14.2.2015

♦ Introduction ♦The CUBE by Polaroid is an extremely small and portable action camera measuring in at just 3.5cm x 3.5cm x 3.5cm.- Main Features:∙ 124° Field of view.∙ Up to 1080p video recording.∙ Weather-resistant & shockproof.∙ Magnetic & "Stackable" with other CUBE cameras.∙ Three coloured themes available: Black |Blue |Red.This little cam is utterly adorable! It's probably the smallest action camera I've ever owned. Due to its size, it's not only discrete, it's lightweight and can easily fit into a pocket. The exterior seems pretty solid, so I don't think I would worry much if I dropped it, unless it was unfortunate enough to fall lens down directly onto a rock.I get the impression this is more for general use be it for commuting or family situations,I just can't see it being used for "extreme sports".♦ Box Contents & Recommended Extras ♦- Box Contents:∙ CUBE camera.∙ Micro USB charging cable.∙ Instruction manual.I've got to be honest, I was a little disappointed to see zero mounts included; that's right not even one adhesive mount. I've owned action cameras from various brands (Sony, GoPro, Drift), all of which had some sort of basic mount included, but not the Polaroid Cube.- Recommended Extras:∙ As the CUBE doesn't have internal memory, a MicroSDHC Memory Card is HIGHLY recommended.∙ If you don't have one already, a USB AC Adapter can come in handy. Alternatively you could use the charging cable with a powered USB port from your PC/Laptop.- Optional Extras:∙ Tripod Mount.∙ Helmet Mount.∙ Suction Cup Mount w/ Waterproof Case.∙ Bicycle Mount.∙ + More.Personally, I would recommend the 'Tripod Mount' and a 1/4" Screw Thread for GoPro mounts, this way you can attach it to some other GoPro mounts which would give the camera more versatility and mounting options.♦ CUBE's Functions & How to Use ♦At the rear of the camera is a cover with a slot indented into it, this can be opened up with a coin. Once opened, you will gain access to the memory card slot, 720p/1080p quality switch an the micro USB port (used for file access & charging).Attaching the camera to your PC/Laptop will allow you to toggle some settings, you can find them by going to: 'My Computer' - 'CUBE' - 'PolaroidCube' application. You can toggle the following:∙ Light Frequency (50Hz/60Hz).∙ Timestamp (On/Off).∙ Cycle Recording (On/Off): Having this setting on means it will start to record over the previous footage when the memory card is full, whereas if it was off, it would stop recording when there's no space left on the memory card.∙ Sync with Computer: When this is pressed, the camera will sync the computers time onto the CUBE. It will then prompt you to disconnect the camera.∙ Camera Buzzer Volume Slider (Mute to Loud).The CUBE has a fairly strong magnet at its base which allows it to stick to many surfaces firmly, though unfortunately you're limited to mounting this camera upright on surfaces. Of course this can come in handy, however it could have been made more versatile by adding a magnet to each side, or have a sensor that would automatically flip the video footage when recording on its sides.On top is a small LED indicator as well as the Power/Snapshot/Record button.∙ When off, hold for three seconds (Power on).∙ Once on, press once (take a snapshot).∙ Once on, press twice (start recording).∙ When recording, press once (stop recording).∙ When on, hold for three seconds (Power off).At the front is where the Lens and microphone is located.♦ Results ♦- Ease of Use:I honestly don't think they could have made it any simpler to use, there are only three different commands using just the one button. They are easy to remember and the button is big enough to press even when wearing gloves.- Photo Quality:Upon pressing the button once it takes the camera 1.3 seconds to actually take a photo, so keep it still until you hear a bleep.The quality is good as long as photos are taken in decent light, though not so good with fast moving objects, especially as lighting becomes poorer.Photos can be found within the 'DCIM' - '100PHOTO' folders.- Video Quality:Video footage is recorded in the 'MOV' format; if you haven't already, it's advisable to download QuickTime. I needed to download it as my video editing software needed the plug-ins which comes with the QuickTime software, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to edit them.Video footage can be found within the 'DCIM' - '100VIDEO' folders. The files are split every 5 minutes which at 1080p quality takes up about 290MB per file.∙ Daytime Quality: Just as you would expect from an action cam, the video quality during daytime was sharp and the exposure most of the time was decent. The colouring is more natural and true to what the scene actually is. Some action cameras like to make the colour more "vivid".∙ Night-time Quality: I was actually pleasantly surprised. As-long as there is some decent street lighting, the footage is very usable. Compared with the Drift Ghost HD (not 'S' version), the CUBE puts the Drift to shame when it comes to the same lighting conditions.∙ Stabilization: The CUBE doesn't have any form of stabilization, so if you're gonna be riding a bike on a bumpy road without good suspension, you WILL notice it in the footage.∙ Sound Quality: Quality seems reasonably clear, just bare in mind when travelling at higher speeds, wind noise is very apparent. A waterproof housing is normally best to use to cut down wind noise, or stick a little bit of foam over the microphone.- Battery:It's fair to say for a little cam such as this, the battery is pretty good. I would say the advertised 90 minute battery is fairly accurate. The problem I have is you just don't have an inkling of how much battery life it has left (apart from orange when under 10%).I have a device which flashes red up to four times when turned on, each red indicates roughly 25% of power remaining, so if it flashes three times, you know it has between 50-74% of power left. Something like that would have been useful.♦ Final Thoughts ♦If you're looking for a versatile action camera, get a GoPro. Whilst GoPro's are a bit pricier, they do have a wide range of models available from budget to premium and are much more versatile when it comes to mounting, especially as there are so many cheap third party mounts available, but they are also larger in size.The CUBE is very small making it more discreet and convenient for everyday use. The video quality is very good, so I would recommend taking a look at some of the mounting options Polaroid have to offer and if they have something suitable for your use, then it's definitely a product I would recommend.✔ Pros:✓ Small/compact & lightweight.✓ Very simple to use.✓ High quality video quality.✓ Handles well in low-light (video).✓ Has timestamp option.✓ Has "cycle" recording feature.✓ Magnetic bottom is useful.✓ Decent battery life.✖ Cons:✘ Not a single mount included.✘ Optional mounts are rather expensive for what they are.✘ Lacks video stability.✘ No battery indicator.✘ Wouldn't recommend for photo use.► Note: I received this product in exchange for an unbiased review.

14.1.2015

Once you get past how tiny and cute the Polaroid Cube is (and it is) you begin to realise how much clever, thoughtful design went into something this simple looking. It couldn't be much simpler to use either, just grab, point and shoot - a short click gets you a still image (3328 × 1872 resolution JPG) and a long click starts a video recording in your choice of 720p or 1080p resolution. Still images aren't that special, about the same image quality as a good smartphone, but the Cube is really all about video clips and they look better with good colour reproduction and a surprisingly decent (though still a bit grainy) performance in low interior lighting.With no viewfinder it's hard sometimes to judge what you're actually filming and you might have to wait until you get home to see if you were pointing in exactly the right direction to capture your kid's once-in-a-lifetime skateboard trick or your puppy's first encounter with snow, but that's the kind of camera it is - meant for quickly capturing short video clips rather than for carefully considered movie-making. It's fitted with a fixed wide-angle lens with about a 120° view, meant to capture all of the action rather than the details, and so things close up to the camera will get a slight fish-eye distortion - but it works really well for capturing dramatic shots of the landscape whizzing past your bicycle or similar.It's all very attractively presented and packaged, with just the Cube camera itself and a tiny USB cable for charging. There's a mini user guide, which you hardly need, and a card of pictorial instructions on how to open the weatherproof cap on the back to reveal the microSD card slot, the switch to select 720 or 1080 video resolution and the USB port. There's a magnet embedded in the base of the Cube and it's plenty strong enough to hold it in position in a variety of situations, assuming there's a bit of ferrous metal handy, but doesn't quite rival a tripod screw mount - you have to buy an accessory to get that. One nice design touch is that that cover cap is lined with rubber (embossed Apple-style with the product name and standards icons) and must contain a piece of metal as it can be attached to the magnet in the base of the camera as a little rubberised foot for it to sit on. In use, the camera bleeps to let you know it it just took a still or started a video recording and again when you stop recording and it's fairly loud, although you can turn it down or off using the accompanying app. The Cube isn't that easy to hold steady, being so small you tend to hold it between your fingers and inevitably it reveals every twitch or tremble in the finished video. You also can't help feeling that the lens is somewhat exposed during handling too, although it's recessed into the Cube there's nothing actually protecting it, although to be fair it's made from glass and not from more easily scratched plastic.There's no onboard Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to connect to other devices so to view your videos or photos you have to pop out the microSD card and use it in another device, like your computer, or you can connect the Cube to your computer via USB and use the Cube's dedicated Mac or PC app' to access the contents (the app's automatically appear on the SD card so you always have access to them). The app's also let you access a few of the Cube's onboard settings, like adjusting the bleep volume or enabling/disabling a timestamp on your video clips. The Windows version works fine for me but I can't get the Mac version to connect to the camera, but that might just be me. The simple design is one of the best qualities of the Cube but also one of its limitations, if you want to make real practical use of it you're going to have to stump up for one or more of the accessories Polaroid have designed. There are a good range and they're mostly as nicely designed as the Cube itself, but you need to budget for them separately because the camera itself comes with nothing.It's hard not to like the Cube, even though it's possible to complain about the odd missing feature or that the video isn't better quality, because it's so nicely designed and so cleverly focussed onto its primary task - it's a really fun video-clip camera, nothing more - but it's a really cool one. (Disclosure: item was received for independent review)

5.2.2015

The Polaroid Cube is a very well made weatherproof wide angle action cam capable of both video and stills with a built in magnet on its base, plus it has lots of useful accessories/mounts available for it.In the Box:Polaroid Cube CameraMicro USB CableUser Guide & WarrantyPros:-Small and very portable, measuring just 3.5cm cubed and weighs around 50g-Very good quality full 1080p and 720p video recording with sound-Wide field of view, 124 degrees really does capture everything you can see in front of you-Very easy to use with a single button on top performing all its actions-Magnetic base is very strong and allows the camera to be attached to any magnetic surface-Well made and durable,plus being weatherproof you don’t need to worry if using it in a sandy/dusty area or during a rain shower-Large selection of accessories and mounts are available (more on that below)-Standard Micro USB chargerCons:-Shutter lag when taking stills i.e. it’s around a second after you press the button that the picture is taken-Removing the Micro USB Card can be a little fiddly-No way of knowing how much battery life is left-Low light performance could be a little bit better, with a loss of detail and contrast in particularly dimly lit environments, I'm being quite picky here as this is not that bad at all reallyThe camera really is very simple to use, there is just one button on top of the camera with an LED indicator, hold it down to turn the camera on or off, single click it to take a still image and double click to start and stop recording video (note: it’s not possible to take a still image whilst recording a video), it really is very intuitive and takes no time at all to get used to, there’s also an audible beep to confirm your various actions.The back of the camera is easily removed allowing access to the Micro SD card slot (cards up to 32GB in size), the 1080p/720p selection switch and a Micro USB port for data transfer and charging. The camera charges using a standard Micro USB cable and takes around 2.5 hours to charge giving around 1.5 hours of recording. When connected to a computer you can open up a little settings application on the Cube allowing you to change light frequency, timestamp, camera buzzer volume, date/time and cycle recording (where the camera would automatically record over the oldest file on a full Micro SD card if enabled).Video is recorded in individual 5 minute files, at full 1080p resolution 5 minutes of video is just under 300MB.As I mentioned previously there are lots of accessories available; including…Bumper Pendant Case - A silicone case to protect your Cube and allow it to be carried around your neckHelmet Mount – Adhesive mount to attach the Cube to any helmetMonkey Stand – Almost a mini tripod for the Cube... and it looks like a monkey!Waterproof Case & Suction Mount – Case that’s waterproof up to 10m (33ft) along with a suction cup for attaching the Cube to smooth surfacesBike Mount – To attach the Cube to 1” thick bicycle handlebarsTripod Mount – Allows the cube to be mounted on any standard tripodStrap Mount – Allows the Cube to be strapped to almost anything (well anything the strap is long enough to go around)For me this wide selection of accessories is a real strength of the Cube as it gives great flexibility in how it can be used, it’s not just case of hand holding the Cube or using the built in magnet (as useful as that is).Overall I really do love the Polaroid Cube, it does have a few shortcomings however these are very minor and I would have no hesitation recommending it.I was kindly provided a sample by the manufacturer for review; the opinions expressed here are entirely my own view of the product.

5.12.2014

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? No? You might want to put this fun little item on your list for someone - or yourself.Half the fun of buying gifts is seeing what's new, different - and quite frankly, catches my eye. (And yes, some of them do end up on my own list) The Polaroid CUBE certainly did!I mentioned little - the CUBE measures out at 1 1/4 inches square. But it packs a lot into that small little case - it takes both pictures and HP video (resolution can be switched to 720 or 1080p), with a microphone as well. It accommodates a 32 GB SD card (purchase separately), the battery lasts about an hour and half (recharge by plugging in to computer or use a wall adaptor and transferring to my computer was easy.(USB cable included) Set up and learning to use it literally took minutes - instructions were clear and easy. One button on top controls everything - off, on, video and camera.Being this small, there is no viewfinder - instead you can point and shoot. Polaroid is marketing this as a "lifestyle action video camera". And this is why it caught my eye....you can mount and attach the CUBE to just about anything. I also got the strap mount - in one and two meter lengths. What? Yep - there's a rotating mount that fits on the straps. So, think about it - you can strap it on anything and video film. Back of your backpack, dog's leash, on your wrist out walking, and really - anything, anywhere. It's winter in my part of the world - so it's going outside with me - on the snowmobile. (It's weatherproof and splashproof). I think I might get the bicycle mount for summer. The CUBE's case is sturdy and seems pretty shockproof, with a grip proof finish.Why would you want to film this you ask? Why not? It's fun and action shots would be a neat perspective - I'm thinking of a friend who is a serious mountain biker. (Helmet mount) The magnet on the camera is incredibly strong, so you could attach it to anything metal. (The outside of the fridge comes to mind, inside on the dash of the vehicle on road trips and maybe even the hood of the car driving slowly)I also got the tripod mount - it's headed to the staff Christmas party on Saturday. It's unobtrusive and I won't have to hold anything. It will sit nicely in the center of the table and I'll just turn it every so often. Plus, it fits in my purse!The photo and video quality is of course not going to the same quality as a full size camera. But you know, it's really good for a one inch camera. Keep in mind that it's a wide angle lens, so there is a rounding of the edges of the images. Low lighting inside did result in somewhat grainy photos - to be expected. Outside, both video and images were very, very clear.Lots of fun in a little package - for all ages. And the price is right. Two thumbs up.

26.11.2014

Sent to me for review I love the tiny design, show it to your friends and family and they'll go 'aww that's cute!'.Available in a range of colours, you'll see the black version in my video, the Cube packs a camera capable of either 720p or 1080p video via a 124-degree wide angle lens. It has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 90 minutes per charge and round the back you have a USB port for charging, a switch to select camera resolution and a micro SD card slot. On the top is a multi function button that's used to turn the Cube on/off, take a photo (by pressing once) or start/stop video recording (press twice to record, once to stop).Given the tiny size it's no surprise there is no screen or viewfinder,this is shoot by eye and hope for the best, although the wide angle lens means the Cube captures a lot more than you'd think and it's hard not to capture the moment just by pointing the Cube in the general direction of the action. There is a plastic stand that has a a metal plate included which is useful to keep hold of if you want to do some basic fixed position filming and want to raise the Cubes height.On the bottom Polaroid have added a strong magnet and this can be used with any suitable metal surface, in doing so then the camera faces to the side, rather than directly forward, brilliant if you're doing action filming, for example on a skateboard.Aside from the charging cable you don't get any mounts, so consider what you want to use this for when purchasing as it's likely you'll need at least one of the available accessories to make real use of the Cube (in the video you'll see the tripod mount in use).Video quality is very good, I'm not sure if it will show as well in my review video as Amazon restrict the size of files you can upload so I've had to reduce the quality in order to submit my review. What you will see in the video below the Cube had no problem with the bumps and vibrations caused by being attached to a rake being dragged over the ground, lower cost cameras would've struggled not to distort or bounce the video around.When you're ready to review photos or videos the files are accessible via USB (cable included). Rather than all files being stored in the same directory photos and videos are stored separately making it easy to find what you're after.The magnetic bottom gives you some options, but really you'll need to invest in some of the accessories, such as the tripod mount, to really get the most out of this dinky device and that's a real pity as it means the price immediately increases.However, for those looking for a tiny, ultra portable, camera that opens up new camera angles due to it's tiny size will find the Polaroid Cube quick and easy to use.

5.2.2018

It’s VERY wide angle, so quite an unusual almost fisheye lens effect.The picture quality is fine during the day but not ideal at night, doesn’t work well in nightclubs etc.Due to the fact you can’t see what you’re filming on a screen (nor can you play back content apart from via a computer) whatever you film via the Cube will be a “surprise” when you download it onto your computer. Obviously not ideal if you’re filming something very important that can’t be missed, but brilliant for silly short clips on days out and during sports/activities.You will find that sometimes things such as too much sky or light behind the subject makes a dark video even during the day,

18.1.2015

I got the opportunity to check out and play with the Polaroid Cube video camera this last week. It's an interesting device at this price point, but it's definitely not a Go-Pro.UnboxingThe packaging is simple and easy to open (once you find the tape holding the clear plastic package closed). You should pay attention when you unbox the camera, as the bottom plastic has a metal plate underneath it. The magnet on the bottom of the camera snaps onto it nicely. I chose to save this piece of the packaging as it makes a nice little stand for the camera.CameraThe camera itself is simple, compact, light, and easy to move around. The included USB cable is disappointing as it is only 3 inches in length,

7.10.2014

This cute little camera is a blast, as long as you know what to expect. For instance, it doesn't have a viewfinder -- otherwise, it couldn't possibly be this small -- so you can never be sure what you're recording. And its user interface is as simple and as no-frills as possible. Once you get used to these things, the Cube will go everywhere you go.Because the Cube has such a wide angle lens, you really do get more in the picture that you might expect. It has the typical curved and distorted borders of a quasi-fish-eye lens (you won't get the round frame, however), and it takes in stuff well above and below the camera. It's weatherproof -- not waterproof -- which makes it suitable to most outside uses,

12.12.2014

An inch across, this is a gorgeous little pocket camera with a well thought out range of accessories which competes well with the GoPro range and may be a better choice for many people.The lens is 124 degrees, recording the fish-eye view which is fairly standard on this kind of device. As a rule of thumb, things in the middle will not appear distorted, things on the edges will. There's no zoom on this camera, but that's immaterial, as other cameras of this kind offering zoom are only zooming digitally, which you can do in your movie application afterwards. The video quality is superb, but don't expect the audio to give you more than atmospheric background.Polaroid have followed the dictum 'more is less'.

26.12.2014

Recording is using camera while it is attached to strap accessorySmall is differently beautiful when it comes to this tiny still and video camera, so small it sits in the palm of my hand.When people see it they don't really get what it is, even when I say to them its a full HD video camera and also still camera they look at me as if I daft, "how can something that small be anything other than a toy" they have said. Well its not a toy, is an amazing bit of kit, so much thought has gone in to the design, its one of those products that I want to hold and admire, possibly because I have an electronics back ground, but this camera is incredible.So what has impressed me so much apart from the size?HD camera,

18.7.2016

For something so small to do so much, its certainly worthwhile to have. First its easy to use. All you do is press the button and its on. Take a photo, press the button. Take video, press it twice. All you need is a micro SD card and away you go. It can take a 32gb card which will take plenty of photos and video. With the magnet, you can put it and it will stick. I put this on my bicycle handlebar and cycle 20mph and it doesn't come off. This is very handy as it films my cycle routes. The film quality even at 720p is good and clear. You can take many photos which are standard but ok.That the positive, here the negatives. Video will come in five minute bits. Good video quality but would be nice if Polaroid improve on this.

5.11.2015

I use this in conjuction with the official waterproof holder as a motorcycle helmet cam Polaroid Waterproof Shockproof Case for the Polaroid CUBE HD Action Lifestyle Camera - Connects to All Mounts in CUBE Series. It sticks up enough so that other drivers can see it on top of my helmet, and often very obviously change their mind about cutting me up!Video quality is quite nice, especially in full daylight. Rain and dark cause quite a lot of glare though.On 720p, it splits the files into 300mb/5 minute files, and I can fit approx 4 hours on a 16Gb micro SD card. There's next to no transition between files.The battery lasts about 90 minutes as advertised, and it's really easy to turn on and start recording,

17.11.2019

Very happy indeed with this wee camera. It's a tough little device, very easy to use and child friendly. Still-picture quality was not quite as good as I thought it would be, but video quality is better than I thought it would be (and I guess that's what matters for an 'action camera'). Obviously you can't view your footage/pics on the device itself, but it's easy to connect it to a computer, and you can use Windows Movie Maker or whatever to seamlessly paste together the 5-minute chunks of video that it takes. (You won't notice the joins if you do so).You'll need to buy a micro-SD card separately.

6.5.2019

This is a good little camera. I have four of them now, and for the £30 they cost at time of writing, they're great value.I use two of them when motorbiking - one on the bike, one on my crash helmet. The one on the bike is connected to the bike's power (it is three years old now, and doesn't charge any more), so no battery worries, the newer one on my lid gets charged each time I use it.The video quality for me is gopro level. sharp, good colour, works reasonably well in low light, easily good enough as a dashcam type device.Being so small, you can tape them to almost anything, and the magnet is powerful enough to stick to the bonnet of a moving car.Downsides - you need a computer or playback device to get the video off of it.

9.2.2016

Weighs nothing and takes good video and stills.Bought for off piste ski trip. Took some great HD video.I didn't like the mounts so I simply taped it to my ski goggle strap with electrical tape, could still press the stop start button with ski gloves on no problem. And its so light that its not going to come off when taped to a goggle strap easily at all. I had a few wipeouts and it was always there afterwards.gives great point of view images.ive used it for two ski season now and love it.Very small and discreet the way I attach it to the goggle strap. Also means you don't have to mess around with adding mounts to your ski helmet....i both the waterproof case but don't use it, the unit is snow proof anyway,

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