Hello, this is TheTechBoy with a review of the Ourlife waterproof camera for boys. Ourlife sent me the camera and I tested its features. This is the review of the “Most Durable camera I have ever tested."
Box Contents:
This basic camera for kids comes with a micro-USB cable, one water-resistant case, one rubber case, a tripod, and a Micro SD card. The camera has no internal storage, so the included card is necessary. The camera features a dual LED flash and an 8 MP camera. This camera is a 180-degree camera that allows you to take self-portraits.
Setup:
Out of the box, the camera is already two-thirds charged. To turn on the camera, flip the switch underneath the flap and hold down the “Power” button underneath the 2.4-inch screen. Use the buttons on the camera to operate the RTOS (Real Time Operating System) versus using a touch screen.
Note: The lower the resolution the more pictures you can take. Navigating the UI (user interface) needs refining, but does the job. The “Power” button doubles as a menu button. Holding it down allows you to access the settings and camera/video options as well as enables you to view your pictures.
Accessing the settings icon allows you to adjust the frequency, resolution, and volume. Navigate to each option by first pressing and holding the power button then the camera/video buttons to go down to the sub-menus and use the arrow keys. Select options by pressing OK.
You can exit settings by clicking the power button. One thing I’d change about this camera is the delete function. It is too easy to accidentally press the X button (Delete) and then press OK thereby deleting your pictures and videos forever. Also, there is potential to confuse using the zoom, filter, frame, and sticker features.
All these features are accessed via the arrow buttons. Sometimes pressing and holding the arrow buttons result in selecting stickers instead of accessing the zoom feature. This is an issue with this camera because Ourlife tries to include as many features as possible with the least number of buttons. This does not work as well.
Picture and Video Quality:
Note: I did not set the Timestamp before for the photographs provided.
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| Zoom Photo (I think) |
This camera takes average pictures. Also, some of the pictures aren't very good due to a very small camera sensor which does not take in much light. Nevertheless, the pictures and videos are acceptable for this camera's small size and targeted user age range. The images look fine on the 2.4-inch screen and the pictures are not blurry and murky looking. Keep in mind though that the shutter lag time is real! Since kids are on the go and may use this camera to play fast-paced games like tag this camera may rarely get the same shot because of the shutter lag. The camera can be cycled through by pressing the OK button.
The video mode has an option to record indefinitely or for 3, 5, or 10 minutes. One thing I’d like to change about the video mode is the built-in 3-second timer that delays the start of taking a video. This prevents you from taking “in the moment videos.”
The video feature comes with various color filters. Also, you can zoom in and out while recording. The camera can take pictures and video when the camera is rotated 90 degrees up, but it will be oriented upside down. Interestingly you can zoom in on your face when you take self-portraits, something some mobile phones cannot do. The auto face detection is decent, but sometimes it detects things that are not faces.
Durability:
I placed the protective blue case on the camera and started throwing it around and shooting it like a basketball. However, I realized that the case was on incorrectly. I reversed the case and threw the camera around some more. The results were incredible. The camera survived every drop from being thrown into the air. The next day I dunked the camera with its waterproof case in some water and it floated. I held it under running water, placed it in muddy water, and dumped water over it. It remained undamaged. I dropped the camera with the waterproof case on some cement and the only thing that happened after a few drops were that the blue ring fell off. Then I took the camera out of the case and dropped it on some grass, soft dirt, and cement. The front of the camera padding must have protected it.
I also dropped the camera so hard (on its edge) that it dented the dirt. It survived these tests extremely well. It was only when I dropped the camera into a muddy puddle without its case that the camera finally died. The reason this probably happened was water seeped into the screen and fried the electronics. The screen was the worst part of the design. It had a slight flex to it and I wish it was better designed. The 180-degree hinge seemed durable, but it was not tested as much. The buttons on the rubber case are easy to press, while the buttons on the plastic water-resistant case are a bit harder to press.
Conclusion
Overall this camera is very durable, and the photo quality is decent. The price is a bit high side and the screen was kind of flexy. Perhaps the screen is designed that way prevent the screen from becoming damaged when kids try to touch it. It does come with some accessories. I tested the clip, but it did not work well on a kid's scooter.
The software and menus are kind of hard to navigate as well. I saw another camera that offered more features and a higher capacity micro SD card. However, this camera does offer a higher resolution and takes self-portraits. It is also smaller than the competing camera I found. But if you are looking for an action camera this one may not be the best choice because of the shutter lag and the 3-second video delay. However, if you want something that is durable and can survive mud drops and water (with the case on) this camera may be for you.
Is this camera a good choice for your child? What do you think?
Buy the Camera Here.
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