The New Polaroid Cube vs. The GoPro: What Action Camera is Right for You?

Some of you may remember Polaroid from back in the day - you know, the company that made that camera that spit out a photo after you took a picture. These instant Polaroid pictures (which you weren't actually supposed to shake by the way) were iconic for their white framing. Although these cameras have mostly been replaced by digital cameras today, Polaroid is still around - and still innovating. Their most recent innovation is their take on the "action camera" made so popular by GoPro. It's known as the Polaroid Cube - but how does it stack up to its competition?

 

 

The Cube

 

 

 

I have to say on first glance the Cube looks pretty awesome. It's cheaper than the GoPro, starting at $99 once it launches in October. The camera itself lives up to its name - it's literally a cube shape with a square rubberized body surrounding and protecting its wide angle lens. Like the GoPro, the Cube is very small and easy to carry around whether just in your hand or on one of its mounts. It captures high definition video and images and its lens provides 124 degrees of coverage.

Some of the Cube's most unique features are in its unique design, something the team at Polaroid focused on as a way to differentiate it. Its rubberized body has shock-absorbent skin, so it's made to withstand being dropped. It's also water resistant (though if you need it to be waterproof they sell a case for it). The Cube comes in three different colors, each with Polaroid's rainbow band running around the middle, and, in an homage to old-school film, each of its sides is 35 millimeters.

The makers of the Cube see it as a "lifestyle action camera," one that won't just be used for extreme sports, as the GoPro so often is. Their goal was to make a fun, easy-to-use product that would re-capture that "instant sharing" that their old Polaroid cameras did back in the day. Check out their promo video below:

 

 

The GoPro

 

 

 

The GoPro revolutionized what is now known as the "action camera." According to the company, they make the most versatile cameras in the world. Their Hero cameras are known for being compact, lightweight, and either wearable or mountable when you combine it with the many types of mounts they sell. The cameras have become especially popular with action sports enthusiasts and the company has responded with mounts that are perfect for any sport. As a result, GoPro's YouTube page is filled with many amazing videos of extreme sports.

GoPro currently has three Hero camera options, offering more features for more money depending on what you're looking for. Some of the additional features include built-in wi-fi, a remote, and their new "SuperView" mode, which "allows you to capture more of yourself and your surroundings in the shot and provides full widescreen playback." Personally, I have a GoPro and love it. It's a versatile little camera that takes great video and images and their many mounts allow you to capture lots of different type of video as well as different angles.

 

 

Comparison

The GoPro definitely offers more features and options than Polaroid's Cube. However, the Cube is geared more towards the everyday user versus the action sports user. According to Polaroid, they are looking to "expand the pie" of customers and make action cameras more accessible. This is why they say the Cube is a "lifestyle action camera." The Cube definitely has a different twist on the action camera and it stands to be seen whether it gives GoPro a run for their money or not. Either way, I think adding a new product like this to the market can only benefit us, the customers.

I already know the GoPro is an awesome camera and I would definitely be interested in checking out the Cube once it launches. Ultimately, if you're trying to decide between the two I think you need to figure what you will be using the camera for. From there you can look at the specs of each camera to find the one that will work best for you. I would also recommend trying each out at the store if you can (though this will of course require you to go to a store and interact with real people instead of just sitting behind your computer).

 

 

 

 

Takeaways

Hopefully we'll continue to see Polaroid innovate and add more features and options to the Cube in the future. I know GoPro is getting ready to launch the Hero 4 soon and I look forward to seeing what this new camera has to offer. No matter what camera you end up with, you can't forget to add another important accessory that neither GoPro nor Polaroid sells - a website for your videos! The perfect place to show off all your awesome videos is on .TV, the domain made to play. .TV is on sale now for just $10.99, making now the perfect opportunity to secure your .TV domain and save! Plus, each .TV domain comes with access to our free website builder! Our $10.99 .TV sale applies to all years of registration and ends 12/31/14 23:59 EST.

Product images are courtesy of Polaroid and GoPro's websites.



This post was written by Robyn Norgan, who recently used her GoPro while ziplining on Colorado's longest and fastest ziplines!