New companies seem to enter the action camera game faster than we can keep track of them! Most Major camera manufacturers have a hand in the game, as do outdoor product companies like Garmin. Yet action cameras are all pretty similar, designed to be used in a variety of extreme sports or outdoor adventures.
The Octospot Dive Camera is different. It’s the first action camera purpose-built for one specific activity.
The challenges of recording high-quality video underwater are well known to camera manufacturers. Sony and Garmin have underwater scene modes that seek to eliminate the colorcast through software, but these modes are tuned for a single depth. GoPro actually uses physical color filters, with different colors available for different depths, but changing a filter while diving isn’t the best solution.
Octospot’s approach solves both of these issues: It has a built-in pressure sensor that can select the appropriate white balance based on depth. It also records video in 4K resolution with electronic stabilization.
To get good footage underwater, the camera has to survive getting there in the first place. The Dive Camera can operate in depths as low as 656 feet (200 meters) below the surface, without an additional housing. Despite this, the camera is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
The functionality of the camera has also been designed from the ground up for divers. The magnetic activation switch and mode dial are designed to be used with gloves, and a vibration motor provides haptic feedback when recording is started. It clips to virtually any dive mask and uses a one-click T-rail mount for quick attachment. An adapter is also available to use GoPro accessories.
Octospot is also making an accessory called the 3rd Person Viewer. At first glance, it appears to be an advanced selfie stick and, well, that’s because it is. It’s an extendable arm with a mount on one end, but what makes it special is a pair of pontoons that sandwich the camera and provide buoyancy, keeping the Dive Camera elevated and stable as it follows you into the depths. It’s great for capturing yourself in your dive, but Octospot also sees the 3rd Person Viewer to enhance training videos.
The Dive Camera is a niche product, but that’s exactly what makes it so good for its intended user. And by the looks of things, there is plenty of demand for such a device. With 29 days still to go in the campaign, Octospot has already raised over $74,000 of its $80,000 goal on Kickstarter. Interested backers will need to pledge at least $349 to receive the camera once the project is funded, but that’s $250 off the expected retail price.
For more information, visit Octospot’s website.
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