How do you take photos without a smartphone?

Canon Ivy REC Camera Review

I decided I needed a camera when I got rid of my iPhone.The 2MP camera on my flip phone was not enough. I was looking for a camera that was small, light, and shot great photos and videos. I chose the Canon Ivy REC, a solid $79 camera. 

This camera shoots Full HD 1080p videos with up to 60fps and has a 13.0-megapixel CMOS sensor capturing high-resolution images. This is as good if not better than the iPhone 7 Plus camera I was primarily using earlier. The camera is shockproof, waterproof, and perfect for outdoor adventures as well as daily use. Water resistance means you can take underwater photos up to 6.6 feet deep!

For me, I take pictures with the purpose of triggering memories. I don’t shoot with the explicit purpose of sharing photos. This camera helps me reach this goal enough. It’s as easily portable as my iPhone. The viewfinder doubles as a clip and clips easily to my wallet! You can clip the camera on a water bottle, belt loop, backpack, or more! Unfortunately this means that there is no screen for you to immediately look at your shots. But why not trust your shot?

The camera also connects to wifi/bluetooth and photos can be easily accessed via the Canon Ivy REC iPhone or Android app and saved locally. However, in order to save photos in the first place, you must put a microSD card inside. For me, since I don’t use an iPhone, I just upload my photos to my computer and then to Google Photos at full resolution. 

There are 5 easily navigable settings: bluetooth connection, off, camera, video, mixed video/camera. Easily turning this off and on between your shots means the battery lasts practically weeks without a recharge. Though it feels like a normal camera, your friends or family might forget, remind them to not cover the camera when they are taking a picture of you. 

Night time and low light photos don’t come out with the best contrast. I recommend using your friend’s smartphone for taking these types of pictures. Additionally, be sure to stabilize your shot with both hands or on something solid, especially when shooting video. Shoot your videos with slow movement and rotation to maintain the best shot. There is no auto-stabilizing software in the camera, and it is very sensitive to movement. There is also a mic on top right next to the camera button, so don’t cover it when you are shooting!

This camera is also good for children who want to run around and take pictures and you don’t want to give them something expensive or easily breakable. 

Also published on Eric Kim Photography. Check out his blog!