• Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

signal

Member
Oct 28, 2017
40,182


Indiegogo
Verge

Canon is turning to Indiegogo to crowdfund the Ivy Rec, a tiny outdoor camera built into a keychain carabiner. It's about the size of a USB flash drive, and it wirelessly connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the companion CanonMini Cam App to show a live preview on your phone. The empty square space of the clip doubles as a viewfinder, and there's a single dial on the back that lets you switch between modes.

The Ivy Rec has a 13-megapixel 1/3-inch CMOS sensor that can record 1080p / 60 fps video, and it's waterproof up to 30 minutes for depths of up to three feet. At its retail price of $130, it's slightly more expensive than hoped, but could still be a good option for parents looking to get their kids a starter camera. Canon says the camera is shockproof and great for the outdoors, so it could be useful if you clip it onto your backpack while you ride a bike. Or maybe clip it onto your dog or cat's collar so you can see the world from your pet's POV? (I mean, GoPros are already a thing.)
DPReview cites a previous interview to speculate why Canon is going the crowdfunding route for its latest camera, in which the company revealed that it's looking to capture as many new customers as it can, particularly casual photographers.

Possibly pointless, but also cute 🤔


vHpIQVl.png


0SCFcQw.png


w0aAoh6.jpg


CYB478E.jpg
 
Oct 26, 2017
2,237
I've never liked big companies crowd-funding things like this. Do it because you need to, not because you're effectively looking to make money off market research and PR.
 

Fliesen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,251
cute, but $130 is too much. For that price you can get much more capable action cams, or pre-owned GoPros.
Like, topping out at 1080p60? MicroUSB? What year is it?

Besides, the feature list is so pathetic, they have to pad it with "great for outdoors".
Here's the condensed feature list:

* Water and Shockproof
* WiFi and Bluetooth Connectivity
* Optional Smartphone app
* 13MP stills, 1080p60 video

And the clip is super cute, but mostly useless.
For filming, it's not stable enough; and since the camera is super duper small, you can just put it in literally any of your pockets.
(edit: oh, i just got it, the square hole also serves as some kind of super basic viewfinder. cute...)
 

Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,009
I don't think it's a bad idea to be honest. I have a problem with the price and the crowd-funded nature of it but I don't mind the actual device. I can think of a number of places something like that would be useful for people without smartphones or other cameras; nights out, hiking, holidays, general out and about where you just want something you can throw into a bag or your pocket. Very handy for the Instagram generation too.

I'm hoping that for that price the lens isn't just a piece of garbage as the housing and controls look pretty cheap. If they could get it down to under ÂŁ100 I think a lot of people would be tempted.

We're now at the position where your phone camera is getting near to the level of the more expensive compacts in pure image quality so I think it's good that the manufacturers are looking into other ways to get people using 'pure' cameras.
 

RetroDLC

Member
Oct 27, 2017
806
Alright, so...
1) Does the video orientation change depending on the camera's angle? Can it record 16:9 for both horizontal and vertical? Can I lock it to a chosen position?
2) No direct feed examples of the capture quality?
3) A large established camera company like Canon can't fund this thing by themselves?
4) Such a low amount of cameras available for the early bird options? I would have taken a risk for 30% off (ÂŁ73), but not any higher.
5) Only backers can comment on the campaign? I want to ask these questions directly ffs.

I'll probably just end up buying a Eken H9R for ÂŁ50 anyway.
 
Last edited:

Deleted member 8166

Account closed at user request
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
4,075
microUSB...lol. fuck that old shit.
they probably had some old parts in a garbage bin and wondered what to do with them.
 

FaceHugger

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,949
USA
I wrote network printer drivers for that company as one of my first jobs out of college. Which was largely just rewriting HP drivers. But anyway.

I'll just say this: tread lightly. Those fuckers lied to their customers a lot about their cameras when I was there. Maybe they've changed, but I doubt it.
 
Last edited:

Flygon

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,373
Lacking a passive lens is somewhat confusing. Would having one affect the ruggedness? It'd help make it easier to keep an eye on what's being shot.
This product definitely seems more gimmicky than useful.
 

CampFreddie

A King's Landing
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,950
So, a very small camera and no way to see what it's aiming at. I'm sure it'll take great photos. Have you ever tried taking a phone-photo blind? It's really easy to 'miss'. This is much smaller and even harder to aim.

The price is also a joke, as is the idea that they need to use crowdfunding.
Just buy a "rugged" case for your phone.
 

Deleted member 44129

User requested account closure
Banned
May 29, 2018
7,690
This looks totally useless. What is it FOR? I really can't see any practical application for this.

Also the "hole in the clip is a viewfinder" is total bullshit. The distance between it and your eye completely changes the perceived field of view.
 

Fliesen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,251
Very handy for the Instagram generation too.

To the contrary.
A mediocre camera, with no screen for proper selfie framing, no viewfinder and where it's a bigger-than-necessary hassle to get the photos from the camera to your phone's photo library.

Y'all do know that there's plenty of serviceable action cams at that price range, right? That can be mounted, both on tripods, as well as a huge ecosystem of accessories for mounting them on pracitcally anything.
So this camera is neither:
* for instagrammers (who use their phones, or maybe a DSLR)
* for the 'outdoorsy' folk (who use a proper action cam)
 

SixelAlexiS

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,717
Italy
lul love when he pick the smartphone for see the photos... just use that? And with 150€ you can buy a Redmi Note... pff...
 

Dinjooh

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
2,828
lul love when he pick the smartphone for see the photos... just use that? And with 150€ you can buy a Redmi Note... pff...

There are times where you either can't, or won't bring your smartphone.

When I go hiking it's with a non smartphone and my DSLR. If this took proper photos I could see its use.
 

Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,009
To the contrary.
A mediocre camera, with no screen for proper selfie framing, no viewfinder and where it's a bigger-than-necessary hassle to get the photos from the camera to your phone's photo library.

Y'all do know that there's plenty of serviceable action cams at that price range, right? That can be mounted, both on tripods, as well as a huge ecosystem of accessories for mounting them on pracitcally anything.
So this camera is neither:
* for instagrammers (who use their phones, or maybe a DSLR)
* for the 'outdoorsy' folk (who use a proper action cam)

Completely disagree as you're generalising both groups there. The vast majority of people I follow on Instagram don't use it for selfies, even my friends use it predominantly for documenting their day-to-day life rather than pictures of themselves.

Also 'outdoorsy' doesn't equate to needing a proper camera. My dad does a lot of the multi-day/week walks in the UK and my sister's part of a weekly hiking group. Neither of them feel the need for a proper camera, they just want something to take snaps on to remember the walk. For them a small, lightweight camera, that they can simply clip on/off a belt loop would be useful.
 

Fliesen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,251
Completely disagree as you're generalising both groups there. The vast majority of people I follow on Instagram don't use it for selfies, even my friends use it predominantly for documenting their day-to-day life rather than pictures of themselves.

Also 'outdoorsy' doesn't equate to needing a proper camera. My dad does a lot of the multi-day/week walks in the UK and my sister's part of a weekly hiking group. Neither of them feel the need for a proper camera, they just want something to take snaps on to remember the walk. For them a small, lightweight camera, that they can simply clip on/off a belt loop would be useful.

And for that, your phone's still a way better device, given the fact that it has an actual viewfinder (for framing purposes), a much better camera, and allows you to edit / upload your picture right then and there.

I get that there are people form whom this camera 'could' be 'useful'. I do understand that niches exist.
It's still too expensive and way too limited.
Do you really think your dad would prefer a $130 camera with no viewfinder to take pictures of his walks, only to have to manually transmit them to his phone's camera roll for further processing / storage / sharing, rather than just use his phone's camera? Do you really think that?
 

cyba89

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,628
Is this supposed to fill the (non-existent) gap between smartphones and action cams?

Everyone already has their perfectly pocketable smartphone with a camera on them at all times and for more extreme outdoor situations a proper phone case or an action cam are just a better solution in every way (and I don't really think this cam will offer good results in these situations anyway).
 

Secondspace

Member
Dec 12, 2017
378
It only seems like it has a use when you don't want to take out your phone, but it does look more like a phone accessory than just buying a cheap compact camera. Some people might like it for concerts and other big crowds, but it's pretty niche and overpriced.

Feels a bit like Canon looking at a way to re-purpose parts and tech now that no one buys compact cameras.
 

Fliesen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,251
Some people might like it for concerts and other big crowds

another space where it'd fail fabulously - because if you wanna film at a concert, you need to hold the camera overhead, and without a screen as a viewfinder, you'd have no idea if you're filming the band, the stage below or the speakers mounted above them.
Also, i doubt that thing has good low light performance.
You have no way to adjust the focus / exposure / shutter speed :/
 

Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,009
And for that, your phone's still a way better device, given the fact that it has an actual viewfinder (for framing purposes), a much better camera, and allows you to edit / upload your picture right then and there.

I get that there are people form whom this camera 'could' be 'useful'. I do understand that niches exist.
It's still too expensive and way too limited.
Do you really think your dad would prefer a $130 camera with no viewfinder to take pictures of his walks, only to have to manually transmit them to his phone's camera roll for further processing / storage / sharing, rather than just use his phone's camera? Do you really think that?

Absolutely I agree that it's too expensive as is, I said so in my first post. However, as a technology I can see it being popular for a lot of people - at the right price.
 

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,412
another space where it'd fail fabulously - because if you wanna film at a concert, you need to hold the camera overhead, and without a screen as a viewfinder, you'd have no idea if you're filming the band, the stage below or the speakers mounted above them.
Also, i doubt that thing has good low light performance.
You have no way to adjust the focus / exposure / shutter speed :/

Agree on the low light performance (especially with it being marketed for the outdoors), but man... You wonder if photos had never been taken before cameras got digital screens. Blind firing is fine, imo. Just shoot more

This particular thing, though, looks pretty regressive for cameras and reminds me of the early 2000s, not in a good way.
 

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,412
Also, the internet should just finally conclude that crowdfunding is a pre-order platform. Cuz that's what this is.
 

Deleted member 35204

User requested account closure
Banned
Dec 3, 2017
2,406
A dedicated camera that is worse than a midrange phone, and they want crowdfunding first in order to sell it.
...neat.
 

Pororoka

Member
Nov 1, 2017
1,210
MX
Would buy just for the novelty factor (and after they lower the price), I just can't see myself using it above my GoPro, Fuji or Sony for serious jobs.

Still using indiegogo for launching it seems more like a "let's see if this creates traction" before using a proper assembly line.
 

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,412
It's not that they "need" to crowdfund it, nor is it about testing the waters.

They look at the people impulse buying expensive stuff on KS, Indiegogo, etc., and they are marketing this to them. It's a preorder campaign targeting a specific market of overspenders.
 

Jakenbakin

Member
Jun 17, 2018
11,792
So... Since every single carabineer I've ever had that isn't one of those where it "screws" together has worn out on me, am I to assume this would just be garbage to me? Not that I'm particularly interested in this, but that stood out to me, but maybe it's just me that slays clips left and right.