 Price $260