How does a $99 dollar action camera compare to a much more expensive GoPro Hero 3 Black?
Keep watching for a side by side comparison. The camera on the left is the ViDi LCD Action
Camera. And this is the GoPro Hero 3 Black. Right off the top, the most noticeable difference
is the price of $99 vs $399. That's a big gap! So let's dive into some of the finer
details to help you decide which camera you should buy. They're both in sturdy plastic
bodies but as you can see here, the ViDi has a standard tripod mount on the bottom. Both
cameras support micro SD cards up to 64GB with USB charging ports on the side. The GoPro
however has a micro HDMI output so you can view what you're shooting on an external
monitor. As far as buttons go, the GoPro has two large buttons and a small WiFi button
on the side. The Vidi has four buttons along the top. One of the big advantages that GoPro
has is the ability to change batteries. The ViDi on the other hand has an integrated
battery so once you're out of power, you have to charge it. But I did find a workaround
using a portable USB phone charger. I tested it out and you can run the camera off of this
external battery even if your camera has gone dead. The only thing is that you can only
do this with the case off. Now let's look at what's included with each
package. The Vidi comes with a selfie stick, waterproof case, the camera and a 4GB micro
SD card. And by the way, the camera comes fully charged out of the box. The GoPro Hero
3 Black comes with a waterproof case, the camera and a handy WiFi remote.
Another unique feature of the ViDi is the built-in LCD screen so you can see what you're
shooting. The GoPro does not come with an LCD screen. Taking a look at the ViDi housing,
its waterproof up to 40 feet and it also has a standard tripod mount on the bottom. The
GoPro housings vary from 10 feet to almost 200 feet if you have their Dive housing. It
has a very secure latch that prevents accidental opening. On the bottom, it has GoPro's proprietary
mounting system so you can't use a standard tripod without an adapter. The ViDi case has
corresponding rubberized buttons on top to access camera controls. The GoPro case has
spring loaded buttons that take some firm pressure to activate.
An LCD touch screen is available for the GoPro at an additional cost. The one I have
here is the LCD Touch BacPac which renders the case to a waterproof depth of 10 feet
and doesn't allow touchscreen capability underwater. But it is nice to be able to see what you're
shooting as well as navigate menus on the touchscreen. Here you can see the size difference
in the screens. Speaking of the camera itself, the ViDi offers
a wide 140 degree lens while the GoPro Hero 3 Black has an even wider 170 degree view
with maximum 12 megapixels when taking photos. Both cameras can shoot 1080p HD video but
depending on the model of GoPro, you have the option of going up to 4K and various frame
rates. The GoPro does have an advantage with its rechargeable WiFi remote which comes in
handy when you want to start and stop recording. It also has small front LCD that shows the
status of the camera. Testing the cameras in water, you can see
here that the GoPro immediately sinks which is bad news if you are in the ocean or a lake.
The ViDi however floats in its own waterproof case without any other accessories. With the
GoPro, you need to buy a floatation device if you want it to float.
I think both cameras offer unique features and your buying decision depends on your budget
and the features you want. The ViDi Action Camera is extremely affordable and comes with
pretty much everything you need right out of the box including a fully charged battery
and memory card. Don't forget that there's a standard tripod mount on both the camera
and the case for maximum flexibility. GoPros offer high performance and professional features
including multiple resolutions and frame rates, Wifi remote control and a dedicated mobile
phone app for wireless control. One of the downsides of the GoPro is the cost and the
need for additional accessories depending on what you're shooting. Just adding a standard
tripod mount and LCD screen increases your cost significantly. It's unsure if ViDi will
add some more advanced features in the future but at $99 you can't argue that it is certainly
a great price for what you get. GoPro has a huge following and is the market leader
when it comes to action cameras. So now it's time for you to decide which camera is right
for you. Leave a comment and let me know which camera you would get. And if you found this
video helpful, please give me a thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe for more product
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