A pro-grade action camera with no learning curve

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The People's Camera, 1080 HD for less than $100.
The People's Camera, 1080 HD for less than $100.
Photo: Vidi Action Cameras

GoPro owns the action camera market it invented and the routine emergence of new competitors only seems to make GoPro’s sales go up. Why would anyone try to compete?

In creating The People’s Action Camera, Utah-based Vidi did not set out to target GoPro. It is instead aiming for more budget-conscious consumers who aren’t necessarily into gadgets. The result is a camera that requires little to no study to use, provides pro-grade high-def footage and has software that edits video for you.

One other thing – it costs less than $100.

“We wanted a kit and camera that is functional right out of the box,” Vidi Action Cameras founder Spencer Taylor told Cult of Mac. “The battery is charged, there’s an SD card already in the camera and the user interface is so simple you could hand it to a kid on Christmas morning and in no time, he will be running out in the snow in his pajamas taking footage.”

Spencer Taylor, founder of Vidi Action Cameras, with the People's Camera.
Spencer Taylor, founder of Vidi Action Cameras, with the People’s Camera.
Photo: Vidi Action Cameras

Action cameras, or point of view cameras, are known for being small, wearable and mountable in places a person can’t be, like at the end of a surfboard or on the handlebars of a mountain bike headed down hill. It is one of the fastest growing segments of the camera industry with GoPro being the most profitable and recognizable brand. Other companies, like Sony, fight for thinner slices of the pie.

Vidi’s timing to enter the market may prove fruitful. More and more people are buying action cameras and GoPro is beginning to shift its attention towards becoming a global media and entertainment brand.

Taylor’s team just launched a Kickstarter campaign and already exceeded the $25,000 goal with 35 days remaining. A camera can be ordered on Kickstarter for $89.

While many startups that use Kickstarter often get delayed because of glitches in production, Vidi has the cameras in the warehouse and can deliver in time for Christmas. It already has one celebrity endorser, Brazilian soccer great Ronaldinho, who lends his name to a signature model.

The People’s Camera offers 1080 HD video, 12-megapixel stills and CMOS sensor that works in low light and a 140-degree wide angle lens. The kit comes with a 4GB SD card already inserted in the camera, underwater housing and a selfie stick.

The People's Camera comes with accessories other brands make you pay extra for.
The People’s Camera comes with accessories other brands make you pay extra for.
Photo: Vidi Action Camera

The camera will eventually retail for $99 with similar cameras and kits in this class running two and three times more.

GoPro’s entry-level camera, the HERO HD costs $129.99 while the top of the line HERO4 is a penny under $500.

Vidi has partnered with software company Shred for editing software that will analyze the footage and kick out an edit. Many people see editing a daunting process that can cause them to lose interest in using their action camera.

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