This weekend in Toronto, thousands of moms and dads, kids in tow (and some in bellies!) came out to the Fall BabyTime Show at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Amidst the booths of babyware and gear, a few tech giants stood out -- one of which was SONY.
As many new parents have done, when Isabelle was born, we loaded ourselves up with technology. Between the tablets and laptops to keep us occupied in the NICU, we invested in a DSLR and of course, a video camera to capture her growth. It was important for us to have great products that not only work, but are easy to use. And while I do consider myself kind of technically-inclined, sometimes, simplicity is key.
At the BabyTime Show, I was able to test two new products that are (hopefully) going to make capturing this moments easier.
Sony QX10:
What is it? Quite simply -- it's a lens that attaches to your smartphone. This nifty little gadget is light weight, boasts a 10x optical zoom and is WIFI enabled. The 18 megapixel unit uses the screen from your smartphone to create a point-and-shoot experience.
You can instantly upload the photos to your social media channels or email in a click.
What I liked: It's super easy to use, and takes great pictures. The colours are vibrant and really pop. (Check out photo below of CLEF car seats)
The QX10 is not heavy and affixes to your smartphone easily, without leaving any marks or scratches (thank heavens for that!)
Here's the thing: It does add a bit of bulk to your smartphone so you can't exactly slip it into your pocket. And while it does eliminate the need to carry around a second camera, it doesn't have ALL the features that a point and shoot does. Just so you know.
But, if you're after better pictures without spending money or lugging around a DSLR, this is a pretty cool tool for you. (Check out the photo below for the before and after)
Here's a shot of the same hallway - the first taken with my iPhone, and the second taken with the QX10 on my iPhone. Notice the difference in colours and vibrancy in the shot on the right.
Amidst the booths of babyware and gear, a few tech giants stood out -- one of which was SONY.
As many new parents have done, when Isabelle was born, we loaded ourselves up with technology. Between the tablets and laptops to keep us occupied in the NICU, we invested in a DSLR and of course, a video camera to capture her growth. It was important for us to have great products that not only work, but are easy to use. And while I do consider myself kind of technically-inclined, sometimes, simplicity is key.
At the BabyTime Show, I was able to test two new products that are (hopefully) going to make capturing this moments easier.
Sony QX10: What is it? Quite simply -- it's a lens that attaches to your smartphone. This nifty little gadget is light weight, boasts a 10x optical zoom and is WIFI enabled. The 18 megapixel unit uses the screen from your smartphone to create a point-and-shoot experience.
You can instantly upload the photos to your social media channels or email in a click.
What I liked: It's super easy to use, and takes great pictures. The colours are vibrant and really pop. (Check out photo below of CLEF car seats)
The QX10 is not heavy and affixes to your smartphone easily, without leaving any marks or scratches (thank heavens for that!)
But, if you're after better pictures without spending money or lugging around a DSLR, this is a pretty cool tool for you. (Check out the photo below for the before and after)
Here's a shot of the same hallway - the first taken with my iPhone, and the second taken with the QX10 on my iPhone. Notice the difference in colours and vibrancy in the shot on the right.
The second product I tested out was the new Sony Handycam with Built-In Projector.
What is it? It's a full HD video camera with projector. 12x optical zoom, 20.4 megapixels.
What I liked: Honestly, this is a great consumer videocamera. Why? Well, because without a tutorial or reading an instruction, I was able to quickly figure out this camera. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought it was my own - that's how instantly comfortable I was with the unit.
You flip open the screen and hit record. Boom. You're taping. When you have a kid on the go and you want to get them in action, you don't have time to spare. Chances are, you won't miss the action with this machine. It's super fast and very simple to use.
The newest feature for this product is the Built-In Projector, which allows you to view what you've just shot in the comfort of your living room. You can view the videos up to 100 cm (1 metre) diagonally without using your TV - just project on a wall. This solves the dilemma of shooting so many great videos only to have them sit on a memory card for years. Watch them together as a family. It's a beautiful thing.
When you have kids, I think it's important to capture all the moments -- what's your most coveted digital gear?
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