reviews

Polaroid Cube Review

Gear, Multimedia, Still photography, Video

The Polaroid Cube is an amazingly affordable little video camera that is going to capture a lot of potential GoPro consumers. It is essentially a stripped down GoPro with the basic features you need: 1080 HD video capture and 6MP still photos. You can also put it in an underwater case or use the built-in magnet to attach the Polaroid Cube to metal objects. Other accessories are available, too.

At $99, the camera makes a lot of sense when compared to GoPro models ranging in price from $130-500. Coincidentally, GoPro has just released a new comparable camera, the entry-level HERO, that hits that lower-end $130 price point … Have a look at this Polaroid Cube review and decide for yourself what fits you.

Polaroid Cube Review: The Basics

 

The Polaroid Cube is a little cube with a lens, and not much else. This is great, in my opinion, because it keeps filmmaking fun, easy, and accessible. That’s the point of a camera in this market; if you want something more professional for, say, an interview, you probably already own a DSLR or something better.

Here’s what you get: A tiny, 1.4″ cube of a camera that weights 0.1 pounds. It’s got 32GB of internal memory and a slot for a microSD card. It records sound, but that might not be as important to you as the video quality. The video looks a little better than a GoPro does, from what I’ve seen, but the still photos aren’t going to be as good.

The pros: It’s tiny, light, and easy.

The cons: The Polaroid Cube only comes with a magnet mount, so you’re going to have to bust out the gaffer tape or buy accessories to mount this thing on a tripod or anything non-metallic.

 

Polaroid Cube vs GoPro HERO

(Above: GoPro’s entry-level HERO camera)

So, what do you want to buy? You’re getting essentially the same thing with both cameras. When it’s Polaroid Cube vs GoPro HERO, I recommend the Polaroid Cube. They are both basic, useful HD video cameras. If you want something that can shoot in 4K or has remote capabilities via wifi and mobile apps, then go for a higher-end GoPro, but if you’re staying in the entry-level range, stick with the Polaroid Cube. Review them for yourself though, and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

Hawaiki Color Plugin for FCPX Review

Gear, Multimedia, software, Tech stuff, Video

Hawaiki Color is a color grading plugin for Final Cut Pro X that is relatively powerful, easy to use, and costs a mere $50. (Tokyo Productions and Lawn Road provided me a copy for review.) In this Hawaiki Color review I’ll give you some pros and cons so that you can get a feel for the plugin before considering making a purchase.
 

(Above: Hawaiki Color’s own tutorial video)

 

First off, the layout is clean and easy to use. You’ll find three large color wheels and a series of sliders for color temperature, exposure, saturation, and hue/contrast/blur/sharpness. I love having quick access to these basic tools.

 

 

To use the Hawaiki Color plugin for Final Cut Pro X, first simply select which clip you’d like to adjust. Then in the effects tab at the lower right of your screen, double click on Hawaiki Color. It’s that easy. You can then begin to adjust the sliders and the color wheels.

 

 

Pros and Cons:

Cons:

  • The only feature I’m missing is selective color – the ability to selectively reduce or increase the saturation of single colors. It would be great to select cyan or yellow, for instance, and adjust the saturation of that specific color.

Pros:

  • Everything about Hawaiki Color is pretty quick, clean, and easy.
  • The quick sliders for contrast, sharpness, and exposure are very handy and either are better than the built in functions of Final Cut Pro X or do not even come standard with Final Cut Pro X.
  • The color wheels are standard and easy to use.
  • The sliders are accurate for fine tuning, especially when selecting specifically for lows, mids, or highs.

Thanks for looking and I hope this Hawaiki Color review is useful for you.