It Snows in Las Vegas!! Sony Mini Action Cam Footage and Review (HDR-AZ1)

I'm not a good talker and never cover when speaking what I can cover when I write. It's holiday season which is good for low light situations. Also I apologize for semi reviewing this camera about 4 months later than its original release.

 So here it is, the Sony Action Cam mini showing you it does snow in the desert of Las Vegas.

Cons

Let me start off with the cons and then get into the good stuff later. While filming I did not get the bright Las Vegas sunlight. Yes it gets really cold in Vegas in winter. Plus I also wanted to show that a "White Christmas" is achievable in Las Vegas, no matter fake snow, real snow, or both. So con number 1 is my mistake with no bright natural sun power...my bad!

The other only con I can think of is that Sony did not go the 4K route with their latest action cam. That will hurt them in sales, but in reality my opinion is 4K is not necessary just yet. Especially in a camera's with such small sensors. 

4K is a larger file which also takes up memory fast and longer post process renditions. No 4K also means the Sony Mini Cam will get beat in resolution by the HD Hero 4 and Panasonic HX-A500. Mainly noticeable when zoomed in.

How still haven't found a true low light action camera winner, all action cameras I have tested seem to be on par in low light situations.

My Likes

Let me get this out the way now. This is my favorite action camera. This thing is so small and lightweight and with the remote wrist watch LCD screen this component made it the winner. You can see a video of Tony Hawk mounting this little sucker to the bottom of his skateboard and busting tricks with no problems. Here it is.....

Like all action cams you need to dish out extra dough when getting more accessories. Since the Sony AZ1 mounts also with the standard tripod hole making mounts and finding alternate mounts is easy.

I am a little biased because I'm a true Sony fan boy. I own multiple Sony cameras, Sony PS4, Sony Z3 mobile phone, and much more. This is a reason why I also love the watch. I can use the watch on my other Sony cameras that have WiFi and NFC capabilities. I found out I can only use it for photography controlling the shutter but the live view will work when paired. This comes in handy for showing off.

Also the Sony Live View Remote Watch is waterproof up to about 10 feet, but you can still get away with 15 feet easily. 

If I didn't have the watch would I still like the camera? Yes, but if you want this camera the watch is a must have.

Conclusion

I don't talk tech stats that's not my style. I show and tell.This is a cheaper camera even with the watch combo then its competitor GoPro. No bragging rights that come with 4K recording, but the size; ease of use; and comfort makes this my favorite cam.

Also check out my video of my last action camera battle below.

Photo Travel: Shooting Sequoia National Park

I make a lot of trips to the Fresno area, due to the sport of boxing. Selland Arena in Fresno, California is now the home of soon to be boxing world champion, Jose Carlos Ramirez. Finally I my most recent trip, I decided to pay the giant trees a visit.

On a Sunday afternoon I set off from the town of Tulare to the Giant Forrest located near Three Rivers, California in Sequoia National Park. About an 1 1/2 hour drive due to the low mph driving around the winding roads, once inside the park.

After about 40 mins of driving these road, you will eventually run into your first giant tree. Many turnouts are on the way if your too impatient to wait for the designated landmarks. Below is a video of my documented experience.

The fog was just right on my experience, along with the weather. As a Las Vegas resident the temperature was just right for October and would sprinkle me with thoughts on the upcoming Christmas.

Even though I shoot a lot of boxing matches when it comes to taking photos, I would have to say landscape photography is my favorite type of shooting.

The hardest part of landscape photography is getting to the location. The model provided by Mother Nature does the rest. A beautiful setting will always look beautiful once you press down that shutter button.

I had a wonderful experience along with my Wife capturing the beauty of these giant Sequoia's and plan to visit them once again. Below our some of our shots.

GoPro HD Here 4 Black Edition vs Panasonic HX-A500 4K Shootout

With the brand new release of the GoPro HD Hero 4 and myself finally getting a Panasonic
HX-A500, it was clearly time to see how these two 4K cameras compare.

Now I'm not going to get into detailed specs, and all try to make myself seem like a mad scientist by sounding smart. Instead I'll have you check out the video so you can make judgement of what your eyeballs see. Then I will get into my opinion on both products. Check out the video below.

Okay, if you just saw the video you probably have an idea of what camera you would like.

Here's my analysis.

GoPro HD Hero 4, whatcha need to know. Well, if you buy this bad boy hopefully you were a previous owner of one of the other Hero's. Why? Accessories, accessories, accessories. Buying the black edition is gonna cost you $499. If you need certain things such as a head strap, chest strap, or my favorite, a LCD screen, your going to need to shell out some extra cash flow. Money is the biggest problem for the consumer, but the biggest pro for the manufacture.

The Hero 4 has the better film look, image quality, and the wider view. Since this is an actual camera and the action camera king GoPro wins in performance.

Okay, so should you get a HD Hero 4 with that being said? Well lets talk about some big factor that can sway you towards the Panasonic HX-A500.

Do you have decent video editing skills to adjust colors? Will a $100 less $399 and below suit your budget better? If so the Panasonic might be a better route.

Yes the Panasonic is cheaper, but not only that it comes with features to make it even more of a steal with 4K capabilities at 30 fps at a bargain price.

LCD screen is part of the unit. You just saved yourself $70+. The head strap is also included, which probably just saved you another $20+. Man this head strap sure is comfortable and doesn't look as foolish as the other cameras you strap to your dome. Also I dig the armband.

Now for your video editing skills to come in. Rolling shutter, the distortion effect on this camera can get pretty nasty. Sometimes the video can seem to flat in color. This will be the time to use some skill in post processing. A plus is the rendering time on Panasonic's video format is quicker compared to the Hero 4.

In conclusion I believe it all comes down to what you want to spend. If you got the cash to fork over, get the Hero 4. If your on a budget do your research and maybe get the Panasonic HX-A500.

G Whiz Info: Water proof tough point and shoot cameras are a great alternative when looking for an action cam. No 4K 30fps ones at the moment, but don't worry that will change in 2015. Also you have more features with point and shoots then you do with action cameras. For example, zoom in, zoom out, on camera filters, and a flash when taking photos.