There are more than plenty of action cameras on the market to choose from but no one seems to be able to oust the leader, GoPro. Will Garmin be the contender? The company is betting that the new VIRB action camera's unique features and compatibility with existing Garmin products will sway consumers over to their side.
The Garmin VIRB is an adventure ready action camera with a rugged and fully waterproof housing. Unlike other brands, the VIRB features a 1.4-inch Chroma color display for better playback and setup options.
The rechargeable battery allows for up to three hours of HD (1080p) video capture on one charge. Digital image stabilization and lens distortion correction (removes the fish-eye look) help your footage look great without tons of editing. VIRB can take 16 megapixel stills with photo burst and time lapse options, all while the action camera is capturing video at the same time.
The VIRB Elite model adds GPS, accelerometer, altimeter, and WiFi for connection to your smartphone. Activity profiles track your location, speed, elevation, heart rate, and other data that can be embedded into your video when editing. A special Ski Mode automatically turns on the action camera as you head down the mountain, then back into standby mode when you ride up the lift.
Both the VIRB and VIRB Elite feature ANT+ connectivity for remote control functionality with other Garmin products and for data transfer with other fitness sensors. VIRB uses a micro HDMI output for video playback and a microSD slot that can hold up to a 64GB card for seven hours of 1080p video capture.
Available in September, the VIRB retails for $299.99 and the VIRB Elite for $399.99, including free mobile app and desktop software for video editing and social sharing.