ELE Explorer PRO Action Camera Review

Remember the ELE Explorer action camera I reviewed a few months back (review here)? It was one of my favorites of this year so far, but had a few issues with image colors in high-contrast scenes. ELE has since released a new camera, the ELE Explorer Pro, and I just got my hands on it courtesy of GearBest. Take a look at the full video with sample footage and read the review below for this hot camera:

New Look

Hunting the River King as been updated! The format will still be adjusted a bit, but I think this look will be the new one for now. Thanks for reading

I have also launched a separate website, Gadgets & Gear Guru. You will find a host of affordable items, from smart lamps to minimalist running shoes and more at this new site. Check it out here: http://gadgetgearguru.blogspot.com

Telescopic Cellphone Zoom Camera Lens Review

Grabbed this little telephoto zoom lens for my smartphone for a little over $6. It's been fun taking it on hiking and fishing trips. Recently took it to Hawaii and was able to focus in on a whale surfacing off the coast. There's no way my stock cell phone camera could have picked it up! Here is the video of the whale, and following it is a video review of the lens at a local SoCal creek.

Best Budget Bargain Action Camera: ELE Explorer Action Camera

Interested in a dirt-cheap action camera with usable 2.7k video footage? And even better 1080p footage? Stick with me for this latest review on a brand-new action camera, the ELE Explorer. I am a sucker for the latest action cameras, as I love to catch neat footage from fishing and hiking trips here in Southern California. The fantastic year-round weather (despite the current El Nino) offers excellent recreational opportunities and capturing this on a waterproof action camera to watch and share with others is a blast. Thus, when I was offered the chance to review a new camera, the ELE, I jumped at it! Recently, there has been a trend of cheaper and cheaper action cameras offering up to 4K video resolution (see my review of the nice EKEN H9 camera here), and the ELE is no exception. Let's take a look at it!

More after the jump

Fish Hunter 3D Portable Sonar Fish Finder Review

Recently there has been an explosion of portable sonar fish finder devices. As a kid angler, I could only dream of getting my own boat and mounting a sonar to it. It seemed like an eternity till this dream could ever be realized. Now, you can purchase all sorts of portable fish finders, including several exciting models that sync with your phone via Bluetooth or WiFi. Many of these can be casted or trolled, allowing anglers to learn precious information on bottom contour and fish locations. 

One of the more powerful portable options is the Fish Hunter 3D. This device is jam packed with fish catching tools, all packed into a ball-shaped sonar roughly the size of a baseball. Courtesy of the guys behind Fish Hunter, I've been using one on recent fishing trips and wanted to share my thoughts on it. I hope this review is useful for anyone considering such a portable fish finder!

SJ7000 Action Camera Review: Bargain-Priced Cam

[2017 update: The SJ7000 is a still a decent camera, but it's been quickly outpaced by many other budget cameras. Consider the excellent Firefly 7S, a very budget-priced action camera with awesome features and fantastic image quality. Check out the review here and video here https://youtu.be/Vv3cAGdYJDI  ]

Recently got my hands on the SJ7000, courtesy of GearBest, a new budget-priced action camera. Got to take it out on a long fishing trip to the Eastern Sierra. Check out the review AND the footage of the awesome fishing trip I had in this part of California!

Overview

The SJ7000 is yet another action camera aiming for the bargain market, with a host of neat features. At first glance, it looks just like the popular SJ4000, which I have also reviewed. In fact, it's basically a clone of it but don't take this as a bad thing! The cases are compatible, batteries, and even actual camera size are virtually identicle. Two main differences: SJ7000 sports a different software and the SJ7000 has a much larger back LCD screen, making viewing photos and adjusting settings much easier. 

SJ4000 on the right, SJ7000 on the left

Product Review: Whistler Rush Action Camera Review

The Whistler Rush action camera is a intriguing addition to the action camera market. I was able to take it on several fishing trips and capture a variety of footage in challenging conditions. How did it perform? Read on for the full review of the Whistler Rush action camera. 

The Whistler Rush films at 1080p/30fps, 720p/60fps. The 170 degree viewing angle is cut down to a 127 with the 1080p video. Camera has 5.0 M CMOS sensor, f/2.8 6-layer glass lense, with H.264 compression. Photos are 8 MP. Dual Micro SD card slots are available (neat touch!), allowing for even more recording options, in addition to a built-in dash cam feature for on/off recording with ignition. There is also a white LED light on the front that can be used to better iluminate subjects, another unique touch on the Rush action camera. HDMI, Aduio video ouput, time lapse photography and a swell 1.5 inch color monitor round out this impressive array of features on the Rush. It's really shocking that GoPro still can't seem to include a view screen on all its models; I am very glad to see this feature on the Rush. It's easy to navigate the built in menu and adjust settings as needed on it as well. 

Videos and more after the jump (click below)

New Action Camera Review: Rush Action Camera (Coming Soon)

 

Ready for more affordable action cameras? Check out Whistler's Rush, a new compact action camera with a lot of intriguing features! Stay tuned for this upcoming action camera review while I put it to the test while fishing and hiking here in Southern California. While you are waiting, check out past reviews of some of my favorite action cameras on Hunting the River King: BlackVue Sport, Midland XTC, and the IronX.

BlackVue Sport SC500 Review: New Action Camera on the Block!

The BlackVue Sport SC500 is a new action camera from developer Pittasoft. This powerful action cam takes aim at GoPro with an impressive set of specification, better price point, and excellent video quality.

Read on for the full review, photos, videos and more!

BlackVue SC500: Upcoming Action Camera Review

The BlackVue SC500 from Pittasoft looks like an interesting HD action camera. With a planned upcoming release (November 18th, 2013), and plenty of useful features for anglers (waterproof housing, real-time playback, 1080p at 60 fps, wide-angle 152 degrees view, and much more), this camera looks like one I'll be watching. Expect an in-depth review of this new action camera soon, with plenty of fishing footage! In the meantime, here is one of their promotional videos for this BlackVue SC500
http://youtu.be/gLCDg4cKB-c