When it comes to multitasking devices, smartphones have the market cornered. But just because they can do it all doesn’t mean they should—particularly if you’re shooting travel video. Sure, smartphones are accessible and easy to operate, but you also have to stop whatever you’re doing to hold one up for a shoot. Well, we say performance is what really matters, so we found three gadgets that do double (or triple) duty while taking HD video. These gizmos will allow you to capture trip highlights without dropping everything to get the shot.
Want to catch the action at a sporting event as if you’re sitting courtside? Sony’s high-performance DEV-5 video binoculars ($1,999.99) combines the magnification capabilities of high-performance binoculars with a camcorder’s ability to record HD video and audio. Bonus: The autofocus function will keep your subject sharp while zooming, unlike conventional binoculars.
For both serious scuba divers and seriously serene snorkelers, Liquid Image’s scuba series HD 720p mask ($249.99) will take underwater video with a small built-in camera. It functions 130 feet below the surface, shoots up to eight hours of video and has integrated crosshairs that help you line up your shots. Did we mention it also shoots five mega-pixel photos?
We imagine the spy watch from Brickhouse Security (now $99.95, originally $150) is ideal for foodies wanting to capture a master chef’s dishes without drawing attention to himself (is there anything worse than someone whipping out a flash camera in a Five-Star restaurant?).
The watch is covert and the lens is tiny, but it takes full color HD video, photos and audio recordings good enough to show off to friends back home.
